Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,547
From: The High Country
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: speedstang06
+1
I'd say 90% of the s197 owners (on this forum)seem to tune their engines, so I would doubt that it hurts it, its all in the way you care for it/drive it.
ORIGINAL: vphokie
I'm no genius on this topic....but to me, it would seem that it's not so much the tune that affects the wear, but how you drive the car. Stock tune or 93 tune, if you drive it hard, then the engine and accessories will get more wear. I don't think that a tune would really hurt your "life expectancy" of your engine. But that's just me hypothesizing.
I'm no genius on this topic....but to me, it would seem that it's not so much the tune that affects the wear, but how you drive the car. Stock tune or 93 tune, if you drive it hard, then the engine and accessories will get more wear. I don't think that a tune would really hurt your "life expectancy" of your engine. But that's just me hypothesizing.
I'd say 90% of the s197 owners (on this forum)seem to tune their engines, so I would doubt that it hurts it, its all in the way you care for it/drive it.
Ask all the victims of Buffalo Jump up by Calgary. Their post life thoughts must have been............."What do you mean I'm dead? I was just following the buffalo in front of me and the next thing I know, I'm down at the bottom of a 200 foot cliff, legs all busted up, blood coming out of my nose." The moral of the story is don't do something just because everyone around you is doing it without knowing the consequences.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,547
From: The High Country
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: ohnoesaz
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
Exactly. Now all you 4.10 boys take note.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,547
From: The High Country
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: laserred02
Are you high, or do you make it a point to write incoherent sweeping generalizations? Your posts have basically said nothing, but while using a lot of convoluted language to make it seem like you are saying something.
One sentence, what is your point.
ORIGINAL: Legion5
to be honest you have completely lost me.
ha ha try to click with what I'm saying it's smart.
I can summarize with yeah I'm taking very blanket approaches, BUT they are resonable because I'm assuming OP's values are of a normal person so it's not like he is not going to do normal things (he did the same blanketing in fact by specifying "tunes" instead of like brenspeed tunes).
As for knowing about HIS car, I don't. i know averages which go into creating his result. You can say that is exactly what he wants, because that is the ideal thing you could say short of running two copies of the car on a Ford test course until they break.
to be honest you have completely lost me.
I can summarize with yeah I'm taking very blanket approaches, BUT they are resonable because I'm assuming OP's values are of a normal person so it's not like he is not going to do normal things (he did the same blanketing in fact by specifying "tunes" instead of like brenspeed tunes).
As for knowing about HIS car, I don't. i know averages which go into creating his result. You can say that is exactly what he wants, because that is the ideal thing you could say short of running two copies of the car on a Ford test course until they break.
One sentence, what is your point.
Could be related to Hillary.[8D]
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 42
From:
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
One thing I've noticed since installing a tune is that the engine doesn't rev to 2000 rpm's or so on a cold start like it did when it was stock. The "muscle car start" always sounded mean, but seemed a little rough on a stone-cold engine.
just my $.02..........
just my $.02..........
4th Gear Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,207
From: Nutley NJ
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
Having an A/F ratio gauge has shown me a lot about how the car runs.
Besides disabling some features, most tunes advance timing and addmore fuel to the engine due to the larger MAF. What I don't think people understand is that the timing is what's in effect most of the time and is what we "feel" in concern of performance. The AFR is only changed at WOT. The factory WOT AFR is acually pretty good. From my testing with the stock V6 tune, the AFR was between 12.8 and 13.1 right in thebutter zone.
My first tune ran a 15.1 AFR at WOT andthats pretty lean.I ran this tune for a year and I do not believe I "hurt" myengine for the following reason. When you are at idle or constant rpm, the computerand oxygen sensors work together to hold an AFR between 14.5 and 15.0for max efficiency in a closed loop system no matter what the tune says to do. This AFR is considered stoichiometric and is when the engine acually run the hottest. Lean mixtures run cooler from the extra air and less burn, and rich mixtures run cooler from extra fuel and less burn. (this is for NA engines) When you are at WOT, the computer is set to hold a constant WOT AFR determined by the tune. Right now I have mine around 12.9-13.1. It is not far off from the stock setting, maybe 2-4% leaner. I also have the stock size MAF so I do not need to add more fuel to the mixture because the engine is getting a similar amout of air compared to stock.
The only time I can see the engine being hurt is when the timing is bad and there is detonation. Hopefully these tuning companies we use know the limits of each fuel grade when advancing timing. I havn't messed with this at all and do not really know how to make sure everything is ok besides listening for the tell tail noises of a knocking engine. But, my car runs well and I couldn't be happier unless a went FI.
All that being said, your engine life will depend on propper maintenance and how hard and often you push it. No matter what the computer settings, your engine is still getting the propper lubrication from the oil system. Knocking produces unwantedmechanical stress on parts, and rich or lean mixtures reduce power. Good tune=don't worry. And...you gotta be willing to pay to play.
Besides disabling some features, most tunes advance timing and addmore fuel to the engine due to the larger MAF. What I don't think people understand is that the timing is what's in effect most of the time and is what we "feel" in concern of performance. The AFR is only changed at WOT. The factory WOT AFR is acually pretty good. From my testing with the stock V6 tune, the AFR was between 12.8 and 13.1 right in thebutter zone.
My first tune ran a 15.1 AFR at WOT andthats pretty lean.I ran this tune for a year and I do not believe I "hurt" myengine for the following reason. When you are at idle or constant rpm, the computerand oxygen sensors work together to hold an AFR between 14.5 and 15.0for max efficiency in a closed loop system no matter what the tune says to do. This AFR is considered stoichiometric and is when the engine acually run the hottest. Lean mixtures run cooler from the extra air and less burn, and rich mixtures run cooler from extra fuel and less burn. (this is for NA engines) When you are at WOT, the computer is set to hold a constant WOT AFR determined by the tune. Right now I have mine around 12.9-13.1. It is not far off from the stock setting, maybe 2-4% leaner. I also have the stock size MAF so I do not need to add more fuel to the mixture because the engine is getting a similar amout of air compared to stock.
The only time I can see the engine being hurt is when the timing is bad and there is detonation. Hopefully these tuning companies we use know the limits of each fuel grade when advancing timing. I havn't messed with this at all and do not really know how to make sure everything is ok besides listening for the tell tail noises of a knocking engine. But, my car runs well and I couldn't be happier unless a went FI.
All that being said, your engine life will depend on propper maintenance and how hard and often you push it. No matter what the computer settings, your engine is still getting the propper lubrication from the oil system. Knocking produces unwantedmechanical stress on parts, and rich or lean mixtures reduce power. Good tune=don't worry. And...you gotta be willing to pay to play.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 176
From: -
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: GidyupGo
Exactly. Now all you 4.10 boys take note.
ORIGINAL: ohnoesaz
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
Exactly. Now all you 4.10 boys take note.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 523
From: California
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: GidyupGo
Could be related to Hillary.[8D]
ORIGINAL: laserred02
Are you high, or do you make it a point to write incoherent sweeping generalizations? Your posts have basically said nothing, but while using a lot of convoluted language to make it seem like you are saying something.
One sentence, what is your point.
ORIGINAL: Legion5
to be honest you have completely lost me.
ha ha try to click with what I'm saying it's smart.
I can summarize with yeah I'm taking very blanket approaches, BUT they are resonable because I'm assuming OP's values are of a normal person so it's not like he is not going to do normal things (he did the same blanketing in fact by specifying "tunes" instead of like brenspeed tunes).
As for knowing about HIS car, I don't. i know averages which go into creating his result. You can say that is exactly what he wants, because that is the ideal thing you could say short of running two copies of the car on a Ford test course until they break.
to be honest you have completely lost me.
I can summarize with yeah I'm taking very blanket approaches, BUT they are resonable because I'm assuming OP's values are of a normal person so it's not like he is not going to do normal things (he did the same blanketing in fact by specifying "tunes" instead of like brenspeed tunes).
As for knowing about HIS car, I don't. i know averages which go into creating his result. You can say that is exactly what he wants, because that is the ideal thing you could say short of running two copies of the car on a Ford test course until they break.
One sentence, what is your point.
Could be related to Hillary.[8D]
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 324
From:
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
FWIW I added my tune/intake at about 18k miles, I'm at about 78K now and runs perfect.
I understand there are many factors in play overall, just lobbing a data point out there.
I understand there are many factors in play overall, just lobbing a data point out there.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 286
From:
RE: Using a Tuner wears out the engine faster?
ORIGINAL: ShadowWulf
Nevar!!!!!
ORIGINAL: GidyupGo
Exactly. Now all you 4.10 boys take note.
ORIGINAL: ohnoesaz
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
I think people are forgetting an essential fact here...
He whocruises consistently in4th gear at 2300rpms will wear his engine faster than the guy whocruises consistentlyin 5th gear at 1400 rpms. Regardless of tune.
Exactly. Now all you 4.10 boys take note.
4:10's have made me slow down to 70-75 on the highway, and I couldnt be happier, now i dont have to worry about tickets on the highway
It turns out, I dont really care what speed im going, I just like to be in that 2200-2300 rpm range and my foot feels happy, the car feels like it runs the smoothest, its in tune with my exhaust and I dont feel the need to go faster.