Ford Performance Tune - Update

[Rp930]

@Rp930 - What are the actual improvements you notice with the update? Rev longer before shifting, firmer up shifts, better engine braking, etc? With the original tune in tow mode (but not actually towing) is as aggressive as sport mode so curious if Ford softened the trans tune or what...

Any experience is appreciated!

A lot more torque down low, transmission is firmer and more linear. Doesn’t skip as many gears. I haven‘t noticed any braking difference and I don’t tow anything. Sport is pretty sporty. Definitely not everyday for me.

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[JaysOnTheEDGE]

Whats the verdict so far?

I guess it depends on what your looking for I have no charts or timings but full throttle accel with the stock air box and a high flow afe dry filter (not k&n) I would rate it FPP between stock and Unleashed. It’s definitely more than stock but not as much as unleashed. It’s a good conservative tune. IMO. The FPP should have been the stock tune. Just based on the fact it cleans up the driveability a whole lot. I’ll report other findings after I put some miles on it.

 

[importfighter01]

@the5Gmartian - I’m having same issue as you. Latest file I can download is KC.bin. Not AAR.bin. Contacted Ford Performance and emailed screenshots. Tech was going to confer with engineers and report back.

 

[Rp930]

@the5Gmartian - I’m having same issue as you. Latest file I can download is KC.bin. Not AAR.bin. Contacted Ford Performance and emailed screenshots. Tech was going to confer with engineers and report back.

I would love to hear what they say. I asked but didn’t get a straight answer, by email.

 

[importfighter01]

I would love to hear what they say. I asked but didn’t get a straight answer.

You only had access to the KC.bin file at first too?

 

[Rp930]

You only had access to the KC.bin file at first too?

That’s what mine was before it went to .AAP. I was able to download from the site but I asked them what the latest file was and they just said how to download the latest file. They never told me what file number was newest. Since then I downloaded .AAR

I will say the .AAR tune is the best of the three. Runs about the same in all three but the transmission is way better.

 

[Bor]

Interesting, I just updated mine and the file is LB3A-FPREA4-ACB.BIN
Wonder why it is different?

 

[importfighter01]

Interesting, I just updated mine and the file is LB3A-FPREA4-ACB.BIN
Wonder why it is different?

Just in and this will clarify. Quoted from engineers respond to tech’s inquiry about latest files:

“John Doe (he addressed me by name lol)...from engineering:

‘For a 2020 KC is the latest with trailer tow. If it’s a 2020 with the torque convertor change LB3A-FPREA4-ACB is the latest.’”

-Couple things to note. I never told them I have a base model 2020 XL. That tells me some legit legwork was done to look up my VIN to see what .bin was correct.

-Note how engineering response is worded “for a 2020”. This tells me each .bin depends on Yr. model.

- I have never heard of a “torque converter change” option in the Ranger. With my truck being a base model it must not have the fancier converter or the higher end models must have some additional converter tech built in. So it appears if you have an “Axx.bin” file after updating you have the referenced converter change and if you have a non “Axx.bin” file you do not.

So in conclusion, my update to the KC.bin was indeed an upgrade since I got last update in Sept 2020 (old file was HB1.bin or something like that).

RP930 and others who had that KC.bin file prior seem to have had a tune not optimized with the torque converter tech in their trucks and the Axx.bin tunes correct that leading to a better driving experience.

I bet it has electronic converter lockup or something like that and those sensors needed to be calibrated too. Until Ford got corrected they said no towing to be safe. So now, tow away. Kudos to Ford for doing the right thing with free tune updates.

 

[importfighter01]

Answering my own musing about the “torque converter change”

See post #442 and below here:

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...lerating-from-a-stop.8908/page-30#post-203180

So with these converter issues Ford may have had a design change and the FP tunes take their lockup habits into account. Just my suspicion but either way at least the tunes are optimized for whichever converter design each truck has.

 

[Rp930]

Great information. Thank you.

 

[the5Gmartian]

Just in and this will clarify. Quoted from engineers respond to tech’s inquiry about latest files:

“John Doe (he addressed me by name lol)...from engineering:

‘For a 2020 KC is the latest with trailer tow. If it’s a 2020 with the torque convertor change LB3A-FPREA4-ACB is the latest.’”

-Couple things to note. I never told them I have a base model 2020 XL. That tells me some legit legwork was done to look up my VIN to see what .bin was correct.

-Note how engineering response is worded “for a 2020”. This tells me each .bin depends on Yr. model.

- I have never heard of a “torque converter change” option in the Ranger. With my truck being a base model it must not have the fancier converter or the higher end models must have some additional converter tech built in. So it appears if you have an “Axx.bin” file after updating you have the referenced converter change and if you have a non “Axx.bin” file you do not.

So in conclusion, my update to the KC.bin was indeed an upgrade since I got last update in Sept 2020 (old file was HB1.bin or something like that).

RP930 and others who had that KC.bin file prior seem to have had a tune not optimized with the torque converter tech in their trucks and the Axx.bin tunes correct that leading to a better driving experience.

I bet it has electronic converter lockup or something like that and those sensors needed to be calibrated too. Until Ford got corrected they said no towing to be safe. So now, tow away. Kudos to Ford for doing the right thing with free tune updates.

You’re a life saver, now I don’t have to worry. I also have a 2020 Lariat (so high end trims didn't get the new torque converter either). Thank you for posting!!

 

[importfighter01]

Drove 20mi on updated tune. Love it. In normal / Sport / Tow each gear shifts on avg 300 rpm higher, shifts are more linear, I am holding more boost at the same amount of throttle as before (at 23% throttle before I was meeting barometric pressure but now am 3lbs of boost instead). The driving experience is better overall.

Also to note, I have an open factory downpipe with a turndown and without question the exhaust got slightly louder at idle and cruise. Love it too. I’m thinking maybe there was a change in the electronic wastegate tuning that is changing the amount of gases bypassing the turbine wheel throughout the rpm range or an adjustment to exhaust cam angle modifying the exhaust note.

 

[gcan]

how are you getting to this screen? sorry but I struggle with this stuff
h

 

[Rp930]

how are you getting to this screen? sorry but I struggle with this stuff
h

Follow this starting after the air cleaner install.
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/instructionsheets/FORDINSTSHTM-9603-REB.PDF
After the app is loaded on your computer plug in the Procal and that screen will come up.

 

[gcan]

I can get to that but when I download the procal 4 it simply ask me to save it, which I do, but it never seems to "run" meaning it shows as downloaded but from there nothing happens. I plug in the procal device and click the download and I get zip.

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