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MotoIQ TESTED: Ford Power Packs 1-3

danpass

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Do any of these tunes correct the speed limiter situation? (ie: remove it, or set it to 999)
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BmacIL

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Do you get the dreaded wheel hop with these tires?
Every street tire will hop some. The Michelins and Firestones aforementioned do it MUCH less. The BMR CB005 lockout kit or Steeda's package will get rid of most of it and improve handling, too.
 

valentinoamoro

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Guys, it's awesome Ford is offering different options for different drivers. Here are my thoughts:

I used to own a BMW M6. 5L V10 510 HP stock. 8200 rpm red line (power and wt and curves amazing similar to GT350, only 8 years before the GT350 era and 2x the price, before adjusting for inflation in which case 2.5X!). Issue I had was it didn't have a ton of guts daily driving, unless I really wrung it out. I would only see 8200 rpm rarely and mostly in auto-cross. In many ways, while fast (it's a very fast car with a 200mph top speed) I was disappointed with the torque and found the stock GT (which replaced that car for many reasons, torque being one of them and maintenance costs outside of my warranty which ended being another!) to feel 'quicker' daily driving to work, short burts on the freeway, sliding the tail out in slow speed turns etc. I had initially thought of replacing the M6 with the E92 M3, but it felt torqueless as well DDing.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are competing in autocross or track, the PP3 is the way to go. There is no doubt about that. The Moto IQ test with gearing overlays really highlights this beautifully. In auto-x I do run into the rev limiter and the extra rpm would be welcome. If you WOT till red line a lot, get this. If you want the fastest NA car, get this.

If you want more 'kick in the pants' driving around everyday (kind of similar to how the LT4 in the Camaro feels) yet have a higher RPM than stock (and said Camaro, which does not like to rev), go for the PP1 or PP2. It looks like this combo will provide the kind of 'accelerative kick' that someone like my wife or a buddy riding shot gun would feel and notice.

Infact, I suspect, you can save the money over the PP2, remove the emissions control filter on the stock airbox, drop in a K&N/Airraid filter and close the 6hp (not noticeable on a 3800 pound car) gap. Also, install will be FAR easier and future buyers wouldnt get freaked out. I'm considering the PP1/filter-swap (and maybe Mishimoto intake if there are more gains over the stock box). I also read concerns about the 'GT350 hot air intake open filter' design and water intrusion with 2015-2017 GT hoods, not sure how valid those are but for me in Seattle where it rains all the time thats a deal breaker. Damage from a wet filter due to rain or my detail guy spraying the hose in the wrong direction would suck.

The main reason to get the PP2 over the PP1 is to keep the option to upgrade to PP3 alive and well. I doubt Chris Harris on Top Gear could tell a 6hp difference in a 3800 pound+ car. Folks who claim otherwise are cyborgs with neural implants to their Mustang ECU (or victims of the placebo effect) :p.
 
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Freedom

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Guys, it's awesome Ford is offering different options for different drivers. Here are my thoughts:

I used to own a BMW M6. 5L V10 510 HP stock. 8200 rpm red line (power and wt and curves amazing similar to GT350, only 8 years before the GT350 era and 2x the price, before adjusting for inflation in which case 2.5X!). Issue I had was it didn't have a ton of guts daily driving, unless I really wrung it out. I would only see 8200 rpm rarely and mostly in auto-cross. In many ways, while fast (it's a very fast car with a 200mph top speed) I was disappointed with the torque and found the stock GT (which replaced that car for many reasons, torque being one of them and maintenance costs outside of my warranty which ended being another!) to feel 'quicker' daily driving to work, short burts on the freeway, sliding the tail out in slow speed turns etc. I had initially thought of replacing the M6 with the E92 M3, but it felt torqueless as well DDing.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are competing in autocross or track, the PP3 is the way to go. There is no doubt about that. The Moto IQ test with gearing overlays really highlights this beautifully. In auto-x I do run into the rev limiter and the extra rpm would be welcome. If you WOT till red line a lot, get this. If you want the fastest NA car, get this.

If you want more 'kick in the pants' driving around everyday (kind of similar to how the LT4 in the Camaro feels) yet have a higher RPM than stock (and said Camaro, which does not like to rev), go for the PP1 or PP2. It looks like this combo will provide the kind of 'accelerative kick' that someone like my wife or a buddy riding shot gun would feel and notice.

Infact, I suspect, you can save the money over the PP2, remove the emissions control filter on the stock airbox, drop in a K&N/Airraid filter and close the 6hp (not noticeable on a 3800 pound car) gap. Also, install will be FAR easier and future buyers wouldnt get freaked out. I'm considering the PP1/filter-swap (and maybe Mishimoto intake if there are more gains over the stock box). I also read concerns about the 'GT350 hot air intake open filter' design and water intrusion with 2015-2017 GT hoods, not sure how valid those are but for me in Seattle where it rains all the time thats a deal breaker. Damage from a wet filter due to rain or my detail guy spraying the hose in the wrong direction would suck.

The main reason to get the PP2 over the PP1 is to keep the option to upgrade to PP3 alive and well. I doubt Chris Harris on Top Gear could tell a 6hp difference in a 3800 pound+ car. Folks who claim otherwise are cyborgs with neural implants to their Mustang ECU (or victims of the placebo effect) :p.
PP2 doesnt get water in there as far as i can tell. The vents are just in front of the opening so water just comes down the plastic/rubber airbox housing. I think PP2 is better due to it being marginally more expensive ($670) and you can still upgrade the filter to a better flowing one like an airraid down the line. Can't say much about the 'hot air intake' but It seems pretty sealed to the hood so I don't think its an issue.
 

EFI

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I also read concerns about the 'GT350 hot air intake open filter' design and water intrusion with 2015-2017 GT hoods, not sure how valid those are but for me in Seattle where it rains all the time thats a deal breaker. Damage from a wet filter due to rain or my detail guy spraying the hose in the wrong direction would suck.
There are no concerns with either water intrusion and/or heat soak with the GT350 intake. I can attest to those being fine and I daily drive my car in the Northeast, so plenty of precipitation.

At idle the IATs do creep up, but that's the case with ANY such open airbox. Cruising I'm at 3-4* over ambient tops.
 

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randotheking

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Amazing article! It really proved how the PP3 is far more superior to the other power packs. I can see how people would get caught up on the max torque numbers and I will admit I fell victim to it also but after long and hard look at the dyno graph; I can see why and how come the PP3 is way faster. Right at 6700rpm that's where the baseline through PP2 would fall flat on their faces in HP and TQ #'s. This is the point right before it would be time to shift gears while in full throttle to rev limiter and you can see the PP3 still pulling in TQ and horsepower for another 800rpm. Amazing job in proving this point, it was a great read!
Your assumption is that everyone is trying to drive as fast as possible in a straight line. I hardly, if ever, do that. I'm a back road driver, torque is what I want
 

EFI

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Your assumption is that everyone is trying to drive as fast as possible in a straight line. I hardly, if ever, do that. I'm a back road driver, torque is what I want
And that assumption is also that everyone is always at 6800+ rpm constantly and never once dropping below that threshold.
 

poncho@home

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Guys, it's awesome Ford is offering different options for different drivers. Here are my thoughts:

I used to own a BMW M6. 5L V10 510 HP stock. 8200 rpm red line (power and wt and curves amazing similar to GT350, only 8 years before the GT350 era and 2x the price, before adjusting for inflation in which case 2.5X!). Issue I had was it didn't have a ton of guts daily driving, unless I really wrung it out. I would only see 8200 rpm rarely and mostly in auto-cross. In many ways, while fast (it's a very fast car with a 200mph top speed) I was disappointed with the torque and found the stock GT (which replaced that car for many reasons, torque being one of them and maintenance costs outside of my warranty which ended being another!) to feel 'quicker' daily driving to work, short burts on the freeway, sliding the tail out in slow speed turns etc. I had initially thought of replacing the M6 with the E92 M3, but it felt torqueless as well DDing.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are competing in autocross or track, the PP3 is the way to go. There is no doubt about that. The Moto IQ test with gearing overlays really highlights this beautifully. In auto-x I do run into the rev limiter and the extra rpm would be welcome. If you WOT till red line a lot, get this. If you want the fastest NA car, get this.

If you want more 'kick in the pants' driving around everyday (kind of similar to how the LT4 in the Camaro feels) yet have a higher RPM than stock (and said Camaro, which does not like to rev), go for the PP1 or PP2. It looks like this combo will provide the kind of 'accelerative kick' that someone like my wife or a buddy riding shot gun would feel and notice.

Infact, I suspect, you can save the money over the PP2, remove the emissions control filter on the stock airbox, drop in a K&N/Airraid filter and close the 6hp (not noticeable on a 3800 pound car) gap. Also, install will be FAR easier and future buyers wouldnt get freaked out. I'm considering the PP1/filter-swap (and maybe Mishimoto intake if there are more gains over the stock box). I also read concerns about the 'GT350 hot air intake open filter' design and water intrusion with 2015-2017 GT hoods, not sure how valid those are but for me in Seattle where it rains all the time thats a deal breaker. Damage from a wet filter due to rain or my detail guy spraying the hose in the wrong direction would suck.

The main reason to get the PP2 over the PP1 is to keep the option to upgrade to PP3 alive and well. I doubt Chris Harris on Top Gear could tell a 6hp difference in a 3800 pound+ car. Folks who claim otherwise are cyborgs with neural implants to their Mustang ECU (or victims of the placebo effect) :p.
I don't understand the last part of your post. How does PP2 over PP1 change anything for a PP3 upgrade? Aren't each of the Power Packs sold as complete packages? If you buy a PP3, you get the GT350 intake/airbox again that you already have from PP2, correct?

If anything, the PP1 is a better option if you eventually plan on moving on to the PP3, because the only thing wasted is the K&N filter as the tune itself in both cases is rendered useless.

I ended up ordering the PP1 just recently, not for the reasons above, but because I think its the best bang for buck from the 3 offers for my needs.
 

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randotheking

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So far the cheapest PP2 I've seen is going for $600 (Tru Blue) + $100 installation

Anyone found anything cheaper?
 

italianstallion

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So far the cheapest PP2 I've seen is going for $600 (Tru Blue) + $100 installation

Anyone found anything cheaper?

Thats the cheapest I found anywhere after combing the internet a couple weeks ago (shipping was included at True Blue). I had it installed for $200. Still, $800 all in is well worth it for this package.
 

valentinoamoro

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I don't understand the last part of your post. How does PP2 over PP1 change anything for a PP3 upgrade? Aren't each of the Power Packs sold as complete packages? If you buy a PP3, you get the GT350 intake/airbox again that you already have from PP2, correct?

If anything, the PP1 is a better option if you eventually plan on moving on to the PP3, because the only thing wasted is the K&N filter as the tune itself in both cases is rendered useless.

I ended up ordering the PP1 just recently, not for the reasons above, but because I think its the best bang for buck from the 3 offers for my needs.
You are correct. The PP3 is a separate purchase, you have to buy the entire package from Ford. I thought PP2 buyers could just upgrade their tunes and add a manifold, turns out that isnt the case today.
 

morgande

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You are correct. The PP3 is a separate purchase, you have to buy the entire package from Ford. I thought PP2 buyers could just upgrade their tunes and add a manifold, turns out that isnt the case today.
Can’t update tunes but you can keep the 350 throttle and CAI. The biggest issue is the throttle isn’t often used with 3rd party GT350 intake manifold tunes. If you go PP2 and want to upgade to intake manifold and keep the old hardware your gonna have to find a tuner that is well versed with that throttle body
 

morgande

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American muscle sells a tune that uses the throttle and 350 intake. Here is video of their before and after dyno run.
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