Questions for Matt
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 342
Likes: 1
From: South central kansas
Questions for Matt
Hello all, this questions is primarily for Matt but anyone with some ideas and info feel free to respond. I am new to the tuner thing. I read on here that you can match an excal II tuner to a quadzilla commander display. I don't know if they match, but here is the question. Are they compatible. And can I run just the commander for now and get a good idea of all of the info I need when the time comes to get a tuner and a good set of Matt custom tunes? My truck is a 05 6.0 PSD CC SWB FX4 w/ 66,000 miles. All stock and possible in the future a cat back exhaust, and definitely want to try the excal II. Other than that I want it stock. I am looking for reliability with a little better mileage. Please let me know if I should buy the package of commander and excal, or if I can buy a commander now and an excal later on down the road. Thank you.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Woodbine, Maryland
the commander is a stand alone unit, the SCT tuner does not connect to it what so ever. you load your tunes and then you disconnect the SCT excal untill you need to change tunes. the commander is mainly for monitoring, and if you wish to buy modules for it you can defuel and disable your limiters.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,196
Likes: 11
From: Arizona
fireman660r,
As Superdudey said the Quadzilla Commander is a standalone unit and can be installed now just for monitoring and then if you want an SCT XcalII in the future it is easy to add it on with no problems.
I am not a fan and niether is Matt of using defueling on top of the SCT XcalII with Custom Tunes, any custom tuner that knows what they are doing sets all the parameters of the PCM, FICM & TCM to safely work together and when you try and play with defueling without the custom tuners knowledge and program files you are defeating part of what they where giving you with the custom tune package. Also the SCT XcalII and custom tunes removes or changes the limiters as well.
FYI for reliability you may want to also consider doing the EGR up-pipe delete, rear crossover fuel line, CCV re-route and coolant filter.
As Superdudey said the Quadzilla Commander is a standalone unit and can be installed now just for monitoring and then if you want an SCT XcalII in the future it is easy to add it on with no problems.
I am not a fan and niether is Matt of using defueling on top of the SCT XcalII with Custom Tunes, any custom tuner that knows what they are doing sets all the parameters of the PCM, FICM & TCM to safely work together and when you try and play with defueling without the custom tuners knowledge and program files you are defeating part of what they where giving you with the custom tune package. Also the SCT XcalII and custom tunes removes or changes the limiters as well.
FYI for reliability you may want to also consider doing the EGR up-pipe delete, rear crossover fuel line, CCV re-route and coolant filter.
Last edited by blackhat620; Jul 5, 2007 at 11:38 AM.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 342
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From: South central kansas
Thanks for the input fellas. Blackhat, will the mods you suggested void my warranty? If they will then I will wait until it is out of warranty. From what I have read here pretty much all of the EGR components make for more headaches than they are worth. But, I still have 35,000 miles of factory warranty on the motor, and I bought an extended warranty to cover the tranny(knowing what I know now, I probably didn't need it, but oh well). I just don't want my warranty voided, nor do I want my friends at the dealership to be put in a bad situation w/ Ford for covering for me.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,196
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From: Arizona
fireman660r,
Messing with any emissions item is a big NO NO in the dealers eyes as they can get a hefty fine from the Federal Government if caught working on a vehicle with a disabled emissions system.
I thought when you said you wanted to install a "tuner" you were not worried about your warranty, hence the reason i suggested the EGR & CCV mod to increase longevity. Since warranty is an issue, i would wait to do this until the truck is out of warranty.
The Rear Crossover line and Coolant filter should not effect your warranty, but asked your service writer and tech their position on any mods since you have both the FMC 5/100k warranty and an extended warranty.
Messing with any emissions item is a big NO NO in the dealers eyes as they can get a hefty fine from the Federal Government if caught working on a vehicle with a disabled emissions system.
I thought when you said you wanted to install a "tuner" you were not worried about your warranty, hence the reason i suggested the EGR & CCV mod to increase longevity. Since warranty is an issue, i would wait to do this until the truck is out of warranty.
The Rear Crossover line and Coolant filter should not effect your warranty, but asked your service writer and tech their position on any mods since you have both the FMC 5/100k warranty and an extended warranty.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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I have a question about finding the code on the PCM. I looked were it is suppose to be but the sticker with all the numbers is not on the PCM. It should be located between the battery and the fender on driver side. Where else do I look or can I find it?
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,369
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From: Stuttgart, Ar
The code tag is on the PCM on the drivers side fender. If you want the strategy for a tuner then the custom tuner will send you a blank tuner that can read the strategy from your PCM and the tunes can be emailed to you. It's a very simple process.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Hendersonville, NC
The 2005-up processors do not have the sticker on the side but the number must be read from the bottom; requiring removal of the computer to get the code. Such is the reason I ship my tuners empty, have the customer read the code with the tuner and I email the files- to ensure that the files are matched to the proper calibration. Mismatched calibration codes can cause all sorts of issues.
My apologies to fireman660r; I suppose I just missed this thread when it was posted.
Even though it has already been answered, I'll respond anyways. The commander is a standalone unit for monitoring only and works great with the Xcal2. I do prefer the Xcal2/Commander combo over the Livewire standalone, simply due to the fact the commander is designed with diesels in mind- whereas IMO, diesels were little more than an afterthought with the Livewire.
My apologies to fireman660r; I suppose I just missed this thread when it was posted.
Even though it has already been answered, I'll respond anyways. The commander is a standalone unit for monitoring only and works great with the Xcal2. I do prefer the Xcal2/Commander combo over the Livewire standalone, simply due to the fact the commander is designed with diesels in mind- whereas IMO, diesels were little more than an afterthought with the Livewire.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 342
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From: South central kansas
Not a problem Matt, I was looking around on a couple of websites the other day, and I seem to recall seeing an excal II and it said excal II on it and now all I can find is the SFT. Is this the same thing?? The body of the tuner looks the same but the name is now different. Just curious before I buy. Thanks
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
Originally Posted by fireman660r
Not a problem Matt, I was looking around on a couple of websites the other day, and I seem to recall seeing an excal II and it said excal II on it and now all I can find is the SFT. Is this the same thing?? The body of the tuner looks the same but the name is now different. Just curious before I buy. Thanks
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
Originally Posted by fireman660r
Hey Matt, do you have a website up and running for your new company yet? Just curious, if you do can you send me the url? I would like to visit it if it is up yet. Thanks