Hi Everyone,

I have a new PHP Hydra I purchased from Riffraff Diesel. I have Hydra Firmware Version 1.0.0.8. I own a 2003 Ford Excursion with the 7.3. My PCM is NQW5 and there is no corresponding HEX for it. I am given the suggested code TNAA4Y2. Every tune (modified or not) at 65 HP and Higher causes my automatic transmission to shift quickly up and down repeatedly as I accelerate. Do you guys have any recommendations to fix this?
The Hydra replaced my Edge Juiced with Attitude. The Edge worked fine but the display was fading out and becoming unreadable so I pulled it completely out and bought a Hydra based on the reviews. I had no transmission issues with the Edge at the Extreme setting so I know it should handle tunes without issues. I have no other updated mods on my truck than the 6637 Filter and 4” straight pipe exhaust. Is there another HEX code that will fix this? I don’t want to randomly install tunes that may harm my truck.

I've emailed PHP for almost two weeks and the "Tuner" has not had a chance to look at it yet. Ward is suggesting I get custom tunes. I ask why? There's nothing exceptional about my truck other than the low miles, fit and finish. Standard tunes should be good enough right?

Any help or insight into this will be greatly appreciated. Hope someone can help me because PHP hasn't offered up any help other than spending more money for a custom tune...

 

Unfortunately, I'm on and off the clock today and have no access to anything.

Three things to get us started:
1. The Juice is not a "tuner", "programmer", or "chip" and does not function in the same way your Hydra does. There are zero provisions for transmission "tuning" in, on, or around it.
2. The Hydra firmware is of no consequence in this case.
3. Other HEX codes that can be used would be anything that starts with "TNAA" then some number and ends in "Y" and then some number. HOWEVER.....your PATS is probably not going to be happy. If your PATS has been disabled, there are other options but let's start there.

 

I have seen the same thing over the years with any tuner you want to name, and it is because these trucks just aren't as generic as you would think. The Hydra is a much better choice over the Edge as it isn't even a tuner, just fools the PCM and doesn't handle your transmission tune changes either. They are variations on production even in the same model year which causes some of these issues when you tune them. You can't really blame the tuner as it can happen with any of them. I have had trucks that ran great with DP Tuner but not PHP, or great with Jelibuilt and not Gearhead, and on the very next truck those tunes run fine. Really the Hydra is a tuning hardware platform that comes with a tune database, but a small percentage of the time one size doesn't fit all. Personally I would suggest a custom tune anyway because you can have it customized to you and what you want. It adds a little cost but you get the most out of your choice.

https://www.jelibuiltperformance.com...or-hydra-email

https://www.ghtuning.com/product/tunes-for-hydra/

 

OK.... When I get home today, I'll clear the programs and start on the TNAA#Y# I did have PATS Enabled. Should I leave it that way or disable it?

Thanks for responding!

 

I don't have Hydraflash on me so I am not sure how many you'll find....those are just the compatible calibrations for use with PATS and a glow plug module for 02-03.

Also, don't mix hex codes on the chip as switching between them will at best cause a hiccup and at worst a stall.

 

I experienced the exact same thing on my 2003 7.3 excursion with the stock hydra tunes. I purchased some 1023 custom tunes and it fixed the problem. Something with the stock hydra tunes was not happy with my truck. Torque converter lockup issue, not sure.

 

I took the afternoon off.....

I see PHP has a set of TNAALY3 calibrations on Hydraflash.

 

I will try that when I get home tonight. I will remove all the tunes from the Hydra before trying those.

 

As luck would have it, I still had ONE Excursion file on a thumb drive from 2012 or 2013 from a customer's Phoenix (TS) chip from wwwaaaaaayyyyy back in the day. I don't know who it was or exactly when as I haven't plugged-in this drive for upwards of 8 years (since I used it last as a back-up for an XP machine on its death bed - R.I.P good buddy). Yes sir. I see where the problem is and why the shifting is jacked up on your TNAA4Y2 tunes. I'll see if I can get PHP's attention on that and get the powers-that-be to change the shift points back to where they actually work and get the revised tuning on the server. I'm not sure why they were set up the way they were.

Good luck with the others. I don't have those to compare with since they came out after my chip-programming days with PHP; it's luck that I still had this one to compare.

I'm not a hoarder. I just have problems when it comes to throwing things away.

 

Thank you so much!!! I truly appreciate it!!

 

I hear ya on that. Never know when that thing I’ll never use again will come in handy!

 

Hi cleatus12r,

Did PHP ever respond to you about the file you found for Excursions?

 

Bill said last week he was going to look at them. I'll get in touch with him before Monday and let you know if he did.

 

Bill asked me to ask you to email him about the issue.

sales at phptune dot com

Put something descriptive in the subject line such as "TNAA4Y2 shifts via Cody" so he knows that it's you.

 

I guess it didn't get to Bill. I have been emailing them for over a month and keep getting referred to buy custom tunes. I'm getting frustrated. It doesn't appear that emails get past Ward. Below is what he told me... I'm going to call Riffraff and see if I can return it. I really liked the Hydra (but it has to work). I really appreciate the help you've given me!!

Subject: TNAA4Y2 shifts via Cody

Inbox

Mar 1, 2021, 9:04 PM (14 hours ago)

Hello,

I was asked to email Bill regarding the transmission issues I’ve had. I understand that you may have a solution for me. My cell is XXXXXXXXX if you need to speak with me instead of email.

Thank you so much for your time,

Trey
...

[Message clipped] View entire message

wardbowles@gopowerhungry.com

to me

10:34 AM (29 minutes ago)


Hey Trey,

Thanks for the email. Those TNAA4Y2 tunes are on the list for review, but we haven’t got to them yet. Those are canned tunes and we don't offer re-writes for them, so the review is farther down the list. We have those tunes running on a multitude of trucks with no issue, so what you're experiencing is rare.

If you need a custom tune in the meantime, custom tuners can be found here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...9510720891&z=4

Regards,
Ward Bowles

Power Hungry Performance
192 Picklesimon Rd
Winder, GA 30680

(678) 890-1110
(678) 890-8119 (fax)

**PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF OUR NEW ADDRESS.
WE ARE NO LONGER LOCATED IN PENDERGRASS.