Ok, so Ive been looking around at a lot of the tuner threads and pretty much have a good handle on what type of tuners are out there and an idea where I would start if I decide to take the plunge on getting one. I do however still have a few basic tuner questions that Im sure someone will get on me for because they are probably basic questions that I should know but since Ive never gone down this road before Im going to ask anyway:

1. Do the tuners have to be plugged in at all times or do you plug the tuner in to upload the program and then disconnect it?
2. Can you use 1 tuner for multiple vehicles? We have two trucks at the house here one is 2012 and one is 2013 both with the ecoboost and it surely would be beneficial to be able to tune both.
3. Has anyone had any experience with tunes that improve their MPG's. Im assuming that with the added HP and torque my foot would be in it more so MPG's would be worse.

I think that sums it up for now still trying to decide if I want to dive into this world or not and if so then I get to decide on which tuner.....

 

1. There are both types. Mine I plug in, download tune then disconnect.

2. I'm pretty sure it can only be used on one vehicle as it will be "married" to that vehicle until you return it to stock.

3. Sorry, I have a 93 perf tune and like to go fast so can't comment.

 

I get somewhere between 1.5-2 MPGs better with my tune than without it. I drive conservatively about 50% of the time and I flog the crap out of it about 50% of the time.

 

Well there's your problem. You aren't flogging it enough. :-P

 

1. Most are plug in, program, remove. Not all.
2. You could program one vehicle, "unlock" your programmer for about $100 and tune the other, however, you couldnt retune/detune the original truck unless you unlock it again...then it would be the other way around. I dont recommend doing this...just buy another programmer.
3. If you drive normally (not necessarily your normal, just the "average" person, most tunes will increase your MPG. Drive it hard, it will be worse than before. I have experienced both aspects...just depends on my mood.

 

RES4CUE has it right. 1. correct, most download factory strategy and save, then download new tune. 2. can only use on one vehicle, return to stock then can use on another vehicle. 3. mpgs are probably not going to go up, changing fuel trim,shift points and drive by wire reaction. looking for hp you have to have more gas and more air coming in. running 3 tunes on my 2008 Mustang GT, 87 economy, 89 torque and 93 Race. with a truck i would just firm up the shifts, but do not have any experience with tuning an adapative learning computer with a tune. my 2013 Screw 4x4 i use the sore Dick theory and don't f--k with it.

 

Thanks for the quick responses everyone. Now I just have to decide if I wnat to spend the money on this. Im putting Bilsteins on this week and new tires at the end of the week so we shall see....

 

I just put bilsteins all around on mine, as well as traction bars, and a SCT Programmer (currently have SSI tune on it).

Best mod of the three was by far the programmer. Thats on an ecoboost....not sure what you have.

 

1A ) A tune in of itself is literally a computer file. Once it's uploaded to the vehicle, don't need the tuner plugged in any more for the tune itself. If planning on like a SCT Livewire TS, that would stay plugged in to be able to read your guages but doesn;t need to be for the tune itself

2) Yes and no. Once you tune a vehicle, it becomes VIN locked to that specific vehicle and will only work for that vehicle so cant buy a tuner and tune your truck and the other vehicle. Restore the OEM Ford Tune ( which the SCT tuner will autosave the first time you use it ) back to the original vehicle, and that unmarries it so can be used again on another vehicle. A new SCT tuner comes with 5 unlocks so you can use it on up to a max of 5 vehicle swaps, but only one at a time if that makes sense. If you want to have two vehicles tuned at same time, need two tuners.

3A) This is largely driven by how you drive. It's not uncommon to get 1 to 2 mpg gains on a tune but that's at conservative speeds, say using cruise control on the freeway at speed limits. Drive with a heavy foot and wont see any gains.

Note, the above is referring specifically to SCT tuners, most tuners work on the same method but the specific details of all the different brands I cant speak too, only SCT