new to tuning

ramboracer17 · #1 Sat, April 5th, 2025, 10:40 AM

Hello, I'm new to tuning in general. I am very good on the mechanical and even electrical repair but I'm lacking on the computer literacy. I'm wanting help getting binary files and definition files loaded to even begin. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PS sorry if theirs already a thread covering this I searched and couldn't find what I'm looking for.

***cleatus12r*** · #2 Sat, April 5th, 2025, 12:52 PM

We'll need some information first.

What are you planning on tuning? Are you just wanting to purchase "tuned" calibrations and install them yourself or write your own?

Minotaur is the software you'll need to begin if you plan on writing your own calibrations regardless of vehicle platform (you didn't specify what your vehicle is but Minotaur only works with select Ford vehicles).

Let's start there.

I see you have an Early 1999 (VHAE9J2) listed in your profile so I assume that's what you need.

ramboracer17 · #3 Sun, April 6th, 2025, 12:23 AM

yes im wanting to tweak some of the VHAE9J2 codes i got from hydra flash. I live in Colorado at about 6500 feet of elevation and really want to resolve low end overfuel and i think extend 3rd gear shift point a little. ive had the truck for a while and had been running it with the jelibuilt tunes and like them but i got a 32' trailer now and want to pull toys over the pass and go play in Utah or around the state. trailer loaded should weigh 15000-18000.
current truck state
stock ab code injectors
kc stage 1 gen3 cant get wheel sizes
Dorsey diesel stage 1 trans (modified valve body if i remember)
napa 6673 air filter want to switch to S&B to get temps down
6.0 trans cooler.

i want to get in and fine tune and maybe build my own file if i switch to single shots.

hopefully that makes sense and is enough info maybe to much info. in minotaur i was having a realy hard time finding the binary files(manage to load tunes from hydra flash) and could not find any files that would load into the definition. looks now like my demo mode is used up.

***cleatus12r*** · #4 Sun, April 6th, 2025, 04:46 PM

You'll have to buy Minotaur at this point but the demo version only comes with a calibration and definition file for an early Mustang. Also, Hydraflash calibrations are encrypted and will not work in Minotaur anyway; you HAVE to start with an unencrypted calibration file (.bin typically) in the correct file size. This means that you can't take any Hydraflash library calibrations or calibrations from any other vendor that are encrypted (end in .hcf) and open them to look at them or modify them. It's the reason the Hydra is so popular with other tuning companies.....it keeps piracy of intellectual property under control.

When you do get the software up and running this video should get you closer to your goal. When you buy Minotaur from PHP, it will come with some unencrypted calibrations that will get you started.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CRgPOXocSVg