The Ford F-150 is one of the most popular vehicles in the world. And for good reason. It defines what an American pickup is all about. It's not a big workhorse like its cousin, the Super Duty, but it's fun to drive and plenty capable of what most of us need a pickup for. Its Triton 5.4L V-8 is no slouch. Even the smaller 4.6 is a peppy little small-block. Still, there may be times when you're hauling a trailer full of ATVs or snowmobiles to the mountains, or a boat to the lake, when a little more power might be nice.
The Edge Evolution Programmer/Monitor...
The Edge Evolution Programmer/Monitor for '04-'06 Ford 4.6 and 5.4L Triton engines comes with everything needed for a 10-minute install in your driveway, no tools required.
Edge Products of Ogden, Utah, has established a reputation for manufacturing the most advanced diesel fuel-management computer upgrades/"chips" available. Now the company has turned its expertise to gasoline engines. These days, everything is controlled by black boxes. During a recent visit to Edge Products' facility in Ogden, we took the opportunity to get an up-close look at the new Evolution Programmer/Monitor for the 04-'06 Ford 4.6 and 5.4L Triton engines. Jay Wilhite, Edge engineer and one of the chief designers of the Evolution kit, offered to show us the installation procedure. I glanced at my watch and, trying to speed things up a little, opened the hood. "No need to," Jay said, "everything about the Evolution has been designed to be easy."
He popped open the convenient access panel on the driver side of the dash and ran the Evolution plug down to the DLC (Diagnostic Link Connector). Then he snaked the other end of the cable up to the A-pillar and snapped the access panel closed.
Next, he attached a slick-looking molded pod to the top of the dash with Velcro and fed a few inches of the cable out. After plugging in the cable to the back of the Evolution, it was inserted into the pod ("This is too easy!" I thought). After turning the ignition key, the final step was to plug the lower end of the Evolution cable into the DLC receptacle under the dash.
Everything is contained inside the Evolution Programmer/Monitor. The first time you program your truck, the unit reads and records the original calibration from the PCM and then builds all the necessary programs, which takes about 60 seconds. There are four basic levels of performance to select from. Depending on which of the four levels of performance you choose, using the "Up" and "Down" buttons, the Evolution erases the PCM and then writes the new selected calibration. This process takes about 15 seconds.
Level 0 is "Stock." The Evolution uses its backup memory of the OEM program recorded when it was first turned on. You can always go back to this original factory program.
Level 1 is "Transmission Only." This setting does not increase engine performance, but provides firmer transmission shifts (85 to 87 octane fuel is recommended).
The Evolution is an incredibly...
The Evolution is an incredibly capable little computer about half the size of your TV controller, and it can produce over 50 additional horsepower.
Level 2 is "Tow Performance" (87 octane or better is recommended). This setting improves transmission shifting and modifies the ignition timing and fuel-injection strategies to improve both horsepower and torque. Depending on your driving, it may also improve fuel economy. This level is recommended for towing a heavy trailer or hauling a camper.
Level 3 is "High Performance" (91-plus octane is recommended). Fuel-injection and ignition strategies are aggressively tuned to extract maximum performance without sacrificing driveability or durability. The transmission strategy is modified to take advantage of the increased engine performance by providing quicker, firmer shifts.
In addition to these four performance settings, the Evolution is a miniature computer with an impressive array of features. In the default mode, the backlit screen - which you can customize to your favorite color - gives you digital readings of rpm, mph, ECT (engine coolant temperature), and TFT (transmission fluid temperature). From there, the sky is the limit.
Using the "Custom Options," you can correct for modified gear ratios and changes in tire size. This is important, because if you change your tire size, the PCM will miscalculate vehicle speed and odometer readings.