What is the best way to increase values for an aftermarket intercooler? - Seems there are two recommended ways to go about this.

• The elite tuned school recommends updating table 29841 (High Pressure System Loss vs Turbo Airflow) by zeroing out the table if you have an aftermarket intercooler.
• The Tuning School recommends updating table 11041 (Intercooler Volume) by increasing the intercooler volume by a certain %. They recommend updating the value to 17.8 as a good starting point. They do not recommend updating the table 29841, though.

Which would be the best way to update the ECM to show that the intercooler volume has been increased? One or the other, or both?

 

Disclaimer: I do not have direct experience with those two parameters. However, I am an engineer and I am familiar with how modern ford controls work. So take this for what’s its worth….

Ford is trying to control the pressure just upstream of the throttle plate (TIP). As such, it can determine the pressure at the outlet of the compressor (knowing the compressor characteristics, flow rate, drive power, speed, etc), but that needs to be translated to a pressure at the inlet of the throttle. There are two components here: static and dynamic.

In static conditions, the volume doesn’t matter because what goes in also comes out. But the pressure losses do matter. In this case, 29841 is what you’d update, though I’m not sure I’d go all the way to zero….there will always be some losses there.

In dynamic conditions the intercooler circuit does take some amount of time to pressure up and depressure when desired TIP increases or decreases suddenly. This time will change if volume is different; larger volumes will cause the WG control feedforward to react more abruptly. In a similar example, the intake manifold plenum volume is used in the same way. If you substitute a small volume, it actually slows throttle blade response because it doesn’t think it needs extra time to fill the volume with air. I have experimented with this and the difference is drastic.

That said, I believe you need to change both tables and make them as accurate as possible.

 

Updating the pressure drop table probably isn't necessary, because even with an upgraded intercooler you will have pressure drop just from the decrease in temperature and the factory pressure drop values seem rather conservative based on the advertised pressure drop for certain aftermarket intercoolers. Updating the intercooler volume makes sense to me, but I couldn't say what an accurate value is. Assuming you have an intercooler that installs in the factory location, the 17.8L value recommended by TTS is probably fine.

 

Any recommendations on how much to adjust table 29841? I know it depends on the intercooler. I’m getting the Mishimoto intercooler with new hot and cold side pipes. Lower the table by a certain %?

 

I'd probably lower it by 50-75%. It looks like the actual TIP (sensor) exists so it should be loggable. If that's the case there may be enough data in a log to make an accurate curve, which would be ideal.

 

With much thanks to @engineermike behind the scenes, I think I have got a pretty good base tune now. My truck is currently in pieces while I'm modifying the grille, so I can't go out and do some testing. Attached is my current tune file with Mike's recommendations and my stock tune for comparison. This tune also has my transmission tuning in it, so take that as you will. Again, special thanks to Mike for dumbing some of this stuff down so amateurs like me can learn and understand. I have the TTS and Elite Tuned courses and neither cover what Mike is teaching me.

 

@KennyCJR just a few more comments. I previously only had time to look at your engine tab, but there are some things under system that also need attention.

It looks like you're trying to boost system voltage a bit under high fuel loads. This works surprisingly well but won't do anything with only the change you made to 44202. First of all, at your own risk, this can usually be turned all the way up to 15.2 volts and works as good as most boost-a-pumps. But more tables need changing or it will never kick in. The high efficiency voltage table 18173 is actually the limit so it needs to be raised as well. Also 43003 is the max voltage it will send to the fuel pump so it needs to be raised from 12 to whatever max you want like 15.2 for instance. And finally, the triggers to activate the high voltage are 24060 and 24061. As they are set, you'll never reach that fuel flow rate so it would never turn on the increased voltage unless these values are lowered.

I'm not sure what's going on with the fan speed table 44002 but it looks like you actually slowed it down at some places which I probably wouldn't do. I usually speed mine up and lower the temps some.

Why did you zero and lower so many columns in the coastdown downshift maps?

 

@engineermike Good catch on the fan speeds and temps. I must’ve gotten them backwards. 🤦‍♂️

As far as the coastdown map goes, that was the only way I could force it to use 2nd gear when coasting, instead of it skipping from 3rd to 1st harshly. When I get home, I have to turn a corner and then turn to back in to my driveway. It would go from 3rd to 1st harshly, now it goes from 3rd to 2nd smoothly while I’m turning and slowing down to back in.

I’ll take a look at the voltages and probably set them back to stock as I’m not hitting any fueling limits in my logs.

 

@engineermike Wouldn't increasing the numbers like I have increase the fan speeds at the higher temps?

Mine


Stock

 

Make sure you're carefully monitoring your coolant temp, I'm using the settings posted below with a desired ECT of 190°F and a 180°F thermostat. After a 12.73s second 1/4 mile pull, my ECT had climbed from 181°F to 219°F. My grill shutters were fully open and the ambient temp was 37°F. My current setting have my truck running much cooler than the stock settings did, but my coolant temps have really started climbing now that I'm making more power. I have a 170°F thermostat waiting to go in my truck right now because I'm not happy with how high my ECT gets.

I should mention that these settings have only been tested at ambient temps below 70°F at this point in time, so I will probably need to adjust some of the values for higher ambient temps once the weather warms up.