Hi, Guest
07-10-2007, 01:01 PM
Hi Adam ... couple of updates to a number of posts:
AFAIK the user adjustable parameters for XCal 2 are not so much to get a "proper" tune, but more in the sense of "fine" tuning ... hence the ability to datalog as well as the ability to vary the timing and the A/F by a few degrees or by a few percentage points.
I've been playing with the timing and A/F parameters over the last couple of weeks, and although it's tough to measure any performance gains (it feels very strong - same as Randy's tune) I have been able to significantly improve my fuel economy and the tailpipe doesn't get so sooty. I'm at the point now where my 91 octane tune, modified ever so slightly be me, gets me a combined city/highway 490 - 510 km per tank - and that's up from my usual 410 to 430 km.
I'm very happy with my tune from Randy ... however, there's no two vehicles going to be identical and then there's differences in altitude, fuel quality, etc ... it make sense that Randy's tunes (and anybody else's provided at a distance) would be conservative, even as they are modifying the stock tune. So I don't think it's a knock against Randy or any other tuner to suggest that even their tunes could be "fine tuned."
BRAKES
Somewhere along the line during '07, they changed the part number for the Focus front brake rotor ... and they do not as yet even have a comparable Motorcraft number. My ZXW, built Nov. 1, 2006, takes the new rotor - quite pricey at 120 each (remember, no Brembo avail) - however, as it turns out I do get a 15% discount at Dixie and furthermore, because I'm also a Ltd. company, I don't pay PST; so I ended up paying 108 each all in. And no, the parts guy had no clue what the difference is between early '07 rotors and the later ones - this was the first he'd heard of it.
It does look however that the pad specification is the same for all '05 - '07 (FMSI #D1044 is the shape) which is the same as Mazda3 and Volvo S40 - so aftermarket pads for our cars should be no problem.
Cheers ........... Ken.
AFAIK the user adjustable parameters for XCal 2 are not so much to get a "proper" tune, but more in the sense of "fine" tuning ... hence the ability to datalog as well as the ability to vary the timing and the A/F by a few degrees or by a few percentage points.
I've been playing with the timing and A/F parameters over the last couple of weeks, and although it's tough to measure any performance gains (it feels very strong - same as Randy's tune) I have been able to significantly improve my fuel economy and the tailpipe doesn't get so sooty. I'm at the point now where my 91 octane tune, modified ever so slightly be me, gets me a combined city/highway 490 - 510 km per tank - and that's up from my usual 410 to 430 km.
I'm very happy with my tune from Randy ... however, there's no two vehicles going to be identical and then there's differences in altitude, fuel quality, etc ... it make sense that Randy's tunes (and anybody else's provided at a distance) would be conservative, even as they are modifying the stock tune. So I don't think it's a knock against Randy or any other tuner to suggest that even their tunes could be "fine tuned."
BRAKES
Somewhere along the line during '07, they changed the part number for the Focus front brake rotor ... and they do not as yet even have a comparable Motorcraft number. My ZXW, built Nov. 1, 2006, takes the new rotor - quite pricey at 120 each (remember, no Brembo avail) - however, as it turns out I do get a 15% discount at Dixie and furthermore, because I'm also a Ltd. company, I don't pay PST; so I ended up paying 108 each all in. And no, the parts guy had no clue what the difference is between early '07 rotors and the later ones - this was the first he'd heard of it.
It does look however that the pad specification is the same for all '05 - '07 (FMSI #D1044 is the shape) which is the same as Mazda3 and Volvo S40 - so aftermarket pads for our cars should be no problem.
Cheers ........... Ken.
NOS2Go4Me,Jul 9 2007, 10:21 PM Wrote:AFAIK, Randy adjusts everything by hand for WOT as well as day-to-day driving of the car. That's the whole point of the X-Cal2, otherwise what would be the point? Well, he has a "stock" tune now that he puts out that depends on the options you want... kind of like building something with Lego - you know exactly what piece does, time after time.
As far as the shift firmness, you shouldn't have to play with anything. If it was part of the tune you requested, it should already be set by Randy... no? I know it's a user-adjustable parameter in ther,e but I wouldn't go mucking about without at least firing Randy / Vic(k?) an email first to ask what the safe ranges are and what increment/decrement actually do. They're numeric values but they don't correlate to PSI or anything else directly IIRC. The number is a "setting", each value corresponds to a certain firmness.
Ken - I just re-read your post... I've never heard of people datalogging to get "proper" WOT tunes before from Randy - I'll check into that.
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2008 Fusion SEL MTX - DD1 * 2009 Fusion SEL - DD2 * 2007 Focus ZXW - R*I*P * 2004 Focus ZTW CD Silver - sold * 2004 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2003 Focus ZTW Black - sold * 2001 Focus ZTW Gold - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Black - sold * 2000 Focus SE Wagon (ZTW option) - Gold R*I*P
2003 Focus ZX5 infra-red Track Rat - R*I*P
2003 ZX5 CD Silver Track Rat - retired, but still in the driveway
New track rat: 2000 ZX3, Atlantic Blue * JRSC with lots more to come
* New Zetec crate motor - NFG - thanks Topspeed *
2003 Focus ZX5 infra-red Track Rat - R*I*P
2003 ZX5 CD Silver Track Rat - retired, but still in the driveway
New track rat: 2000 ZX3, Atlantic Blue * JRSC with lots more to come
* New Zetec crate motor - NFG - thanks Topspeed *