I have dealt with a lot of tuners over the years and I have kind of come to the conclusion that they are like artists. They don't really have a concept of time and sometimes business.

I have never personally met a tuner I didn't like. They are great guys and fun to talk with. Once you actually talk with them, it is hard to get mad, because they normally really care about their work and they think they are "creating" something for you "special". They want it right.

None the less, they are making something for you that is going to determine if your engine worth thousands of dollars is going to function right. In addition, how well it is done can either make your daily life fun or bad. I have had some bad tunes where the car runs like crap and then when I get good tune in it, it is like HOLY CRAP this nice!

Always best to go with someone you trust. It is not like buying a part and having it shipped to your door. Expect for it to take time. But I have ALWAYS found that tuners need to be pushed some to get it done. So call them about once a week.

I have become convinced that what tuners do, I might be able to do myself and have started to look into doing my own tunes. Because it takes so much time.

 

Glen,

One of the things I recommend you do if you decide to do your own tuning is to take a tuning class. There are many things you'll learn which will help you get a better start, avoid potentially costly mistakes, and you'll be able to bounce questions off someone. Go with the PRP solution. HP Tuners is less money but they are missing some very important parameters which you'll need to make an optimal tune. Keep in mind though that most of the tuning experience you'll get in these classes comes from people who do a lot of Mustang tuning, not F150. Despite what some people say, there is a difference (I have a feeling people who say such things haven't tuned a lot of F150s). The tables and scalars are all pretty much there in both applications but the values used are very different in many places.

You'll need to data log the results of everything to find out what works best for you --- this includes a G-force meter like the P-tech. This is so you'll know how your tweaks impact vehicle acceleration.

 

Glen - If you are interested in tuning, buy the LaSota training disc. It explains the SCT tuning. Scroll down...the best $ 50 I ever spent.http://www.lasotaracing.com/mailorder.html

DM - You said, "Now, about MTF files, I'd be curious to see some of them, to see if they are truly custom (ie, how much of it is just an SCT value file tune with a few minor tweaks). The tunes I've made for my Roush have zero parameters imported from SCT value files. I've watched Mike Troyer as well.. he does the same thing. Not everyone out there does that."

SCT value files are used by everyone using the SCT tuning system. Once they are modified or tweaked, they are saved as a new value file. A new value file could be a stock table with 100 cells and only two have been changed, but it might be worth saving with a different name as a new value file to be used again.

It is possible that some tuners do their best to maintain a certain mystique about tuning. Could be.

 

I tend to believe they are used by those not competent enough or too lazy/busy to write their own tunes from scratch. SCT's value files in many cases aren't very good, and miss a lot of things --- even some of the basics, imho, and F150 is one example, especially their blower files. For instance, in the 5.4 3v blower files the driver demand tables are really bad... all wrong. SCT's value files are there as a starting place for novices and intermediate tuners - folks who can't write their own driver demand tables, MAF transfer functions, etc. Their Mustang files are better than their F150 files, and so are their diesel files, but neither set is what I consider "optimal."

Its also possible that tooners who don't know their stuff want people to believe that. I've seen certain tooners files... and its rather telling when you see that many of the things they supposedly did are really SCT value files. Maybe its laziness, maybe its lack of skill.... but either case I think its sub-standard. There are only a handful of really good F150 tuners out there.

 

I for one, took my 08 Harley to a reputable Mustang tuner who said he could do all the bells and whistles for me a tune. Make it run unbelievable!!!! HE WILL NOW NOT TOUCH A F-150 Supercharged now. He now sends them to Toryer or someone else. We both went to school on this issue. I had spent $$$ and did not have anything but a nightmare and my tuner had egg on his face. The reg Ford F-150 may all be simple but the Harley with the Saleen is by itself and Toryer and my tuner fixed me up. I was able to speak with Mike and he worked with my tuner as well to get me going. With in a week after all the data was logged and sent to him MY PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED.
As for the start of this thread, If I buy something and you charge my card prior to delivery I am going to bug the **** out of you till I get my stuff.. After some time of no satisfaction I am going to call my credit card and file a complaint for my $$$$ back, WHICH WILL HAPPEN!!! You have to take car of you business yourself and protect your $$$$. I have many years of performance enhancements under my belt and as far back as I can remember good things come to those that wait. Some things just take time. I have thrown many $$$ out the window by not doing this. Tuners take care of the of their in house scheduled work and their mail order comes next. In my case with the Harley and the supercharger I wanted a safe tune since FORD did not warrant to put the lightning MTR. in these. Thy put in the stock mtr. and the charger on top. That made good sense and then called it a 450 HP output pkg!!!! Everone has to vent but only YOU have control of the outcome!!!! You created it, you deal with it!!! No matter how much you spend or how long it takes, in the end you should be happy. If your not don't play the blame game. DO YOU RESEACH AND ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!




DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT

BACKIN BLACK

 

Both times that I had my truck tuned ( by the same guy) It was an ordeal. The guy who did it is well versed in cobras, lightnings, and mustangs, but my truck threw him for a loop. The first time he had it for almost a week and a half, and the second time after the engine build and more boost it took 4 days. All he could say was "Holy crap, I didn't think it would be this different". Granted It's not that common to run into a guy with a turbo'd F-150, but he is very experienced and it still was difficult. That leads me to believe that tuning a 3v F-150 is pretty different than say tuning a 3v mustang. But I still wouldn't wait 3 months. That's ridiculous.

 

Here's one tuners opinion on the car vs truck tuning.

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/s...d.php?t=135931