Guidance Please

[SHO Herman]

Sometimes it’s just better to ask. I was hoping to leverage the wisdom of the folks here regarding a future purchase from Livernois. While I’m not entirely ignorant to the world of tuning, my last experience came in the form of actually installing a chip.

My understanding is that I will need to purchase a Tuner, which will house, install, and uninstall various programs to the PCM. What brand would you suggest? (Keeping in mind that as we near the end of our learning process we sometimes say: I wish I would have paid a few extra bucks for that.)

I’m guessing the programming is as simple as what is provided by Livernois and I have heard of the Stage 2, 3, 4, and 4+, but is the programming tied to whether other (bolt on) powertrain enhancements are in play?

What other nuggets of wisdom do I need?

 

[Emtpbill]

The package from livernois will include the actually tuner and cables. Once you get those from livernois you will email Rick at livernois with some info about your car, CAI , exhaust mods and he will email you all the tunes you want. Personally I ran a 3 before going with the 4+. Haven't looked back. Best investment i made, totally woke up the engine. I mean dont get me wrong it was a quick care before the Tune but after, day and night.

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Most tuners including Livernois & Torrie @ Unleashed Tuning use the SCT Tuner, which comes with their custom tune package. You can use their base tunes (for instance all of the above Livernois tunes) with 93 Octane fuel. No other mods are required. All of these tunes include tranny tuning, which may be more important to drive ability than the extra power.

I have both Torrie Tunes and Livernois Tunes for my Flex using the same SCT Tuner, which holds 3 custom tunes. You can't go wrong with either.

 

[SHO Herman]

So it does appear that other modifications (intake/exhaust/etc) do have an impact, which is what I expected.

I'm not entirely bent on going to a CAI and/or Exhaust just yet, but at the same time, I don't want to waste a lot of cash to get different tunes each time I add a new goodie. (Let's say that the programming costs $X. I get the tunes for an otherwise bone stock SHO. Later I add a cat back exhaust. Any idea how much a new set of tables will cost which consider the new exhaust? If it's negligible, then I don't suppose it much matters and I'd otherwise like to enjoy the benefits of a Livernois sooner rather than later.)

Are there different models of SCT tuners? Do I just call/email Rick and let him guide me from here? (It sure is nice seeing his participation on the board.)

 

[SoCalSHO]

Getting new tunes from Livernois to match your mods is as simple as emailing Rick. If you have an intake, don't worry about anew tune. If you don't have access to 93 octane, don't use above the stage 3 tune. AFAIK, once you buy the tunes, they will send you whatever ones you need to match your mods. I have and run only the stage 3 tune, as there is only 91 octane at the pumps here in So. Cal..

 

[SHO Herman]

I am fortunate enough to have 93 aplenty (too bad the don't make an E85 version of this car).

I take it that the stage 4 & 4+ are 93 only? I'm gathering that from what I've read here.

I'll tell you, my only real complaint about this vehicle are the shifting characteristics. They may be the way they are for a very good reason (driveline breakage?) but it would be nice if they were a little more immediate, especially when in 'manual' mode.

 

[SoCalSHO]

It will improve vastly (shifting) after u tune. 4 & 4+ are for 93 octane. You don't want E85, less bang for the buck.

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Torries Tune is best for shifting, though both his and "L"s help in this area. I wouldn't worry about other mods, unless you are thinking about Methanol Spray. CAI's and most exhaust mods are mostly visual and/or NOISE fluff... Tune levels between the two are inconsequential....

 

[frankashaw]

I'm in the same boat, I would rather just get the tune and pass on the fluff. The fluff will only get them looking harder at the dealership when you have a warranty problem. I think if I just get the tuner I can go back to stock, let my wife take it in to the dealer and not raise the eyebrows.

 

[skijones]

Purchased Livernois about a month ago and been running #3. If you are just driving around town, you might notice firmer, not hard, shifts. If you really give it the boot, it will spin the tires at 45 mph. Off the line is about the same, but as soon as the boost hits, hang on.

I have not seen a downside to the tune and it is a whole lot cheaper than any other speed mod that I have done to Fords over the years.

Plus, you don't even have to get your hands dirty. If you don't like it, it takes about 10 minutes to undo it.

My car is a 2010, non pp, with 52k on it. Other than spending $4-5 per fillup for 93, no regrets.

P.S. My wife drove the car for a couple of days while I was working on her Expedition. She said that it had quite a bit of "pep" for a 6 cyl car. BTW, this is my 4th SHO. Best yet.

 

[SHO Herman]

You don't want E85, less bang for the buck.

I realize that E85 has less energy content; however, when I moved to an E85 setup on my Navigator (with KB SC) it resulted in an amazing leap forward (due in no small part to the octane rating). Sure, I was down to 10-11 MPG on the highway, but it sure would get up and go.

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

E85 is not something I would be running thru the DI pump and injectors without Ford's approval.... Also, the fuel system is return-less, so if you would get vapor lock due to alcohol evaporating due to heat, you will really be up a creek without a paddle.

 

[SHO Herman]

So it really comes down to nothing more than ordering this: http://www.livernoismotorsports.com...orts-EcoBoost-Tune-(W{47}-SCT-X3-Device).html

Can anyone else weigh in on the "I would have got or also would have got an X if I had known at the time..."?

 

[Crash712us]

So it really comes down to nothing more than ordering this: http://www.livernoismotorsports.com...orts-EcoBoost-Tune-(W{47}-SCT-X3-Device).html

Can anyone else weigh in on the "I would have got or also would have got an X if I had known at the time..."?

yep, unless you want the more expensive my cal device?

 

[SHO Herman]

yep, unless you want the more expensive my cal device?

Nope. Don't plan on doing any of my own programming (although being a software developer for now 30 years, I must admit my fascination).

 

[SoCalSHO]

So it really comes down to nothing more than ordering this: http://www.livernoismotorsports.com...orts-EcoBoost-Tune-(W{47}-SCT-X3-Device).html

Can anyone else weigh in on the "I would have got or also would have got an X if I had known at the time..."?

For me, nothing else. If you plan on racing, ally control meth system.

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Torrie who owns Unleashed Tuning is also a great tuner. Can't go wrong with either Torrie or Livernois. Alky Control Methanol system uses 100% methanol. Anything over 50% is flammable. I have used around 75% with Torrie's Methanol system. W/M systems are great if you are at the strip frequently, as they cool down the MCT charge, often below the ambient temp... allowing the advance to max out in the tune, under the prevaling temp conditions.

Check out both Livernois & Unleashed Tuning websites and make your decision.

 

[Paulford8]

Just want to through my 2 cents on exhaust. I dont think it gives much peak but I am convinced it gives you some HP through the power curve. Hot day I ran 13.5 with Airaid and LMS 4, same temp but with a Magnaflow I ran 13.33. Just had 3 cat replaced with X pipe so I am hoping it helped a bit more.

I run LMS 4 on 93 and it does pretty well. I also recently put Eibachs in as the non-pp springs are to soft. Guys get great results with H&Rs but the H&R2+ inch drop scared me. Eibachs dropped me about an inch and it launches harder after the swap.

 

[yamahaSHO]

It will improve vastly (shifting) after u tune. 4 & 4+ are for 93 octane. You don't want E85, less bang for the buck.

E85 is a HUGE "bang" for the buck, especially in turbocharged engines.

 

[SHO U UP]

E85 is a HUGE "bang" for the buck, especially in turbocharged engines.

Same for a supercharged motor, but the steps it takes to prepare a non- E-85 car/truck to run on it safely can be costly.