Biceps

Hi guys,

I'm new to the forums and relatively new to everything that has to do with modifying mustangs. If this question has been asked a bajillion times before, my apologies.

Is a tune necessary to prevent damage to the engine from installing a cold air intake....C&L for example. I have a 2008 V6 Mustang.

I have Brick from American Muscle telling me that I don't need a tune until after I've made a few engine upgrades (CAI, dual exhaust, throttle body), but then I see guys on here swearing up and down that you need a tune. Most CAI manufacturers say that a tune is necessary, but at what point do you separate marketing from reality.

Can anyone offer any insight to clear up this confusion?

Thanks a bunch guys

JK59GT2000

who ever told you, you need no tune on mods for an s197 fails..horribly. you dont need a tune! BUT you do need it to get the most out of the parts you install, otherwise you just throwing money into the pit and not seeing full results. i hear a CAI and tuner wakes those cars up. so do gears

Nuke

The CAI's that require a tune (and some of those that claim they don't) allow more air into the TB and will cause you to run lean, throwing a code and eventually causing damage. If I understand what you're repeating from Brick, he DOES state that you need a tune with a CAI.

BTW, don't buy the tune from AM. Get the combo from either Brenspeed or Bama. Their tunes and customer support are much better.

Biceps

Thanks for the info guys. Brick had stated that I can buy just a CAI but I don't need to buy a $350 + tuner. It'll only help me pull an extra 2-3 hp out of a CAI and with a V6 and no intentions of racing, it's not worth it. So I was under the impression that I could buy a CAI, install it, and be good to go with just switching from 87 octane to 89 or 91/92.

So my best bet with installing a CAI is to definitely custom tune it. No way around it it seems.

Ha ha!

I run an entire online team on the bodybuilding forums helping forum members learn about our products and sports nutrition in general. I'm so seasoned at sports nutrition that when I see newbie questions I just laugh and wonder why it's so hard to understand something so basic. This is humbling for me because here I am, the newbie, back at ground zero, asking those questions that I'm sure for everyone else is so basic and easy to understand

Thanks again guys. I appreciate your patience, willingness to help, and insight. If anyone else has any input, it's greatly appreciated.

28HopUp

Nuke nailed it pretty much. AM is a great company to deal with, but they are selling tuner with factory (meaning aftermarket) canned tunes. When it comes to buying a handheld tuner (loaded with custom tunes), I don't think you can beat any of these guys (random order) -

Brenspeed
Bamachips
VMP
Evolution Performance
Alternative Auto

Another choice would be the have the car dyno tuned, but that is expensive and probably not worth it for you at this point.

cobrabobby

Biceps,
In your lingo; its like taking supplements and drinking protein
shakes without working out. Yes you will benefit from better
supplemental nutrition but without banging the weights, what's
the point? Get a K and N replacement lifetime filter with some
better flow. The CAI's do alter the air flow and can lean out
causing potential damage. Why some of these aftermarket
people sell these things like that is beyond me. Usually they
are the ebay cheapo units. By the way, good question.
Bob T.

157dB

Brick needs to learn about what he is selling.....

Nuke

I dealt with Brick before and, after hearing Biceps story, I figure his parents were Jethro Tull fans and named him after the song "Thick as a Brick".

eme_ms_87

wait there is a guy named brick?lol

Biceps

Thank you everyone

In Brick's defense, he was incredibly helpful and willing to spend a lot of time with me on the phone. That kind of customer service is rare, and American Muscle does have a great guy on their side.

I talked to a guy at the parts and service counter today at Ford. He told me that I can install a CAI without a tune and just run a higher octane gas....91/92 for example and be fine. He said that my car's computer would sense the change in air flow and make the adjustments on it's own.

It seems to me that the absolute best decision is to install the CAI with a tune. Whether you can run a CAI without a tune or not and not damage your car...I'm getting mixed info. To get the absolute most out of the CAI, and to better insure that engine damage doesn't occur, the information I have now has lead me to believe that buying a tuner too is a wise idea.

With a CAI only on my V6 a tuner may only help me pull an extra 2-3 hp, but it sounds like it's a better guarantee that it help me avoid any engine damage....whether it actually does or not, don't know. Better safe than sorry though.

I appreciate everyone's time who chimed in. This is a solid forum and I'm glad to be here