Can you folks educate me on a tuner? How does it change the gas mileage and overall life of the engine? Are there risks involved with warranties? Assuming mileage is improved slightly what can one expect for a payback on the cost of a tuner? Aren't there many a scammer chips out there? Please keep in mind from someone without a clue regarding this stuff. thanks.

 

[QUOTE=wittom;4551838]I don't know if anyone is even interested but I'm going to continue to post in this thread untill I get bored.

About 1780mi on the ODO. Filled up the truck today. This time it was pretty low. Old school math gave me 19.79mpg. The onboard display said 19.6mpg.

I'm happy with the V6 but there is something that needs help. I don't know if you V8 or EB folks are experiencing this but the factory tuning sucks in this truck. I know that this V6 has decent power. I can summon it when I need it, most of the time. Had a couple instances recently where the factory tuning prevented me from tapping into the power. Once from a stop I went 3/4 throttle and it fell flat. Nothing for like three seconds and then it eased into the power. Another time I was trying to get up to speed after pulling into traffic. It took way too long to respond to what I was telling it with my right foot.
I am not bored, 691 miles on the last tank of gas. LieOmeter said 21 and doing the numbers by had gave me 22.4 MPG.. I likey. Just for grins, is your traction control on when you have the response problem. I have 3200 miles and everything is fine.

I

 

wittom, I hope you are not getting bored with this thread yet. It has been my favorite thread on here so far. I believe that your reports are honest and not scewed by the fact that you already own this truck and that means that it must be great as sometimes happens with people and their purchases. I am currently am driving a F-150 4.2L 5 speed manual and am hoping that the 3.7L engine proves to be a winner as if I needed another truck today it would be my choice. So please keep your reports coming on here as I cannot be the only one in this situation that is following your reports with great interest. Thank you.

 

I'm glad that people appreciate this thread. I realize that the title makes me sound a bit self centered. I'm really interested in what everyone has to say about the new V6 F150.

DaveRT, the slow throttle is with the TC on. I've never turned it off. Based on my experiance with flash tuners on my previous Ford trucks, I know that Ford has left a lot on the table in the power/response department. They dull the feel of these trucks to make them feel "smoother". I don't need smooth, I want response. Not like a race car, but, well there is more there than they aren't letting us use. A good tune can free up some of that power/response.

Took another trip this weekend. Up to Maine this time. Not way up. Just to Portland then west to Lake Sebago. Took the highway most of the way. I was really expecting to see 22+mpg but when I added fuel in Maine I only got 21.6 on the lie-o-meter and 21.8 by hand. That was with the cruise set at 70, and only a couple times getting on the throttle. 21.8 aint bad but I was driving like a grandpa (wich I am not) so I though it'd do better.

We left my girls family gathering late and had to do a hike out there before heading home, so we were running late. I had to be to work this morning. I didn't drive like a grandpa on the ride home. I95 in this area is a parking lot on weekends, for thoes who don't know that, so there were only a few bursts of speed up to about 85. I495 was moving as was I90. I was able to maintain 75-85 most of the way home. My rural drive in Maine on 302 netted me 22+ mpg on the lie-o-meter, where it stayed untill I hit open road on I495. When we got home the lie-o-meter was giving a reading of 21.3. I think that 21.3 would be pretty good considering I was over 2k rpm a lot of the time, and there were several downshifts to keep the speed up there. When I add fuel again (only used just over 1/4 tank coming home) I'll get an accurate reading.

I'm now wondering if cruise control is actually hurting my mpgs. It's just so lazy with the downshifts. Seems like it has trouble keeping the truck up to speed.

Have I mentioned that this V6 could really use a flash tuner?

bradkrisw, I can just imagine what that was like towing that much weight with this V6. It'll do it, but it's going to make some noise doing it. It is a rev happy motor for sure. Not sure what the deal with the cruise is. Keep us informed if it's a continued problem.

 

i never use cruise... I let my speed vary a few mph on hills in my 5.4 and i see considerably better mileage... Playing with the pedal can net some impressive #'S

 

Filled up today. I assumed that because I did some higher speed/higher rpm driving I would take a hit in mpgs. Not the case. This fill up I got 22.32 old school math with 21.9 on the lie-o-meter. This was with the highway trip from Maine and the rest was city/rural driving. I really thought that i was going to get more like 17-18mpg.

I've concluded that driving like a grandpa does not necessarily translate into better mpgs. So I guess I can start driving like a thirty-something. Well, that is for the remaining five months that I am a thirty-something.

The truck is good. Just hit 4k yesterday. I think I said that I'd hit it a while back but I was mistaken. I rarely feel the need for more power. I've mellowed out my driving, which is probably the reason. There was a point last weekend when I'd driven my wifes cousins 650hp Lightning that I felt grossly inadequate, but I got over that pretty quickly. I've also been informed that there is tuning available for the 3.7 F150, so I hope to add that to my reporting in the near future.

 

Thinking about a tuner for you 3.7? You've got to decide if it's worth the money to you. It's worth it to me.

Loaded in the tunes on the X3 from 5 Star. They were the first one I saw with tuning for the 3.7, and they've been highly reccomended here. I suspect I may try another tuners work, when it's available.

I've only put about 80mi on with the tune, it's better, but not perfect. 5 Star did a great job of unlocking some of the power that Ford muted, but this is a low torque V6 and there isn't any tuner who can change that. My 4X4 V6 F150 just isn't going to be a tire burner. That's ok though, because I doubt that you can get 22mpg while burning the tires. It's got more pep though, above 2k rpm. From a dead stop, it's only slightly better. While rolling, I think that that is where this tune will make this motor shine, based on what I've seen so far.

What I am most impressed with so far is the improvements in shifting. It shifts more like a truck now. If you are familiar with the 4R100, this tune allows OD to be locked for longer, like the 4R100. It doesn't unlock/downshift with every throttle input. There is also less slipping, and I might end up firming it up more.

I'm hoping to see an increase in mpgs, as I am trying very hard to drive it like I want good mpgs. We'll see.

 

Good deal man, the tuners make such a difference

 

That would drive me crazy having it shift so often, good to hear the tuner fixed it.

If I was smart enough to use one/know what I needed I'd like to get one.

 

Matt read the sticky in the Chips/tuners. So helpful. If you need any help, just PM me

 

witton , I will be looking forward to more updates from you as you get more miles on your truck with the tune installed. Also please check your messages as I did not want to hijack your thread.

 

GV1, sorry I didn't respond to your message sooner. I've been pretty busy and missed the fact that I'd even recieved a message. I hadn't checked this thread for a while either. I usually check in when I have some mpg numbers to report. Please let us know how you do if you make the changes that you are proposing. I do think that, based on the milage that I'm seeing with my truck, that a properly equipped 3.7 150 can get 25mpg, maybe better.

Just added fuel today. I haven't drive the truck as much over the past few weeks so it's taken a while to burn through the fuel.

Saw a slight decrease in mpg. Got 21.18, with 20.2 on the lie-o-meter. I'd be dissapointed but this is the first tank with the tunes. I had to do a few full and heavier throttle runs just to make sure that I got what I paid for. I've also had to disconnect the battery a couple times to straighten out some wiring issues to do with the little trailer that I just bought. I towed the little trailer that I just bough home, so there are 50 or so miles towing this 1k lb trailer.

All in all I'd say that this V6 F150 is doing pretty good in the fuel economy department. In addition, I traveled 450mi on this last tank of fuel. The low fuel light hadn't come on yet. I think that's a pretty good range.

Going to be putting a few hundred miles with the little trailer next week. Im quite interested in what kind of penalty I'm going to get in mpg with this trailer.

 

Nice numbers. I received 21.7 mpg with cruise at 70 mph last month. I was using Shell E10 - 87 octane gas.

I purchased a new '91 Chevy 1500 Ext Cab with a 4.3L and 5 speed trans. I would average 25 mph with cruise set at 60 mph on a regular basis. A tuner should get you in the 23+ mpg range. Or, 100% 87 octane and not the E10 blend.

 

If you are getting that kind of mileage, I'm wondering why I didn't go for the 5.0! If I had that kind of power under the hood, I'd use it. I wouldn't be getting 20+ mpg with a 5.0. Others can, I couldn't.

I'd like to see 23 mpg, but I'm not sure I'm going to see it. All fuel around here is E10. This tune unlocks some power, but unless I go for a long, rural drive, I'm going to have a tough time seeing 23 mpg.

For the next trip, I'll be towing 1000+ lbs through the hills of VT. I'd like to see 20 mpg. At least 18-19.

 

Wittom - Did your truck say on the sticker 17mpg in city and 23hwy for your 3.7l ? Also thanks for the reports....... Blue07stx= About how many miles you get on a tank with your eco ? thanks.......Which one would you buy again if its just a daily driver,city and hwy, Eco or the 3.7l ?