I have a 2008 F150 supercrew, 5.4, stock 20" wheels/tires, 3.73 gears with a K&N cold air intake kit and a Borla cat back single side exit exhaust.

I think I've decided on a Custom Tuned SCT X3 tuner from VMP. It looks like I can get 3 custom tunes, 91 performance, 91 tow, 91 mileage. I've seen reference to "canned" tunes and "custom" tunes and I've read a lot of posts but I'm still kind of confused and I don't want to get it wrong. Any suggestions on what I need to ask for? Is there some other "custom" tune that I should be looking for other than the ones listed above?

Also I see a lot of different opinions on cold air intakes. Some refer to simply modifying the stock intake. It may be a stupid question but would I be better off putting the stock intake back on and modifying it?

Last question, I'm averaging about 11.5 mpg city / hwy driving (actual mileage divided by gallons) which seems low. I know its a truck but others say they get quite a bit more than that. FYI, the above mileage was with no payload, not towing anything, just me in the truck.

 

Did you read the stickys? They explain custom and canned tunes very well.

VMP should offer 87 and/or 91/93 tunes. Are you choosing 91 on purpose?

A custom tune will account for your intake and exhaust. A canned tune will not. Your intake is fine; the Gotts mod accomplishes the same thing - just a lot less expensive. I would leave the the intake on and get a custom tune.

Your mileage does seem a little low. How many miles on the truck? Has the MPG recently declined? Have any other historical MPG data?

 

how hard do you drive??


honestly since you have the K&N you may see an increase but when I removed the K&N from my truck and did the gotts mod it ran better (on an '01 5.4)

a custom tune is just that it's custom for your truck

a canned tune is a generic tune that is designed to be better than stock but not much

 

I'm sorry to seem dumb on this but I am kinda confused. I've read everything I can find and I think its the terminology that is confusing me. I've checked the VMP order sheet for the custom SCT X3 and it has "custom tune 1, 2, 3" so I'm assuming that this is in fact a "custom" tune since it is called that, specifically for my truck and mods. I also see the preloaded "generic tune" SCT X3 so I figure this is the "canned tune" which is more generic. Hopefully this is correct. I was thinking of the 91 octane tune because that is the type of gas that I use here in California.

As far as the truck goes, I've had it since it was new. Its 2wd, has 10,500 miles on it, using Ford's full synthetic oil. I'm pretty easy on the throttle and I'm only usually a few miles over the speed limit. Ever since I've been checking it has been from 10.5 to 13 mpg depending on whether I do more or less highway driving. Unfortunately I changed the intake before really driving it much so I don't know what the original mileage was. I do have the stock 3.73 gears and 20" wheels/ tires. Thanks for the clarification, I just want to make sure I get the right tuner.

 

You have it figured out!

I was thinking you might want to use 87 octane since you are not really looking for dragster performance and it would save you some $.

I have always heard that unless you have a tuner, you really shouldn't use a higher octane fuel as it increases carbon deposits and can burn out the cats sooner. This might be an urban myth. Maybe one of the many engine gurus can straighten me out...

 

my truck got better mileage with the 91 tune

 

you can get whatever octane tune you want from VMP and u can choose from performance, tow, and economy also. i would get 87 performance for atleast one of them. then maybe an 87 economy if your worried about mileage. justin at VMP has always said that they respond really well to low octane gas and thats what i have and love it.

my first tune(87 performance) i noticed my gas mileage wasnt as good as when i had a canned tune. i told justin and he sent me a new one for free to try and make it better, seems good right now im still testing it, i havnt done any calculations yet.

 

I agree with shotgunz with the higher octane fuel combustion chamber temp decreases. This can causes incomplete burning of fuel which could be the problem. Before you get a tuner switch back to 87 and unhook the battery or the pcm for a couple minutes to reset kam may also get some kind of combustion cleaner

 

Hi-octane fuel on a tune designed for 87 will reduce power @ upper rpm's. Premium fuel is harder to 'light off' - once under way, though the flame front purty much propagates the same. Are you thinking that because of this, the unburned portion is causing a temp reduction? Anyone.?

This is the reason the tune needs adjustments to ignition advance to work correctly - to account for the 'delay' if you will.

Some tunes work in conjunction with the knock sensors to eek out every erg of energy possible - running just shy of the incipient knock threshold - in essence adapting somewhat to the octane available. hi-octane perf tune will occasionally, very briefly knock a couple 'pings' depending how hard I launch - this is normal, not harmful, and confirms that the tune is right where it should be...

 

I left VMP tuning about an hour ago and here is what I notice so far.

First off I took out my Edge and returned it to stock last week and from Edge to stock WOW it is a freaking sled. But it wasnt running right with the canned tunes so that is why it had to go. I did the research and found VMP and that was what is in my truck now. As I pulled into Justins driveway I was stock and when I pulled out my truck was tuned with the 87 Performance tune and the tuner had the 87 economy and the 93 performance installed as well. After an hour of running errands around town with all city driving my MPGs went up 2 and the power gain was definitely noticeable. Of course results are not fully accurate since I did hammer the gas a few times to feel the get up and go.

I am very happy with the VMP tunes and cant wait to fill up again with 93 and try that tune! Thanks again Justin

Mac

 

yeah justins tunes are great, i can only compare to hypertech canned tuned but they are far superior, agreed.

i dont mean to get off subject but i noticed after returning to stock and reprograming my truck, my SCT X3 unit says "unlocks raimaining = 4" whats that all about?

 

The unlocks remaining means that you can use the tuner on another 4 trucks/cars. Say you sell your 06 and buy a 2010 you can then use it and it would say 3 unlocks remaining. The Xcals will work on up to 5 different vin#'s

 

What will happen if I run the 91 octane tune and the wife incorrectly puts in 87 octane fuel. Or if I run the 87 octane tune and the wife incorrectly puts in 91 octane fuel.

 

so i can return to stock as many times as i want? i was afraid it meant i coud only return to stock 4 more times and then it was locked........

 

Yes you are fine returning it to stock as it will not affect the number of unlocks on the same Vin#. The unlocks actaully pertain to vin #'s