PHP vs IDP FICM tuning

[6speedsd]

Ok, I'm ready to make the jump to FICM tuning. Been doing some research on both. Seems like more people prefer PHP. I've talked to Eric about his tuning a bit. Basically I'm looking to get the Inductive Heat back that was lost sometime before I bought the truck. But, a little extra power never hurt anyone right. I currently have the VXCF7xx strategy, which after reading on PHP's site, claims I need to get the rollback strategy to maximize the tuning. So, I'd have to get my current ECM tunes rewritten... no big deal.

What it boils down to is Gryphon vs whatever Erics handheld is. Not looking to get on that long waiting list for remote tuning through either guy. I'll purchase the tuner whichever route I go.

So what do you all run? Benefits of one over the other? The Gryphon is about $100 more than Eric's, but seems like you get quite a bit more for the extra cash.

 

[Mdub707]

I like the gryphon simply for the fact that I can put my FICM back to stock tuning if I want. You can't go back to stock with the IDP unit. I still use IDP for my ECM tuning though. You also get ALL of the tunes PHP offers, and all of their tunes have the mild inductive heating flash on them. Pretty sure Eric's race FICM tune doesn't have any inductive heating, but you may be able to get it put on if you ask. The gryphon doubles as a monitor. It's based on the old Edge Insights I believe (someone correct me on that one) and the IDP uses older superchips flashpack for the hardware. Both just use their own software on each.

 

[6speedsd]

I wasn't aware you couldn't go back to stock with IDP's unit. That's another point for the Gryphon in my book. I like the fact that it is a monitor as well.

Anyone know if a rollback strategy would be included with the purchase of the Gryphon from PHP? I've emailed them about that, but haven't gotten a response yet. PHP says it's recommended to get the rollback with my strategy, but it is 100% necessary? Like, what would be the downfall of not doing the rollback? Just not getting the full performance from the tunes?

 

[sleeps]

idp's cant go "stock". but it has performance and the other is inductive heating. which is no performance, pretty much stock.

oh and with the gryphon, i had a hiccup somehow with the software and it tells me that my gryphon is vin locked and php wouldnt do anything about it. they pretty much told me i had to be lying and its impossible that i had it only on my truck. i must have used it on another truck. so i have a useless tuner. unless of course i want to ship it back to them and pay them to unlock it. which if i remember correctly was $150.

 

[6speedsd]

Does the Gryphon have to be permanently installed in the truck, or can you hook it up, load the file, then remove the unit? I mean it will get installed for monitoring purposes, but just curious if it has to stay hooked up to work or not.

 

[InnovativeDiesel]

You can't "read" from the FICM, you can only write to it. We can update your FICM programmer with a factory stock program. However, there's rarely a need. You can simply install the inductive heating tune and it'll start like stock, with the extra mileage and safe performance of the FICM tune.

 

[Josh@DirtyDiesels]

I had PHP ficm tuning in my ficm when I got it from Swamp's. Last time my truck was on the dyno at Eric's he loaded his ficm tuning. Truck ran a million times better. I know it's different because my truck has huge injectors but with the php ficm tune my truck was a lopey sob and idled and started like crap. For reference, here is an idle vid with the php tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZYFQr0kzX4 with Eric's ficm tune it idles close to a stock truck. Not sure if I have the inductive heating tune or not, I tend to just let Eric do his thing and make the magic happen without asking too many questions, but either way it runs great.

 

[6speedsd]

But I wonder if that issue was because of the big sticks?

I know Eric puts out good stuff. There is no question about that. And you can't beat his customer service no matter what. That is always a bonus with going with anything he does.

 

[Pizza pig]

I had PHP ficm tuning in my ficm when I got it from Swamp's. Last time my truck was on the dyno at Eric's he loaded his ficm tuning. Truck ran a million times better. I know it's different because my truck has huge injectors but with the php ficm tune my truck was a lopey sob and idled and started like crap. For reference, here is an idle vid with the php tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZYFQr0kzX4 with Eric's ficm tune it idles close to a stock truck. Not sure if I have the inductive heating tune or not, I tend to just let Eric do his thing and make the magic happen without asking too many questions, but either way it runs great.

mine did it too with the stock nozzle ficm tuning. The new file I have makes cold starts buttery smooth and never any loping.

 

[6speedsd]

mine did it too with the stock nozzle ficm tuning. The new file I have makes cold starts buttery smooth and never any loping.

PHP?

 

[6speedsd]

You can't "read" from the FICM, you can only write to it. We can update your FICM programmer with a factory stock program. However, there's rarely a need. You can simply install the inductive heating tune and it'll start like stock, with the extra mileage and safe performance of the FICM tune.

How much of a performance gain are we talking about? I assume the "race" version has a pretty good bump, but it doesn't have the inductive heat, which is primarily what I'm looking for. Is there much of a power jump with the smaller tune?

 

[Snoop]

I don't have any power increase numbers but adding Eric's ficm tune to his ECM tune is noticeable. Truck starts and runs smoother. I only run the performance tune, never on the inductive heating.

 

[6speedsd]

Only thing I'm concerned with about going with IDP is that I couldn't return the FICM back to "stock" (original tuning). I've read that PHP's Gryphon allows you to. If I ever have to take the truck back to the dealer for anything, and they flash the truck (even if I specifically state for them not to), that tune is gone. At least with the Gryphon, I can return to stock and not have to be concerned with that happening.

Or did I read wrong and you can't do that with Gryphon either?

 

[Snoop]

Does Eric's ficm tuner only allow 1 unlock vin specific? If it's vin specific then it doesn't matter how many times you flash your ficm from ford IDS to Eric's tune. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[sleeps]

Like Eric already said, you can't read from the rock. Its write only, no readable memory. So the dealer can't tell if you have an ficm tune. And if they write over it with a stock tune you can write over it again with your tune anytime. Idp inductive heating is practically "stock" so there is no benefit to the phone tuner in that aspect. The only memory is in the device itself. There was some sort of issue with the php on my truck that after I tuned it it vin locked which is normal. Then I went to the idp tuner, then wanted to try out the phone one again but it was still vin locked because I didn't go back to stock before changing to something else. So you may run into that issue if you forget to change back to stock on the Php tuner. No issue like that with idp though.

 

[sleeps]

Does Eric's ficm tuner only allow 1 unlock vin specific? If it's vin specific then it doesn't matter how many times you flash your ficm from ford IDS to Eric's tune. Correct me if I'm wrong.

It is. I've swapped back and forth ten times or more with idp's Tuner. Php's is also vin specific.

 

[6speedsd]

Ah ok. So it wouldn't matter if they flashed over it. All I'd have to do is reinstall the tune.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Josh@DirtyDiesels]

mine did it too with the stock nozzle ficm tuning. The new file I have makes cold starts buttery smooth and never any loping.

I might get in touch with Eric about a new file. Mine still is a bit rough starting in the super cold sometimes, but that also could be due to the injectors. IDK

 

[Pizza pig]

PHP?

yes

 

[borsky]

with the IDP tuner if the dealer reflashes it then your idp ficm tuner will think its a different vehicle and will need an unlock... ask me how I know. I run the inductive heating tune and it runs smoother, quieter and starts way better, it does make a noticeable difference in power and mileage. I will try the perf tune come spring.

I am not sure how the php goes back to stock if the ficm is write only...