Need help with ECM/TCU strategy!

Amarillo6.0 · Mar 5, 2016

So I recently bought a 2006 CC and what can I say, I've got the mod fever big time. That being said, the truck is studded and ready to go (I hope)... When I bought the truck it came with an SCT X4 that already had 3 custom tunes from Dyno Proven on it. I've read a lot of good reviews on Vivians tunes so I decided to try them out. Placed my order with Quick Tricks Friday and shortly after I got an email from Eric stating that my ECM/TCU strategies were really old and could cause problems with the tunes. He asked if I could have the truck reflashed and then send him the new strategies and I told him I'd see what I could do. I do have a local Ford dealership that I'm assuming will update the truck for a fee, but that's where my questions arise. I've read a lot of stuff on here about the newest Ford strategies being garbage for power/fuel mileage/etc... So what's my best option here? Do I have to bite the bullet and go to the dealer and get the newest flash? Other options? Also, the custom tunes that came on my SCT are written for the current strategy so does that mean once I update the truck I'll no longer be able to run those tunes anymore? Don't know if it matters but current ECM is VXCF0DZ and TCU is TQCJ0DX. Any help is much appreciated!

suprdzlduty · Mar 5, 2016

That is definitely a different strategy than most but I haven't ever had a tuner ask for a truck to be updated to a newer one...maybe you should check with some other tuners...gear head would be one...and no the tunes you have won't work with a new strategy

Amarillo6.0 · Mar 5, 2016

"Thanks for your order! I just have a concern, your strategy code is very old and one of the codes that has many problems. If I send you a tune, the extra hp will make everything more noticeable and a big issue with this code is trans tuning. Is there any way you can get your truck computer re-flashed? You would need someone with a Ford IDS to reprogram and reset the computer. Let me know.

Thanks,
Eric"

That's the email I got from them. Apparently its a problematic code and will cause issues with the trans tuning as well?

drunk on diesel · Mar 5, 2016

that is an OLD strategy for sure! LOL

I'm surprised they won't send you a conversion strategy file

SICKS LITER · Mar 6, 2016

tell them to write the tunes for vxcf4x3

Amarillo6.0 · Mar 6, 2016

Conversion strategy file? I've heard the vxcf4 was the more disirable one but I have no clue how to go about getting my truck flashed to that. And then what TCU strategy should I go for?

Extended Power · Mar 6, 2016

How do you fellas know what a good strategy is or not?
What are the best ones to have?
Is there a list that could be compiled for everyone to refer back to?
How can you go to a dealer and ask for a specific flash? Figured all they could do was the latest...

SICKS LITER · Mar 6, 2016

with sct devices it really doesnt matter what the stock strategy is as long as the tunes are written for a strategy that is for your year truck. when you first go to program the truck the device will save the stock strategy and leaves the ecm blank before uploading the tune file. this is why you dont have to have the tunes written to the stock strategy in the truck. For example you could have an 06 with VXCF9H7 which is the latest update from ford, then use tunes written for VXCF4H2 which is a good strategy for an 06. VXCF4HB & VXCF4X3 are also good strategies for 06 model years. I run VXCF4X3 and VXCF4H2 tunes in my personal truck.

I have a text file i started years ago listing the strategies for each year, its not complete but i could post it.

I have a ford WDS that will flash backwards but it does not allow you to choose the files. someone with a degree in software engineering might be able to figure out how to do more with it. Same with the ford ids, it chooses the calibration files from a database and then flashes them

Jeremy · Mar 6, 2016

You could snag a 05-07 PCM from a junkyard and send it to PHP and have them flash a vxcf4 file on it. Or ship your PCM to them and have them bench flash it to a vxcf4.

Just an option.

Twan · Mar 6, 2016

Amarillo6.0 said:
So I recently bought a 2006 CC and what can I say, I've got the mod fever big time. That being said, the truck is studded and ready to go (I hope)... When I bought the truck it came with an SCT X4 that already had 3 custom tunes from Dyno Proven on it. I've read a lot of good reviews on Vivians tunes so I decided to try them out. Placed my order with Quick Tricks Friday and shortly after I got an email from Eric stating that my ECM/TCU strategies were really old and could cause problems with the tunes. He asked if I could have the truck reflashed and then send him the new strategies and I told him I'd see what I could do. I do have a local Ford dealership that I'm assuming will update the truck for a fee, but that's where my questions arise. I've read a lot of stuff on here about the newest Ford strategies being garbage for power/fuel mileage/etc... So what's my best option here? Do I have to bite the bullet and go to the dealer and get the newest flash? Other options? Also, the custom tunes that came on my SCT are written for the current strategy so does that mean once I update the truck I'll no longer be able to run those tunes anymore? Don't know if it matters but current ECM is VXCF0DZ and TCU is TQCJ0DX. Any help is much appreciated!

When I went from the original 06 flash to the latest and greatest I lost a little low end power. Fuel mileage stayed the same.

That being said, I'd never do the update if I had the change again.

Amarillo6.0 · Mar 6, 2016

SICKS LITER said:
with sct devices it really doesnt matter what the stock strategy is as long as the tunes are written for a strategy that is for your year truck. when you first go to program the truck the device will save the stock strategy and leaves the ecm blank before uploading the tune file. this is why you dont have to have the tunes written to the stock strategy in the truck. For example you could have an 06 with VXCF9H7 which is the latest update from ford, then use tunes written for VXCF4H2 which is a good strategy for an 06. VXCF4HB & VXCF4X3 are also good strategies for 06 model years. I run VXCF4X3 and VXCF4H2 tunes in my personal truck.

I have a text file i started years ago listing the strategies for each year, its not complete but i could post it.

I have a ford WDS that will flash backwards but it does not allow you to choose the files. someone with a degree in software engineering might be able to figure out how to do more with it. Same with the ford ids, it chooses the calibration files from a database and then flashes them

So basically you're saying even though it's not actually my stock file, I could just tell the tuner that my truck has the vxcf4 file and when I get tunes written to that strategy they will work on my truck even though the stock file is a vxcf0? And say that does work for the ECM strategy, what do I do about the trans strategy? Same thing? And if so, what trans strategy goes good with the vxcf4?