2018 Ecoboost Cobb Accessport

[Brodirt]

I ordered my new Accessport from Cobb last night.
I hope for no problems.
Never having done this before can anyone advise how long the initial process takes and then how long do the "on the fly" tune changes take?
Thanks.

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[vteckiller2000]

There is also no flat foot shift feature.

 

[Boom1]

Firmware update released, going to try installing tune later today. Wish me luck.

 

[Cardude99]

So how safe is a Cobb tune? I have little knowledge of Cobb or tuners for this motor.

 

[apx632]

I like the fact that if I should decide to trade up to a 18 ecoboost I simply just need to update my Accessport with 18 software and boom I can pay Adam to tune that car.

 

[Boom1]

Anyone that has installed the tune on the 18 any reviews? I installed stage 2 two days ago, jumped over 1 because I'm running CPE intake and intercooler, and I'm not feeling any difference at all. Am I the only one?

 

[BigBootyJudy]

I would love to hear some honest reviews or see some vids from anyone who has installed the tune. :-)

 

[Brodirt]

Anyone that has installed the tune on the 18 any reviews? I installed stage 2 two days ago, jumped over 1 because I'm running CPE intake and intercooler, and I'm not feeling any difference at all. Am I the only one?

UPS required a signature and my teenage daughter was too busy on the phone so she missed my delivery.
I will hopefully have the AC3 today and will try to get a review up by Monday.
Im planning on a long highway run on Sunday.

 

[BoosTang23T]

Guys first off I see a lot of questions unanswered, so let me try to shine some light on here to those new to the tunning process...

1. The Cobb flash takes anywhere from 20-35mins.

2. The flash process is easy, just plug the AP3 in the ODB2 port, turn the ignition on (don't start the car - just press Start button once). Initiate flash by pressing the center button on the AP3 and confirming the identified vehicle is correct before resuming.

3. The flash OTS tunes after that take less than 5 minutes to do (Stage 1 - 3).

4. Those not seeing an improvement on Stage 2 tune is correct. This is more for vehicles with full Cobb branded parts and not mixed brands. I only used Stage 1 and Stage 3 on my 2016 Mustang. However, Stage 3 for me ran too aggressive as in unhealthy. Felt the car was overpowered and that can cause damage. 2018s should be the same.

5. I don't recommend anyone to use the OTS tunes from Cobb other than Stage 1. The right thing to do is to find yourself an e-tuner or local pro-tuner (Cobb, Lund, Tune+, PDT, etc.). Every vehicle setup is different and if you have different performance part brands on the car, it is very important you use a custom tune so that your particular car runs safe and performs at its best power gain HP/TQ. Going e-tuned or pro-tuned is the best option. DO NOT mess around with Stage 3 unless you know what you are doing. Again OTS tunes are not recommended (the reason they are free).

With that said, my AP3 is up for sale... I only used it for flashing and didn't leave it mounted and plugged into my 2016 EB. Anyone interested PM me.

 

[Brodirt]

I would love to hear some honest reviews or see some vids from anyone who has installed the tune. :-)

Here is a limited use review of my Cobb install, 2018 Ecoboost AT PP magnaride with FBO minus downpipe.
My car has mixed manufacture items, no Cobb brand in fact. Roush CAI, Ebay FMIC mishi clone, mishi clone charge pipe kit, MBRP race cat back, NGK step colder plugs, GFB DV+, Steeda TB spacer.
I use and had a full tank of Sunoco 93.

Accessport install and reflash took maybe 35-40 minutes and was fool proof via on screen instructions.
I did the install while I was doing a front brake job on my 1999 Camry.
I had to run to the auto parts store for a part for the brake job and took the Mustang on its first short run then, maybe 8 miles round trip in traffic.
I did a long drive yesterday (Sunday) morning; 60 miles at 530am on empty highway and returned in 5pm heavy traffic.
For those familiar with the NY area I drove from Northern Westchester to Captree fishing pier in Suffolk County LI (a day of fishing).

First, my pre-install notes.
I have never liked driving the car in Sport+ or higher; I have always felt that they were too aggressive, shifts and throttle response.
Sport was my preferred mode for fun, but I mostly drove in normal with sport steering engaged.
On highway in normal mode driving normally without traffic I get about 31mpg; with traffic 27-28.
In sport or higher the mileage drops about 1-2mpg.
I also dont really love the note from the MBRP exhaust, the tone is fine and I dont mind the little drone I get at about 2k rpm; I just think the sound is a bit gurgly, hard to describe.

Anway,
After install I went right to Cobb OTS tune stage 2 93o as recommended since I dont have the downpipe in yet.
My first impression on the brief drive Saturday was that everything was smoother.
I went right to Sport+ and it confirmed; shits were less aggressive and throttle response was very nice, much more tame while still being greater performance. Exhaust tone was better too.
I was very impressed in a short distance.
Also was very happy to be able to read my fully properly functioning low pressure fuel sensor (even though i have ordered a replacement).

Sunday AM confirmed my early impression.
I entered I95 south and did my first WOT pull in normal and all was good; butt dyno said much improved.
100mph was effortless and smooth.
I backed down to legal speeds and switched to Sport+ and I could immediately tell the difference.
The car was now responding like normal mode but with a lot more horsepower; everything was smooth with much increased driveability.
The biggest thing I noticed in modes above normal is that the transmission braking seems to be significantly increased.
At this point, maybe 8-9 miles into the drive I had about 14 miles on the trip odometer for this tank and with all the punching it was averaging 13.5 mpg.
I went into mpg test mode and switched the car to normal.
It was myself and my 100lb 19yo daughter in the passenger seat; a couple of fishing rods, cooler and tackle box in the trunk. No air conditioning and windows were closed.
I got to the boat, another 50 miles of highway, and had 24 mpg on the car.
The return trip was mostly in traffic and I drove in Sport+ most of the way to see how driveable it would really be.
Very smooth, easy to drive, no surging, no mis-placed shifts and again heavy transmission braking.
I was in a hurry trying to get home by 6pm for guests coming over for dinner so was driving aggressively despite the traffic.
By the time I got home, again 60 miles mostly highway, I was up to 25.5mpg.

Everything was improved. Must better responsiveness and power from the car and better mileage as well.
The tune is a big improvement, I suspect that the 0-60 is approaching 5 flat maybe better; with the downpipe in Id bet the car would do 4.7-4.8 and would be comfortably and reliable in the 12s 1/4 mile.
I see a track day in the future to see; now to find some good tires.

 

[BigBootyJudy]

Here is a limited use review of my Cobb install, 2018 Ecoboost AT PP magnaride with FBO minus downpipe.
My car has mixed manufacture items, no Cobb brand in fact. Roush CAI, Ebay FMIC mishi clone, mishi clone charge pipe kit, MBRP race cat back, NGK step colder plugs, GFB DV+, Steeda TB spacer.
I use and had a full tank of Sunoco 93.

Accessport install and reflash took maybe 35-40 minutes and was fool proof via on screen instructions.
I did the install while I was doing a front brake job on my 1999 Camry.
I had to run to the auto parts store for a part for the brake job and took the Mustang on its first short run then, maybe 8 miles round trip in traffic.
I did a long drive yesterday (Sunday) morning; 60 miles at 530am on empty highway and returned in 5pm heavy traffic.
For those familiar with the NY area I drove from Northern Westchester to Captree fishing pier in Suffolk County LI (a day of fishing).

First, my pre-install notes.
I have never liked driving the car in Sport+ or higher; I have always felt that they were too aggressive, shifts and throttle response.
Sport was my preferred mode for fun, but I mostly drove in normal with sport steering engaged.
On highway in normal mode driving normally without traffic I get about 31mpg; with traffic 27-28.
In sport or higher the mileage drops about 1-2mpg.
I also dont really love the note from the MBRP exhaust, the tone is fine and I dont mind the little drone I get at about 2k rpm; I just think the sound is a bit gurgly, hard to describe.

Anway,
After install I went right to Cobb OTS tune stage 2 93o as recommended since I dont have the downpipe in yet.
My first impression on the brief drive Saturday was that everything was smoother.
I went right to Sport+ and it confirmed; shits were less aggressive and throttle response was very nice, much more tame while still being greater performance. Exhaust tone was better too.
I was very impressed in a short distance.
Also was very happy to be able to read my fully properly functioning low pressure fuel sensor (even though i have ordered a replacement).

Sunday AM confirmed my early impression.
I entered I95 south and did my first WTO pull in normal and all was good; butt dyno said much improved.
100mph was effortless and smooth.
I backed down to legal speeds and switched to Sport+ and I could immediately tell the difference.
The car was now responding like normal mode but with a lot more horsepower; everything was smooth was much increased driveability.
The biggest thing I noticed in modes above normal is that the transmission braking seems to be significantly incrase.
At this point, maybe 8-9 miles into the drive I had about 14 miles on the trip odometer for this tank and with all the punching it was averaging 13.5 mpg.
I went into mpg test mode and switched the car to normal.
It was myself and my 100lb 19yo daughter in the passenger seat; a couple of fishing rods, cooler and tackle box in the trunk. No air conditioning and windows were closed.
I got to the boat, another 50 miles of highway, and had 24 mpg on the car.
The return trip was mostly in traffic and I drove in Sport+ most of the way to see how driveable it would really be.
Very smooth, easy to drive, no surging, no mis-placed shifts and again heavy transmission braking.
I was in a hurry trying to get home by 6pm for guests coming over for dinner so was driving aggressively despite the traffic.
By the time I got home, again 60 miles mostly highway, I was up to 25.5mpg.

Everything was improved. Must better responsiveness and power from the car and better mileage as well.
The tune is a big improvement, I suspect that the 0-60 is approaching 5 flat maybe better; with the downpipe in Id bet the car would do 4.7-4.8 and would be comfortably and reliable in the 12s 1/4 mile.
I see a track day in the future to see; now to find some good tires.

Thank you for the detailed review!

For my first sports car I figured the EB Mustang would be a good starting point. I test drove a GT but it was to much car for my mid life crisis to handle at this point.

I commute over 100 miles a day, and this being my daily driver, a tune is the only performance mod I want to do. I'm a little concerned about the drop in MPG's but If I can still average around 30 on the freeway and get a boost in performance then I will gladly sacrifice MPG's for SPG's (smiles per gallon). After logging 10K miles of seat time in the car now, I have a good feel for how the car performs and behaves while being driven aggressively in the back roads and during normal daily driving conditions. To me, the car feels slow and sluggish now. Even though I know it's not. When people who've never ridden in the car before get in it, they all have the same reaction and can't believe it's that quick for a 4 cylinder. That's the reaction I want to have again. :-)

 

[Brodirt]

Thank you for the detailed review!

For my first sports car I figured the EB Mustang would be a good starting point. I test drove a GT but it was to much car for my mid life crisis to handle at this point.

I commute over 100 miles a day, and this being my daily driver, a tune is the only performance mod I want to do. I'm a little concerned about the drop in MPG's but If I can still average around 30 on the freeway and get a boost in performance then I will gladly sacrifice MPG's for SPG's (smiles per gallon). After logging 10K miles of seat time in the car now, I have a good feel for how the car performs and behaves while being driven aggressively in the back roads and during normal daily driving conditions. To me, the car feels slow and sluggish now. Even though I know it's not. When people who've never ridden in the car before get in it, they all have the same reaction and can't believe it's that quick for a 4 cylinder. That's the reaction I want to have again. :-)

My family calls my Mustang my mid-life crisis car too; only I explain to them that Im past mid-life and if I needed a car to increase my testosterone level Id have spent a lot more than $3Xk on it (I can afford more but choose not to).
Any way, I wouldnt go with a tune first, maybe when Ford Pro tune comes out that would be enough but I bet not.
I think the biggest noticeable improvement in the car was the FMIC and charge pipe kit; that really made a difference; if you can do the work yourself its a 3-4 hour job and can be done for $500 (with clone parts); same price as a tune.
I get worse mileage than you because I have a power pack car, bigger rear and bigger tires certainly make a difference, heavier too, but that's minor; maybe even down force added by the big spoiler decreases mileage too. I did a 450 mile highway run on the hottest day of the year here in NY; I had my wife and younger daughter and luggage (summer camp pickup) and ran the AC the whole way both ways and managed almost 32 mpg; that was with just the cold air intake done to the car.

I have 3500 miles on it and have averaged 24.8mpg overall; its great because of how much fun the car is to drive and it still gets better mpg than my 1999 Camry daily commuter.

 

[prostovovatt]

So I loaded the Stage 3 OTS Cobb tune yesterday during a 4 hour drive to a Spartan race.

I installed my CP-e intake and step colder NGK plugs yesterday bringing me to FBO status with CP-e race intercooler and CP-e catless downpipe and catback exhaust.

So far so good, I didn't feel much of a difference yesterday except it was faster getting to illegal speeds. Today, I did a few launches and lost traction pretty easily - put a smile on my face. Waiting for CP-e to send me their custom map, and still need to install my UPR DVCC.

 

[brl0301]

I know Cobb recently released files for the 2018, do we know if those tunes are going to work for a MT 2019? Hoping so, its the only thing holding me back from installing the pile of parts sitting in the garage.

 

[BoosTang23T]

I know Cobb recently released files for the 2018, do we know if those tunes are going to work for a MT 2019? Hoping so, its the only thing holding me back from installing the pile of parts sitting in the garage.

Write to them and ask. Only way to know for sure. My tuner is up for sale.

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