I'm looking to go with the FICM Hercules, but after searching, I couldn't find any valuable information regarding buying new or rebuilt, guys thoughts that's used the tune for non towing trucks, the where/brand to buy, and 56v versus 48v. I know we have Ed on here and I will touch base with him shortly, and that's probably the path I will take. But I would like new, so I know I have a fresh start. Goal for the Ex, a fast people mover, but it's a project that I'm dragging out and maybe once a week & weekend driver.

 

No personal experience on the 56 volt but, I would let Ed answer your question. 48 is all you need to drive the injectors.

 

Hercules is the tune installed on the FICM, not a brand of FICM.

As John mentioned, 48v is the standard of the power output, no need to overdrive that.

PHP makes the tunes, used on a tuner that normally comes with 4 tunes that can be installed and if you buy the tuner, can change back and forth if you'd like. Economy, Atlas 40, Atlas 80, and Hercules being the strongest performance.

Economy and Atlas 40 will work with PCM tuning, the other two will override the PCM programmed fueling, sometimes called stacked tuning.... uses the fuel commands for both PCM and FICM in the two lower programs.

Ed also offers the tuners as loners so you can try before you buy. Anybody with one of these FICM tuners can load you a tune to try if that's all your looking to do or even one to keep, you'd just have to pay for the programming if left installed.

This is NOT a tow tune, Hercules is a straight up... get your butt down the road race tune and you better have supporting mods for it. It is a tune designed to provide maximum injector fueling, increased EGTs and cylinder pressures will be higher.... I would not recommend this on a stock truck!

I have an FICM tuner with Hercules on it.... and a truck with the mods to support it, I'm running the Atlas 40 tunes and SLR Extreme as daily driver tunes if that says anything.

 

I think along your lines, I wouldn't get the Hercules unless I got the full tuner with all 4 options because a mixed pairing of FICM/PCM tunes seems to always work out for the best. I would NOT want to be in a situation where I'm locked into only that peak FICM tune and can't drop down to something tow safe, meaning buying just the FICM flash and no FICM tuner.

 

i am not a fan(being honest) of FICM tunes on already tuned engines, they don't play well together. I have the Economy and it is alright, the Atlas was a disaster for mine, but in the Winter I do not run custom tunes and the truck likes the Economy....... Mix, Match and Play with it, each engine has a mind of it's own. Only way I custom tune, the vendor has to be sitting next to me so we can change aspects on how my truck reacts. No box tunes for me, everyone has those.

From what I gather, again on speculation and hearsay, if the 56 volt FICM dies, it does so without warning and then you are stranded. At least the 48 volt will give you a heads up if you monitor your FICM.

 

The atlas40 was a disaster on yours with an additional pcm tune or just as a stand alone? I'm new to this tuning stuff and I'm a bit confused. I was maximum economy with a little better throttle response and I don't care about extra power right now. It's looking like my stock truck would benefit from the atlas40 alone?

 

Stand alone is fine

 

PCM tuning is separate from FICM tuning. You can run either in stand along mode.... the FICM economy and Atlas 40 will work in conjunction with most PCM tuning... it's in addition to. Meaning the PCM commands fueling and the FICM commands additional fuel for injectors.... if they can keep up.

The Atlas 80 and Hercules will override any PCM tuning for fuel commands... it's one or the other, not both.

As stated, if you go FICM tuning and purchase just the one tune, have it loaded and the FICM dies due to voltage issues, it's gone. If you purchased the tuner, at least you could replace the tune and reload it yourself. Down load a new tune to the tuner (pay for it) and do it yourself, you wouldn't have to send it in to have someone do it for you.

Most like the Atlas 40 tunes for throttle response, but once it's loaded, unless you own the tuner, it's on there to stay.

 

Sounds good to me. How much does a atlas40 tune cost on a good stock fcim? I'm running fine but it would be nice if they could test the unitni suppose as well as add the tune.

 

If you aren't having FICM hardware issues and you want to try out the different tunes in your truck, we could send you a loaner tuner out pretty easily. That way, you'd be able to see precisely how the various tune behave with your truck. If you decided you wanted to keep the tuner to allow you the flexibility to switch between tunes, you'd of course be able to do that as well.

If your FICM were ever to die in a way that resulted in its inability to be repaired, we could transfer the tune to the next module and would just do that for you and no additional cost. Note, though, that merely having a tuner does not provide any functionality to return to stock. So, once tuned, always tuned. The only question is what tune you'd have - the Eco, Atlas 40, Atlas 80, or Hercules.

Gryphon Loaner FICM Tuner

 

BTW, tunes run $150.

 

Well that's a hard offer to refuse.

 

We do what we can!

 

If you own the tuner with the 4 tunes loaded, you can go back and forth with those 4 tunes or load the stock tune back to the FICM when you want.

It will allow you to tune someone else's FICM as well. If you keep the tune, then the missing tune would need replaced before tuning another vehicle... what Ed is offering to do.

 

I'm looking for horsepower and wouldn't tow anything over 2k if ever. What mods would I need to run the Hercules? Will I need to purchase a tuner, because I had decided to wait until the new SCT tuner came out.