3 Months ago, the new tuner wasn't even on the drawing board or even a thought. From dream to implementation it is barely 6 weeks old. We should have working prototypes soon, but it will still be several weeks before it is fielded and ready for sale. The 6.4 units will be ready first (1-2 weeks) and the new 6.0 units a few weeks afterward.

Casey, the flash # the computer is the source of the issues, but the computer on the fender isn't the only issue. The flash of the PCM/TCM must be compatible with the flash of the FICM (the module on the driver's valve cover). Currently nothing on the market flashes all 3; that is the mission of the new unit. With flashing three; that would eliminate the need for matching the tune with 300+ different codes down to two; one for the 448k Black Oak processors of the 2003-2004 and one for the 512k Green Oak processors of the 2005-2007 trucks. At that point, only the year model of the truck would be neccessary to know; not a 4 or 7 digit ID code. The tuners will come pre-loaded with programming for all 3 modules (already matched) and consistency among different vehicles will be drastically improved (and yes, it will still be updatable over the internet).

As a side note, part of the update for the new flashes that SCT fixed in the canned files hasn't been released in our custom tuning software, for some reason

 

[QUOTE=SpartanDieselTech]3 Months ago, the new tuner wasn't even on the drawing board or even a thought. From dream to implementation it is barely 6 weeks old. We should have working prototypes soon, but it will still be several weeks before it is fielded and ready for sale. The 6.4 units will be ready first (1-2 weeks) and the new 6.0 units a few weeks afterward.

Well, now we know where your time's been spent. There is no way you get from "just a thought" to within a month or two of a new product launch without spending a lot of time on it. Don't get me wrong! I wish you all the success in the world! but I think you've left a few of us twisting in the wind!

Personally, I know longer care one way or the other..I don't care for my tunes but I'm not emailing and calling over and over to beg you for new stuff.
I'll chock it up to experience and go on from there, But you should consider taking care of some of these people that helped you get where you are, you are in a way doing the same thing to them that you accused SCT of doing to you and the other custom tuners out there. I'm sure you will have used their requests and feedback in working on your new tuner? Anyway..that's my $0.02

Good luck....CAIO!

 

[QUOTE=MIKESANDS]I just want to add that a lot of my disappointment had nothing to do with Spartan Diesel..the whole experience was a mess from the start due to a defective programmer. Matt got me a replacement when he didn't have to! thanks again for that!

 

My friend, another company is developing the hardware for the new tuners for us. I made a few phone calls for requests. I'm nowhere near smart enough to design my own hardware, print my own boards, or anything related. The tuners will show up boxed ready for me to drop in our new files and hit the road. So, no, I left noone "twisting in the wind". I have worked under the restrictions of the hardware and software that I had (have) and so far it has produced no solutions to some of the issues. This was the sole reason I even made the request for the new tuners to be developed for us. And apparently you also missed that it will be several more weeks before they are ready.

As to requests and feedback from SCT users-- yes, I am using every bit of it I have. I would be doing all of my customers a disservice if I didn't use their feedback. What SCT provides us to work with is out of my control, and when I have nothing more to work with and the problems still aren't solved, I will do what is necessary to solve them- which is exactly what I am doing developing the new unit.

I have been, for months. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours working with the current software to develop what has turned out to be only partial solutions- in my opinion that is not good enough.

By developing the new units it will be moving my level of control from dealer to co-designer and put me in control of what goes on, what is developed, what isn't developed, and when an issue arises- I won't have to wait on a third party to develop a solution--- I will be able to do it myself. Each individual customer can decide what that is worth to them; I know very good and well what it is worth to me. With these new units built to my own specifications using non-exclusive software for the development, I am no longer restricted by the development decisions made by another company.

As far as SCT is concerned, maybe I need to make the details of this clear. Myself and SCT have had some issues as of late, which thankfully have been worked out. I give a big thanks to Charlie @ SCT and a few others, which have went out of their way to help. However, at this point in time, they can't promise a solution to what is needed to solve the issues with the late VXCF4 and VXCF5 calibrations, or the 6.4L programming- which is why I am no longer waiting around. When they release new products, I have full intentions of carrying their stuff along side my own. However, in the meantime, I feel as though I am letting not only myself but my customers down by not developing another option. That is an opinion that will not change.

I don't mean to come across as harsh, but I do take a bit of offense when accused of ignoring present customers in lieu of spending my time on development of new products. If I had a way of installing the software/tuning that I wanted and needed to solve the issues at hand into the SCT, I most certainly would. However not only do I not have the tools to do that, but doing so would have legal ramications as it would violate my license agreement with SCT.

 

This was the sole reason I even made the request for the new tuners to be developed for us. And apparently you also missed that it will be several more weeks before they are ready.

Did I not say one to two months??? 4-8 weeks?? sounds like several to me?

 

Matt, I still need my custom tunes from you but I can wait. I received the X3 a few weeks ago now and haven't even plugged it in as of yet.Alot of questions & I don't know where to start with the X3. I am very patient and understand your situation and what you are trying to accomplish, if you could put me on your "low priority" list and give me a call when you're caught up I would appreciate it. I'm not going to add to your busy enough schedule by calling and emailing you constantly, I'll just wait to hear from you. My invoice # is 479 dated 2/18/08 for contact info. Thanks again.

Derek

 

Derek, I'll dig through my email and see if I can find your strategy code; can't remember if you have sent it or not. If you have, I'll find it ASAP; if not just shoot me over an email after you pull it out and I'll get you taken care of. Thanks very much for the patience

As for how to use it, I'll shoot you over a PDF copy of the manual (that they don't include any more). If you have questions past that, I'll call you as soon as I can.

 

Excuse me if I am being overly defensive, but it appears to me as though I'm being attacked by your false assumptions of where I do and don't spend my time working.

 

Actually I thought this was a great response! I'm a big boy..If I dish it out I expect to take some back! Believe or not my post wasn't an attack on you or Spartan Diesel as a whole, but you must be devoting some time to development otherwise why would you put your name behind it if your brain wasn't behind it? Your a "magician" to these guys, they'll buy from you because of you! not your "development team". But that being said how will you support SCT X3 customers AND customers of YOUR BABY? Doesn't that just exacerbate your customer service woes? I understand that there is nothing more difficult than dealing with the public, they want service and they want it now! Perception is everything! I wish you luck walking that line...

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpartanDieselTech

Excuse me if I am being overly defensive, but it appears to me as though I'm being attacked by your false assumptions of where I do and don't spend my time working.

I understand, It did sound "presumptive" I apoligize for that. I've seen post after post of guys that spent their hard earned money on a tuner that "I believe" will suffer in terms of support even more after you release YOUR tuner. Time will tell I guess..I hope I'm wrong.

 

He's working on that right now.

Stay Tuned
Amp

 

Well; back to my truck and the new tune.........

Its basically undriveable other than driving like grandpaw would. Off idle is ok; just a touch of the throttle and it moves decent. Then unless you are WOT it just is flat and going no where. That starts at 1000rpm and will just be flat unless you floor it. Part throttle is just sluggish and nothing. Then if you WOT it kinda laggs and its not turbo spooling up lag its like the computer doesnt know what to do. Then it pulls like a sob; then it shifts and about about dies then it shifts back down like you had been cruising and floored it again. This time it will pull then it WONT shift. It will just keep reving, but not really making power. I saw 4500rpm before I could let off! And other driving the shifting and everything just isnt working even close to right.

Matt; I really want to get this fixed and working, but I can not risk hurting my truck.............I just spent a lot of $$$ and time doing headgaskets and studs. I cant afford to fix big broken parts like a engine or transmission.

Is there any way possible to get my strategy flashers (its an Xcal2 SF)canned tunes back? Once I loaded the custom tune it wont let get back to the canned tunes. Honestlly at this point I would be ok with just having them back and a way to not set off the check engine light due to the EGR system being blocked off(the valve is still there and can move freely)

This has been going on for a month now; I gotta get somewhere so I can have my truck back fully driveable.

 

I hope he BLOWS everyone away!

 

Casey02L,

That is exactly how my ultra comp acted. I am scared to pull my tranny dipstick and look at the condition the fluid is in. I drove slower with the aggressive files than I did stock. My truck is an 05 so it must be our strategies.

 

I pulled VXCF4HB TQCJOJ4 out of my truck fwiw.