Xcal 2 how does it work???

[20BlackLS00]

With the Xcal thing does it need to be installed or just hooked up in order to adjust the settings. Cause i was wondering if i could jsut find someone with one and pay them to run it and adjust the settings in my car. A little help would be appreciated thanks

 

[rocket5979]

With the Xcal thing does it need to be installed or just hooked up in order to adjust the settings. Cause i was wondering if i could jsut find someone with one and pay them to run it and adjust the settings in my car. A little help would be appreciated thanks

Do a search bro. This same question has already been asked and answered 10 times.

 

[zexls]

The best thing I found is to have it dyno tuned. The programs that it comes are good but it was like night and day. The car performed so much better.

 

[rocket5979]

The best thing I found is to have it dyno tuned. The programs that it comes are good but it was like night and day. The car performed so much better.

A dynotune for a stock-ish LS or any other mildly modded car is a waste.

 

[TheRebel]

I didn't find the answer to this but I might have overlooked it, but can the tune be activated remotley. Example: when I turn Advance trac off I notice that my car seems to accelerate faster and is more peppier (my car is stock). Could the xcal program be used like this? Normal tune until the advance trac is turned off and then the performance tune is activated?

 

[2001LS8Sport]

you guys aren't answering his question.

The SCT tuner is a hand held "computer" that interfaces with your vehicles computer and loads a modified set of tables to the ECM. This modified set of tables is called a "tune". When you buy the SCT tuner, you get a "tune" that is loaded on it for downloading to your vehicle's computer. You hook it up and do the download and save your factory tune. The SCT also allows you to make some small changes to that tune such as timing fuel, etc. for fine tuning. In some vehicles (other brands, models, etc) you can do things like adjust for different gears, tire sizes, etc. These aren't available for all vehicles, so check with your tuner/supplier to see what's available for the LS.

Now, what you suggest is a great idea. Just have someone with one come make your changes for you. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. What happens is when you buy a SCT unit, it will "marry" itself to the car you download the tune to. Tunes and changes can only be made to that particular car. The only thing you can do with another car is read codes and retrieve some OBDII data. No adjustments can be made to another car. In order to use it on another vehicle, you have to "unmarry" it from the original car. That is normally done by pulling the old tune out of the original car and replacing the factory tune.

You also need to realize that the technology for the SCT and Diablo hand held tuners changes constantly. It would be wise to check with the manufacturer before you buy so you know just what you're getting and what can be done with it....and whether or not you could ever sell it to someone else if you "unmarry" it.

 

[Quik LS]

I didn't find the answer to this but I might have overlooked it, but can the tune be activated remotley. Example: when I turn Advance trac off I notice that my car seems to accelerate faster and is more peppier (my car is stock). Could the xcal program be used like this? Normal tune until the advance trac is turned off and then the performance tune is activated?

nope. It takes about 5-10mins to upload the new program into the PCM - and the car cannot be running.

 

[TheRebel]

Is the stock engine management software altered any when advance trac is turned off or when entering sst mode?

 

[Quik LS]

Advance Trac does do a lot of different things - using many, many different sensors (some to name a few - yaw and roll sensors, wheel position and rate).

One of the most noticeable differences is from a hard start - the car tries very hard to prevent wheel spin - since the LS uses an open differential one tire tries to spin more often than two - which then kicks in the Advance Trac to apply braking to that wheel and limit the engine output to regain traction.

When racing your LS - turning AT (or TC) off is important for a good launch.

 

[2002_LS_V8]

whats better AC or TC anyways?? can kind of work the same way..

 

[TheRebel]

So turning AT off could be used to intiate a performance profile for the car, if someone were to take the time to basically rewrite the car's program as a whole? I know that would not be worth the trouble, just curious if it was possible.

 

[Quik LS]

whats better AC or TC anyways?? can kind of work the same way..

AC is the 'advanced' option - TC is the basic version - I believe TC was standard (someone will correct me if I am wrong).

 

[Quik LS]

So turning AT off could be used to intiate a performance profile for the car, if someone were to take the time to basically rewrite the car's program as a whole? I know that would not be worth the trouble, just curious if it was possible.

well - only if you re-write the actual PCM code itself - telling it that the TC button was a 'sport' button ann use different values for spark/fuel curves.

The SCT software a dealer has (or you can purchase as the Pro Racer Package) can do many things, amazing little things, but it is designed to change the cars response to standard inputs. It is not possible with this software to change the meaning of an input (like the TC button) to do a completely seperate thing.

Reverse engineering the code from one of the Black Oak processors used by the PCM is not an inexpensive task - so you are not likely to see a hacked version to play with anytime soon.

 

[zexls]

A dynotune for a stock-ish LS or any other mildly modded car is a waste.

I think otherwise, the car was more responsive after the tune. They did more work with the t-converter, and the wide open shifts on the programer were to hard, thay worked with that to.

 

[Quik LS]

When SCT sold their XCal1 with their tune for the stock LS - they advertised a 14 rwhp gain - not too shabby.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

By the way, on my Cobra, the Traction Control is turned off by the tune. However, I would not recommend it on this car. The AT is just too good to give up.

 

[rocket5979]

Reverse engineering the code from one of the Black Oak processors used by the PCM is not an inexpensive task - so you are not likely to see a hacked version to play with anytime soon.

Just so ya's know, it is the PTEC processor in these LS's not the Black Oak. Still a 1024k processor but has its minor differences.

 

[rocket5979]

I think otherwise, the car was more responsive after the tune. They did more work with the t-converter, and the wide open shifts on the programer were to hard, thay worked with that to.

I am not saying it will not gain anything above the canned tune, but for the mild benefit it is a waste of money, especially when a lot of the things you just mentioned that were messed with is simple stuff that an .LL3 tunefile with on-device adjustability already offers. Dynotuning a stockish car is the equivalent to putting 42 lb injectors into a LS that has an exhaust and CAI only.

 

[Quik LS]

Just so ya's know, it is the PTEC processor in these LS's not the Black Oak. Still a 1024k processor but has its minor differences.

Rocket - where are you getting your information?

"Black Oak is the Motorola Power PC system that is now in use by automobile manufacturers. There have already been other Ford vehicles using it for few years like the SVT Focus, Lincoln LS, and the Navigator."

"The PCM is connected directly to the engine, transmission, and body wiring harnesses to minimize the number of leads and connectors. It regulates fuel delivery, the coil-on-plug ignition system, transmission operation, speed control, the electric fuel pump, the hydraulic cooling fan, and the thermactor air injection system.

Communication and decision-making speed is enhanced by the new Power PC 32-bit reduced instruction set chip (RISC). This microprocessor has one megabyte of read only memory (ROM).

It uses floating point arithmetic and high-level C-language modular programming consistent with standard corporate protocol (SCP) multiplex communications architecture. Input and output tasks and signal processing are handled independently of the central processing unit (CPU) to speed its operation.

Task-based versus loop-time-based programming also speeds the powertrain control computer's response. It can be flash programmed to suit whatever subsystems are installed in a particular car, including different engine and transmissions."

 

[20BlackLS00]

I have an exhaust and cold air intake so far done to the car along with a system and many other exterior things but i just wanted to make the car a little faster and was wondering if the XCal is worhtwhile or if im better gettin it dynotuned..And if u do get either of these done what would the gain be thanks for the other info too.

 

[StinkinLinkinLS01]

I've been running the max tune on my 01LSV8 for about 2 weeks now. I finally removed and have been running without the last couple days and like I've said before, the only noticeable difference I can "feel" is the stiff shifting. My car feels just as fast as it did with the tune. I know I keep going back and forth with my opinions about the XCal, but it is very difficult to "feel" power gains and I'm really not too sure about its benefits. If you have the extra $400 go for it, I like revving up past 3000rpms with my exhaust....lol...

Face it, no one knows what the hell these "tuners" do with these tunes and you can't prove it one way or the other. Personally, I think they are overpaid. My buddy says his VW gets an 80% HP increase with a chip, I'd be surprised if the xcal gave me more than 10 actual HP at most...

 

[StinkinLinkinLS01]

Here is a question I dare anyone to answer:

SPECIFICALLY, what does the Xcalibrator II do for a Lincoln LS?

And I want specifics...not just "it changes shift points, a/f ratios, rpms, etc..." I want to know exactly what it does and why it is worth $400.

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

Horsepower is hard to feel exactly. I can't remember for sure what my car felt like before my intake and exhaust, but track times point to a definate increase in power. My Xcal2 is on the way, its taking a little while, but I getting a deal. I plan to go to the track with my stock wheels, run it several times. Then load it, and run it some more.

 

[StinkinLinkinLS01]

Horsepower is hard to feel exactly. I can't remember for sure what my car felt like before my intake and exhaust, but track times point to a definate increase in power. My Xcal2 is on the way, its taking a little while, but I getting a deal. I plan to go to the track with my stock wheels, run it several times. Then load it, and run it some more.

Can't wait to see the results...

I honestly think the XCal will give more time than HP because of the hard shifting. That is the most noticeable difference and the only thing that helps me win races. Other than that the acceleration and "power" feels almost identical to stock.

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

Here is a question I dare anyone to answer:

SPECIFICALLY, what does the Xcalibrator II do for a Lincoln LS?

And I want specifics...not just "it changes shift points, a/f ratios, rpms, etc..." I want to know exactly what it does and why it is worth $400.

Actually I don't think it messes with a/f ratios for a mostly stock car, that probably only gets monkeyed with if there is major changes to the car.

It does the other things you mentioned and bumps the spark timing up. Thats why the higher octane is needed. Also adjusts tranny line pressure that controls shift hardness, not so much shift points, although it could. Removing or raising rev limiters and speed limiters are a bonus, but not worth the money you spend if it only did that.