HP Tuners for 2005-2015

For those of you new to this like me...
I read quite a bit in this thread and other sources before buying my MPVI2 and credits. I felt well prepared, but here are couple things I learned along the way that I didnt discover through reading or asking questions beforehand. Its probably already documented in here, but sharing my experience anyway.

1. VCM Editor wanted Internet connectivity during the READ and WRITE operations. I had wireless turned off on the Win7 laptop I was using, so first READ attempt failed. 15 minute delay to go back inside, connect wired and download and install wireless drivers. Retry READ with wireless enabled, success.
2. Although the READ and WRITE operations are pretty quick (they were for me), still not a bad idea to put a charger or tender on your battery during each operation. My battery was at 12.2 when I first connected charger - I let it come up to 14 before proceeding.
3. When I started the WRITE, VCM Editor reported back the correct info from my truck's ECM, but in the middle of the dialog box in bright red font was the word "Brickable". This raised the pucker factor just a tad, but I continued and the WRITE was successful in first attempt.
4. Continuing the WRITE, I got some licensing errors/pop-ups, you'll be prompted to select your credits to continue, along with the warning this cannot be undone, are you sure? Click yes and continue.
5. During the WRITE operation, VCM paused twice with a pop-up to switch ignition OFF, wait 10 seconds, switch ignition back ON, click OK to continue. Pucker factor climbing again, just do it, turn off, count 10-Mississippi's, turn on, and click ok to continue.
6. You'll see things in the lower status bar that may alarm you, like "Erasing". Its just part of the process.. You'll then see status that makes you feel better, Writing, Verfiying, then Complete.

I dont know if this is typical, but my WRITE took around 3 minutes.

On first start after the tune, your idle may be a little higher than you're used to at first, but it will settle down.

All good, as many others have noted, its like a different truck, seriously. In my 30 minute cruise after the tune I ran it a few minutes in several conditions - Interstate at 80mph, stop-n-go in town, some hill climb and descent on the back roads, reversing uphill in my steep-ass driveway.. in all scenarios it just feels better. A little stronger, smoother, even power delivery everywhere. I like the shifting too - up and down. I'll get some off-road later.

Any of you still on the fence, I say go for it. Yes its still early for me, but all the praises you've read about tuning the 1GRFE are real, its exactly like what everyone is saying. You wont be disappointed - money well spent.

 

This was something that needed to be shared. Thank you for taking the time to write up what folks can expect to experience. Very well said/done!

 

Are you running the latest beta? As of a week or two ago HPT updated the software (and subsequently the firmware of the MPVI2) and cut write times down to under 2 minutes (closer to a minute n 20 secs).

You will NOT have to go through the credit licensing after the first write, its during that time that you apply your universal credits to a VIN number, subsequent writes will just go in the background "yup you are licensed go ahead with the process of writing".

Yes, our ecus are Brickable no doubt.... ask a few of us how we know this.... cus i do... oooof, but with recent changes making writes shorter among other things in the background (HPT used my logs of my bricking of my ecu to make some changes to the process apparently) things are better, but still not failsafe.

For the ignition turn offs i turn the key all the way off, leaving it in, i wait for 10 audible beeps, turn the key back to ON, wait for 3 beeps, then click OK.... thats always been my process thats worked well for me.




As far as the tune its amazing how much more driveable the truck becomes huh? FYI I have started to take the same throttle pedal mapping that is used in forward gears and have applied it to reverse as well, I got used to the more aggressive throttle pedal mapping in forward gears, that when in reverseI would feel like "umm, why am i going no where"... but thats just my personal preference.

 

My VCM Editor version is 4.4.4. I downloaded the beta but didnt install it and just ran the Full Version Suite.

When I fist connected the MPVI2 to the laptop on Monday (yesterday), launched VCM, then ran Resync Interface, it detected a newer firmware was available and proceeded to download and apply it. I didnt catch the version.
Regarding my WRITE time, I'm certain it was under 3 minutes and it could have been quicker, but I paused when getting the license pop-up and again when getting the "Switch OFF - 10 seconds" prompts. I wasnt doing an actual stopwatch timer, I just glanced at the clock when started and again when finished.

With reverse, I dont remember seeing a difference/change in the Comparison Log view - what I'm running includes your v11, but it still acted differently when I was backing up and down my driveway. I did it several times just to make sure. I'd be interested in experimenting with the values.

 

Thanks, and no prob. Y'all have really done some great work here. Just trying to help out the next guy or gal who may be considering this option.

 

Definitely run the latest beta.... the latest stable was from 6/19... and definitely does not include the new writing methods which are much better.

 

100% agree! At this time, I would only use the newest beta release.

 

Done. I'm on 4.5.834 Beta now.

 

Time to update your tune and let us know the time reduction.

 

It's quick. I flashed a couple of times this week and it was around a minute 30 (of puckering) each time.

 

After installing VCM Beta, I connected to the truck to do another READ. A newer firmware update was detected and installed before I could continue. Then I started the READ. READ Time was 45 seconds.

I then did another "WRITE Entire" of my v2eng-v11trans tune. This time I had a stopwatch on it. As @nd4spdbh noted, there was not any prompting for licensing this time around.

I was still prompted to Turn OFF, 10seconds, etc... 2 times.

Total time for WRITE Entire - 3 minutes 36 seconds.

 

..but I'm learning the READ time is probably irrelevant - its not really READING the ECM, its just identifying it and grabbing a stock file from HPT - Do I have that correct?

 

Precisely.

 

Yeah no need to read the truck every time you want to write, you will get the same file from HPT every time, just save it the first time on your computer and dont edit it, make copies and edit those.

 

i also found that disconnecting the battery after writing for a few minutes helps it run better. i'm assuming that this resets all the learned ignition and fueling parameters, however i'm not sure if writing already does that. i do know however that there is a notice after writing mentioning to disconnect before writing next time. i suppose i do it in a different order.

also, i do the throttle position reset each time after writing :ignition on>slowly move pedal to %0-%100-%0-%100-%0-%100-%0>ignition off. the next time you start your truck the idle will be figured out way quicker and the throttle will be predictable faster.

 

@JustDSM Can you turn off VSC? Driving around today a little fast around some corners at an incline/decline the shit kept kicking in and killing power and braking random wheels. With Long travel and no sway bar, my truck body rolls ALOT lol

 

That's a good question, I don't know the answer but FWIW I added an OEM looking switch in an unused hole on the dash. I used it to interrupt the Yaw sensor and it disables the VSC and TCS. On/Off at the push of a button, no codes but you do have to look at a bunch of lights on the dash.

I wish HP tuners had some body control module features as well. (correct me if I'm wrong)

 

My steering wheel is off center, so that sets a zero point calibration code, in turn the turns off all traction control (still have abs), only one light on the dash and no annoying traction control.

 

No, ABS computer and ECU are two different entities, HPT can only control the ECU.

Im sure there is a trd sport traction control off mod.... the one for the TRD OR is easy cus we have a locker that by default kills all traction control including abs.... easy to trick the 4wd ecu into thinking the locker is engaged, on the fly fun button.

 

I see. Yeah I'll have to look into the VSC off button. It's almost dangerous sometimes when it engages