Ficm tune, is it for me ?

Cajunrgfm · #1 Mon, June 4th, 2012, 10:37 AM

04 f-550,4x4, k8 super tow pkg. dana 135 4.88 t-lok. 04.5 6.0,auto. I have read most all bills posts on all the psd forums,and have a cts Evo on power level 2. Runs great, truck has new heads and gaskets a year ago, egr delete , cat elc and blue spring. 170k miles, recet hpop, stc, dummies and ipr. Change oil @3k. My ficm is healthy at 48-49.5v. But is dealer programmed.Batteries run at 13.8 v. New m'craft. Is a custom tune and ficm better for my engine/trans.?? Tks.

***Jeremy*** · #2 Mon, June 4th, 2012, 11:26 PM

I haven't tried a ficm program in a 450 or 550 yet, but i would think they would do really well with a nice ficm program. Probably the Atlas 40, because of the the potential weight these truck can haul and tow.

Cajunrgfm · #3 Tue, June 5th, 2012, 06:27 AM

The gvw of a 550 is 19500, a 450 is just a hd 350, i don't tow anything bigger than an f350, and it is only across town, my truck is a wrecker/towtruck. I need it to blow the doors off the small dodge/chevy trucks when empty

***Jeremy*** · #4 Tue, June 5th, 2012, 05:24 PM

Ok so go all out if you want to. Some people get 550-450's and keep them at max GVW and beyond. These engines wont last long, if they're cranked up and loaded all the time. I'm not a 6.0 hater, its just a fact. Doesnt sound like you'll be loaded up, so you should be fine.

I see you have new heads, but did you get studs too? Get custom tunes for the CTS from Bill, and have the FICM programed with the A40. You can change the max power you want from it with the CTS and the custom tunes, but you'll always a minimum of 40 over stock with the FICM program. Unless you buy the FICM programmer, then you can change that when ever you want aswell.

jeremy

Cajunrgfm · #5 Wed, June 6th, 2012, 08:11 AM

Thanks jeremy, i have 6 psd 6.0's in the fleet, 4 f450's and 2 550's, they are under police contract all towtrucks. They are all stock 'cept my personal 550, the 450's replaced 350's for the main reason that the 450,2 wd, have a straight axle w/leaf springs and don't need near the maintenance a 350 does , pounding on junk city streets. The dana 80 rear is also a bonus. The 550's are for the ability to winch anything out of anywhere, they also run like the are on rails on heavy snow and ice. So, they may tow heavy at times, but under 20 miles usually back home, and in no hurry. Now, for other jobs that are first come first served , i need her to be able to scoot. I have ficms i can send bill, i have the cts too, i am a 28 year, retired Caterpillar tech, and my buddy is a factory trained psd tech, so we have the 6.0 mechanics covered. I don't believe in hi output canned tunes, i am quite happy with the cts level 2 but i know custom is better. I never would have installed w/out Bill saying that it does address the tranny. And it does shift well. But i know Bill has better for my engine.

Cajunrgfm · #6 Wed, June 6th, 2012, 04:46 PM

Ok, as i familiarize myself to the site, i have found my ecm strategy to be VXBC9PE, in further reading, "groovy chick" has this listed as not a preffered strategy. so then, my system should be rolled back.

***Jeremy*** · #7 Wed, June 6th, 2012, 11:15 PM

Yes, its what PHP recommends.

Cajunrgfm · #8 Mon, June 11th, 2012, 01:29 PM

With the help of jeremy and many others, yes, a ficm and ecm rollback/tune is for my trucks. As for Bill and his team, everything they are doing is very positive and i believe the safety and longevity of internal parts is and has been addressed with much dyno and real life testing. I am very impressed, and still have much reading to do,and tho' I have a cts on my 6.0, am leaning towards buying the php ficm tuner and custom tunes and ecm rollback, just to not be at the mercy of edge wiping my chit away, plus having the ficm and rollback strategies at my fingertips.