Gryphon on a 7.3L

renyren · #1 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 03:50 AM

Hello I just got a new to me truck about a month ago and am looking for some extra power. I am looking at the Gryphon due to the fact that I need gauges and it has them bilt in. Is anyone running this programer on their diesel and if so how do you like it. I am up for any suggestions if there is a better product for my truck. I only drive the truck once and a while and will mostly be using it to tow our 26 foot camping trailer that only weighs about 6000 fully loaded. I also use the truck to go snowboarding in the winter. I plan to add a 4inch turbo back exhaust system. Please help me make the right choice

***Jackpine*** · #2 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renyren

Hello I just got a new to me truck about a month ago and am looking for some extra power. I am looking at the Gryphon due to the fact that I need gauges and it has them bilt in. Is anyone running this programer on their diesel and if so how do you like it. I am up for any suggestions if there is a better product for my truck. I only drive the truck once and a while and will mostly be using it to tow our 26 foot camping trailer that only weighs about 6000 fully loaded. I also use the truck to go snowboarding in the winter. I plan to add a 4inch turbo back exhaust system. Please help me make the right choice

This is a good question, and I hope Bill or Cody will give you an answer soon. I can't, since my knowledge of diesels is pretty limited.

- Jack

soutthpaw · #3 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 01:32 PM

7.3's dont have a pyrometer built into the vehicle. as this is the most important gauge to have you will need to add one anyway even with the Gryphon. That said get a Phoenix chip or the FU package... you can shift on the fly unlike the gryphon that takes several minutes to download the tune to your truck... You will be at about the same price with gauges and a flip chip as you will with a gryphon and the Pyrometer adaptor I think is available for it Get the Pyro and trans temp if your truck does not have it. Boost gauge is nice but not manditory for basically stock trucks...
Once you run a Flip chip you will never be staisfied with any programmer on a diesel too many great tunes out for your truck so 6 choices will get filled easily...

***Jackpine*** · #4 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 01:48 PM

Thanks, soutthpaw, I kind of thought the "chip" approach with additional gauges might be a better choice, but I felt this advice needed to come from a "smoker", not me.

- Jack

***cleatus12r*** · #5 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 04:37 PM

In addition to what DJ mentioned, which is very true, if the Gryphon retains the same reflash "capabilities" as the Edge Evolution, then you won't have maximized operation anyway.

Just to clarify, the way the programmers operate depends 100% on which computer code you have in the truck. Say for all intents and purposes you have a MRT2 box code. This code is awful for most any situation; especially driving (catch my sarcasm?). If you get a programmer, you are still stuck with the retarded MRT2 shift strategies but now you only have more firm shifts and torque converter clutch lockup along with more power.

A chip alleviates all of the problems associated with the .....um.....stupid ideas that Ford programmed into their transmission shift strategies by allowing the tuner to use a more user-friendly base code that doesn't suck WITHOUT having to change the entire PCM.

muns53 · #6 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 11:15 PM

Renyren,

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the code issue that Cleatus mentioned.

But, to offer you a different opinion, I bought the Gryphon over the Phoenix for three main reasons: I didn't want to buy and install separate guages, it has the ability to read and clear engine fault codes and it comes with a pyrometer. (Plus, I like a lot of the other "extra" features in the programmer.)

I monitor these 4 parameters on the Gryphon constantly: Tranny temp, Engine oil temp, Turbo Boost and Exhaust Gas Temp (pyro).

I'm very happy with the 65Tow tune for heavy-duty towing and the 80HP tune for everything else. I don't find it onerous to sit in the driveway for two minutes to reprogram if I want to go out on a towing mission that requires the 65Tow.

FWIW, the intake/exhaust mods are easy to do and well worth the trouble. I did the "Tymar/Zoodad" intake myself and had a local mechanic friend put in a 4" turbo-back exhaust from Diamond Eye. I never see high EGTs.

Good luck with your decision!

muns53 · #7 Sun, September 13th, 2009, 11:19 PM

Forgot to mention, from my own research, it appeared that the Gryphon with Bill's custom tunes (and the included pyrometer) was much cheaper than the buying a chip, 3 guages, a guage pod, and code reader reader software separately.

soutthpaw · #8 Mon, September 14th, 2009, 12:40 AM

I think you can get a scan gauge II that will work on the 7.3's for about $150 and it will monitor all the factory available variables. It will read and reset DTC's Too not sure about the diesels though. Also some of us old school guys just prefer dial over digital gauges.

renyren · #9 Mon, September 14th, 2009, 12:43 AM

Muns53 having the all in one package is what got me interested in the gryphon. I was told it is the same tunes that they put on the chip. How is the driveability and responsiveness since the gryphon was installed? Did you get the 65, 80, 100 setting? I am not opposed to doing seperate gauges and a chip but why if I don't have to. Have you tried the 100hp setting? Did your MPG improve at all?

muns53 · #10 Mon, September 14th, 2009, 11:46 PM

Ren,

The tunes are the same in the programmer as the chip. However, the tunes that come with the programmer are factory Edge tunes. So, you want to order 3 of Bill's tunes to download. I originally was running the 65Tow, 80Performance and Fuel Sipper. Now, I have 65VeggieTow, 80Diesel and 80Veggie. (I run my Ex on filtered waste veg oil.)

I was having fun with the stock tunes, then when I downloaded Bill's tunes, I was REALLY much happier. More power, better shifting, better fuel economy.

My Ex got about 12.5 mpg when it was stock. I did the Tymar/Zoodad and 4" exhaust and that went up a couple mpg. Then, I installed the Vegistroke and veg oil does a little lower mpg than diesel. Then, I got the Gryphon and they went up a lot... then even more on the custom tunes. So, right now, on veg I average 16 mpg town / 18-19 mpg highway on veg. (And I slam it all the time, just to smoke it up and toss the Ex around.) On diesel that should be 2 mpg higher - and I believe pickups get better mileage than Excursions. So, if you're burning D2 in a pickup with the same mods as me, I guess you should be averaging 18-20 mpg around town and 20-22 mpg highway.

Talk to Bill about the power levels, but I decided to stick with the 80 because longevity on my motor/tranny was the most important thing to me. I don't know if that's valid thinking, but that's where I'm at for now. I admit, I am curious about the 100/120 HP tunes though... maybe someday, I'll do more with my motor (injectors, head studs, big oil, turbo, and hotter tuning), but for now, I'm good.

FYI - last time I ran my 0-60 time on the 80 tune (with 40 gallons of veg and 10 gallons of diesel and three passengers), it was 7.2 seconds. Don't really know how that compares to other folks, but I'm pretty happy for an 8,000 lb truck.