Project Super Duty

[Blown F-150]

I'll have to take a couple of pics, but I installed a nice shiny new Bosch Alternator today. I noticed poor charging as well as the alternator was crazy hot all the time. According to my buddy a battery and alternator guy, the heat was caused by one of the diodes being blown. I picked up the Alt while in Winnipeg, so I was able to get it at cost, which is super nice.

I was always thinking about upgrading to a 190-200amp unit, but at the price I got the OEM replacement, I couldn't pass it up. The truck had a 110amp and I went to the 140amp version. Immediate improvement in my voltage reading. It hits 14.3 very quick where it would take a considerable amount of use ~20mins before.

[Kitzy]

That reminds me I ha e a brand new Bosch 235 amp alternator I need to sell that was for my 02 Expedition.

[Blown F-150]

I was finally able to load up my FICM tunes from PHP today. I changed my ECM tunes back to stock for a week to give me a chance at properly comparing. I had planned on a ECM roll-back, but with my SCT tunes, he figured I would be wasting my dough. If I stud the truck, I will be getting some custom tunes from PHP, stand up group of people over there.

I loaded up the "Atlas 80" tune and went out for a little rip. Big toe-in improvement over stock. I noticed a WOT improvement over stock, but not the same SOTP feel as my 100hp Perf tune at WOT.

Tomorrow I'm going to load my 65 tow tune on top of the Atlas 80 and see how it goes. I think I'm going to settle on the Atlas 40 FICM tune with my 100hp Perf tune. I like the shifting of the Perf tune, but don't want to risk the Atlas 80 and the Perf tune without Studs.

For anyone wanting some more HP and better starting, but don't mind the stock shifting; go for a FICM tune, they do make a difference.

[Rollingrock]

I was finally able to load up my FICM tunes from PHP today. I changed my ECM tunes back to stock for a week to give me a chance at properly comparing. I had planned on a ECM roll-back, but with my SCT tunes, he figured I would be wasting my dough. If I stud the truck, I will be getting some custom tunes from PHP, stand up group of people over there.

I loaded up the "Atlas 80" tune and went out for a little rip. Big toe-in improvement over stock. I noticed a WOT improvement over stock, but not the same SOTP feel as my 100hp Perf tune at WOT.

Tomorrow I'm going to load my 65 tow tune on top of the Atlas 80 and see how it goes. I think I'm going to settle on the Atlas 40 FICM tune with my 100hp Perf tune. I like the shifting of the Perf tune, but don't want to risk the Atlas 80 and the Perf tune without Studs.

For anyone wanting some more HP and better starting, but don't mind the stock shifting; go for a FICM tune, they do make a difference.

While I don't know much about FICM tuning, I do know the stock voltage and min max's.   The one thing that resonated with me came from Eric at Innovative.  He said on his tow tunes, you can only do so much b/c you don't want to compromise the safety of the truck and the transmission.   He said "i give you more power to pull but within the limits of the equipment"   

Just my .02 on it.   

[Blown F-150]

I was finally able to load up my FICM tunes from PHP today. I changed my ECM tunes back to stock for a week to give me a chance at properly comparing. I had planned on a ECM roll-back, but with my SCT tunes, he figured I would be wasting my dough. If I stud the truck, I will be getting some custom tunes from PHP, stand up group of people over there.

I loaded up the "Atlas 80" tune and went out for a little rip. Big toe-in improvement over stock. I noticed a WOT improvement over stock, but not the same SOTP feel as my 100hp Perf tune at WOT.

Tomorrow I'm going to load my 65 tow tune on top of the Atlas 80 and see how it goes. I think I'm going to settle on the Atlas 40 FICM tune with my 100hp Perf tune. I like the shifting of the Perf tune, but don't want to risk the Atlas 80 and the Perf tune without Studs.

For anyone wanting some more HP and better starting, but don't mind the stock shifting; go for a FICM tune, they do make a difference.

While I don't know much about FICM tuning, I do know the stock voltage and min max's.   The one thing that resonated with me came from Eric at Innovative.  He said on his tow tunes, you can only do so much b/c you don't want to compromise the safety of the truck and the transmission.   He said "i give you more power to pull but within the limits of the equipment"   

Just my .02 on it.

Absolutely Agreed, but most of my driving with the truck is empty or with a small load <3k. Not really pulling anything allows me to mess with a lot of combo's between the FICM and traditional ECM/TCM tuning. If I ever tow anything above 6k, I will just be using ECM/TCM tuning. I don't want to really risk blowing HG's since I don't have studs. I like the idea of getting the FICM tune combined with a ECM/TCM tune to get the most out of the three systems.

Really, I could easily have a half-ton for what I do, but this truck was cheaper than any decent half-ton I wanted. I'm sure my next truck (wife willing  ) will be back to a F-150.

I head back to St. Louis on Monday, so I will post up results. I have been told to expect an MPG increase over the stock FICM calibration.

[Rollingrock]

Cool...so what voltage are you using on the FICM tunes?

[Blown F-150]

It's the stock 48V FICM. if it dies, I'll buy the BPD 6 Phase and run it at 53V. I'm not totally convinced that 58V is any good for the Injectors, but haven't done much research on the subject.

I like having the FICM programmer, works just like a regular programmer just messes with the FICM instead of the ECM/TCM.

[Rollingrock]

It's the stock 48V FICM. if it dies, I'll buy the BPD 6 Phase and run it at 53V. I'm not totally convinced that 58V is any good for the Injectors, but haven't done much research on the subject.

I like having the FICM programmer, works just like a regular programmer just messes with the FICM instead of the ECM/TCM.

Correct, stock voltage is 48....I have read crazy stories on running higher voltages and the injectors shitting the bed...

Speaking of injectors, I think I have one going out...waiting on some RevX, gonna run it on this next change and see if it helps.   

This was my cold start before :

F250 Cold start

After RevX

Ford PSD Cold Start AFTER Rev-X Treatment

[Blown F-150]

That's a big improvement for sure in that case. If you have stiction issues, start with the Rev-X. If you know any Diesel Techs, you can actually pull apart the injectors, clean up the spools and that usually solves the stiction issues.

My truck seemed to be really good for stiction before, but my start-ups were cleaner after going to 5W40 Synthetic. I'm going to do some research as I may leave 5W40 in it year 'round.

[Rollingrock]

That's a big improvement for sure in that case. If you have stiction issues, start with the Rev-X. If you know any Diesel Techs, you can actually pull apart the injectors, clean up the spools and that usually solves the stiction issues.

My truck seemed to be really good for stiction before, but my start-ups were cleaner after going to 5W40 Synthetic. I'm going to do some research as I may leave 5W40 in it year 'round.

You think sticktion also causes blue smoke at cold start up?   

I am waiting on my RevX to arrive....are you using the Motocraft Synthetic?   

[Blown F-150]

From my understanding the following can cause blue smoke at start up
 - Stiction
 - CCV system since it routes back to the turbo. There is a re-location kit to fix this
 - Burning oil (Blow-by)
 - Tunes. A tune can dump a bit of extra fuel that doesn't really burn so the smoke appears blue at start-up instead of black.

Often it is just if a truck sits that the oil from the CCV system can sit in the intake and on top of the heads. It then gets sucked in when you fire it up. I would not worry about it.

[Blown F-150]

Changed the FICM tune to the Atlas 40 and loaded my 100hp Perf tune back up. It seems to be one heck of a combo. I head to St. Louis tomorrow and am curios to see how the MPG's compare to last time. It will be similar temps.

The truck really seems to accelerate more like a gasser on normal take-offs (stop sign/stop light normal driving). Turbo lag is also greatly reduced somehow.

Definitely pretty happy so far, we will see how it is on a little road trip.

[Kitzy]

I've been driving a diesel around all winter because of all the snow.  My truck has just sat in our shop.  I love getting back in to mine because of the turbo lag on the diesel.  It makes driving around town very annoying.  Not to mention the inside of the diesel is trashed with salt. 

[Blown F-150]

Made it to St. Louis and I got to say that I am impressed. The best way I can describe it is that the truck seems to have "more torque". Off the line and passing on the freeway are much improved, not near as much throttle needed. Also @ WOT it sounds "Stronger" as well as idle sounds cleaner and quieter.

MPG's are pretty tough to compare against, but since the Interstates were upped to 70, I did a solid 75mph. That coupled with a constant 20mph (gusting to 35) dead-on head wind for 2/3rds the journey hurt. I averaged 14.3 this tank so far (includes warm up and cool-down idle time ~30mins combined).

I'm curious to see what the return trip yields on Friday.

[Blown F-150]

I had to hand bomb 9 pay stations and accessories into the back of the truck this morning. Total weight, just under 2700#. The truck didn't even know it was there. This has got to be the most weight I've thrown in the box of any of my own trucks.

Some of the truck was already unloaded in the pic, but each one of those remaining boxes weighed 275lbs.