Mark Evans

proeagles

Tunes put the engine on the edge of performance which is not good for warranty expenses across the board. Manufacturers like to leave a little on the table for safety. Back in the day when I was wasting money on tunes on BMWs with "tuner" chips and air filters, the gains weren't that impressive, probably because BMW didn't leave a lot on the plate. A lot of today's engines, particularly Ford will run on regular fuel without a tune but must have premium fuel if tuned. That should tell you something. I've actually taken people for rides in my untuned Mustang and told people about how great the power increase felt and the throttle response was with my new tune and people were blown away. Problem was the car was still stock. For my money, you just can't really feel 20 hp.

Dino Dino Bambino

In the case of the '05-'09 GT, Ford left A LOT under the table with a very conservative maximum ignition advance of 26 degrees so that what should have been a high performance engine could run on 87 octane catpiss.
Finding an extra 20rwhp with a CAI and tune is as easy as pie, and that's a difference you definitely CAN feel.

08'MustangDude

I actually get better MPG with the 93 octane tune, with K&N FIPK Intake and firm
shift selected. I do not have the K&N, just a modified air-box, with a Spectre filter.

If they are available, you can get performance tunes from the Factory, and intakes, but y
ou have to order them. The '08 GT, and '08 Bullitt, do not have the same HP, the Bullitt
has +15 HP. Where do you think the +15 comes from, as it is the same motor....

Also, for emissions reasons, they're conservative...

Goldenpony

I ran a CAI for several years and never really thought it did anything for me, so I reinstalled the stock airbox which I think breathes cool air anyway.
I did purchase a tuner from Brenspeed with 87,89 and 93 octane performance tunes. In summer I do run the 93 octane tune with premium fuel and it does make a difference I can feel and hear. With the top down, 93 octane tune & fuel and my Corsa exhaust, it runs and sounds great. The rest of the year, I simply run the 87 octane performance tune. At my age, (73) it still has plenty of "get up and go" for me.

08'MustangDude

I get less MPG with the 87 Octane tune, than I do with the 93 tune running 87 or 88 (E15). I just
try not to race it with the lower octane so it doesn't knock and ping... I still get 27-28 with the
93 tune. I go to the 87, I get 26 or less, so I keep the 93 in all the time, seems to work out
for me. I do want to get a different rear-end, change the gear ratio. Too bad they don't make
the Columbia differentials anymore, the 2-speed shiftable differential so you can select one of
two ratios... Eaton had one too... I drove a dump truck that had a vacuum shifted 2-speed differential.

theburns99

Everything I have read they definitely add more horsepower.

Derf00

I doubt you'll have this issue in Ontario but here in AZ, the canned tuned from most tuners like American Muscle and Brenspeed will ping at WOT during the summer due to how advanced the timing is. It's due to the really high ambient temps here in AZ. I just dial back the base timing by 2-3 degrees and another 1-2 degrees at 2000-4000 RPM and 1-2 at 4000-6000 and zero issues. During the other 8 months of the year I leave the tune as provided by the tuner.

2011GTVert

This come more from a question standpoint than response as I am BY FAR......NO EXPERT.... I am wondering about CAI's. The vast majority of them aren't completely sealed. SO in reality, aren't you actually pulling engine compartment air, at its increased temperature into the engine. Unless you relocate the filter to an area that can supply fresh air I don't see a benefit. Every time you see a dyno pull to show the "added" HP, it's with the hood up in a controlled environment. I don't know about you guys, but I certainly don't drive around with my hood up or off. I personally would stick with my stock air box and a high flow filter as its sealed and pulls in only fresh air. Yes, you can say the aftermarket ones have a larger diameter tube, but what good is it if its warm air engine air?

Dino Dino Bambino

That's true, which is why I sealed the gaps in the heatshield of my JLT CAI. Now my filter only draws air that's close to ambient temperature.