Well, finally got a beta version of the spartan phalanx wed. of last week. That was a long 11 hr round trip, but was worth it.

Initial impressions:
This is a nice digital package that takes it from being one of the top automotive accessories(I couldn't say just gauges as it does alot more then that) and adds the bonus of a sophisticated custom tuning ability to the user. The test OBD-II hookup that I have that is required to deliver the tunes to the 6.0 is a little marvel in of itself. In the middle of the cable is a microprocessor that allows tuning to happen from the DashDAQ to the PCM of the computer. The gauges that are available on the DashDAQ are almost limitless, much more then you would find from the competition(to my knowledge the closest one to this device is BullyDog's PMT device which doesn't have near the capabilities that this one does). DTC readings on this are far more sophiticated as well. You actually have 2 submenus within the DTC main menu. One for Ford Specific DTCs(this is where my non-vgt turbo sets one off that my xcal 2 never picked up) and the generic DTC menu where obviously the DTCs that everyone has in common show up here. Now Ford isn't the only specific DTC menu that they have, but it's the only one applicable in this case, so don't think that DrewTech limited themselvs just to Ford specific DTCs. There are gauges on this thing that I didn't even realize you could gauge for on a consumer product: injection pulse width, injection timing, fuel level(not really all that useful, just had to throw that out there), load percentage(I use this alot especially when datalogging comes in handy), and various others that I can't remember. There are alot, which makes it one of the best tools for the do-it-yourself'er when you want to try to troubleshoot something. If there are any questions specific on what the DashDAQ can(or can't(if that's possible)) please feel free to ask me.

Tuning:
Now on to the meat of what y'all are probably wanting to hear about...tuning. Worlds ahead of what the SCT has out in the market now(unless they have something in Beta, which is possible). Right now strategies aren't important, because there will be strategies written into the tune and the 3 computer modules will be able to be tuned using this handy dandy little device, so it won't matter if you go into ford forgetting to return to stock your truck and have them flash your computer and thus needing a new set of tunes for the new strategy that they put in there. Now as far as specific numbers for the tunes(both hp/tq, and mpg numbers) I don't have those yet as right now I'm unable to get onto a load baring dyno to get accurate numbers since I had this on here and I haven't had the tunes long enough to get any accurate mpg numbers(atleast not long enough for me to feel like they are accurate, having to much fun with the throttle). So other then the butt dyno I can't give you more on the power feeling. I can tell you that there is more custom tweaking that goes on with this tunes that I'm hoping will deliver better power and better mpg numbers. I'm hoping to get a different set of tunes and compare them to my old ones and be able to datalog and figure out the difference on how they handle using the same parameters. Stay tuned......

 

Keep us informed. I may be interested in this.

 

Sounds like a great little device with a wealth of options for the user. Am I right in saying the Phalanx tunes the FICM without removing it and sending it in? I'm on the list for Beta testing and look forward to the install. I'm mostly stock and hope for a modest mpg gain. My only complaint is the mounting options. I wish they offered a pillar mount for a factory look Keep us posted on all your findings.

 

when do you think matt will offer this to the public? jw...I love the xcal it did wonders

 

It may not be too late to get in on the Beta testing which offers a nice savings $. Send Matt an email to check it out. I'm on the list, just waiting for a call

 

Yes it does. There was actually another way that Matt was going to do it, but then he was able to come up with this method. The other was to have a module that hookes up to the FICM and forces it into the FICM itself, but now everything is written into the individual tunes themselves. Now I know I'm probably making it sound really simple, like duh, why couldn't they have done this before now, but I'm sure that my simple mind is glossing over something that is paramount with making this happen.


I did have concerns with that, I did make a custom center console to address that, pics are in my gallery, hopefuly they came out. Expert photographier I am not. Short of actually doing something yourself, it probably will be limited for quite some time, until something like this takes off.

The biggest holdup is the cable, which is the biggest cost of this piece(go figure). I lucked out and got the original test cable that Matt had to tune a few local yodel's trucks. Basically, it's with the microprocessor spliced into the cable and the processor is protected by heat shrink plastic. The cables he is waiting on are commercially done. It doesn't bother me, I really wanted to test the unit out so I was welling to make sacrificies for the FTE group and put my truck in harms way so a premium product could be delivered to y'all. I don't want to give a specific time table as the people doing the cable could get sluggish and I don't want Matt to have to take the heat for it. It should be relatively soon for the rest of the beta testers, but I can't get more specific then that.

 

what other cables or sensors would have to be purchased to make all of the gauges work?

 

We should only need a EGT probe (pyrometer) mounted in the exhaust manifold that will conect to the Phalanx.

 

That is correct. That would be the only sensor that the dashdaq would not be able to get from the truck's computer. I'll probably keep the electric analog gauges that I have as redundant gauges and use the dashdaq to run other gauges that I can't get in analog with exception of the EOT gauge.

 

Just out curiosity is there anything that y'all want me to look at on the dashdaq or any parameters that it monitors in particular?

 

I have an XLT no truck computer. Will the Dashdaq display miles till empty or mpg? What does EOT stand for?

How many parameters (guages) can you monitor at one time?

 

EOT= Engine Oil Temp.

 

Evan -
please compare the readings from the analog gauges and the Dashdaq and report on how close they are (or not). Specifically, I am curious about"
fuel pressure
EOT
ECT
Transmission temp

Thannks and "enjoy the toy"!

 

It does have that capability, I do not have it loaded on here as I can't use that with my truck's computer as my injectors throw off the sensor. According to my truck I should be getting 21.3 mpg and I'm really getting 16.4.

That depends. Right now the most I have on one screen is 9, but this is a Linux based computer and the end user has the ability to add or take away gauges. So really it depends on how many that you can comfortably fit on the screen and be able to use that information.

The only one I can not do that for is the engine oil temp as the only way I have on monitoring that is thru the dashdaq. All the others I can. I will start that after the meeting today around lunch time and I'll post back after doing that for a few days with various driving scenerios.

 

I didn't realise that the fuel pressure and oil pressure were available from the OBD port. Can you confirm this?