I'm having some really bad cold weather starts here in Wyoming, and believe me, it isn't even cold yet by our standards. If I don't plug her in, the starts are awful and it just plain doesn't want to drive until warmed up to over 100 degrees for EOT/ECT.

Here's my dilemma:

2007 F350 6.0, 44K miles, IDP tunes, turbo-back exhaust, no cat, 4" lift, coolant filter, Edge Insight CTS

I'm at 4500 miles on the current oil change and I'm taking the old girl in on Monday to get the bed plate leak fixed and get the sticking speedometer replaced. Bed plate is under warranty, speedo is not . Obviously they will change out the oil, I'm running T6 synthetic and for this go round I have picked up a couple of bottles of Rev-X in the hopes that my cold starts are stiction only and will be fixed by the Rev-X. I'm also contemplating getting the stock flash update to strategy VXCF9. My problem is I have IDP tunes that are written for my current stock VXCF4 strategy. I have combed the forums up and down and still can't get a straight yes or no answer on the VXCF9 strategy.

Question #1:
Does IDP write tunes with VXCF9 yet?

Questions #2:
I'm in definite need of cold start help and VXCF9 is supposed to help with inductive heating, is it wise to update to VXCF9 or should I pin my hopes on the Rev-X?

I ask because I won't be charged for the flash update from Ford as long as the truck is in for other repairs. I also don't want to do myself a disservice with the update from all the negative reaction to any stock flash above the VXCF4 strategy.

Thanks all in advance for any insights and happy Thanksgiving!

 

Matt @ Gearhead performance writes tunes to the VXCF9 strat. Come to think of it...SCT's new Tune Rev has the 5 preprogrammed tunes with EGR on/off feature, but you have to have their SF3 device.

 

Check out some of the cold start threads and also the ones about which oil to use - I think I read about 10W-30 or 5W-40 helping with the cold starts and stiction. I'm in FL so I really did not pay much attention to that part. I just got the new tuning - can't say much about the cold starts, but my MPGs are quite a bit lower (its probably the tunes though - I did not stay stock long enough to be sure)

 

Not looking to get new tunes and I don't have the SF3. I've already spent about $600 for the X3 with the 3 IDP tunes and I shelled out the extra $80 for the Xtreme Street tune as well.

I'm currently running Rotella T6 5w-40, which has probably sheered down to about 5w-30 at this point, so that one's out.

Just to reiterate my questions, am I better off sticking with VXCF4 and relying on the Rev-X to cure my stiction issue or should I step up to VXCF9 with inductive heating and hope that IDP is/will be writing tunes for this strategy?

 

I usually run stock tuning in the winter when it gets really cold out, works for me but not everyone I suppose. On long trips 400+ miles, I will flash the truck back to another program if I wish to do so.

 

You mention you dont want to spend money on new tunes. Well then dont change the strategy of the truck.
I'm not sure of the benifits of either strategy. My 06 F350 had VXCF5 in it & I had tunes made for that. I just got my truck back from dealer & now I have VXCF4. Didnt ask for a new flash & not sure why they did.
Havent seen a difference yet with what the truck will do.

 

I have an 06 with VXCF9 in it and just got IDP tunes for it and it is great!

 

What is your strategy when the tune is loaded?

I got tunes off of them a couple months ago and my stock strat was VXCF9, but when I loaded the tunes I found they wrote the tunes under a VXCF7 strat because they didn't have the ability to write tunes on the VXCF9.

They may have updated their software and may be able to write them for VXCF9 now though.

 

You know, I never checked. I will hook it up and let you know. Just checked and, yup it is changed to VXCF7.

 

they should never go backwards in an update

 

Ya no idea what went on there. Dropped the truck off at a new dealer for EGR & Oil Cooler replacement. Got the truck back & read the strategy & it is now VXCF4??
Its going next week for HG issues now. I will ask then why it has changed.

Is there a list of what all the strategies do or changes made? Maybe I should ask for VXCF9? Being the most upto date.

 

if it's a ford dealer they should not be capable of loading a back flash ;; somehing is wrong IMHO

 

i would ask Innovative what they think of the VXCF9 and if they are writing tunes for it. also the strategy you have now is a good one for power but personally i would rather have my engine operate better and not have the problems you are experiencing than to keep tunes that you bought to (save money).
i can't say if the VXCF9 will cure your problem there are many things that can effect cold starts (injectors, FICM, batteries, etc.) i know that strategy has safety checks in it relating to oil and coolant temps.
to bottles of Rev-X cost about what a new tune would cost. that's why i would ask eric @idp. they sell Rev-X too.

 

My truck has a VXCF9 strategy and I have tunes from IDP. I haven't checked to see what the strategy is after I tuned it but I am very happy with how the truck runs with the IDP tunes.

 

I got past the wasted $$ and went with Matt's