Thank you for the info, AMChrisRose (and others)...
It's only 23º here in the Motor City...a bit cold to turn a wrench. I am thinking of installing this stuff after Xmas as I have a week off from work.
Chris, a few questions for you:
1. The AM website and all related materials showing tuners says "Up to 30HP on a stock Mustang GT." I'm wondering what is needed to get that number? I assume this is RWHP?
2. Do you have a list of all the stuff that's tweaked in a tune? Just curious, that's all.
3. A reputable, local Mustang tuner likes to tune a little more conservatively, so you're guaranteed not to blow up your car. He states typical gains from a CAI/Tune to be about 20HP at the wheels, give or take a few HP. How close to the ragged edge do you guys set your tunes at?
How's the 248 doing this time of year? I miss Farmington Hills, I may have to get back up there to visit sometime soon!
1.) The 30RWHP is a 93 octane number, which is pretty standard on any CAI/Tuner combo from 2005-2010 Mustangs. We're one of about 500 different companies that claim this number, as it's actually what you find. Typically, speaking SAE corrected Dynojet numbers, a stock 2005-2009 Mustang GT manual will put down about 265RWHP or so. Afterwards, they should be about 295RWHP and about 305RWTQ on 93 octane.
2.) Our tunes tweak variable cam timing, ignition timing (spark advance) both part throttle and WOT, fueling at WOT (optimizing the air/fuel ratio) to roughly 12.85 commanded, drive-by-wire and pedal sensitivity and NUMEROUS other parameters are changed for driveability, power, torque, safety, longevity, etc.
3.) If they're advertising 20RWHP, they're doing something wrong. With a 2005-2009 Mustang GT 3V there's really no way to "tune to the ragged edge". You'd either do a bad job tuning it, and make it too lean or too rich, or you'd do a good job and give it roughly 30 degrees of timing an 12.85 AFR with 93 octane. Actually, there's a point where lets say your car makes peak power at 30 degrees... 31 degrees doesn't make any more power. Those aren't exact numbers, I'm just saying... it's not like adding more timing than necessary HELPS anything, it doesn't pick up any power and just gets you closer to detonation. I don't know who the local shop is, and they may have their way of doing things... all I can say is this... we literally send out thousands of S197 custom tunes out each week. We're SCT's #1 dealer for a reason. Everything we do is tested, we have an in-house Dynojet 224xLC and have refined our files with YEARS of experience with this platform. Personally, I have probably dyno tuned (when I was at Tillman Speed) more S197 GT's than most people in the country. I had over 3000 S197's custom tuned before I came to AmericanMuscle. I can tell you the ins and outs of that car, that PCM and I have plenty of people who will vouch for our tunes. I'd be willing to put our mail-order calibration up against 90% of the dyno tuners in the country. There's only about 10 people in the world I would let tune my 07 GT, as I know they'd have the same attention to detail and wouldn't rely on an SCT value file to start with, because they know what they're doing.
I hope this clears everything up. If you have absolutely any questions whatsoever, don't hesitate to ask. You can also get ahold of Bama Monday-Friday 9AM-5:30PM EST at 888.226.9764 and one of our Bama Custom tuning specialists would be happy to go over things with you. You can also PM me any time.
So my plan was to install my CAI/Tunes over New Year's weekend.
Well, that plan has changed considerably.
Instead, I'm going with the following:
2011 Mustang GT 5.0 (401A)
Black, Brick Red Interior with Cashmere Stripe
HIDs
6MT with 3.73 gears
Comfort Pkg.
Security Pkg.
Brembo Brakes
I'm going to have to return the intake (unless someone wants to buy it!)...but I have to keep the tuner...so I guess I'll get a tune for spring or something after I get a few miles on this bad boy.
Thanks for your detailed reply!! Sorry you were a few days late, but I still appreciate it, and now I have a NEW question!
I sent back the intake, as it won't work with the 5.0, but I kept the tuner. What do I need to do (and how much?) to get it to work with my new Mustang 5.0? Can I use the tuner with no intake? Is there a noticeable benefit to the intake + tune on the 5.0?
The 248 is doing well. Rain took away most of the snow, but it's going to get down to the high 20s next week. Yippee.
can you still run the same tune if you do other mods to your car after the tune? (ie kooks headers) i have a steeda CAI and x3 already and am looking to upgrade my exhaust
can you still run the same tune if you do other mods to your car after the tune? (ie kooks headers) i have a steeda CAI and x3 already and am looking to upgrade my exhaust