How often do you flash???

[blueoval]

No Im not talking about flashing your old fella

Im talking about those with flash tuner boxes, how often do you reload your tune from the box?

I was told by my tuner that I would need to reflash my ecu with the flash tuner every month or 2 as the ecu still has tenancies to want to revert back to its oem programming.

One thing I do notice is that when I do 'reflash' my ecu, the car seems to be brought back to life so to speak, like its been freshly tuned.

So do you reflash your ecu often? Have you not bothered?

[Fireblade]

Hey Shav, I actually reflash mine every full tank, or weekly what ever comes first, just makes sure it keeps ticking along properly. Probably overkill tho but I dont care.

[blueoval]

I should get into the habit of doing it every fortnight at least. :

Are there any detriments of leaving it for more than a month?

[Fireblade]

I dont think so, I just do it so if Im puttering around a while and the computer learns, that it doesnt lean it out when I give it full throttle. Probably just paranoia but thats just what I do

[blueoval]

I guess being too cautious is better than tanking it for granted. Hmm might do a fresh one tonight.

[The Monty]

About once every couple of months, lol.

[Fireblade]

I've also seen cars lose considerable power between dyno runs because of driving like grandpa's over a couple of months and not reflashing before hitting the dyno again.

[blueoval]

Thats a good tip considering we have a dyno day coming up. lol

[ClassicAU]

Gees, no wonder my old car felt like it was getting slower and slower! I recon I flashed it maybe 3 times in the almost three years it had the tune in it!! :

[Stav]

Blueoval. Thanks for confirming what I have said some time back and got shot in flames. The edit tune does seem to wonder away somewhat as the immediate tune seems to be varied by the ecu somewhat

[The Monty]

I suggested it also a while ago, and too was told I didnt know what I was talking about. Oh well, back to my dark corner now.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Stav

Blueoval. Thanks for confirming what I have said some time back and got shot in flames. The edit tune does seem to wonder away somewhat as the immediate tune seems to be varied by the ecu somewhat

Who would flame you for that? You're right lol.

Even I notice the difference before and after a flash (that does not sound right!) as it clears the ECU's "learnt" memory and reverts to exactly what the tuner said it should do.

[blueoval]

No worries Stav. Im only repeating what my tuner told me. I dont think the flash tuner is a 'one time flash set and forget' solution. Just that it gets around attributes the standard oem ecu sets for what ever your doing to the car for a while.

But just like any other car, it will need a tune up which what I view the flasher box as. A tune in a box.

Im sure there will be critics here to discredit this though.

Im happy to hear others constructive opinions on the matter.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by RG

Who would flame you for that? You're right lol.

Even I notice the difference before and after a flash (that does not sound right!) as it clears the ECU's "learnt" memory and reverts to exactly what the tuner said it should do.

Thats a better way of putting it Russ. Much better than my gobbledegook. :

[CHARGED TERRA]

I reflash mine everytime I'm home from work ie: Once a month.

And I totally agree if feels heaps better after having a flash ;)

My missus is scared of the flash box. LOL

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by CHARGED TERRA

I reflash mine everytime I'm home from work ie: Once a month.

And I totally agree if feels heaps better after having a flash ;)

My missus is scared of the flash box. LOL

Depends what your flashing her Adam. :

But yes, Im gonna reflash mine more often so I know its tuned right.

[Fireblade]

Bruce has always got the right info Shav ;)

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

Bruce has always got the right info Shav ;)

Yep I trust him. He hasnt done me wrong yet.

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Thats a good tip considering we have a dyno day coming up. lol

What dyno day is coming up Shav? and where?

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

What dyno day is coming up Shav? and where?

Its a fordmods one I believe. Check it out and add your name if you can.

[The Monty]

Originally Posted by RG

Who would flame you for that? You're right lol.

Even I notice the difference before and after a flash (that does not sound right!) as it clears the ECU's "learnt" memory and reverts to exactly what the tuner said it should do.

We were told that the flash box cannont be learnt over. Once its flashed in, the ECU cant learn over the top of it. Which is funny considering the flasher is just a device for "Flashing" a new set of rules for the ECU. The ECU will then learn from what its been told, thats how I think of it anyway.

[CHARGED TERRA]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Depends what your flashing her Adam. :

But yes, Im gonna reflash mine more often so I know its tuned right.

I flash her using my OBD DONGLE of course.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by CHARGED TERRA

I flash her using my OBD DONGLE of course.

too much info dude. : :

[FPV+fteT3]

Curious when you guys reflash your ecu do you put inn the original factory tune and then the dyno written tune or simply hit button 3 and put inn your written tune again straight over it's self? My car was dyno tuned about 6 mths ago and I have not ever reloaded the tune.

[blueoval]

Im not sure if there is any need to upload the stock tune with an already modified car. I would have just though, upload the dyno tune version and away you go.

[CHARGED TERRA]

I just load the Custom tune straight on again.

[Micksxboxmods]

Guys,
Why would there be a need to reflash time and time again?
Once programmed how can the tune be lost? If it were, your car would not start! Or if it did, would run very poorly.

Sensitive electronic devices like ECU's and especially EEPROMS & flash memory devices have a serviceable amount of flashes that can be performed, albeit normally in the thousands, you still run the risk of irrepairable damage to it.

The only way the tune could be affected is by one of the ECU's inputs changing(within the normal range of operation) or someone fiddling with the tune on the programmer.

Any other ideas?
Regards
Mick

[The Monty]

Sooo, when I put my custom tune in, and after a week or so, the idle changes, fuel consumption changes, the way the car drives changes, its all my imagination?
When I first flashed in my KPM tune, it would idle down to 400rpm, and nearly die, after a week, it would be at 800. Reflash it, and it goes down to 400 again, lol, a week later, 800.

[Micksxboxmods]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Sooo, when I put my custom tune in, and after a week or so, the idle changes, fuel consumption changes, the way the car drives changes, its all my imagination?
When I first flashed in my KPM tune, it would idle down to 400rpm, and nearly die, after a week, it would be at 800. Reflash it, and it goes down to 400 again, lol, a week later, 800.

no not at all mate, thats NOT what I said. Its not in your imagination at all. The common theme here is that the EEPROM is getting the blame for conditional changes when infact, it is possibly the most stable component of the ECU.

What I said was that it has to do with the ECU's supplied Inputs(sensors, conditional changes etc)
It could well be something small like plug condition, temperature, air temp, ISC, ignition timing etc A whole host of things.

Hope this clears it up a little.
Cheers
Mick

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Micksxboxmods

Guys,
Why would there be a need to reflash time and time again?
Once programmed how can the tune be lost? If it were, your car would not start! Or if it did, would run very poorly.

Sensitive electronic devices like ECU's and especially EEPROMS & flash memory devices have a serviceable amount of flashes that can be performed, albeit normally in the thousands, you still run the risk of irrepairable damage to it.

The only way the tune could be affected is by one of the ECU's inputs changing(within the normal range of operation) or someone fiddling with the tune on the programmer.

Any other ideas?
Regards
Mick

You cant lose the tune unless the PCM goes bung, but these PCM's learn your driving and adapt the parameters to suit. I have seen an F6 that had pulled a 400rwkw run on a dyno then 2 months later on the same dyno pull 315rwkw, the car gets driven round like its a stock XT and the PCM had adapted the parameters to suit, the guy drives like a freakin Grandpa. I can't see how it can lose so much power but I did see it with my own eyes.