trackedstang

I have just purchased a 2007 Mustang GT. The car has a few mods Steeda intake, Koni shocks, Steeda springs, Pypes exhaust. I have no history on the car as I can not find the previous owner from the dealer. Is there any way to tell if the car has any software installed. My biggest concern is that it has a high octane program and I am running 87 octane.

FrostByte

Since you got it from a dealer take it back there and ask them to return it to stock if it isnt.

If you decide you want a hand held tuner then you will need a stock tune on car any way before you can over write the current tune with a new tuner.

edit; If it has a 93 oct tune then you would, more likely than not, hear pinging on 87 oct under mild to heavy load.

Nuke

+1

And I assume you mean non-stock software, a.k.a. a tune other than the factory tune. If you're running a tune that requires higher octane you'd likely hear engine ping/knock on 87 octane fuel. But you COULD be running a non-stock 87 custom tune. Have you asked the previous owner?

trackedstang

I bought the car from a dealer who bought it at auction. I can not find the previous owner.

jpplaw

If it has a steeda CAI, it definitely has an aftermarket tune loaded. Listen for pinging, or better yet, get a tuner and load a new tune - that way you will know exactly what you are running.

Nuke

Be aware that buying custom tunes for a PCM that already has a non-OE tune is more difficult than if it's the stock tune but the guys at AM or Brenspeed, depending on who you buy the tunes from, can assist.

trackedstang

Yes the intake is a clue. Looks like I need to find a tuner and find out whats going on.

808muscle

Just call brenspeed, voice your concerns and order up.

waykooljr

Does sound like you have a custom tune.

If you choose to get a tuner, you'll need to return the car to stock. I had to do this for mine, the dealer wanted $150.00 to flash it to stock. I called a local speed shop, they matched the price, so I had them do it.

I think Ford uses a computer to flash cars, where the speed shop used an X3, which leads me to believe that they have an X3 for each strategy code or they have a way to load an X3 with stock tunes for each code. I just know, the guy looked at my code, came back with an X3 and flashed it to stock, then I installed my stock air box and went home, I didn't have a new tuner yet.

20binafd

I'm in the same boat. I have no clue as to whether it has a tune or not. If the previous owner had a hand held tuner, in order to sell that tuner separately from the car, they would have to "unmarry" the tuner from the car by using that tuner to reset the car to stock. On the other hand it might have been tuned by a shop, which I understand some people doll out $600 for a dyno tune despite having bolt ons that can be taken into account in an email tune/hand held combo. I'd hate to reset a car if its got a dyno tune, it would just seem like a waste. And I've never heard a car ping before so I don't know what it sounds like. Also my car is loud so maybe it is pinging but I just can't hear it. So what I'm doing is running 93 as a precautionary measure until I save up for a hand held, then I'll ask the folks at Bama what to do.

edit: and hope in the meantime that if it does have a stock tune, its not running lean! But with the sub 15 mpg I've been getting, I doubt a lack a fuel is a problem