Agreed. I still think you should try the performance tune to see if it gives you the type of performance you would like. I much prefer it to the stock tune and drive in all rpm ranges, from 2K cruising on the highway in 6th to redlining on the on ramp. When I go to the track I use the race tune, but prefer the performance tune for everyday driving since it gets better gas mileage. Good luck.

 

Id gladly do that but there's an issue from my perspective: I don't want to indefinitely try different tunes, especially if they knock because I've already been taking chances for too long and this is my only car.

The other way I see it is, if the 87 street tune is knocking at higher RPM, I'm affraid the performance tune will be worse as it is designed to add more high RPM power than the street.

And with the price of fuel in Canada being so ridiculous it would make Americans cry, I really don't feel like using 91 for an 87 octane tune. Or use 91 octane at all lol. Here's why:

87 octane's current regional lowest price: $4.82 per US Gallon
91 octane's current lowest price: $5.13 per US Gallon
91 octane's current HIGHEST price: $5.39 per US Gallon

And we have amongst the lowest prices in the country.

 

The question I have is how does the street tune provide the extra HP & torque at low rpms, when its widely known that the power band for these cars is between 3.5k -6.5k? It has to give something up, and that appears to be normal power band operation efficiency.

The street tune isn't a normal tune, hence the reason the performance tune is probably worth a try IMO. Good luck.

 

pretty sure the street tune just changes the cam timing over earlier in the rpm band.

instead of the solenoid changing the cam timing at say 4,000 rpms, it does it at 2800rpms..

just a wild guess, correct me if I am wrong.

 

they work a bit with timing and fuel too I believe as they do get mild gains at peak as has been stated by Chris already and Peak is at 6200. All I know is that when we were close to the 100f range the tune was knocking close to -6 and stock with the airaid still installed ran perfectly practically back to back.

And trust me, whatever they do for the low end torque isn't happening at 2800rpm because you can feel the huge amount of low end torque gained practically right off the line and at 70mph at 2000rpm flat in 6th, I can feel a huge difference in power between stock and street tune.



Now because I'm not just a complainer and am actually GREAT PR for a company that treats me right I have some good news:

Bama sent me a new revision today and it felt HUGELY better at higher RPM than the previous ones, like night and day. Now all is not perfect yet as it still knocks, but does so a LOT less. The sensor is reading -2 flat peak instead of close to -6 as before. So I sent another(Huge with 20 different sensors) datalog to Dann (the Bama tech who has been helping me from the very beginning, my hat's off to him for his patience and dedication) and now I'm just waiting to hear from him within the next few days hopefully. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

I'm not sure what it is but I can tell you it's not fuel economy. I think the reason is simply drivability. The car is more touchy and spirited down low than stock whereas stock is very relaxed. The thing is the Mustang doesn't just cater to the enthusiast, it also caters a lot to the average joe and average joe likes his car to be linear and predictable. I also had previously tried the performance tune and I didn't like it too much. My goal with a tune was not to gain in peak because peak I already enjoy a lot, but gain in low RPM torque for city driving.

I must say you got me curious to find out what gives... I know from the sensor logs ive seen of my car that low RPM the street tune runs just as healthily as stock.

Now that I think of it, as much as I find street tune a lot smoother for my driving style down low, I can see how a lot of "normal" people and secrataries would find the tune way too aggressive or jumpy off the line and at low rpm driving, especially with automatics. Imagine the tire wear and spinning issues non-enthusiast/poor drivers would experience on their cars with an agressive low RPM torque curve, especially with the puny 215 wide low rolling resistance tires on the base model automatics.

 

Got the mod bug now?
Thinking about bumping those gears up a bit?
Don't lie.... you know you are lol!

 

Actually the gearing is perfect to me. I'm an oddball I know but for my driving I find the 3.31s just right.

 

I think the thing that might be throwing you for a loop is that you are presuming it’s a zero sum game when compared to a stock tune. The street tune giving something up at the higher end should only be stated when comparing it to other optimized tunes. We know that the stock tune was very conservative. If one says that the Bama tunes give say, and 5% (arbitrary number) increase across the band, then the different tunes they provide are shaped differently within that 5% windows. At no time do any of the tunes provided by Bama go below the curve of the stock tune. When looking at a dyno run, it just shows a slightly different shape than the performance or race tunes.

I’ve continued to be a big fan of the street tune. As much as I’ve tried to like the others, I just find the street tune the most enjoyable.

 

Now the issue I have is I haven't heard from Bama since I sent my datalog file about 2 weeks ago... anyways I'll wait another week before I ask what's up.