Update on October Reflash

[MPD56]

I said that I’d update the forum.

First of all, this is my first personal diesel engine and I’m no expert. So hopefully the great members of this forum will add their expertise if I’m not painting the correct picture. Saying that, I didn’t buy a F350 for its city MPG, I bought it to pull and it does that without breaking a sweat. I do love the truck, but it is the first vehicle I’ve owned, that I haven’t known down to the last bolt and if it wasn’t for the chance of voiding the warranty (and the wife won’t let me!), I’d have it running with a tuner the way I wanted it to run.

Posted on this forum October 29th
I have had three flashes. I had a second flash done in the spring (May?) and did like the shifting better, and my in town mileage went down. On Oct 20th I brought my truck in for a stuck front calliper and they said that the engine took a new update, wife picked up the truck so I didn't get to talk to the Service Tech. I notice that the truck is shifting earlier and not smooth, but the in town mileage is up about 2 MPG. I'm leaving on a 1000 plus mile trip tomorrow and when I get back I will have a better idea, because I took the same trip last month and had kept the data. I don't know what version of update was done, but I hope I'm going to like this one, the last one Regened too much, bad turbo lag, ran with higher boost, but the shifting was smoother and the MPG was down.

Well I’m back from my trip and went back to the Dealer because they didn’t correct anything and to get the paper work, so I could let you folks know what flash I got.

I asked the Service Manager for the paper work and it didn’t have any information which version of the update was done. He said that it just took a new update because they hooked up the laptop only because I complained about the last Flash in May and couldn’t tell me any more about it. My lack of people skill got the best of him I think.

The new flash is noticeable, when not in Tow Mode, it shifts up at 40 mph and 50 mph but it is not smooth, this I think is why I’m getting better MPG in city driving. Also the Regens are less frequent (Except when I burn B5, see below), but last longer. Yesterday I towed my 12000 pound trailer to storage and in tow mode it shifts smooth but any sooner, so I’m thinking that the shift pattern is the same.

I travelled 1638 miles not towing and I’d say that most of that was 80% highway with the cruise control at 65-70 mph. I used a total of 116.17 gallons (US) measured brim to brim. This averages out to 14 mpg (US) this trip, the trip a month ago I got 16 MPG and the same trip a year ago I averaged 17 MPG.

For my first leg of the trip I had fuelled up with 25 gal (US) BioDiesel (B5). There was a lot of stop and go road construction and a detour because of an accident. 30 Miles into the trip I had a Regen which I account for not having a Regen since the re-flash. And had two other Regens till my next fill up (Which I said to myself here we go, but could it be the B5?). All Regens lasted around 15 minutes. At 328 miles I filled the truck with 23 gals of fuel regular diesel fuel. After that the Regens didn’t happen as frequent, I say on average just over 400 highway miles where as before it would happen every 200 miles or less with the same driving. Once on this trip I drove 300 miles straight, highway, one Regen, Ford Cetane Additive, and got 16 mpg at 70 MPH, my best for the trip.

So not to drag this on (sorry), here is my thoughts and I don’t know what I believe.

• The re-flash changed the shift patterns in non-tow mode and I think this is the reason I’m getting better MPG in the city, defiantly shifts up sooner,Regens less, but I was getting better highway MPG before May. It changed the Regen cycle to be longer and that’s why it is Regening less? And I’m not sure but the DIC MPG doesn’t seem to be accurate anymore with the hand calculations, I’ll have to do a few more calculations.

[frank404]

Thanks for the update. I had to take my truck in for my 2nd radiator and told them to do all the latest updates. I have not done any up to this point so we'll see how things work afterwards. Hoping for better MPG's.

[senix]

any bio fuel is gonna make it regen more often. Bio also has less energy so the mpg's will suffer, and top that off with the fact that is cost the same. Shop for the 100 proof stuff.

I regen 400-500 on the hwy and last trip I got 16.97 to the gal. Towing around 150-200 between regens.

[MPD56]

Thanks for your replies:
First, I love the truck, it’s my first personal diesel and I’m still amazed with the torque compared to the gasoline engines I’ve own. I think my problem is that I know what to expect from a gas engine and thought that the learning curve of a diesel engine wouldn’t be this painful.

My thoughts of using Bio fuel, is that it has detergent qualities, so in summer months I try to burn one tank of Bio a month to keep the new engine clean. In the winter I don’t use it because I don’t want to worry about it gelling. Also most regular diesel tank fills, I add Ford’s cetane additive.

When I got back home from my trip I filled up my tank with 26 gallons (US) of Bio (B5) because everyday I drive the same route to work and know I averaged 10 MPG (on the DIC) with regular diesel and now with Bio I’m averaging 11+ MPG. So I’m thinking it has to be the new flash. So with Bio and less BTUs, I should get better then 11+ when I fill my next tank with regular diesel fuel.

In closing:

I’m only guessing that Bio produces more soot, to make it Regen more?

I can’t understand why yesterday to towed 15 miles past my regular daily route pulling my 12,000 pound 5th wheel to winter storage and got 11MPG?

Regards, MPD56

[a94cobra]

You should get regular diesel fuel measured for BTU's. These days I would not say Bio has less energy. They are screwing us on the energy rating on regular diesel fuel.

Very good report BTW.

[smilingoldcoot]

My 350 Dually had the engine malfunction come on but before I could get an appointment with dealer it went off and they said they could not duplicate. Had oil change and fuel filters changed. On trip to Austin from Louisiana the engine mal light came on so went into Truck City in Buda, TX and they determined the computer needed updating for the Regen. Regen never comes on and MPG down so took Truck back to Leesville, LA Ford for oil change and have the REGEN looked at. They told me with the new program the REGEN does not show on the instr cluster as before. Getting 13 MPG babying it, Anyone else have any info or similar situation with REGEN?

[MPD56]

With my new update, it shows on the instr cluster that it is cleaning the exhaust system. I can press the reset button to clear the message and watch the MPG go down, in a few minutes the cleaning notice comes back on. I haven't had a Regen in 300 miles. I guess I'm too old to figure out how dropping 6+ MPG, is saving the earth. I tell people that I bought the truck for the emission controls, not the MPG! you might be getting better MPG, I'm saving the earth LOL.