Bill or Corey feel free to chime in on this question as well.

I recently installed a CAI on my 06 f150 I already had the edge programmer. All I hear about is if you start doing mods to your truck you need a custom tunes from PHP if you have an Edge.

How much of a difference would I see in the getup and go factor from edge vs. php? What has everyone else seen in the changes? Are they night and day changes or just minor ones?

 

I am interested in this as well as I just picked up an Edge and I have a CAI and exhaust on my truck and I'm thinking about converting it to the Gryphon for the custom tunes.

 

If you want a night and day change, you need a supercharger. There just isn't that many "spare" horsepower laying around in these engines.

 

Thats fine I was looking for night and day changes I was just trying to figure out why and what to expect by switching to gryphon. I guess I should ask different what are the reasons people have switched and what have the seen after they switched.

 

I recenlty got the Gryphon (2 weeks ago) and am still running the canned tunes (same as Edge) so I cannot comment on the difference between canned and custom tunes based on direct knowledge yet. I have read that the difference you feel between canned and custom is comparable to the difference you felt going from stock to canned. I agree with the above comment that there will not likely be any significant HP increase going from canned to custom but many other parameters can be "tweaked" to optimize the overall driveability thus raising the smile factor quite noticeably.

There seems to be mixed opinions on the necessity to run custom tunes with a CAI. Most say it is preferable but many will say they have been running a CAI with canned tunes for years with no issues. Tha being said, it would be my preference to err on the side of caution and just run a custom tune.

 

Hey there, beernutz. The Evo is an excellent programmer for folks with stock vehicles or light mods like a new SI/DO exhaust. For mods like a CAI or a DI/DO, we generally suggest custom tunes. Simply put, your CAI is working it's magic by leaning out your engine a bit; your programmer works the same way. One lean = okay probably. Two leans = potential problems.

Now, as for comparing canned tunes vs. custom tunes...

The canned tunes are a bit conservative since they were written for a variety of end users. The programmer might be purchased by a guy in FL with a daily hour long commute who tows a 24 foot boat on the weekends OR a guy in Colorado who drives it around town during the week and occasionally pulls a few snowmobiles through the mountains. Two totally different scenarios -- same canned tunes. Custom tunes are just that -- they're written specifically for your truck as well as your particular needs.

If you're not setting a CEL, you may be okay with the canned tow tune since it tends to run a bit richer and might be able to compensate for a lean condition. We definitely do not recommend running level three with a CAI. My suggestion would be to upgrade and try out one custom tune -- probably replace level three with another performance tune (in the octane level of your choice). Keep your money in your pocket for now on that second tune (unless you want to bite the bullet and just go for both for convenience); you can always do that down the road if you want and/or need it. Once it's upgraded, you won't have to send it back because everything's handled over the internet.

Please feel free to ask us any more questions you have. We'll be happy to help!

 

Oh that's interesting, so if I decide to have my Evo converted and only want one tune now, I can have another tune written and sent over the internet and wouldn't have to send the unit back to you guys?

 

Exactly. The only reason you have to send it to us in the first place is so that we can change the case. The Evo is CARB certified, and it's just our way to protect Edge. We can't even send you the case; the deal we made with Edge is that we have to have the programmer in hand and remove their case.

Even if you need your custom tune tweaked when you first get it, that's all done over the internet!

 

Wow that's great and makes life a lot easier. I'll be able to send it to you a lot sooner because I won't need as much money saved haha. Thanks for the great info!

 

If you want to convert back to the Edge to sell it (for example) is the sace reinstalled or are they destroyed or sent back to Edge?

Your .pdf for gas upgrade comes up as diesel. I tried the diesel one to see if they were swapped but it's deisel as well.

I have:
CAI
JBA shorty headers
Dual exhaust in/out with X pipes
37x13.5x17 (forged aluminum 17x10)
2004 F-150 S'Cab XLT 4x4 5.4l 3v V8 Gas
Don't know the gears, has tow package, lifted 8", not sure what else is relevant.

So if I go by a 3 mod rule, then I need a custom tune, correct?
I want to change converters to metallic cats, will this require a retune?
I want to go back town to 35x12 tires, will this effect the current tune?

Goal is conservative for best gas milage. The most I will ever tow is my car which is under 2800lbs + trailer but that would be rare as I usually drive it to the track. I do tow my motorcycle on a trailer though, so 400lbs + 200 (maybe?).

The highest octane available is 91 and currently a $.20-$.25 increase over 87 per gallon. How do I calculate if 87 or 91 would give me the most milage for the money? Lets say a tank of 91 is $10 more with an increase of +2mpg which increase milage per tank by say 50 at 20mpg would be 2.5galx$3.25=$8 so that's a loss of $2. Ok, it's fuzzy math rounding off and guessing but do you get my point? I'm not even sure it would be a 2mpg increase going with 91, so should my level 3 tune be done in 87?