Looking for my options..

[nathanf2009]

I'm not too savvy in the tuning realm of cars. I had a CAI and exhaust on my previous truck with no tune. I have a CAI and possibly headers planned out for my car. Just wanting to go with basic bolt-on's for now..this might change Soooo my question is what are my options as far as tuning? This is my daily driver unfortunately so it has to be practical. What i'm basically wanting if at all possible is a way to change my tuning in real-time. For isntance my brother has a f150 king ranch and he has a programmer and it features different settings for different enviroments...like one for fuel economy...one for tow...another for extreme(race)...I would like something like this for my car so it would be more practical. Fuel economy setting when going to work...and the race setting when I goto the track or wanna crack on some mustang ass. Is this available? I'd hate to remove Active Fuel Management completely, but if its the only option then I guess i'll have to go that route....thanks in advance!

['02 ws6]

If that's what you're only interested in, you're one of few where I think the best case scenario for you would be the Superchips Cortex 2950 tuner. You can change tunes based on octane level, adjust the Tq Mgmt setting which will make your car shift/feel like a whole 'nother monster, and even disable AFM only if you want to. It's rumored to be releasing a CAI tune as well so that might be another positive for you.

Now, if you are seriously planning the header route, I would say go get a custom tune now, just to save on the retune when your headers are on. If you spend the $350 now on a Superchips, you're going to have to spend another $350-$400 on a custom tune for the headers. That way you spend the $350-$400 on a custom tune now, and only $150-$250 max, maybe less on a retune. Plus a custom tune will give you more precise tune over your mods, and even open up the possibility of any future mods. Hope this helps. There are many board sponsors that offer custom tunes from CAI only to CAI and Headers, and etc etc. Many in mail order form, so give some a call if that's the route you want to take. Hope this helps.

James

[nathanf2009]

If that's what you're only interested in, you're one of few where I think the best case scenario for you would be the Superchips Cortex 2950 tuner. You can change tunes based on octane level, adjust the Tq Mgmt setting which will make your car shift/feel like a whole 'nother monster, and even disable AFM only if you want to. It's rumored to be releasing a CAI tune as well so that might be another positive for you.

Now, if you are seriously planning the header route, I would say go get a custom tune now, just to save on the retune when your headers are on. If you spend the $350 now on a Superchips, you're going to have to spend another $350-$400 on a custom tune for the headers. That way you spend the $350-$400 on a custom tune now, and only $150-$250 max, maybe less on a retune. Plus a custom tune will give you more precise tune over your mods, and even open up the possibility of any future mods. Hope this helps. There are many board sponsors that offer custom tunes from CAI only to CAI and Headers, and etc etc. Many in mail order form, so give some a call if that's the route you want to take. Hope this helps.

James

Wow so the cortex is the only one available? I looked it up...didn't seem impressive...how significant are the fuel economy difference between No Dod and DoD? I wish theyre was a better option for turning active fuel management on and off

['02 ws6]

Well in a custom tune they can change the characteristics of AFM, but most just disable it. They can increase the percentage of throttle in which it stays activated IIRC, IE - 15% and less throttle with stock being 12% it think. With it activating in 12% throttle or less conditions, that means you have to be on basically flat or a slight downhill road for it to STAY enabled. The primary reason it's disabled by people is it's vibration, and its tendency to drone on the highway with any aftermarket exhaust (outside of Corsa reportedly). I'd venture off to say you might lose AT MOST 1-1.5mpgs when you disable it, but you will almost more than make up that difference with a GOOD custom tune, so its a fair trade off. Hell, with the way some people drive, they've actually experience NO change in mpg, so it's all in your driving characteristics and likes/dislikes.

[nathanf2009]

Well in a custom tune they can change the characteristics of AFM, but most just disable it. They can increase the percentage of throttle in which it stays activated IIRC, IE - 15% and less throttle with stock being 12% it think. With it activating in 12% throttle or less conditions, that means you have to be on basically flat or a slight downhill road for it to STAY enabled. The primary reason it's disabled by people is it's vibration, and its tendency to drone on the highway with any aftermarket exhaust (outside of Corsa reportedly). I'd venture off to say you might lose AT MOST 1-1.5mpgs when you disable it, but you will almost more than make up that difference with a GOOD custom tune, so its a fair trade off. Hell, with the way some people drive, they've actually experience NO change in mpg, so it's all in your driving characteristics and likes/dislikes.

Good deal I think i'll go the custom tune route...should i wait and get the cai and then do the tune...then get headers and do a retune?

['02 ws6]

That would be a good idea, even better would be to just do headers and CAI at the same time to save even more money. It may bug you to be stock for a while, but try to plan for the future and do as much at once that fits w/in your budget.

Now you can get a way with running a CAI tuneless, like myself, then get a tune once you have headers. Your ECM will adjust to the CAI a little, but you won't reap the full benefits until it's tuned.