Tune on high mile SHO? Help

[Ethanlee1276]

Hello! I’m new here and have a couple questions. I have a 2014 Taurus Sho with 160,000 miles on it. My stepdad got it in 2014 and gave it too me about 2 years ago with roughly 120,000 miles on it. He kept it in great shape, it still looks shiny brand new inside and out, and has no mechanical problems. I have a brand new K and N cold air intake in it and that’s is it. I never have had it tuned and was wondering if it is too late too get a tune. And can I switch too premium gas after been used with regular gas? What should I get maintenance before a tune? Any answers will help thanks!

 

[FrankK]

Ethan,

Yes you can switch to premium gas at any time, as the ECU will make the adjustments to the tune.

You might want to do a compression test before placing a tune on the car.

Frank

 

[Ethanlee1276]

Thank you

 

[Ethanlee1276]

Ethan,

Yes you can switch to premium gas at any time, as the ECU will make the adjustments to the tune.

You might want to do a compression test before placing a tune on the car.

Frank

Ethan,

Yes you can switch to premium gas at any time, as the ECU will make the adjustments to the tune.

You might want to do a compression test before placing a tune on the car.

Frank

Thanks frank for the reply. Is there any parts that I should replace before like spark plugs or anything like that?

 

[FrankK]

Ethan,

Replacing all fluids with quality oils would be a start. If you are doing a compression check you'll have the plugs out, good time to replace. A good air filter. A 3 bar map sensor to have on hand if you go with a tune, but might want to wait to see if mechanically all is good.

Good luck,

Frank

 

[Ethanlee1276]

Ethan,

Replacing all fluids with quality oils would be a start. If you are doing a compression check you'll have the plugs out, good time to replace. A good air filter. A 3 bar map sensor to have on hand if you go with a tune, but might want to wait to see if mechanically all is good.

Good luck,

Frank

Thank you frank. I have a K and N Cold Air Intake system installed so I am good on the air filter. Any recommendations on spark plugs? Also I run full synthetic oil in the car and I’m due for an oil change soon so hopefully I can start this soon. Besides the engine oil, what else should I be looking at?

 

[jman1200]

My SHO is sitting at 270k km (~168k miles).
Change your transmission, PTU and rear differential fluids as all these parts will take a beat. You will need to replace these more often from now on.
Most tuners will sell you gapped spark plugs with your tuning device, thermostat and MAP sensor.

My personal opinion: Keep in mind that with high mileage cars every (tuned) hard pull may be the last one. If you want to keep it for a long time, don't tune it. If you want it to put a smile in your face every time you floor it and you accept the risk of something breaking, then go for it.

 

[FiveLeeter918]

I agree with the above. Start with a compression and leakdown test, the 13+ SHO use a better piston/ring design that addresses the weak points of the 10-12 models, but with the age I would still recommend a test to ensure crankcase integrity. As others said, replace all fluids in the drivetrain and inspect for any shavings. Don't flush anything, just do 2-3 drain/fills on the trans and PTU with 15 minutes of driving in between until the fluid comes out cleanish.

Ortiz Performance offers an Ecoboost Starter Pack that is a great start for increasing boost and spark without putting too much strain on the engine, and we have excellent feedback from our customers with improvements in both performance and drivability. Out of the box it's dyno proven at 338hp/380tq, and once datalogged and optimized we've seen 380hp/430tq with a linear power curve that has proven to make 12.5-12.7 consistently in the 1/4 mile.

Ecoboost Starter Pack | 2010+ Taurus SHO/Flex/Explorer/MKS

Maximize your Performance and Fuel Economy with a Custom Tune from Ortiz Performance! Our custom tunes offer the performance and reliability you expect from a performance vehicle with datalogged verification and revisions to ensure that your car is operating optimally. Power gains of up to 80 hp...

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Any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

 

[Shadow351]

TIL 160,000 miles is high mileage

 

[Dhanning]

I got my 2013 non pp SHO with 144k. Had full service records. Replaced ALL fluids and proceeded to tune with LMS in 11/21. 93 octane 440 tune with K&N, plugs, thermostat, and three bar map. Also added AD tranny mounts as well as a catch can. Keep oil changed every 3K and ptu, trans fluid every 30K. If I were driving really hard I would do ptu and tran more frequently. Car was very different after tuning, in a great way, significant performance increase and a slight mileage increase. I would say that the tune improved 0-60 by at least .5 seconds. Need to get a timed quarter run for curiosity’s sake. The car now has 183K. Runs perfectly and does not use a drop of oil between changes. If I did not get this tune, I would have sold the car after about 10K. The mounts made a big difference in transferring the power more efficiently. I actually like the additional NV that was introduced as you can definitely “feel” the additional power better. I agree with the members who have weighed in. Definitely makes sense to check for leaks in all the obvious areas (e.g turbos.) I do get on my SHO but it is mostly to surprise non M model BMWs at stoplights! If I had it to do over, I would get a different tune, no offense to Livernois (although some have expressed deep dissatisfaction from their tunes) but I would like a tune that adjusts for different octanes automatically. Best of luck whatever route you choose!