...As I've heard it called.

If I were to buy one of Mike's custom XCal2's and run it BEFORE I install any other performance mods (intake, exhaust, and e-fans) on my bone stock '03 5.4l S-Crew, when I add other mods after that, will I get as good results as if I had installed the other mods first?

The only reason I ask is that my birthday is in June and my wife is already trying to figure out what to buy me. She said she was planning on getting me something for the truck, and she knows the prices for everything I've been wanting, so an XCal2 could be my birthday present. Should I get a few other mods under the hood first or go ahead and show her the XCal2 portion of Mike's website???

 

I would buy the other stuff first, then have it taylored with them in place to maximize performance.

 

I would go for an XCal2 Tuner and AF1 CAI, because the AF1 does need a slight adjustment in tuning, anything else can be added later on without any adjustment needed... excluding a SuperCharger.....thats going to need a whole new set of tunes.....

Troyer can combo a TUNER and CAI, just call..!!!

my 2 cents...

 

Get all the goodies you want first, then add the tuner. Minor alterations later may not really need a tune change, but several minors added together make a major in auto performance. Of course, you could blow the birthday wad on a blower!

 

Actually, I strongly recommend doing the tuning first - for numerous obvious reasons........... (well, obvious to me as a professional vehicle modifier, I shuld say! )

First, it's by far the single best bang for the buck, as nothing else for anywhere near the same or less cost will do nearly as much for the performance of your vehicle.

Second, there is nothing you can add later on that we cannot simply email you any updates that may be needed for your tuning - and about the only things that are going to affect a 2004 & up F-150's tuning in practical terms are a really big intake kit and maybe a supercharger - in practical terms - and all of that we can simply do by email.

Third - you *cannot* run most intake kits that actually add real power on a 2004 & up F-150 or Expedition on the stock factory tune, as they lean out the engine.

Now years ago, and until just in teh past couple of years really, the common school of thought *was* to do all your mechanical mods first, and then do your tuning last - because you had to send a chip back and forth, etc., and it was a PITA - but that is years ago by now, and thankfully both technology and capabilities have come so much further that there is simply no valid reason you should ever need to put off the single best bang for the buck until you do other modifications.

Anyway - I suggest that before you go making any hard fast decisions, giving us a call so we can go over this with you properly, so that you can at least make your decision from a properly informed position.

Thanks for your post, happy birthday & best of luck whatever you decide on this!

 

As usual, Mike spanks me while I am thinking of ways of old. I forgot about the email changing capability. I was thinking my way down the mail it off get it back later road.

 

Thanks Mike and 98Navi...

After speaking (arguing) with my wife about finances, I'm going to put off ANY mods to my S-Crew until the fall. Obviously, the cost of her hairstylist, snake oil, and QVC junk is OK, but spending MY hard earned dollars on tangible, legitimate goods is NOT... So, now that I have to wait, the XCal2/AF-1 CAI combo will end up being my next purchase (whenever it happens...)

It's funny, actually... I'm a Network Administrator and she works as a Deli Clerk in a local grocery store. The problem is she lives her life in pessimistic fear. She's the Queen of "What if..."

 

Don't bring your wifey problems in here Just kidding man.

Get the tune. It makes your engine more efficient.

 

I know, I just had to vent... I'm done. I'm just impatient and don't want to wait.

 

Dude, you go about it all wrong. She'll never know that you installed a tune, its programming, aka not visible. Take 20 or 30 bucks a week and hide it in a shirt pocket in the closet, one you never wear and she'll never touch. In just a couple months time, you'll be adding your new tune!

(what they don't know, won't hurt'em) And my favorite one, (It doesn't matter how good she looks, somebody else is tired of her chit!)

 

We're renegotiating to figure out how much of an allowance we can afford and still be able to put away "just in case". I'm figuring $100 a month should help me out a bit and really isn't going to hurt us.

 

Sell the tupperware you find with the multibillion dollar sat's and your on the money!

 

BRUZRs_Daddy,Wait a minute your birthday is in june right.The combo deal ordered now will get to you by your birthday---you following me.The payment is not posted on the card till the order is ready to ship.Therefore if you talk the love of your life into the combo for your b-day,it's a done deal!

 

Hi Fellas,

Well, we all have those kinds of things to deal with - most of us have wives who sometimes take a dim view on us wanting to do performance mods. In my case, I'm lucky i that my wife will let me do anything - but the BAD part is, whatever I do to my truck, I have to do to hers, too - so it costs me TWICE as much!!! So I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

And for 98Navi - didn't mean to rain on your parade at all, as up until fairly recently you would be dead right - this whole thing of the email update capability and having flash-devices that can take custom tunes via email, etc., is less than 3 years old - it started in late 2003, and up until then, that is how it was. Thankfully, now we have far better capabilities in this industry in this regard, so people can really do their mods in order of bang for the buck and get updates via email if needed - thanks for your post!