Spork3245

A tune is the cheapest and, IMO, the best price-for-performance mod to get. It drops people’s 1/4 mile times from the 12.7-12.8 stock to 12.3-ish. If you get Ford Performance’s tune, afaik you keep your warranty too.
Get an exhaust if you want better/different sound, don’t expect a performance boost.

rsjackal

Hmmmm, opinions are like......., so here's mine, slightly informed, and experienced with many years, and many mustangs......


For my 2017 GT, I have the Flowmaster American Thunder axle back, and LOVE the sound, it doesn't drone at all, it's just a somewhat deeper rumble at cold start and idle, and @ WOT a little louder than the factory.


Next up is a Steeda braided steel clutch cable (factory plastic sucks).


Possibly at the same time - MGW MT-82 short throw shifter.


End of December JLT CAI and Tune - as far as just being for looks, I guess the dynojets lie...


Somewhere between now and December, I plan to toss in the Steeda IRS braces.


At some point probably a year from now or longer, I'll go with some sort of long tube headers, and a resonator delete X or H Pipe, and put the factory mufflers back on - I'm not 20 anymore, and don't want it so loud it's not fun for me to drive - and this is obviously an opinion or "taste"......

JimC

No, because the power is in the tune, not the CAI. You can get the same dyno sheet with a tune and the stock air box.

rsjackal

I don't really have an apples to apples comparison, (nor do I have the dyno sheets any longer, or the car for that matter), however, but on my 2003 Cobra I bought new in July of 2002, w/in a week had it on a mustang dyno, and it bone stock put down 326hp at the wheels, don't remember the exact torque, around 330 I think, that day they added a Flowmaster cat back, and removed the stock air box and put a long cone filter on the intake tube, in October, I had them install a Steeda Tri Ax, and another dyno pull, after the break in, and the 3 mods, it now was at 390, and 392.

There was no tune added. Obviously that was a supercharged 4.6 4V, vs the coyote, and things have changed, but I would have to see to believe.

My 2C.

JimC

Big difference between the 2003 and a 2015+. The S550 is already a cold air intake and it has been proven already. The power upgrade isn't in the CAI, it is all in the tuning. Stock airbox will give you the same power on the S550 platform.

Today the CAI is just underhood "bling".

rsjackal

Thanks for the heads up JimC, I do have the opportunity to test this theory, although I will have to get with the shop, and see if I can negotiate a "deal" on the dyno time, as my last name is not Gates, nor Buffet, .......


That said, I wonder, with JLT specifically since it has a 110mm mass air housing, if the tune supplied with it's purchase, would act right w/out it being installed?

As others have stated elsewhere "cookie cutter" tunes don't really work on the S550 - that it needs to be on the dyno, and done for "your" car.


I guess we shall see, and perhaps, there could be some legal implications, since these CAI's (w/tune) are advertised as adding "x" power/torque as a combination purchase - and seeing as how they can be purchased separately.


I mean after all, we are being lead to believe that it is the CAI in combination with the tune, and I won't link it, however, if you go to American Muscle's site, and bring up the JLT, the video there, actually shows the install, plus a before and after dyno, they did NOT however do a dyno with the tune only - again, leading to believe, it is the "package" that must be purchased, at a whopping 79X.XX.


--Good Lord what a run-on sentence! Twelve commas.


I mean what a difference if I could run to the shop, put it on the dyno, have it tuned, and get the same thing for about 150.00....., minus the "bling" of course.

Biziman

Well... I'm a newbie to this forum and haven't made any upgrades to the motor yet. I am very much liking the idea of getting a custom tune without adding a CAI. We have a pretty popular tuner in our area with all the right equipment. I'm going to ask him about our stock intake.


I just got my 2017-GT-PP 2-months ago and already added a Blowfish Racing support bracket for the shifter and MagnaFlow Resonated X-pipe + Competition Series Axle Back. For this old guy, that was just the right exhaust upgrade to keep me and the neighbors happy. I listened to a LOT of clips and felt MF provided the lowest, smoothest rumble. There were no clips with my combo, so I've only posted a before/after cold start with a low rev. I plan to shoot some pull-aways and drive-bys when I get the chance.


Next week the stance gets a major improvement (lowering springs, caster/camber plates and wheel spacers... oh, and alignment, of course).

2016GT

Put on a FR sport cat-back last year, love it and no drone Ordered with 3:55 gears, you might look at rear gears depending on what yours has.... makes city driving a blast. Next would be tune, or skip it and go straight to a FR / roush blower