Installing a TS 6-position Tuner for Your 99'-01' PowerStroke Excursion...2hrs Flat!
by Rapturee in Workshop > Cars
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Installing a TS 6-position Tuner for Your 99'-01' PowerStroke Excursion...2hrs Flat!
Hello, here is my first instructable so bare with me. I hope this helps someone else have a lot less issues then i had.
My family and i are MPG snobs to put short. We Trike nearly everywhere, when possible on our Recumbent Trikes. When petroleum transportation is necessary we have chosen to go with all Turbo Diesel vehicles. They each have lots of power with the Turbo when needed and get great fuel mileage when you stay out of the Boost!
We planned a nice family trip to see our eldest daughter when she returns to the states from an overseas deployment and the trip will consist of about 5k miles. I have been wanting to put in a MPG-minded chip for a few years now, but have not been able to decide on one. I asked/shopped around and decided to go with the TS 6-position Tuner for optimum MPG. The very small one page instructions seemed simple enough, so I decided to try my hand at installing it myself.
1)- I disconnected both of the batteries, also a great time to clean the terminals/posts. I then removed the K+N cold air intake Tube/Filter/Housing to better access the tight space i was going to be working in. I then unbolted and moved the large fuse box and Zip-Tied it up out of the way making the firewall connector easily accessible. I used a 10mm socket and a 3/8 drive ratchet with a swivel-head extension. I completely loosened the connector and pulled it gently out of the socket and moved it out of the way exposing the very delicate computer pins/connectors.
2)- Now inside of the cab, under the driver's side of the dash I accessed the computer right next to the Emergency brake pedal assembly. I removed the two 7mm screws and the computer and it's bracket came right out with some gentle manipulation. This portion took me about 1hr.
3)- I slid the computer out of it's plastic bracket, located the small rubber/plastic elongated cap and pried it off exposing the computer board where the Tuner was to plug into. Ford so very graciously apply liberal amounts of rubber to the board where the Tuner needs to be plugged into. So, with some very careful scraping with a tiny, flat bladed screw driver I was able to get most of it off. I then scrubbed the rest of it off with the supplied small pad of scuff/scratch pad. Being satisfied with the cleanliness of the contacts, "I prayed" that my cleaning was sufficient and installed the TS Tuner chip to the board and sealed it back up with some nice Duct Tape.
4)- I checked where the tuner was sticking out of the computer and where that was going to line up with the bracket and used a pair of Snips to trim a section out for clearance and installed the Computer in the bracket, fitting nicely. This portion only took 20 mins.
5)- I reinstalled the Computer/Bracket back into the holder next to the E-Brake bracket and tightened the two little screws.
6)- I then checked the Wiring harness plug-in on the firewall for alignment and gently reinstalled it tightening the 10mm bolt snugly. I then reinstalled the cold air intake tube and reconnected both batteries for a trial firing.
### It Fired right up the first try###
7)- Being pleased with the results i properly-reinstalled the large Fuse box, the K+N Cold Air intake system and the surrounding components. I finished this portion in about 40mins making the entire install about 2hrs flat!.
...Then I took it out for a little run to see what the settings were like and what kind of new machine i had! The #1 position is for a Stock Setting(no difference felt). The #2 setting is for a fast idle for quicker warm ups in the winter(no difference felt). The #3 setting is for economy/+50hp(now i noticed some power here). The #4 setting is for Towing/+75hp setting(I noticed some power here as well). Oh Boy Howdy...The #5 setting is for 100hp(I noticed a lot of power here..WOW). The #6 position is for +140hp respectively(I have not tried this one yet and #5 was amazing enough-I will later though)!
I will report back in a couple of weeks with the MPG gains we received on our 5k mile family vacation trip. Surprisingly enough, everyone i had talked to all mentioned they received the best MPG figures on the #5 setting so that is what i will try first.
My family and i are MPG snobs to put short. We Trike nearly everywhere, when possible on our Recumbent Trikes. When petroleum transportation is necessary we have chosen to go with all Turbo Diesel vehicles. They each have lots of power with the Turbo when needed and get great fuel mileage when you stay out of the Boost!
We planned a nice family trip to see our eldest daughter when she returns to the states from an overseas deployment and the trip will consist of about 5k miles. I have been wanting to put in a MPG-minded chip for a few years now, but have not been able to decide on one. I asked/shopped around and decided to go with the TS 6-position Tuner for optimum MPG. The very small one page instructions seemed simple enough, so I decided to try my hand at installing it myself.
1)- I disconnected both of the batteries, also a great time to clean the terminals/posts. I then removed the K+N cold air intake Tube/Filter/Housing to better access the tight space i was going to be working in. I then unbolted and moved the large fuse box and Zip-Tied it up out of the way making the firewall connector easily accessible. I used a 10mm socket and a 3/8 drive ratchet with a swivel-head extension. I completely loosened the connector and pulled it gently out of the socket and moved it out of the way exposing the very delicate computer pins/connectors.
2)- Now inside of the cab, under the driver's side of the dash I accessed the computer right next to the Emergency brake pedal assembly. I removed the two 7mm screws and the computer and it's bracket came right out with some gentle manipulation. This portion took me about 1hr.
3)- I slid the computer out of it's plastic bracket, located the small rubber/plastic elongated cap and pried it off exposing the computer board where the Tuner was to plug into. Ford so very graciously apply liberal amounts of rubber to the board where the Tuner needs to be plugged into. So, with some very careful scraping with a tiny, flat bladed screw driver I was able to get most of it off. I then scrubbed the rest of it off with the supplied small pad of scuff/scratch pad. Being satisfied with the cleanliness of the contacts, "I prayed" that my cleaning was sufficient and installed the TS Tuner chip to the board and sealed it back up with some nice Duct Tape.
4)- I checked where the tuner was sticking out of the computer and where that was going to line up with the bracket and used a pair of Snips to trim a section out for clearance and installed the Computer in the bracket, fitting nicely. This portion only took 20 mins.
5)- I reinstalled the Computer/Bracket back into the holder next to the E-Brake bracket and tightened the two little screws.
6)- I then checked the Wiring harness plug-in on the firewall for alignment and gently reinstalled it tightening the 10mm bolt snugly. I then reinstalled the cold air intake tube and reconnected both batteries for a trial firing.
### It Fired right up the first try###
7)- Being pleased with the results i properly-reinstalled the large Fuse box, the K+N Cold Air intake system and the surrounding components. I finished this portion in about 40mins making the entire install about 2hrs flat!.
...Then I took it out for a little run to see what the settings were like and what kind of new machine i had! The #1 position is for a Stock Setting(no difference felt). The #2 setting is for a fast idle for quicker warm ups in the winter(no difference felt). The #3 setting is for economy/+50hp(now i noticed some power here). The #4 setting is for Towing/+75hp setting(I noticed some power here as well). Oh Boy Howdy...The #5 setting is for 100hp(I noticed a lot of power here..WOW). The #6 position is for +140hp respectively(I have not tried this one yet and #5 was amazing enough-I will later though)!
I will report back in a couple of weeks with the MPG gains we received on our 5k mile family vacation trip. Surprisingly enough, everyone i had talked to all mentioned they received the best MPG figures on the #5 setting so that is what i will try first.