im getting a cai in the next few weeks and also getting a edge evo programmer. ive seen a lot of people say that if you have a cai and get the programmer you will run into problems but that was with 04 and up trucks.

will this happen with a 2001 and will i get the hp and torque from the tuner if i dont use the performance level and just use the 1st and 2nd levels?

 

First, you should not have the lean problem. It's possible, but not likely. The main problem is with 2004-2005 5.4s.

Level one is just a shifting tune, no additional power. Level 2 is a towing tune, a lot more power in the lower end. Good for towing and around town. level 3 is your high performance tune and really the one you want to play with.

Keep in mind that you do not get the full benefit of the CAI with and Edge's canned tunes. You need a custom tune for that. The Edge program is written for a stock intake.

 

To be clear, the problem is not the combination of a CAI and a programmer. The problem is the combination of a CAI with an 04 or 05 5.4 engine. Ford engineered those engines to run in a nearly lean condition from the factory, so adding a CAI to this scenario pushes it over the edge. Adding a programmer like the Evo doesn't help, but it also doesn't (significantly) hurt. The solution, like has been mentioned many other times, is to get a custom tune to account for the increased airflow.

 

oh ok. so if im not going to get custom tunes and i already have a cai and muffler then i shouldnt get a tuner?? cause i most likely wont have money to buy custom tunes..

but does the 2nd and 3rd level make a noticable difference?? i mean it says you have to use 89 and 91 octane so thats already going to cost more.

 

you will have no problems i've been running a cai and canned tunes, on my 03 for a year. a tuner is the best way to get power for less then $500.

 

Again, the leanness is not seen in 03s; only in 04s and 05s. If you don't have money for custom tunes right now, I'd get a Gryphon and just run the canned tunes until you can afford custom tunes. PHP charges only $30 for each tune, though, which seems like just a drop in the bucket compared to a CAI, exhaust, and programmer. Also, you use 87 in both levels 1 and 2. In level 3, you have to use 91; however, many people experience better gas mileage with level 3.

 

ohh ok. what will happen if i dont use the 91 octane gas? will i just not see as much performance i would normally see? and would it hurt my engine?

 

91 octane gas should give you improved performance. Your engine was designed for 87 octane. Neither fuel will hurt it.

- Jack

 

If you have a tune calling for 91, like level 3 on the Edge and Gryphon, and you run 87, you can damage the engine. You can retard the timing but that is not recommended.

 

Thanks, Jim - you're absolutely correct. I should have mentioned that.

- Jack

 

i was gonn a ask if it would hurt to run level 3 with 87 octane. this answered my questions. good thing i looked b.4 i posted.
jack, got another ?, on my custom tunes, i just ordered 2 custom. these are the calibrations in exact order i asked for:

calibration 1: stock-tranny only
calibration 2: custom- 87 tow
calibration 3: custom- 87 performance.

now i understand level 2 & 3. what does level 1 do?

 

Good question -

Level 1 adjusts things in the transmission only. The line pressure, torque reduction during shifts and the delay between clutch release and lockup are all modified to give you a better "shift" feel (and to contribute to the longevity of the transmission). There are no changes to fueling, spark or anything that would effect the operation of the engine.

What you've asked for is fine. It's about what I asked for, except I got this:So the only real difference is where we had the tunes put. I've never used the Level 3 tune in my truck at all, so I could have easily had the tunes placed where you have them.

- Jack

 

ohh..ok...i remember corey telling me to use my 87 performance as my daily driver. so being i dont got that tune and wont have to its done, you think running the truck on 87 tow will do any harm? i would imagine not.

 

You'll be fine running the canned 87 tow tune until you get your custom tunes. There are a lot of people on here that do that. I even did it for a while.

 

Ok. I get it today so hopefully when I get home I can hook it up and see what it's all about. I guess the 1st thing I should do when I get it is download Pegasus?