Here I am to report to the mighty FTE 6.0 forum Ed pulled thru on the warranty and sent out a replacement warranty FICM, this time loaded with the Atlas 40 FICM strategy.

Long story short I had a FICM exchange done December 2012 as my FICM would on occasion show around 44 volts after about 5-10 minutes after a cold start.

The upgraded "Ed'ified" FICM always had good voltage, although never held a steady voltage, constantly going from 46.5-48, mostly hovering around 47 volts. Then about November 2013 it would occasional drop to 46, then it started dropping to 45.

Uh Oh!

Some emails exchanged with Ed showed some concern, but I use my truck daily and shutting down for a week was never really an option. Last Saturday Ed pulled thru and sent out a warranty exchange that I greatly appreciated and I promptly installed on my lunch hour today.

15 minutes of work, a nice quick start and well let's just say a co-worker and I had some fun the rest of the lunch period tearing the pavement up with the Altas 40!


49 Volts!!!




I have had my doubts about the Atlas 40. Does it really live up to the hype? How could I let go of the infamous Post-Cycle "Buzz" Flash?

Well, the Atlas 40 does indeed deliver with better throttle response and quicker spool up. Even my co-worker noticed that on our short drive.

The temps are getting warmer so a true sub-zero cold start will likely have to wait, but the initial start at noon and the other later in the afternoon were very nice and smooth. Tomorrow morning should be high 20s, low 30s so we'll see. I'll give it the rest of the month for any MPG insight. April 1st Colorado switches back to Summer blend Diesel which will improve things too.

I am very pleased with the service Ed has provided, both the initial purchase, thru all the emails and phone calls and this latest go-around.

And for those on the fence about the Atlas 40, I am now a believer. I will say it was eery to shut the engine off and walk away and not hear the injector cycling.... I'm sure I'll get used to it!

Thanks Ed!

Josh

 

Great review. I think the Atlas 40 will be in my future too.

 

I have the Atlas 40 and love it. I have a potential issue with my ficm also. Right at 45 v after a cold start with batt voltage at 11.5 with the glow plugs on. It starts fine but sometimes things are easier to fix before they completely head south. I just emailed ed tonight so I am sure he will get back to me in a couple days. I might be worrying about nothing too.

Sent from my leash using IB AutoGroup

 

That's what I found weird in both of my voltage scenarios. The initial FICM with voltage drop was 5 to 10 minutes AFTER a cold start and it only dropped to 44 volts for a few seconds. Weird.

The second time around, the voltage would drop to 45 at operating temps, and again for only a few seconds. Cold start voltages were fine.

Josh

 

So did you have to do anything other then change the FICM to get rid of the Buzz Flash

Any PCM Changes (Tuning?) as far as that Goes^^

 

Nope, the "Buzz" flash is a FICM strategy.

Since that particular flash was only available for 4 months not many ended up with it and those that did hated it for the buzzing each time the engine was shut off. It also was somewhat cold blooded as it hated 15W40 under 40 degrees, but that was only with cold start idling, actual driveablity was perfectly fine.

On the flip side, it had great MPG and more "oomph" than the latest Induction strategy (although the VXCF9 was likely more to blame for that)

That's why I found it amusing my old 2005 had that flash and then this current 2006 also had it.

Josh

 

'Pulled thru'? 'PULLED THRU'???!?!?! Like there was ever a doubt? We *always* take care of our customers!

Dips to 45 volts may well be within spec, but we can't have folks driving around with one of our units that dip down like that.

Pftt...here I thought I'd at least see a ficmrepair.com mention in your newly updated tag line...no pressure...

Seriously, though, I am so glad that you are taken care of! Enjoy the truck!!

 

I would say you have pulled thru for a lot of us here... Heck you were emailing me at 4 am!

Thanks again!

Josh

 

I went from the buzz flash to a new Ed FICM am with atlas 40. You won't be disappointed. I am starting cold at 0 f, with and without block heater and she starts snappy amd droves well from cold. I don't idle a lot anymore. Now I am wondering if I should have got the 80 :-)

 

I ran the Atlas 40 for the better part of two years and then moved to the Hercules tune. It felt like someone bolted a rocket onto the back of the truck...

 

I had no issues starting @ -15f unplugged with the Buzz Flash.

Josh

 

-15? Wow. Keep those batteries up!

Interesting story and more research is needed, but I just recently replaced my batteries under warranty. I received them and popped them on a 1.3 amp BatteryMinder trickle charger/desulphating smart charger for three days. Took them off the charger at 5pm. It was 0 degrees. Next morning was -10 and the Schumacher charger showed the batteries at only a 70% charge!

What I needed to have done is popped a volt meter on them to see what the ol' meter read, but I will do that next.

Upshot: maybe it is just a limitation of the Schumacher, but for a battery to show that low that quickly is amazing. Cold = unhappy batteries. Unhappy batteries = unhappy FICM.

 

At 32 degrees a battery should test to about 80% of full charge (12.2 volts)

Josh

 

I also liked the "buzz". Ed is the man. I called him up and he talked to me for some time about it. You know he never put down the flash, but he did tell what the Atlas would do and the buzz wouldn't do. Then you have the injectors running after the engine is shut off draining on the battery. Finely he told me if I didn't like the Atlas he could refresh my FICM to the buzz. Man that in its self is customer service.
Ed's swap deal makes it nice for us that can't go without our trucks. FWIW it meant a lot to me that he drives a super duty and knows what we are talking about. He advice is first hand. Not something out of a parts manual.

 

I too am in need of a FICM upgrade,as it never has held a steady voltage since the day I put the monitor on it. Since the truck was a total and it had stone dead batteries in it when I got it,lord only knows what has been done to it before I got it.When I do get it to Ed, my only dilemma will be Atlas 40 or 80