Possible to write your own custom tune?
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Los Angeles
When I had the 87 perf/tow tune installed on my truck I liked a few things about it. The throttle response and input felt good. The way the trans held gears longer felt better, but shifted way worse than stock. Stock felt firm compared to the tune which feels off. Hard to explain like it's ''weak''. I also get what I think are shift flares in 5th and 6th with the rpms raising briefly after during the shift while stock would drop into the gear perfectly with no rise in rpms. Tuner said all of these things were normal which prompted me to want to make my own tune, but that seems a bit more complicated after a bit of research and you guys opinions.
Part of the throttle response may be fly by wire throttle, I am not a fan of that either, but it is what it is. Tip in will make the pedal feel not linear like it is now, it will say you are pressing 15% throttle at 10% so it seems like its more responsive but modulating it is harder (think trying to accelerate or hold a speed).
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
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I have tuned my own car, and I just went with a tuner and let it be on the f150. They may be making the shifts softer because you have more power, the shock to the drive train could cause extra wear and tear.
Part of the throttle response may be fly by wire throttle, I am not a fan of that either, but it is what it is. Tip in will make the pedal feel not linear like it is now, it will say you are pressing 15% throttle at 10% so it seems like its more responsive but modulating it is harder (think trying to accelerate or hold a speed).
Part of the throttle response may be fly by wire throttle, I am not a fan of that either, but it is what it is. Tip in will make the pedal feel not linear like it is now, it will say you are pressing 15% throttle at 10% so it seems like its more responsive but modulating it is harder (think trying to accelerate or hold a speed).
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Rockwall/Wichita Falls Texas
HP Tuners offers software for the F150s now. I have HPTuners for my GM LS motors and love it, it's a bit different for the F150. I don't recommend doing it yourself without tons of research and reading and learning. And reading again. It can go south fast, and a new motor/transmission won't be cheap. I've used EFILive and HPTuners for years, and I'm not attempting to do my F150 myself for awhile. Just some advice
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Around
Tuning is not that hard at all. I've tuned N/A, supercharged, and Turbo'd engines. Turbo is the hardest. Ignition timing is key. Don't try and tune WOT without a dyno.
Back in the day when I replaced my F-350s EEC computer with an AEM one and did some custom wiring so it would be SEFI instead of bank-to-bank. If you have a simple understanding of electronics it's not bad at all.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/99...hs-inside.html
Back in the day when I replaced my F-350s EEC computer with an AEM one and did some custom wiring so it would be SEFI instead of bank-to-bank. If you have a simple understanding of electronics it's not bad at all.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/99...hs-inside.html
Last edited by jonbar87; Dec 4, 2014 at 01:13 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 328
From: Los Angeles
Tuning is not that hard at all. I've tuned N/A, supercharged, and Turbo'd engines. Turbo is the hardest. Ignition timing is key. Don't try and tune WOT without a dyno.
Back in the day when I replaced my F-350s EEC computer with an AEM one and did some custom wiring so it would be SEFI instead of bank-to-bank. If you have a simple understanding of electronics it's not bad at all.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/99...hs-inside.html
Back in the day when I replaced my F-350s EEC computer with an AEM one and did some custom wiring so it would be SEFI instead of bank-to-bank. If you have a simple understanding of electronics it's not bad at all.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/99...hs-inside.html
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Around
Definitely get out and drive for part throttle, but the only way to safely tune wot and achieve MBT is on a dyno.
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Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Texas
I am assuming you already have an sct handheld that you are using to flash the tunes with. You should be able to go in there and adjust a few parameters with it. Might start with that before diving into the software. I have tune many ls engines and a few older fords. These new fords are very detailed and you can easily mess something up if you make a wrong change. With certain changes you need to modify multiple tables to get what you ultimately want. Ie timing, there are a bunch of modifier tables that sometimes need to be changed to get timing where you want it.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Los Angeles
Eh yes, being on a road going WOT in a gear that can give you load is not 100% safe. The Dyno is not real life driving, you are going to get heat soak and other variables on the road.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Around
Yeah, that's why you make sure fans are running and allow cool downs between each pull, as well as closely monitor IATs.
