FICM vs. Tuner

[ccdemo71]

So keep seeing everyone talking about FICM tunes and was wondering what is the difference between them and say a tune from a tuner custom or canned. I guess I just don't understand the difference and would appreciate it if someone could explain the differences and pros and cons of each.

[Lilpooh]

Tunes from a tuner like SCT tunes the PCM and TCM. You can also add more power by having the FICM tuned, this allows the injectors to work at there full potential.


Now you can either send in your FICM to have it tuned, or you can sign up on a list where PHP sends you a handheld programmer to remotely tune your FICM then return the programmer, Or you can buy a programmer from PHP for keeps that allows you to swap out the different FICM power levels.

[DoubleDpsd]

What's the deal with the ecm tuning/rollback? Do you uninstall it from the truck like the ficm and send it in to be reprogrammed? My current strategy is one they recommend be rolled back but but I also read that after some guys did this they had a problem with their tuner writing tunes for them because the strategy was "rolled back too far". Thanks.

[pizza pig]

First off thats retarded because any tune will REPLACE the file thats currently in the ecm. The PHP gyphon reprograms the ecm to an earlier file this will become your new stock file. When you tune your truck the SCT downloads the stock files to the sct then loads the new files into the ecm, . Most tunes built by tuners are already flashed back so theres no worries. Who ever fed you that line had no idea what they were talking about.

Its been known that its not really the pcm tuning that matters it the ficm flashes that are the problem. They only recommend that you flashback the ecm when you flashback the ficm because they're both in sync with the same family of strategy. It makes no difference if the two strategy families match.

My recommendations are that you just use the SCT to tune/program the ecm and then have someone tune your FICM (send it in to be flashed or wait for a remote programmer)

For the record, loading tunes that arent the same strategy as what your truck is can be done, people who claim it will lockout the pcm are entirely false. Ive never ran a tune that was the same strategy as my stocker.

[SpeedyDBall]

Originally Posted by darsey715

What's the deal with the ecm tuning/rollback? Do you uninstall it from the truck like the ficm and send it in to be reprogrammed? My current strategy is one they recommend be rolled back but but I also read that after some guys did this they had a problem with their tuner writing tunes for them because the strategy was "rolled back too far". Thanks.

My strategy is also on that list of strategys to change. I have been e-mailing back and forth with Matt at Gearhead and he says he personally loves files that are written on that strategy. He said I could roll it back if I wanted but there is no need. Strategy is in my sig.

[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by pizza pig

For the record, loading tunes that arent the same strategy as what your truck is can be done, people who claim it will lockout the pcm are entirely false. Ive never ran a tune that was the same strategy as my stocker.

Greg, tunes written for the '03-'04 trucks won't work on the '05-'07 trucks and vise versa. Has something to do with the PCM programming being different.

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/sct...s-answers.html

The reason yours tunes don't match the stock strategy is, your custom tunes are written with-in your group year truck (03-04) (05-07).

[pizza pig]

Yes that is true Rich, I was just saying that any strategy configuration works but it is year specific (05-07 and 03-04) therye not interchangeable between years 03-04 trucks cant use 05+ strategies due to different pcm's

Originally Posted by SpeedyDBall

My strategy is also on that list of strategys to change. I have been e-mailing back and forth with Matt at Gearhead and he says he personally loves files that are written on that strategy. He said I could roll it back if I wanted but there is no need. Strategy is in my sig.

They say this because those families all share the crappy inductive heating, MPG and Power robbing ficm flashes. Matt is right, there really is no point to rolling back the ecm strategy, all the losses and "bad stuff" are in control of the ficm not the ecm.

[DoubleDpsd]

Originally Posted by pizza pig

First off thats retarded because any tune will REPLACE the file thats currently in the ecm. The PHP gyphon reprograms the ecm to an earlier file this will become your new stock file. When you tune your truck the SCT downloads the stock files to the sct then loads the new files into the ecm, . Most tunes built by tuners are already flashed back so theres no worries. Who ever fed you that line had no idea what they were talking about.

Its been known that its not really the pcm tuning that matters it the ficm flashes that are the problem. They only recommend that you flashback the ecm when you flashback the ficm because they're both in sync with the same family of strategy. It makes no difference if the two strategy families match.

My recommendations are that you just use the SCT to tune/program the ecm and then have someone tune your FICM (send it in to be flashed or wait for a remote programmer)

For the record, loading tunes that arent the same strategy as what your truck is can be done, people who claim it will lockout the pcm are entirely false. Ive never ran a tune that was the same strategy as my stocker.

This is where I read of the guy having issues w/new ecm tunes.

went from VXBC9N8 to VXBC6N4 and cannot get custom tunes for SCT? - Power Hungry Performance Forum

[PGreenSVT]

It makes no sense to roll back the ECM unless you are staying stock. A custom tune can be derived from any of the base strategies and the tuner will take care of any issues with that strategy. If you roll back to a VXCF4 for example when you load Matt's SRL+ file you will be back to the VXCF9 strategy because that's what he starts with. So the VXCF4 is only a factor when you put the truck back to stock.

Forget about rollbacks and get the FICM tuned.

[DoubleDpsd]

Originally Posted by PGreenSVT

It makes no sense to roll back the ECM unless you are staying stock. A custom tune can be derived from any of the base strategies and the tuner will take care of any issues with that strategy. If you roll back to a VXCF4 for example when you load Matt's SRL+ file you will be back to the VXCF9 strategy because that's what he starts with. So the VXCF4 is only a factor when you put the truck back to stock.

Forget about rollbacks and get the FICM tuned.

Got it. Thanks.