Surging at light acceleration
 

Hello everybody, I just received my Gryphon and am really impressed "But" have a question on surge. On very light acceleration 3rd gear TC not locked the truck will slightly surge, not really a lot but just enough to get your attention. Once TC locks surge goes away. My 08 5.4 is stone stock using level 2 87 tow setting. I have not changed any of the settings, it is the way it came out of the box.

Was thinking about unloading and just trying level 1 Trans only to see if it still does the same thing ( I mean surge).

John.

DO try it on Level 1, John, and let us know what happens. I've never experienced this in my truck, not with the original canned tunes or now with custom ones. I wonder if the TC is sort of trying to make up its mind to lock or not? Your excellent description does seem to point to the transmission though.

Are you in drive when this happens, or do you have the O/D locked out, so it's prevented from going into 4th? The only time I lock my O/D out is going up steep hills where it "hunts" or going down when I want engine braking.

- Jack

I had the same problem with my 08 5.4 when I got my evolution using the canned tunes. On the #3 canned tune it was real bad. I have noticed also that I can simulate the same surge even with the stock tune but not as noticable. Bill has made some tunes for me and I don't get the bad surge I had with the canned tunes but I can still get it to slightly surge. I have been wanting to call Bill about it and see if he can figure out whats causing it. I Know its not the tunes cause I can get it to happen with the stock tune also. It feels like the torque convertor is slightly modulating on and off. The rpm will slighty go up and down(about 100 rpm) I have a roush off road exaust and I can hear it when it happens. See if you can get it to happen with the stock tune. I found the best way to get it to happen was going up a slight incline with light throttle in third gear.

Nice bit of information, 08F150, good post! :thumbs up yellow:

- Jack

Tried it in level 1 and no surge. I live in San Diego and can go from sea level to over 4000 feet in about 30 minutes. I experience this going up the winding mountain roads in level 2. Just had my truck reflashed by the dealer for TSB for the rev up mystery shift just before installing the gryphon. Reflash had fixed the factory problem so I cannot point at factory settings, went up the same grade in stock, level 1 and level 2 and only felt the surge in 2. Will fill up with 91 octane in a couple of days and switch to level 3. I already know I want to get a 87 performance, the tow does what it is supposed to do and that is hold the gear longer but I think the performance tune may be more to my liking for every day driving. I do over 40,000 miles a year. Like this product A LOT!!!!! will give PHP a call after I have tried the 91 performance tune just so I have as much information for them as possible.:help:

Glad you like it and it sounds like you're going to put it to good use - like I did. With it, I could suddenly pass without the heart-stopping delay. My trailer pulls felt "routine", and, I got better fuel economy.

Since I hve two batteries in the trailer and a refrigerator, I appreciate the voltage readout, and, of course the TFT readout when towing. I also like the digital readout of CHT, since that's what really matters. The Comm Gear readout confirms what I'm feeling, and helps me select the proper gear shift position and O/D on/off selection when I'm towing.

- Jack

Hi JackandJanet, I have gone up this same grade for 25 years and it is not so extreme that I have ever needed to lock out OD, have had 5 5.4's since 97 with the same 3.73 and 2 with the 3 valve so I have a pretty good idea how these trucks run. Surge is only in the 87 tow, like I said I will try the 91 perf as soon as I suck about 35 gallons out of my 36 gallon tank.:help:

John.

Hey 442w30 was wondering if you have tried the 91 tune yet and if there are any surging issues?

Just got back into town and yes the surge is evident on level 3. I switched back to level 1 after 3 tanks of 91 octane on level 3, about 90 gallons so I know there was no octane dilution. Just saw another post regarding the surge but I do not have a FFV truck. I did get a reflash before installing the Gryphon from the dealer for mystery shifting and that did solve the problem completly (mystery shifting not the surge). Yes it does feel kind of like the TC is confused under very light load.

Are your RPMs jumping up and down?

It is so subtle that I have not noticed rpm flare in the tach. I dont have the display hooked up, I will install and reset to level 2 then watch rpms on display readout vs dash tach.:doh: Thanks for the thought.

Wondering if anyone figured anything out concerning this. My truck does this every now and then on the edge of 3 & 4th gear going up an incline with light throttle. I have to give it a bit more juice to lock the TC and stop the surging. I am running a gryphon in level 2 with a CAI while I'm waiting on my custom tunes. It was doing this stock too and has been for a pretty good while. I wonder if it is just wear & tear on the TC??

We're still dealing with this on some vehicles from time to time. We've since change some of the shifting and converter strategies to help eliminate this phenomenon and it seem to work pretty well for most folks. Some other still need a bit of tweaking, or their issues wasn't shift related but otherwise related to another tuning issue. In short, the custom tunes should resolve it.

Take care.