Best Hydra Option?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 652
Likes: 2
I have more than that for mine, but it depends on your truck.......and i would not call PHPs tunes canned, they are far from that. Considering you have to input your hex code from your pcm and then are given a list of available tunes. That is not canned, thats somewhat custom per each ocm/engine combo.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 652
Likes: 2
The ones i use are the 1000 and 1300 rpm high idles for warmup. 90% of the time i run the 100hp with modified valve body, seem to get the best mpg out of it. Occasionally i switch to the 75 hp fuel sipper w modified valve body if im in stop and go or lots of stop light traffic mainly because that tune will upshift to 4th sooner than the 100hp. I played around with some of the others, 80hp, 40 hp, 60 hp, but my favorite thus far is the 100 mentioned. I need to hook my laptop back up to it and remove and replace some of the unused tunes with some new ones. I did some tunes made for modified valve body and some without. The withs work better as i have the transgo tugger. The other one i use is the 20mph valet mode, for when i leave the truck running and say run inside the gas station or a store. I take the selector with me in pocket, lock the doors and have a 2nd set of keys. But if someone breaks in and takes the truck it wont go over 20mph. Have not had opportunity to use any of the tow tunes while towing yet.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
When you select your PCM code, there is likely some fine print on there that suggests you can use another calibration set. I have a NVK4 PCM, but the fine print says I can use the calibrations for a PMT1 PCM - this is very common. The hex code for a PMT1 calibration set is - VRAA6S3.
Joe28443
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 4
From: Hampstead NC
Thanks Tug, I will be ordering it today, looking forward to getting s few more tunes without having to pull it out and send it back
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
When you select your PCM code, there is likely some fine print on there that suggests you can use another calibration set. I have a NVK4 PCM, but the fine print says I can use the calibrations for a PMT1 PCM - this is very common. The hex code for a PMT1 calibration set is - VRAA653.
I have a PMT-2 PCM and the hex code is VRAA7S3 but PHP recommended using VRAA6S3 as well, I think those are used for several different PCM models and seem to have more calibrations than most of the other hex code offerings.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Yes... the PMT1 is by far the most common base calibration used by tuners - one of the things I learned from Cody.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,453
Likes: 2,936
From: Reed Point, MT
Keep in mind that VRAA6S3 is only for 49-state 99.5 through 2001 pickups.
The main reason for the popularity of that PCM code is because VRAA6S3 does pretty much everything in a more desirable manner right "out of the box". I don't use it anymore but there's very little wrong with it from a driving standpoint. I don't like following the herd though so I spent a lot of time "fixing" the others from all years to make them more sensible.
In all honesty, VRAA6S3 is not my favorite because of things that made it my favorite when I first started driving the 2001 I bought in 2005 that my ex took six years ago. Then again, it's easy to "detune" the PMT1 so it doesn't do the things it does that made it popular with drag racers (among other things).
The main reason for the popularity of that PCM code is because VRAA6S3 does pretty much everything in a more desirable manner right "out of the box". I don't use it anymore but there's very little wrong with it from a driving standpoint. I don't like following the herd though so I spent a lot of time "fixing" the others from all years to make them more sensible.
In all honesty, VRAA6S3 is not my favorite because of things that made it my favorite when I first started driving the 2001 I bought in 2005 that my ex took six years ago. Then again, it's easy to "detune" the PMT1 so it doesn't do the things it does that made it popular with drag racers (among other things).
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 9
From: Wellington, Co
I think this falls in line with discussion. Anybody having shifting issues with tunes? Harsh downshifts, TC lock up immediately after 3rd gear shift?
Per PHP, using VRAA6S3, for PMT2. Tried using "modified VB tunes", but upshifts became real soft.
Per PHP, using VRAA6S3, for PMT2. Tried using "modified VB tunes", but upshifts became real soft.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,453
Likes: 2,936
From: Reed Point, MT
Yep. Things that made me steer away from "out of the box" VRAA6S3 after a couple of years. I still use VRAA6S3 as a base but I have made it more like the PMT2/3. There is a reason the PMT1 wasn't used very long before Ford replaced it with PMT2 and why the 02-03 trucks shift like the PMT2/3.
Try the VRAA7S5 tuning for a few days. You'll find that the harsh 4-3 downshift goes away and the shift strategy is closer to what you were used to before the change to VRAA6S3 because the PMT2 tuning on the server hasn't been modified so extensively. You won't have the myriad of calibration choices, but you will feel more comfortable with the way the transmission functions.
There's nothing wrong with how the VRAA6S3 handles things, but it's not for everyone.
Try the VRAA7S5 tuning for a few days. You'll find that the harsh 4-3 downshift goes away and the shift strategy is closer to what you were used to before the change to VRAA6S3 because the PMT2 tuning on the server hasn't been modified so extensively. You won't have the myriad of calibration choices, but you will feel more comfortable with the way the transmission functions.
There's nothing wrong with how the VRAA6S3 handles things, but it's not for everyone.