thats what I have 5.4 running 5 star

 

SSI can do the 5.4! He does tuning on any vehicle that SCT tuners support.

 

Question for all of you with custom tunes, does it affect your warranty at all? I know some people who have tunes void their warranty due to most dealerships not approving of tuning, any input on that?

 

They can't void the warranty unless it is found to be the cause of the issue you are having (magnuson moss warranty act)...it also depends on the dealership...but honestly, if you're contemplating running a tune keep it in the back of your mind that if something were to go wrong and the dealership servicing the car finds out it was tuned, be prepared to have it voided. i find that being up front with the service department is in your best interest.

 

Deny Deny Deny LOL

 

I have have been running a slightly modified version of the 5Star 87 performance/towing tune for the last 4 months in my 2009 5.4 (6 speed) and couldn't be happier.

The only issue I had with the stock 87 perf/tow from Mike was the shift points were a 300-400rpms higher than I needed at light throttle pressure (stop and go traffic, etc) and the idle was too high at 700 rpm. I sent him an email after trying it for a few days and he sent the revised version I'm using now within 10 minutes. Idles at 600 rpm and shift points dropped. Haven't touched it since.

The transmission shifts perfectly, the engine pulls a lot harder from 2200-3500 rpm and it idles great. As I have no intention of going to high octane gas, i haven't even tried the 89 and 91 perf tunes he sent when I purchased the SCT unit from him.

Like others have said, it is probably the best $400 I've spent on this truck.
My truck is well outside of any warranty (80k miles and 5years old) so that isn't an issue.

As a comparison, I drive a 2013 XLT 5.0 heavy payload F150 for work. Engine and transmission power/function in normal driving/towing applications gives my truck the edge at lower rpms and the stock 5.0 the edge at higher rpms. With the tune, mine definitely pulls harder from down low, but runs out of breath where the 5.0 keeps pulling. I have no intention of doing a 0-60 comparison, but they seem pretty equal all told.

 

^ this!

 

Magnuson Moss covers aftermarket parts voiding warranty. Tunes are not replacement parts. Extending old laws into the realm of software is dangerous to make assumptions.

It would be pretty easy to get a judge to side with Ford if the tune alters performance. All they need to do is claim it exceeds the stock performance that the original warranty covered and your warranty is toast. If all you used the tune for is to adjust tire size you would have a good case.

 

Agreed...though if someone actually bothers to get something like this in front of a judge i'd hope they have deep pockets...otherwise, why bother...and even then...you probably got the dough (lawyers arent cheap), just fix it!

Replacement parts alter performance as well, good or bad, just like software and exceed manufacturer recommendations. Wouldnt software be considered a replaceable part of these trucks? We are clearly overwriting some sort of code...ie replacing. A good lawyer would find a way around it...but at that type of expense, why bother.

Unfortunately I'll have to disagree with you on "old laws" not being applicable . Old laws are still on the books bc they are exactly that...applicable. And software and hardware work in tandum...one will not function without the other...so i believe the law could be extended to some degree. That said...you pay to play, so if any of us running tuners get hit with a voided warranty, its on us.

 

I think these are all unanswered questions. And it isn't that I don't think old laws are applicable, I just don't think it is safe to assume they are until a court somewhere decides it or a new law is passed ensuring it. Tuners are sticking their necks out when they make the claim that they do not void warranties. And frankly, I don't think it would hold up in court.

Custom tunes are certainly capable of exceeding design margins and in the worst cases can definitely blow a motor. It is also not a fight that the tuner manufacturers want since their tunes are probably not street legal.

I always find it amusing. Most everybody admits if you add a blower to a motor for more power and it grenades, it isn't the manufacturers problem (though some may still try to hide it). But some are OK with adding more power through software and feel justified in hiding it if it blows.