PCMperformance Programming

Ford Programming

Ford Programming

We will still tune late model Ford Mustang and truck applications supported by HPTuners for $295 / each + shipping, but the bulk of the Ford stuff is off the table for now. People contacting us asking to tune their Ford ask why. Here is a short explanation. We were dissatisfied with the capability and functionality of the software we were using -- Sniper / Delta Force Ford Tuning, and decided to stop tuning Fords until a better Ford tuning solution comes along, since unfortunately for older Fords there is no good alternative. Below are some comments reflecting my experience with and opinion of this tuning software that you may consider if you are a (potential) ECM programmer interested in this product.

1. The editor. Clumsy and primitive, far behind industry standards. Some particulars: No dynamic graph capabilities at all. Forget rotating graphs, dragging points on a graph, smoothing functions, interpolation, scaling, etc. Redundant parameters, meaning the same constant would appear in different sections of the calibration template. Not a deal-breaker but a nuisanse. Comparing 2 calibrations? Side by side only. Forget changing display between file 1, file 2, and difference; forget switching between absolute and % difference, scaling the difference, etc. Forget all that. Can you change the VIN in the ECM? No. You can't even read it. Comparing this to HPTuners or EFIlive is like comparing an abacus to a digital calculator, or the Staten Island ferry to the starship Enterprise. When I bought the product it was still fairly new so I hoped that over the years there would be some software development to improve the user interface with the badly needed basic features that most professional tuners are used to. Nothing.

2. The flash interface. Where to begin... OK, 1^st of all, you cannot read the calibration file from the ECM directly to your PC or flash from your PC to the ECM like every other decent tuning product has managed to accomplish. You have a “black box” with several green (and 1 red) lights and 2 buttons. You have to press the 2 buttons in a different and specific sequence until the lights flash in the correct pattern corresponding to each task you set out to do, say to read the ECM. You connect the box to the ECM only, not to the PC. Then you press button on the box to read the ECM and save the file... to the box. Then you disconnect the box and save the file to the PC. Then you edit the file. Then you load the edited file to the box. Then (after you tinker with the buttons and blinking lights) you flash the file from the box to the ECM. And if there is an error reading from or writing to the ECM? Do you get a message displayed on your PC screen, or datalog file generated on your PC that you can contact support with? Nah, remember the black box is not even connected to the PC when you read/write to the ECM. You get the blinking lights flashing again in some different pattern, and look up the blinking pattern in the manual to discern what “trouble code” you are getting. Like Morse Code. A-n-n-o-y-i-n-g.

3. The hardware-locked installation. Seriously, yes, it's hardware fingerprinted. The Delta Force software installation is locked to one PC with an HWFP (hardware fingerprint). For those who do not know, a HWFP is an (essentially) unique numerical sequence generated by a secret algorithm as a function of all the hardware installed in your machine. During the installation you call them and tell them the 8 hex digit HWFP generated by their installer (google “Armadillo hardware fingerprint” to get an idea) and they give you a key to complete the installation, it will work only on your PC. Your product that you just spent about $2k on is now locked to this one machine. Maybe you like to conveniently do mail order tunes in the shop on your PC and live tunes in person on your laptop? Too bad. Well, they let you install it on a 2^nd machine if you pay them $300. Or what if your PC crashes? $300 to install on a different machine. Unless you can provide a RECEIPT that you purchased a new PC. What if you upgraded to a bigger hard drive? Software stops working bc HWFP has changed. $300 for new installation key. Unless you can provide RECEIPT that you bought a new drive. What if you bought the drive for cash or someone gave you a drive? I have a dozen hard drives of all kind laying around in my house. Without receipts. Too bad, $300 to reinstall. You get the idea.

4. Licensing structure. You are not done with hardware fingerprints. Tuning credits are called “bullets”. They cost $150; each lets you read 1 ECM. If you flash the original file back into the ECM, you get your bullet back. If you flash an edited file in, the bullet is used up. When you need more bullets you do the following. Connect the black box to the PC. Generate a one-time random fingerprint for a new bullet request using their bullet management software utility -- this is a different, longer FP than the one involved in the installation and changes every time you reconnect the black box to the PC. You email them the FP and pay for the bullet, they email you back the new bullet. This bullet will ONLY work while that fingerprint is valid. The black box MUST be connected while you wait for the bullet, bc that fingerprint will cease to be valid if you disconnect; then the bullet is useless, $150 wasted. If you want to tune an ECM at midnight on Saturday, well, you just wait with the black box connected (until Monday morning?) to receive your bullet. Plus HPTuners and EFIlive let you use every single-vehicle tuning license you bought to build a discount towards the purchase of unlimited tuning credits (for entire model/year or ECM type, etc). With Sniper it is never ending $150 / each vehicle tuned w/o any option to help you use all these bullet purchases to build a discount into an unlimited licensing of some kind. The best you get is $500 / 5 bullets. Thanks.

5. No transfer of the product. Basically if you bought the Delta Force Tuning software, you take it to the grave, Sniper refuses to support the new owner if you sell it. If you want to read more, click HERE. I am kind of weary of typing all this.

If the above appeals to you, good luck using the product. Compare the above to HPTuners or EFIlive. State of the art editor with advanced functionality. Tuning licenses are stored in the interface, you can install the software on as many of your machines as you like. Read/write directly between your PC and the ECM. If you need to buy credits, send payment electronically and credits you purchased are automatically generated and email to instantly, 24/7. You want to sell your HPTuners or EFIlive cable and licenses? No problem, they continue to support the new owner. Seamless, user-friendly, powerful, fast and effective tools, never a problem. So, after using Sniper for a while, I just got fed up with all of the above and stopped using it; unfortunately I can't sell it so it is just collecting dust in the corner, where it belongs.