Deleted it all, just needs tweaking.

JonathanN

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Hey, guys... new guy. I'm a 7.3L guy so I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the 6.4L. I think I've finally got a decent grasp on it now, but I'd like a little input from all of you who've deleted the "crap" and put some tunes on their trucks. So here's the story:

Warranty expired and it was acting like a bad DPF. So instead of spend $2K on a new one, we decided to spend a few more bucks and give the truck what it needed before it suffered the same grief that Dad's other 6.4L went through. It has and Elite EGR delete with wastegate, a complete CAT/DPF delete, S&B Instake, and Innovative tunes. Gonna run it in "Street" (somewhere between 150-190hp) so that we can try to not have to add studs, gaskets, trans, whatever to the list. The wastegate isn't adjusted right, but either way, I can't get over the power. Now, I just need help getting some things straight.

Gonna start with the wastegate. I bought the delete lightly used so I expect some things to not work right. I suspect my regulator is crap. It's an all or nothing deal. I can be driving, unable to get the back pressure down and as I keep backing off the regulator, nothing happens. Then it'll drop off the map and I'll make barely 30lbs of boost. At the moment, it'll build over 50lbs in 5th gear to about 60-65lbs of back pressure. At WOT, it's not less than a 20psi difference between boost and back pressure. Kinda weird... it also makes low to mid 40's for boost at WOT. These reading are actual pressures... I know both back pressure and MAP is absolute so don't think I'm trying to compare boost to absolute back pressure. Been doing some reading and I have a few questions about the wastegate. Does Elite put the same spring combo in all the Precision wastegates they send in their kits? It's about 25.XX PSI, right? Also, IDK if the valve seat was in there. It came bolted to the short pipe that comes off the right up-pipe. I took the two apart and never recalled anything coming out. I would think that of the wastegate seat wasn't in there, I'd never hope to build 50+ lbs of boost with only a street tune, right? And, in case anybody was wondering, I have the whole thing plumbed per Elite... I'm getting my reference from the intake elbow (not the block-off plate) and from there it tees off... full boost to the back of the gate and regulated to the top. I'm assuming it's all working if I can make the boost and back pressures I was seeing, I just need to get a good regulator. So yeah, that's that.

Also have a small tuning issue... I love the tunes. They seem great, especially, the shifts. But I keep throwing a P0234 Overboost code. I hear this is normal and also the result of a bum reflash. I was told that the PCM would "learn" and eventually stop throwing that code, but I'm pretty sure I've thrown that code at least 10 times. The truck is great, but as soon as it exceeds 50lbs, on comes the wrench and down goes the truck. Clear it and I'm good to go! It only overboosts when the truck is lugging in 5th gear... at WOT it never makes that much. I have to wonder, though, if I ever get the back pressure closer to 10 more at WOT, I have to wonder if it'd behave better in 5th? I'm pretty sure it would.

The truck is an '08 F-250 4x4 CC LB. It's got 35's and 3.73's.. it's a Job 2 I think (build date is 04/08). Can't think of anything else I need to mention... post up if I forgot something. I've got a pretty good idea, but like I said, I could use the input of those of you who've been through this already. This looks like a pretty good site and I'm curious to see what I find out here. I'd also be interested in a phone call if nobody wants to type. I know it's a pain. So anyways, thanks, guys!
 

bigrpowr

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welcome john, you'll get the right wastegate advice here.
 

BFT

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The over boost code seems to be normal from what I know? Only heard of it in the later build trucks or the ones with reflashes. I don't know of x street tunes making that much boost.

If you didn't have the WG seat then you'd have a constant leak and would be tough to get up in boost.
The way I've set up my WG when I was stock, I turned the gate all the way counter clock wise till locked. I then gave it 3 full turns clockwise, I find it easy to find the turns with making a mark at where it sits fully counter clockwise. That way has worked perfect for me.
 

Dzchey21

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The gate should have almost 25 psi of.spring in it. This means with full boost to the bottom and regulator shut all the way off ( counterclockwise) the truck should be a turd and prob not build much over 30 psi of boost.

That being said that's where I.would start
Turn the regulator all the way out and drive it. It shouldn't make much boost and should be pretty smoky.

The best way I have found to do it is to drive it Laggy and make 1 turn changes to the regulator untill you see a change. Once you see a change back it off a whole turn again. Then make half turn adjustments until aa change is seen again. Then slowely back the regulator off until the desired pressure is reached.

That being said the tune you are running should require almost very little gating
Meaning you will need to.check at about 3500 rpm or at each shift point. Chances are only at 3000 rpm and higher will even need it.

Also some.smaller tunes run different vgt duty cycles so you will want to make sure when you are checking it that vgt duty cycle reads around 0-10%
 

JonathanN

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THanks for the responses, guys!

I'm pretty sure the regulator is junk... it never stops turning either way. I turned it .5 turns at a time and it never changed until it dropped off the map. I'm pretty sure if I get the ratio right at WOT that it'll help with my 5th gear issue, I just don't like how it keeps throwing that code and going into limp mode. How long does it take to learn? This truck has had a reflash...
 

JonathanN

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Keeps throwing a P0234 overboost code... is there any reversing that reflash? We couldn't pull a trailer and maintain a constant speed without throwing that code. Is it just a boost level that's achieved or are RPM's, speed, gear, etc. taken into account? I still haven't got the regulator set so it dumps like it should. I've got a hunch that if I get it to dump like it should, it won't build that much boost and throw that codes as easy. Still, this is a pain... don't see any learning going on. Recommendations? Kinda stuck...
 

JonathanN

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The street tune... one up from tow. I believe it's somewhere between 150 and 190hp. I do think finally getting that regulator adjusted would help a ton. I'm assuming in 5th gear, the DC of the VGT would be close to 100% right? If so, then I'm pretty dang sure that if I got the BP down to about 50-55, then the boost in 5th gear wouldn't get so high. Only reason I can think of why it get's so high in 5th gear is because the DC in close to 100% and boost is still 20 to 25psi less than BP at WOT. Am I thinking right, here?

As for the flash, I just found out today that the truck did receive the dreaded flash. Supposedly Ford's got a "patch for the patch"... I don't know. If getting the pressures down to where they're supposed to be doesn't help, then we're gonna see about either getting Innovative or some other custom tuner to reflash us back to the original flash, or buy a used PCM that never got the reflash. Any input? I've found several TSB's on the new flash causing overboost code P0234...
 
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WoodBoy

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You need to return to stock and get the latest flash. Im thinking you have the one that was wayyy to sensitive
 

JonathanN

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Kinda late I know, but figured I'd post up... reflash did not help. Tweaking the WG some helps. I'm not driving the truck so I have no control over what does with the WG. I don't even know what boost and back pressure are compared to eachother, but I do know that every time Dad said he tweaked the WG (to bleed off more), it made it harder to throw overboost. So far, the truck is still a scalded dog. Either way, I know alot of you guys are running in excess of 50lbs of boost. Why does this danged thing keep throwing overboost? I'm gonna get back with Innovative again. They have such great service, but it makes no sense why... I would've thought they'd written this into their tuning?
 

WoodBoy

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I dont know why you would be throwing overboost with the newest Flash from Ford if they actually done it and didnt just charge you and say that they did. What is the strategy on the livewire? Call Ted up and tell him what it is doing with the overboost and Eric will send you a livewire with an older flash that you will use to reflash your truck back to an older strategy that doesnt have all the new safety features.
 
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