Tim: is it that Ford "won't" go back, or that for some physical reason the flash "can't" go back? With diesel at $2.59 per gal here in SoCal, i'm becoming impatient with Ford.

 

OK, It is important that you follow the process in your owner guide. Go to the service manager at your dealer, talk nice and get them on your side. Then go to the general manager and get them behind you to Ford. Be clear about the issues and tell them what you want. Everybody needs to do it. Last Thursday, I sent a letter to my service manager regarding loss of fuel economy, loss of acceleration performance, loss of pilot injection, and loss of engine brakin in tow/haul mode in 4th/5th gear. I have several references by Ford and the service managers conversations with Ford that Ford is working on the problem and estimated a fix in "first quarter 2004". That time has passed. What is Ford's plan now?

 

like I said in my previous post, I am certain there is a command line in the flashes that wont let you "back-flash"

 

I understand there is a line in the code that looks at the existing flash level. If it does not recognize the flash level (it would have to be one previous to the flash being installed) it will not load.

 

I have a feb 03 built truck.rear main leak was repaired at 2775 miles .they replaced the icp. and flashed the ecm I wasnt informed before this was done.I was told my vin. promted the repairs.If pilot inj. is apart of emissions, the state of california mandates 5 years/ 50000 mile warrenty on all related parts. anybody asked a dealer on this ?

 

Not only this....also was never intended by design to be "able" to go back, just what I have been told.

 

Well... strictly speaking, I'm somewhat confident that the restriction is deliberate in software or even just rules that dealers must follow.

From an electronics perspective, there's two possibilities:

1. each update rewrites the whole memory
2. each update rewrites part of the memory

If (2) is the case, in general the rewrites must be applied serially and a dealer would have to have copies of every update just in case an old truck shows up. In the (1) case, updates are idempotent --- that means that they can be applied and reapplied and the only effect is the effect of the last operation.

I strongly suspect that (1) is the case (less chance of corruption and problems) and that update restrictions are a combination of software resrictions and ford policy. What if a new flashed caused a dead-on-the-hoist problem? I'm sure there's some why that the origional can be restored. Maybe it takes an override code from FMC?

I'm also reasonably certain that if you had a copy of code version 'A' that you could install it with a non-ford flash writer.

Nobody's commented about the idea of creating our own PCM computers yet .

 

How soon for your first version......
Lets do it

 

Well... let me start a new thread on this. I suppose I'm calling for experts with knowledge I lack. I can do electronics. I'll admit that my diesel knowledge consists of what I've been reading since I started researching my truck purchace in January (truck to arrive June 1).

 

Tim: I think something is fishy with the "not able to go back" thing. My Predator can go back, so why shouldn't Ford? It makes no sense. Would someone please correct me and offer some technical specifics as to "why" it can't go back?

 

I think it is more of won't vs. can't. There are liability issues as well as emissions issues.

 

Are the 6.0 trucks built after Dec 2003 coming with or without pilot injection disabled?

 

I wholeheartedly agree. I'm surprised there has not been some kind of action on someones legal behalf on this one yet.

My recent DSB application had language similar to that in it.

 

canuck999, thanks for the explaination on the issue of pilot injection.


I was wondering the same. Are all the new trucks coming off the line without pilot injection? Also, how are the commercial operator's dealing with this problem? Is the 6.0 option limited to Ford pickups or is it available in the larger trucks like the F750 and bigger? I would think that a company with a fleet of tow trucks or ambulances would be more than inconvenienced over this.

 

Horsepuller: that is a good question! If the dec03 trucks are coming with it enabled, that would create quite a conspiracy! I'd like to visit a dealer and test drive a truck -- see if it's as noisy as mine.