Talk me off the ledge, this is probably a bad idea...

[FLSUNNOTFUN]

as far as changing firmware - is that a bucket of slugs you really want to get into ?

With a delta I think you need to tell it all sorts of things: length of rods and a bunch of stuff.

I have to admit I have never changed any firmware on any of my printers - and, I suspect, as a consequence - never had all the hassle and problems people round here seem to have. probably 60% of our problem threads start with:'All i did was update/change/fiddle-with the firmware....'

Are you using cura as a slicer ?
Would be worth trying something else.
I like simplify3d for the deltas.
But repetier is a good free alternative.
Both give you full usb control over the printers, which makes for better and easier trouble shooting.

To answer your your question, no. This is definitely not something I want to mess with or get into at all. I am trying to avoid being the 60% here.

Yes, I am using the latest version of Cura. I will give Repetier a try as well.

I changed the nozzle (.4mm), extrudes with no problem. I auto leveled the bed again. When the print head lowers to the bed to begin there is a nice 1-2 sheet of paper thick gap from the nozzle to the bed just like before. Now my first layer is even sketchier than before. Still terrible prints.