What are your thoughts on tuners or chips? Will it make a difference in power or fuel mileage for my 03 fx4 with the 5.4 in it?

 

https://www.f150forum.com/f7/tuner-programmers-9161/

 

I'm using a Superchips Micro Max and can't say alot for power difference but it is alot smoother idling and much better shift points. I use 91 octane setting and I can get up to 2mpg better with summer mix fuel [winter blend sucks].

 

I have the Gryphon in my 03' FX4 5.4......made a huge difference. I got custom tunes and run 87 oct performance tune.. Never tried the 91 oct performance tune yet, but I'm guessing it will be even quicker..

Gryphon is a EDGE EVO with a different harddrive that can handle custom tuning.. but I would just buy a used EDGE EVO on craigslist if you find 1!

 

I have yet to see one of the popular tuners on this board provide anything over an SCT Xcal or any Delta Force Tuning products. There is almost no real adjustability that can be done other than very BASIC timing adjustments and fuel adjustments.

If you really cared about getting a solid tune for pulling stuff, or making your truck just faster in general...you need to adjust settings in individual RPM intervals; which none of those standard tuners can do.

My advise: If you want to actually TUNE your truck, look into delta force tuning products for their special forces system. For an OBD-II Ford, its the best basic tuner out. If you really want to explore tuning(if you plan to add a blower, cams, port the heads etc.) look into there Commando package. It gives you full control over everything on the PCM.

The only other end user software out like that for Fords is SCTs pro racer package, which is pretty confusing to use if your a first timer. The delta force products are all very easy to learn, if you do your part.

Just my speal... but I couldnt be happier with Special forces and the commando software. I can tune 2 vehicles with it right out of the box, and adding other vehicles is only 160 bucks. I sort of run a side business tuning other ppls mustangs....how many of you can do that with your Edge Evos or any other tuners? lol

 

The SCT and Gryphon products do have the capability to make much more than "basic" adjustment. These adjustments can't be done by the individual and are done by the professional. This is probably best for most people as there are few who actually put the time do learn tuning. A professional programmer will make the most "solid" custom tune because they have done hundreds if not thousands of vehicles, and have experience with these vehicles on the dyno.

 

Boy do they have you fooled...

Tuning your basic bolt on n/a application is as easy as knowing how many degrees timing to bump and what RPM range to do it. If you want to pay a couple hundred for dyno time every time you want a tune done be my guest..

Tuning is as easy as picking up a book, getting some basic knowledge of how an EFI system/motor work together and having a wideband o2 sensor to check fuel with.

Ill admit, there is more to tuning when you start doing h/c/i and forced induction, but its not that hard to pick up, just a bit more involved and a steeper learning curve.

I have never once put my car on a dyno and I have one of the quickest vert 2vs around. About the only 2v GT iv lost to that was an all motor coupe, but he had ported heads and cams.. so it wasnt much of a fight on the top end. The point is... Iv raced a lot of bolt on 2vs...all of which had some dyno tune from a "professional". Those tuners dont do anything special.. dont let them fool you lol.

 

Lol easy there buddy I'm not disagreeing with you. Yes tuning really isn't that hard, but like I said before, if they take the time and learn it, that's great. I've had enough experience around "they" to know it's nothing special. For the average person a custom or even canned tune is sufficient though. A tune that gains some power and improves drive-ability while being safe is usually the main goal with a truck, race applications trying to get every last bit of power like your mustang require a little more attention.

 

Holy smokes.. Not going to disagree with that... real custom tuning, but all he wants is some HP and MPG gain. I highly doubt he plans on and is going to get that detailed into tuning his truck. A canned tuned from an EDGE EVO will give the majority of buyers a increase in power to satisfy their needs. Now if I decided to drop a few grand into my motor and a Supercharger... yes. I would get a serious detailed custom tunes. But all your doing right now is confusing the OP...

 

Go research the "special forces" tuner, come back to this thread and tell me a monkey cant do it. Its nothing but drop down boxes; a monkey could do it. The commando kit is the one that requires quite a bit of learning. To use special forces, you just need about 2-3 hours of reading up on a few things..nothing more.