Custom tunes at Altitude
 

I have a 99 F250 Superduty 7.3 - running Gryphon with custom 80tow / 80daily and live in the mountains at Colorado over 7000feet. I have had excessing smoking while driving above 7000 feet with both 80 daily and tow and Bill did a tweak for me which worked great as I drove from Wisconsin back to Colorado. No smoking under load, improved MPG and performance. As I left Denver (at 5000 feet) and went higher the smoke started being noticeable. I do not like driving around belching smoke out all the time, so I switched it back to stock tune and no smoke.

Anyone else running custom PHP tunes at altitude and able to drive normally without belching smoke all the time?

Truck has high flow intake and 4inch exhaust.

I have also emailed Bill, but wanted to see if any other users have experience.

Thanks
Travis

I'm far from being an expert on diesel A/F mixtures, but it sure sounds like you're running rich at altitude, which is the standard problem in that environment. Sounds almost like you need a separate high-altitude tune. But, I would have thought the MAF sensor could keep things balanced - it seems to work for gassers.

- Jack

Yup, I asked Bill about that. We will see. I am not sure if it was really a 'test' but I switched back to the stock tune just to see if there was the same issue which would of been a sensor/computer issue - but issue went away.

Close enough, Jack.

But the 7.3L doesn't use a Mass Air Flow Sensor.

For all intents and purposes, an 80HP tune is going to add a lot of fuel above stock and there is simply not enough air density to support that much fuel while towing.

I would suggest a lower HP towing tune.

Makes sense. I don't tow that much, so 80 daily had been planned as my primary - and the one I have been using. 80 Tow looks like a smoke show, only tried it once. What tune should I go with to maximize MPG - that is my end goal is maximizing MPG over stock, not looking for best performance.

Oh well, as I just read: "Some days you're the bug; some days you're the
windshield."

Guess this was my day to be the bug. :hehe:

- Jack

That's ok. You are forgiven this time. :cheesy smile:

You know, there's a reason I don't help with the Gryphon (CS/CTS included) stuff......I'm the bug.

:smiley_roll1:

If your permanent residence is located at high altitude, I'd probably stay at a 40HP or so for towing.

My reasons for recommending 40HP Towing are as follows:

1. No excessive over-fueling. Towing power will increase but will not dump unnecessary fuel into the engine.

2. No excessive over-fueling. Less fuel will require less air.


3. Mileage will increase over current 80 HP tune due to the reasons above.

Thanks, yes I am permanate at 8000 feet elevation. We will see what Bill says once he gets back to me, as I would need to get the 40hp from him as well.

Emailed Bill when I did this original post - have not heard anything from PHP.... how do I get action on this?

I have a 80 tow / 80 daily / 100hp --- I would like to change the 100hp to an altitude friendly tune so I don't belch smoke.

Currently I am running stock tune while I am at altitude. I can only run 80 daily or tow below 5000ft.

Thanks
Travis

I will tell Bill about it tomorrow. For once, he is actually enjoying his weekend so Monday he will find out about it.

It's as easy as putting the new program on the server and you downloading it.

Thanks! Of course he should have a weekend!! I know how busy they are. Its a good and bad problem! Took over a month to get the first modification to my 80 tunes, hoping it wont be too much work/trouble for Bill to whip up a high altitude one to replace the 100hp.

Just have him reply to my email... and I am not trying to use you as a mediary.

Subscribed. I live in a valley floor at 5,000 feet and drive to 6 and 7 thousand feet almost every day. I was looking at the 100 tune for daily driving in a 6-speed but may have to go to a lower tune??? Maybe at 5,000 it's not an issue from what I'm reading.

Thanks for the observations!

The amount of fuel required for an honest 100 HP at high elevation is going to be too much to be smoke free.

But when I want an honest 100hp I don't mind the smoke. If I am cruising 65 mph on the 100hp setting there shouldn't be any smoke. The impression I got from Travis's post is he is getting smoke while cruising empty, not accelerating or towing?

In all honesty, if Travis' truck smokes ALL of the time, he has a mechanical issue with the truck.

I think what he means is that any time he accelerates at a decent rate.....

Correct. It does not smoke all the time. Any little acceleration it will, just pulling out of the driveway the driveway is full of smoke with 100hp at 7900 feet.

Pretty much any acceleration at any throttle position it will smoke in 100hp. I would say 80% of the time withe 80hp tune. Then below 5000ft 80hp rarely smokes under hard acceleration.

Never been able to just cruise as its all mountains here in central colorado.

Down in denver with 80hp tow or daily it is fine, smoke once in a while and nothing while on the interstate... thats 4 hrs away from here.

I would say 100hp was much more driveable down low, it was great in Wisconsin.

Copy that, thanks.

Travis, I have been running in CO for many years with big injectors and I agree that up above Denver the fueling per air is a challenge. I have developed quite a few tunes for this issue using PHP software but I don't know if I can help with the module you have. It's all in the programing if your truck is functioning properly. So to answer your question a custom tune from PHP will solve your problems.

where in Colorado are you located, I would be happy to take a look at your truck and with Cody and Bill's assistance maybe we can get your tunes tweaked. Bill is coming out for truckfest at Bandimere speedway in August... you may wanna go for some live tuning... I have changed the high altutude maps on Bill's tunes for the CO altitude, however I really need to get setup for live tuning with my Minotaur so I can tweak these settings on the fly

Ford kicks over to the High altitude maps at 4500 ft so generally you will see some smoke changes in the 4000 to 5000 ft range.

I guess I never realized you were in Fountain. You're only about an hour or so away from me. :D

Kind of but not absolute, the tipping point will be about 5500 so figure out whats happening with the tables.

The high altitude maps also have a bearing on me when I'm home at 4100 ft.

So........

..and at 3100 and 2100 ft. as well. I used the words tipping point for a reason.