I like it!

 

I do believe I can upload his tunes to my HYDRA chip....

 

Just thought I'd add a note on this thread since it will come up when people do a search for PHP Hydra. After installing new injectors last Saturday and installing the PHP Hydra chip, I wasn't getting normal dash light operation (SES stayed on, glow plug light stayed on), and after going through the normal process for starting up after injector replacement, the truck wasn't firing. Pulled the fuel filter cap - no fuel. So I yanked the Hydra, turned ignition on - got fuel at the filter. I reinstalled the Hydra - plugged it all the way onto the PCM board as before, but then pulled it back out 1/16". Turned the key on, and everything worked the way it should - SES light went out, glow plug light went out, and the truck started right away. So, the lesson for new chip installations - even if you clean everything perfectly (and I mean I'm an **** retentive electrical dude), you may still run into an issue like this.

 

I really like the 100hp setting the best as it makes the truck really fun to drive. That's the highest setting I will go on my PMR's.

I just wish I could get the custom tunes I ordered back in Jan!

 

I installed several chips over the years but the day I installed the hydra after removing the silicon off chip I had normal start and normal lights but the chip did nothing but light up. No change in any modes not even high idle. After re cleaning all was good

 

Montanasteve,
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Whats your impression of the 175/146 from swamps?

 

So far, I love 'em. Granted, I never had tunes on board with the stock injectors, so I'm seeing a combination of both. I have another thread that I started to get injector suggestions before I ordered, and I posted my first impressions:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-please-2.html

Bottom of that page, you'll see my notes. I'll add more to that thread, especially after some camper towing.

 

Ya like I mentioned in one of my posts....East Coast Diesel, the reseller, told me to clean the terminals down to copper, meanwhile the manufacturer says NOT to.

Frankly its not even possible to clean the clear coating off without exposing some copper in the process unless you used a chemical stripper.

 

WB/Rich - What tunes and from whom are you running? PHP? How is the pedal feel? Shift points? Any observations of different behavior EGTs, ICP pressure etc.?

Thanks

 

This is what I have done so far:

The past 3 years I've been running T. Wildman's 6 position chip in the Excursion. (Stock, tow, daily, extreme, NTWITA, high idle) It has stock injectors, stock turbo/gutted EBPV, 4" exhaust, stock fuel system with Hutch & Harpoon mods & new tranny.

The reason for the Hydra is to be able to get tunes via e-mail from Tony when I finally upgrade the injectors & turbo. No more waiting for the chip to come in the mail.....

I got the Hydra a couple of weeks ago but took my time playing with the software & waiting for the weather to warm up a bit. Today, I downloaded about 10 tunes from PHP's "Library" that came with the Hydra package when I purchased it.

So far I have tried:

Stock - in the snow
+40 tow
+60 tow
+80 Daily driver
+100 performance
smoke
extreme
and variations of the above with & without modified valve body

I only got to drive around for about an hour today - they all drove well for what the program was made to do. I preffered the shifting with the modified valve body options in most of the tunes I tried today.

EGT's never went above 1200 in the highest settings and the boost was around 22-24 psi. Good tunes IMO - but I'de expect that from Bill anyway.
No touchy pedal on any of the tunes I tried today.
Didn't look at ICP at all.
I was only watching EGT's, boost & fuel pressure.


I have't driven them long enough to compare the tunes to Tony's yet, but I don't think it would be a fair comparison since the tunes I currently have from Tony have been tweaked/adjusted for my setup & driving.

 

Then I ran into the problem of having too many programs along with trying to remember what was in each spot!

 

Day 2 - enough messing around time to get serious:

While waiting for some tunes from Tony Wildman I will just go ahead and download 15 tunes from PHP's and play around. Only takes a few minutes - that is the nice thing about the Hydra - you just hook up your laptop/tablet to the already installed chip and you can change tunesnin a few minutes:

Now that the roads are clear of snow - I think I should take a ride to go pick up some remodeling supplies....

I've loaded all the +80, +100, +120, +140hp calibrations. Each HP level I loaded also has a daily driver, performance & Extreme calibration. So, for each HP level there are 3 tunes.

Post back later with my observations.......

 

Today was errand & running around day so I got to take the Excursion out & stretch her legs. I mostly ran the +80 daily driver, +80 performance, +100 performance & daily driver.

all the +80 Hp programs had good power for running around town as a daily driver and the shifting was very good. I took off from a dead stop to 85 while getting on the interstate, good decent power, shifting was nice & crisp in the modified vaalve body tunes. The EGT's were very good. The OAT's were at 25-30 degrees F and I still had the winter cover on the grill, The EGT's wouldn't go above 900 when hittin' her hard entering the interstate up to 75 mph - the boost was around 22-24 psi. The EGT's only went higher towards 1000 when I was running her hard upward of 85. Most of the time they never went above 800. This is with a stock intercooler as well.

The 100+ HP programs (daily driver, performance & race) ran pretty much the same as far as EGT's & Boost is concerned. The additional power over the +80 hp programs was definitely noticeable and the shifting felt a bit tighter for the way I was driving. These programs were definitely good for around town driving.........no touchy pedal and nothing but a small puff of smoke when you put the pedal from 0-100% at a stop. A really good reaction to the throttle on the interstate when I needed to pass someone. I think I'll play with these for a while longer.

 

tony wildman response to my xle4 question

points can be changed. No need unless you just want a new pcm.



From: Jim Sult [mailto:jasult@optonline.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2014 6:49 AM
To: Tony
Subject: Re: Contact Us



Is the xle4 pcm hurting me for towing and shifting as I have read on forums?

I have the Hydra in truck now and the up shifting in the hydra tow tunes seams to be too soon when driving empty.

I have not tried pulling my 12000 pound fifth wheel trailer yet. In my 96 obs with your tow tune it does not shiht in last gear until hitting 60 mph which is very nice. Do I need to update to a pmt1 for this to improve



From: Tony

Sent: Friday, March 07, 2014 9:53 PM

To: Jim Sult

Subject: RE: Contact Us



Yes I do. I will have to check out the website and fix it.





Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone



-------- Original message --------
From: Jim Sult
Date:03/07/2014 4:45 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: sales@totaldieselperformance.com
Subject: Contact Us

I have a e99 f350 with php hydra. Do you do tunes for the e99 with xle4 pcm?

I did not see any choices above 97 in menus



You did a 4 pos chip for my 96 years ago and I liked your heavy tow



Jim Sult
J A Sult Excavating Co.

732-254-6282
fax 732-613-7109

 

bump for an update on this. I am seriously considering getting a hydra for my all stock Ex, and would like to know how you like it so far. I tow 7500-8000lbs about 50%.