Hello, first of all, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Jake.

Now that we've met, I'd like to ask for your help in purchasing this Lightning.


I will provide you with a link to the truck. It doesn't list any of the modifications (That's where I need the assistance), but it will tell you the year/mileage/price as to which I'd like to hear your opinions...

Link:
http://www.carclassifiedsbystate.com...174/index.html

To answer your first question, The pink skull that is over the Ford emblem is a sticker, and I have already removed after my (first) test drive.

So let me tell you where my issue lies..

I call the dealership to schedule a test drive. They tell me that the truck is at a local performance shop being emissions tested. They said that the "map" on the truck is not able to pass current emissions standards. They basically said they must "un tune" the truck in order to make it pass emissions. With that being said; I know that you can "re-map" an ECU to handle modifications made to a vehicle but that is the extent of my knowledge.

The type of re-mapping has been done by a handheld device that plugs into the OBDII port. I don't know the name of it (sorry).

THE PROBLEM: The truck has been at this shop for about 3 days now. Claiming that after the map is redone that it takes approx 40 miles of driving for the Check Engine codes to clear...? That doesn't make sense to me. When you "re map" the computer, is there really still "learning" time after that?

Since this shop has been trying to accomplish the emissions task over the last 3 days, I've been to talk to the mechanic, and I've driven the truck once.


The truck was running rough under full load. I was going 50 mph, I floored it, and the truck stuttered so hard that it almost died (Then after that I smelt what I thought was burnt rubber. I thought the truck just didn't "hook up").

The mechanic told me that it was because he had "un tuned" it, and it wasn't getting enough fuel under full load. He also said that it could blow up the motor if the truck was driven with the current air/fuel mixture.

So I guess my main concern is that I'm going to buy a truck with computer/tuning problems. They have the aforementioned handheld tuner that the previous owner used to flash the ECU, and they can't figure out how to take this tune out temporarily in order to pass the vehicle? That doesn't make much sense to me.

Also... The modifications done to the vehicle are a bit fuzzy. I do know that it has an upgraded supercharger. I was told it was a kenny bell supercharger by one of the employees, but then the mechanic later told me that it was ported and polished. I was also told that the pulley has been changed, and the MAF was replaced with a larger one. The truck is loud. I'm not sure if the exhaust has been changed. Could the porting/polishing of the charger be solely responsible for the change in sound?

I apologize for the convulsive nature of my post. My lack of knowledge make it difficult for me to appropriately ask some of the questions.

I just received a call that said the vehicle had finally passed emissions (So they finally figured it out) and they are going to put the "tune back in" for the modifications. I will be driving the truck again tomorrow. I need to make sure that they don't have as much trouble putting the tune back in. I want to make sure the truck is running right before I buy it.

I'm hoping that you veterans can give me some things to look at/look out for when purchasing the truck.
Any information that you could offer me would be helpful..

What air/fuel ratio should I be looking for when driving the truck? 9? 10?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I look forward to getting to know everybody


-Jake

 

Yes, anytime the computer has been accessed or the battery disconected, the truck has to be driven 50 or so miles to clear the P1000 code before it can be tested. This is to keep people from modifying just for an emmissions test.

 

looks like the stock eaton supercharger

Could be ported but no way to know except to take it off

Looks like an aftermarket throttle body and intake and MAF

Yes after tuning there is a learning cycle before the emissions systems are "ready"

If they can show you a dyno run with a proper a/f throughout the rpm range then you should be fine

 

That looks like the stock eaton, and it has a aftermarket MAF and throttle body. What i would recommend is got to lightningrodder.com and start a post, its a tight community so someone may recognize the truck and be able to tell you everything about it.

 

The dealers mechanic doesn't know crap about tuning.....who knows what they're playing with.....

A properly maintained tuned truck can and will pass emissions testing without being put back to stock ....

 

If a tuner knows what they're doing usually the p1000 is turned off in the custom file but cannot be when returned to stock.....

 

Nope, you can't turn off the P1000 code!
It can be tuned to run all the test faster and some things like EGR,back O2sensors can be eliminated from the tune. But the only way to clear the P1000 is to complete the drive cycle.
http://www.obdii.com/drivecycleford.html

I'm very surprised you did not blow the truck up going full power without the proper tune in it!

 

Wrong......I know that Bill @PHP does turn it off in the custom tune file......

And I did say that it CANNOT be turned off in the stock calibration....

 

lol. NOPE!
If my tuner could turn it off. We wouldn't have spent so much time trying to get my truck inspected. We would turn it off and run it through the inspection line.
It can NOT be done!!!!!
You can clear the hole computer but the P1000 will STILL be there.

 

Bill must be a god then......cause he knows how to....

I've even scanned my pcm after loading one of Bill's custom files and its not there.....sorry...

 

Thank you for the information. They are tuning it on the dyno and I will ask them to produce this slip for me. That's very helpful

 

don't drive it, until it's tuned properly by someone who's not an idiot

that shop is full of crap

 

I personally would look elsewhere. Why would you buy that piece of crap for so much money with all those problems??? I got an 03 with 64k after bargaining a bit for 12,800.00 man. Drove it back home over 300 miles with out a hitch. Keep looking and save your self the headache and the bs they are feeding you at the dealer...you'll regret it if you dont.

Gd luck.

 

Agreed price is too high!

 

Any time you purchase a vehicle that has been modified, and you don't know for sure what these modifcations are, you could be inheriting big trouble.