Plug change

[Larrylu]

Great Dave. For myself I'm glad to now finally see a bit of open accountability for un intended results. If I acquired the Grade Assist by accident I'm thinking I may have lost my up shift from a standstill as an un intended result in the removal of the Grade Assist. So back to my original 4+ for some more testing. Hoping I'm not developing a tranny issue.
I also noticed a subtle but definitely noticeable and repeatable fan belt sort of a squeal at upper RPM that I did not notice pre plug change. I'm sure it's not directly related but may just have shown up in the post plug change WOTs. Wonder what it is......

 

[Brucelinc]

Larry, any update on this?  Did you figure out what was going on with the failure to shift?

 

[Larrylu]

Larry, any update on this?  Did you figure out what was going on with the failure to shift?

I've been waiting to be as definite as possible but here's where I am right now. I swapped out my revised 4+ back to my original 4+ ...the one with the bonus grade assist. That cured the no shift in drive from a standing start. All else seems fine and my grade assist quirk is back. I missed it!  Probably associated with relearning after a flash, but I recorded a high boost of 13.5 which is definitely good for me. I'd love to think it was tune or plug related but I doubt that.

I also noticed during my initial WOT testing runs, a short squeal at the top of the gear that sounded like a belt slip.  Never had heard that sound before so I did a little reading online and found a little on that symptom from the truck crowd, but nothing from the transverse. I'm going into my dealership today for them to check my belt and tensioning arm. In the meantime -6 this morning and looks like we will get around another foot of snow tomorrow. I'm so tired of this winter....can't wait for spring!

 

[Brucelinc]

Glad to hear the "no shift" issue was resolved by going back to the original 4+ tune.  The noise you hear must be a belt...or could it be a loose clamp that is creating an air leak that sounds like a squeal?

If your old plugs had eroded to .040, you might have been experiencing some spark blow out at high boost levels before the change.  Do you think the new plugs made a noticeable difference? 

 

[Larrylu]

Glad to hear the "no shift" issue was resolved by going back to the original 4+ tune.  The noise you hear must be a belt...or could it be a loose clamp that is creating an air leak that sounds like a squeal?

If your old plugs had eroded to .040, you might have been experiencing some spark blow out at high boost levels before the change.  Do you think the new plugs made a noticeable difference?

Well I don't really know how spark blow out would manifest. I did not have any stumbles or breaking up under load or at RPM that I was aware of at all. But I did wonder why my boost seemed to be a little lower than what I expected based on what others were getting. So of course I hoped the plugs if blowing out, would cause the uber smart ECM to lower my boost as well as some other things I could not even imagine, to keep me nannied and safe. The boost seems higher, at least in one instance, though the butt dyno is unconvincing so far. Glad I did the plugs in any case though. If I learn anything of interest about my squeal at the dealer I'll post it up!

 

[Larrylu]

Well I'm back from a dealer visit and the results were not what I had expected. The tech test drove the car and not only duplicated my squeal noise but it threw a couple of codes (PO238 turbo boost sensor high and PO234 over boost condition) which it had not done for me. He traced it to a vacuum leak at the fuel PSI sensor hose connection. Now my boost numbers would not impress anyone but the car is sure running strong. I don't know cause I've changed a whole bunch of things at once so it's tough to know exactly why but wow it is running really fine now!

 

[SHOdded]

Hard to argue with good results!  Looking forward to your continued reporting on the "original" 4+ tune.

 

[DJE624]

Glad you nailed it down Larry!  Happy motoring!

 

[BiGMaC]

Great news Larry!... glad you get all your boost now... why didn't Ford put a boost gage in a turboed car.... ????