Custom Tune & Cold Air Intake

[bpopilek]

Hello all. Now that I finally have all the kinks and bad parts figured out on my 2010 SHO, I have been contemplating doing some performance and aesthetic mods. The performance mods I am thinking about are below.

First up, I am wondering what is the best way to get a tune for this. I own an HP tuner that I bought to flash my Yukon and custom 6.0l LS install last year, so I know I can add some Ford credits to flash or modify my current factory tune. Is there a guide that I can use to modify the internal program or a site that I can download a previously done tune to see what was changed? Additionally, I have seen a couple of names thrown around that do these tunes, but wanted to get some opinions on the best route to take.

Next I have been having some difficulty trying to locate the proper cold air intake to use on this. I did find one from Airaid (Model 450-260) that is supposed to fit, but I'm not sure if that is the best option. When I changed the intake on my Yukon to a cold air style, I think I only spent around $120 for the entire kit. With the Taurus, the cheapest I am seeing is close to $300. Is there a cheaper option?

Thanks in advance for the info!

 

[OmaHahn]

TUNE: LMS and Unleashed are the best hands down. If you drag race your car and you're extremely concerned about a tenths of a second, then Unleashed is for you. Torrie has you data-log your car and then he sets your tune.

I race my car at the track, but I could care less about a tenth of a second so my choice is LMS (Livernois). Some people might call it a "canned tune." IGNORE that term with LMS!!! They have a newer SHO shop car they work on and they have a ton of customers bring their SHO to them to have custom tunes on their dyno. So, they take ALL this info and create an aggressive, but safe tune for our cars! Plug & Play!

They also sell the Airaid CAI - just enter your car year, make, etc and pick your toys! MDesign makes a nice CAI, I used that one at first and thought I would give this Windstorm a try. *Caution, people are recently reporting very bad experiences with MDesign now for some reason. I don't know what's going on because they were great to me, they even sent me a FREE bigger filter and chamber when they upgraded the design.

ENJOY!!!

 

[bpopilek]

I race my car at the track, but I could care less about a tenth of a second so my choice is LMS (Livernois).

I'm not looking to race mine, maybe just down the freeway when someone doesn't realize what I'm driving and are being jerks! ;-) What kind of cost is involved with them and do I need to take it in there or is it done remotely? I'm in Flint, MI, so I can go in if it is easier/quicker.

 

[OmaHahn]

I'm not looking to race mine, maybe just down the freeway when someone doesn't realize what I'm driving and are being jerks! ;-) What kind of cost is involved with them and do I need to take it in there or is it done remotely? I'm in Flint, MI, so I can go in if it is easier/quicker.

They mail you a SCT hand-held tuner device and then they email you the tune files. You download them onto the device and plug into your car. To do this properly you need to also get the 3-bar map sensor, 160-degree thermostat, and re-gap your plugs to .30! They have a bundled package price deal - go to their website and search.
https://www.livernoismotorsports.com/

 

[bpopilek]

To do this properly you need to also get the 3-bar map sensor, 160-degree thermostat, and re-gap your plugs to .30!

I've already installed new plugs that are gaped to .30, and a new thermostat. The CAI is next, but is a 3-bar MAP necessary? I did go look at their prices, and it looks like mostly everything was $1000+. I'm just looking to open it up a bit and really don't want to spend thousands of dollars on a car that is 8 years old. Perhaps if it was new, then I certainly would. I did send a quick message to see if they can find something that works for me. Worse case, I'll just fire up the HP tuner and see what I can accomplish on my own.

 

[Lostneye]

CAI is really just for noise on these cars. A drop in K&N will work fine. I actually think my car is slower on a hot summer day with the CAI than the stock airbox with K&N. No time slips to back that up though.

LMS has their own tuning device they do not use SCT anymore.

 

[Jeff2017]

I've already installed new plugs that are gaped to .30, and a new thermostat. The CAI is next, but is a 3-bar MAP necessary? I did go look at their prices, and it looks like mostly everything was $1000+. I'm just looking to open it up a bit and really don't want to spend thousands of dollars on a car that is 8 years old. Perhaps if it was new, then I certainly would. I did send a quick message to see if they can find something that works for me. Worse case, I'll just fire up the HP tuner and see what I can accomplish on my own.

Yes, the 3 bar MAP is necessary for the ECU to be able to determine what the boost is. Without it you are wasting your money IMHO. They are cheap and easy to install. The CAI is completely unnecessary from a performance perspective. The stock box is not restrictive. If you put on new DP's then the CAI might make sense.

 

[yowen2000]

Yes, the 3 bar MAP is necessary for the ECU to be able to determine what the boost is.

The way you wrote it, to me, just seems NOT true. (A) the 3 bar sensor is NOT strictly necessary for great performance gains and (B) it's not necessary "to determine what boost is".

That being said, it certainly has benefits, I've heard it's smoother, and most importantly allows for more power.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Jeff2017]

The way you wrote it, to me, just seems NOT true. (A) the 3 bar sensor is NOT strictly necessary for great performance gains and (B) it's not necessary "to determine what boost is".

That being said, it certainly has benefits, I've heard it's smoother, and most importantly allows for more power.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I think the 2bar map can only read up 14 lbs of boost so if you want a tune runs say 18 lbs of boost you need the 3bar map. Yes, you can get gains with just the tune, but it will be more limited.

 

[SM105K]

CAI is unnecessary. K&N drop in and good to go.

3 bar gives your computer more ability to read boost with more resolution. This allows the tuner to even more finely tune. Also this gives your tuner the ability to add more boost and manage spikes better.

I have only heard good things about LMS.

I personally went with AJPTurbo (Brad) because of the customer service, and because of the SCT LiveWire TS+ and all of the capabilities that tuner gives me. Real information, real time, with the ability to datalog. Plus having the ability to datalog, and revise my E30 tune within a day (usually within mins) it was a win/win for me.

My 13 PP went 12.85 @ 105 in terrible DA (3900) in 96 degree heat, with K&N drop in, 542 plugs, with my E30 tune. Numbers and conditions speak for themselves.

 

[bpopilek]

CAI is unnecessary. K&N drop in and good to go.

3 bar gives your computer more ability to read boost with more resolution. This allows the tuner to even more finely tune. Also this gives your tuner the ability to add more boost and manage spikes better.

I have only heard good things about LMS.

I ended up getting a K&N filter on Friday and I was amazed at how much of a difference I felt with that only. I then took a trip to LMS and picked up their tuner and a 160 thermostat. My spark plugs were just replaced a month ago with a .3 gap. I installed the thermostat this morning and I'll add the 3 Bar in later today or this week. Right now I'm waiting to get my tune files from LMS so I can try it out as is. Thanks for all the info this far!



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[Juicybaka]

Hello all. Now that I finally have all the kinks and bad parts figured out on my 2010 SHO, I have been contemplating doing some performance and aesthetic mods. The performance mods I am thinking about are below.

First up, I am wondering what is the best way to get a tune for this. I own an HP tuner that I bought to flash my Yukon and custom 6.0l LS install last year, so I know I can add some Ford credits to flash or modify my current factory tune. Is there a guide that I can use to modify the internal program or a site that I can download a previously done tune to see what was changed? Additionally, I have seen a couple of names thrown around that do these tunes, but wanted to get some opinions on the best route to take.

Next I have been having some difficulty trying to locate the proper cold air intake to use on this. I did find one from Airaid (Model 450-260) that is supposed to fit, but I'm not sure if that is the best option. When I changed the intake on my Yukon to a cold air style, I think I only spent around $120 for the entire kit. With the Taurus, the cheapest I am seeing is close to $300. Is there a cheaper option?

Thanks in advance for the info!

No need for CAI intake. Drop in K&N will give you same performance.

 

[yowen2000]

I really do like hearing my turbo's with a CAI though. I imagine with a drop-in the sound is less pronounced?

 

[SM105K]

I really do like hearing my turbo's with a CAI though. I imagine with a drop-in the sound is less pronounced?

It is, but is it worth $300?

 

[bpopilek]

It is, but is it worth $300?

Not to me it isn't. If it isn't helping me to make more HP, then it's a waste of time and money to only hear the turbos. However, that's my opinion and I'm sure others would disagree.


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[yowen2000]

It is, but is it worth $300?

Mine was $255, but I understand your point, to me the sound is absolutely worth it, gives me lots of smiles. To others it may not be though.

 

[yowen2000]

Not to me it isn't. If it isn't helping me to make more HP, then it's a waste of time and money to only hear the turbos. However, that's my opinion and I'm sure others would disagree.


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To me the sound my car makes is important, I've got a car capable of wildly higher speeds than are allowed on streets. But on a day-to-day basis I do get to enjoy the soundtrack, when I'm not at the track. So that's why i put some money into a CAI.

But yeah, as you said, to each their own.

 

[Raging Bull]

Hmm I don’t here any turbo sound with my CAI. I wanna hear the swoosh sound. No really I can’t hear it. Is something wrong with my intake. Please help. Not venting to atmosphere either. Gotta be another way to hear them. Do you think other people on the road can here them when I fly by lol ! All in fun doesn’t really matter to me. Loving my car so far. Yeah

 

[yowen2000]

I don’t here any turbo sound with my CAI

Which one do you have? Mine is the Airaid w/ dry filter.

 

[Raging Bull]

Windstorm from LMS. Samething.