Another generic question about whose tune I should use.

[purebe]

Hi, sorry for posting yet another thread on this topic, but, I have to ask: unleashed or livernois?

SHOdded said ~4.0 would be possible with 'a tune, 3 bar sensor, colder TStat, and (yes, top tier) 93.'  Although I've been reading tons of posts about it and now I'm also somewhat concerned about life expectancy: is that overdoing it for a 2015 non-pp that has dreams of living to 150-300k miles over 8-10 years?

Would it help the lifespan issues if I go with torrie (I don't live anywhere near either of them) and get it data logged? (Not sure I have anywhere TO data log it though is only issue there )  Or is that a good for performance, not so good for life of parts kind of thing?

Is there any data that compares the two tunes without custom data logging by any kind of metrics?  I've been looking for this stuff but I haven't found anything like that.  Are they both still holding good records on engine life (it seems like it but some people have made some vague comments about the engines or trannys dying early but I don't know if that was related to tuning or what their sources were.)

I still have to wait a bit before I do anything sadly because the car is still jerking really badly on shifts, but it's doing it less frequently now (850mi mark.)  I took it to the dealership for service and they had me drive around to try to reproduce it, of course, it didn't happen.  It was suggested to me that I write down any details about when it was happening so they could try to reproduce it, but, to this point I have no better ideas.  To be honest it kind of makes me afraid to tune it because if I'm just driving around doing damage to the transmission... ugh.  Don't want to think about it.

[bpd1151]

Oh dear God..... puhleeze..... not yet another thread on this debacle.

Just close it. Close the thread now, and direct the OP to the many other threads on this exact issue, that has been debated for years now.

The search feature is your friend. Embrace it. Then make your own choice. Period.

Goodness. ***smh***

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[purebe]

Most of the threads that are post 2013 have this "just don't talk about it it's a dead horse" attitude but it's made it very difficult to find recent information on the topic.

I've read a lot of the discussion about various tuners, and it seems like these are the best options, but I've found almost no discussion about the differences between them except for again back 2010-2013, and I can't believe that information would be up to date.  I mean there's the superfluous almost difference of custom datalogging vs no custom datalogging, but practically what does that mean to me as the end user?  Is a custom datalogged tune better performance/better life, or better performance/worse life?  Or better performance/life not affected by any significant amount.  Or is it hard/impossible to say?  I have no idea where else to get that kind of information without asking and I haven't seen anyone discuss it yet in the 10+ hours I've spent searching/reading about tuning this car.

Also tuning may be a mild routine thing for you or other people here, it's a big deal for me.  This is my first time doing anything aftermarket, and it's on a brand new car no less!  If nothing else, it goes a long way to just explain what I'm thinking and get some reassurance by people who know what they're actually doing, to help make sure I'm not going down a route meant strictly for track days that's expected to need a "rebuilt" major part or something every 50-100k miles and I appreciate that greatly!

[SHOdded]

I honestly don't think it is a which tuner debate, as long as you stick with a reputable tuner, the two most frequently used currently being Unleashed Tuning and Livernois Motorsports Engineering.  A smaller group of owners also swears by Leading Edge Tuning and our newest tuner, AJPturbo.  Tuning experience in the F150 does not translate to tuning experience in the SHO, so don't make the mistake of "deriving" experience by reputation on a different platform.  And yes, in some ways, the F150 is a different platform than the SHO.

Datalogging or simply driving on the tune your tuner gives you - that's your choice.  I personally like datalogging because I am a data-nut   I think I have filled up a few drives with just datalogs & analysis.  But you do not have to go that route at all.  You may not even have the option to do so.  I haven't seen any indication that reliability is affected in the least either way.  And you can get LME to customize your tune without datalogging if that's what you want them to do.  Tell them what you want to "fix"/"improve" and they will accommodate you.

The first thing you have to keep in mind with tuning is that you need to give it a solid foundation to work with.  SO, that means, if you want to be ultra careful, and this is all IMHO from what I have read so far:

• Break the car in on its' stock tune for at least a 1000 miles so all the parts are known to work well together.  KNOW how your car reacts to varying situations, so you have a baseline to work with.  Get any nagging issues straightened out, have them on record with Ford if they need to be.  Definitely ask questions.  Read up on TSBs and recalls so far on the 2010-on vehicles.
• Realize that with a tune, you are turning a jogger into a runner.  You in particular are looking for more of a marathoner than a sprinter.  But I do not think the two are mutually exclusive.  Why?  Tunes have the capacity to tighten the powertrain performance parameters, delivering better performance AND better mpg simultaneously.  That is the best of both worlds!
• Tuned vehicles will always require more rigorous maintenance schedules and better in-use products than stock to deliver a similar lifespan.  Expect PTU fluid changes, transmission fluid changes, full synthetic engine oil changes, spark plug changes etc.  at least on a severe duty service schedule (owners manual or online).  If you even think you might cheap out on this, tuning is NOT for you.
• Realize that bumps along the way (stock or tuned) are BOUND to happen, and you should be rigorous in following up when they do.  For example, fuel injectors do tend to leak over time.  If tuned, you should always return the tune to stock, swap out the 3bar MAP to 3bar MAP, etc.  when taking in the car for service to a dealer (trusted or not).
• Carry the tuner and 2bar MAP with you on long trips.  Sometimes you have to refuel in places where fuel quality is poor or you simply cannot get 93, for example.  So you might want to downgrade to an 89 tune when only 91 is available.
• I might get bashed for saying this, but don't be out of warranty as long as you do not have to.  It will more than likely pay for itself over the ownership term.  Dealership pricing can be quite high compared to other service centers, so OOP can be a real OUCHIE.

HTH.

[ZSHO]

FYI.. .There will be NO such Bashing of any such respected Tuners on the Board.  Z

[ZSHO]

Most of the threads that are post 2013 have this "just don't talk about it it's a dead horse" attitude but it's made it very difficult to find recent information on the topic.

I've read a lot of the discussion about various tuners, and it seems like these are the best options, but I've found almost no discussion about the differences between them except for again back 2010-2013, and I can't believe that information would be up to date.  I mean there's the superfluous almost difference of custom datalogging vs no custom datalogging, but practically what does that mean to me as the end user?  Is a custom datalogged tune better performance/better life, or better performance/worse life?  Or better performance/life not affected by any significant amount.  Or is it hard/impossible to say?  I have no idea where else to get that kind of information without asking and I haven't seen anyone discuss it yet in the 10+ hours I've spent searching/reading about tuning this car.

Also tuning may be a mild routine thing for you or other people here, it's a big deal for me.  This is my first time doing anything aftermarket, and it's on a brand new car no less!  If nothing else, it goes a long way to just explain what I'm thinking and get some reassurance by people who know what they're actually doing, to help make sure I'm not going down a route meant strictly for track days that's expected to need a "rebuilt" major part or something every 50-100k miles and I appreciate that greatly!

I think a good place to start would be by adding your signature with your current vehicle,thanks.  Z

[AJP turbo]

FYI.. .There will be NO such Bashing of any such respected Tuners on the Board.  Z

Am i allowed to bash myself?

Anywho,....if you are having issues pre tune and you are concerned about longevity with a tune, then quite honestly im surprised you are even considering a tune.

Think about what you are asking or what you want....it sounds like you want to push the performance to at or past the design limits of the components of the car but want it to last a normal life or longer...

[SHOdded]

As long as the power ("reasonable" level such as max of 350-400 awhp) and maintenance go hand in hand, I don't think it's "unreasonable" to expect a "normal" lifespan.  I suggested the maximum warranty to guard against having a "lemon" on your hands, and enjoy long enough to decide whether you want to go for that 300K-400K mile status.

[purebe]

Hey sorry for the late follow up, wasn't at the computer past few days - but seriously thanks for all the great advice, I really appreciate it.  Go the extra mile on maintenance, and then just pick whichever tune option is the most convenient/cheapest for what I want.  Really glad to know that's what the case still is, thank you!

[StealBlueSho]

Oh dear God..... puhleeze..... not yet another thread on this debacle.

Just close it. Close the thread now, and direct the OP to the many other threads on this exact issue, that has been debated for years now.

The search feature is your friend. Embrace it. Then make your own choice. Period.

Goodness. ***smh***

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

But really... What's the pros and cons of LME vs Unleashed? I cant quite get my head wrapped around it... TIA...

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[bpd1151]

Confucius says....do your research young EB owner.

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[StealBlueSho]

Confucius says....do your research young EB owner.

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LOL... I was just trolling... apparently not working...

[FearlessAZ]

Longevity will all depend on maintenance and how hard you beat on your vehicle. I have a friend who has a 78 Dodge truck that has 450K miles and still runs strong as an ox. Her dad took care of it and did the maintenance RELIGIOUSLY.

You can throw a little more power on your vehicle but if you are constantly flooring it or trying to be the king of the streets, don't expect it to last long. There are so many different factors that dictate this.

All of the suggested tuners above are awesome. There really is no right or wrong answer to the question. The reason why there is not a whole lot of newer conversations on the subject is because the argument is still the same. They are all reliable, reputable and offer a good product.