Looking to buy a Bullitt...Oh the Questions...

[GreenS550]

For all the money you guys are saving, you can put a Whipple or Edelbrock on it. Changes the car. Makes it absolutely fun from 1,000 RPM up to redline. HIghly recommend....

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[M.A.N.]

Bullitts are sitting partly because Ford made almost 9000 for 2019 and there are now 2020's hitting the lots. You can probably get a little more off, but not a lot more. There are 0 changes from 19 to 20 so if the 19 is cheaper, get it.

I love my car, honestly biggest issue for me is the long gearing, but I plan to get a 4.09/4.11 or 4.30 to fix that. It's been a great daily so far.

I just want to let you know my experience in changing the gear in a Bullitt, it may save you some grief if you don't already know about this.

I was like you, didn't like the long gear so I changed my Bullitt to a 4.09. Well before I got out of the driveway I had all these default warnings, cross traffic, blind spot, hillside assist, I couldn't change drive modes and when you get to about
30 mph the wrench sign would pop up saying see service manual. Long story short after talking with a lot of people [ tuners ], dealership and FP, no one had an answer. I was told a tune may fix it, may not. But I didn't want to try it
because of warranty.

There is something different I believe about the Bullitt. This was in January and I was talking with someone at FP about it, he was reading me something about a performance package that was coming out in April for a GT that was
going to include a program for a gear change, but then it said [ except the Bullitt ]. I also tried changing the hex in the BCM but it didn't help. So I gave up put the 3.73 back in, cleared the codes, everything back to normal.

So if you or someone else decides to do a gear change you may want to do some checking on it first, it may save you some work. I just know you can't simple change the gear and be done, something has to be done to fix all the default
warnings.

 

[Bullitt0819]

... Well before I got out of the driveway I had all these default warnings, cross traffic, blind spot, hillside assist, I couldn't change drive modes and when you get to about
30 mph the wrench sign would pop up saying see service manual. ...

FWIW, I get the exact same default warnings--except for the wrench--on my bone stock Bullitt, sometimes on hot-starts but most often when the car has sat at my mom's ranch for the day. I thought it was heat-related, and it may be, but the dealer let it sit on a hot parking lot and couldn't duplicate the problem (or so they said). I complained about it on this forum, but nobody has solved the problem for me yet. There may be a clue in there somewhere.

 

[frankeric16]

I run into this a lot: Except the Bullitt. At first I thought it was a marketing thing but it come up too many times when looking for parts. I wonder why? I also wanted to change the gearing but not now after your comments, thanks.

 

[M.A.N.]

I run into this a lot: Except the Bullitt. At first I thought it was a marketing thing but it come up too many times when looking for parts. I wonder why? I also wanted to change the gearing but not now after your comments, thanks.

I'm not sure why, obviously it has to with the program or software [ if that's the right terminology, I'm not a computer guy ]. I would think there's a sensor on the trans output shaft or somewhere that's not matching the one's on the
axles after the gear change. It's telling the computer that's something wrong, and then won't let you use all these safety features. I don't know, I'm just guessing, all I know it does it. lol

I did like the Bullitt [ I didn't like that part ]. I had just done a few upgrades like the Steeda H-pipe and clutch spring, Ford Performance hood struts and MGW shifter. I think I only drove it couple of times after doing some of it and then
decided to trade it last week to a new 2019 GT350. So I had to take it all right back off. [ It's all for sale if anyone interested ]. Anyway I'm wanting to change the gear in the GT350, but worried about having some of the same
problems. This stuff is fun, right

 

[GreenS550]

When I put the Whipple on my Bullitt I used the Tomahawk tuner Whipple provides. There are options in there for gearing, etc. So, recently I contacted Whipple because I am considering installing the Magneride Ford Performance handling kit which requires a re-flash. So, I asked the Whipple guy about their tune interfacing (?) with the new change. He said that I would return the car to stock, re-flash the cpu, then re-install the Whipple tune.
If you can re-flash for the Magneride changes, why not the gearing? It seems to me that it can't be that big of a deal. Even though I have the blower, I would still look at a gearing change.

 

[GreenS550]

I just want to let you know my experience in changing the gear in a Bullitt, it may save you some grief if you don't already know about this.

I was like you, didn't like the long gear so I changed my Bullitt to a 4.09. Well before I got out of the driveway I had all these default warnings, cross traffic, blind spot, hillside assist, I couldn't change drive modes and when you get to about
30 mph the wrench sign would pop up saying see service manual. Long story short after talking with a lot of people [ tuners ], dealership and FP, no one had an answer. I was told a tune may fix it, may not. But I didn't want to try it
because of warranty.

There is something different I believe about the Bullitt. This was in January and I was talking with someone at FP about it, he was reading me something about a performance package that was coming out in April for a GT that was
going to include a program for a gear change, but then it said [ except the Bullitt ]. I also tried changing the hex in the BCM but it didn't help. So I gave up put the 3.73 back in, cleared the codes, everything back to normal.

So if you or someone else decides to do a gear change you may want to do some checking on it first, it may save you some work. I just know you can't simple change the gear and be done, something has to be done to fix all the default
warnings.

How did you like the gear change as far as driving the car?

 

[M.A.N.]

How did you like the gear change as far as driving the car?

I loved it, really hated to take it back out. For me it made the car perform so much better, not geared to low. I might would even go with a 4.30 if they made one. if I could only do one change on it, that would be it for me.

It should be an option from Ford!

 

[M.A.N.]

When I put the Whipple on my Bullitt I used the Tomahawk tuner Whipple provides. There are options in there for gearing, etc. So, recently I contacted Whipple because I am considering installing the Magneride Ford Performance handling kit which requires a re-flash. So, I asked the Whipple guy about their tune interfacing (?) with the new change. He said that I would return the car to stock, re-flash the cpu, then re-install the Whipple tune.
If you can re-flash for the Magneride changes, why not the gearing? It seems to me that it can't be that big of a deal. Even though I have the blower, I would still look at a gearing change.

Wow a Whipple bet that's fun!

Yes I'd say a tune would fix it, I just wasn't ready to give up the warranty. Not that it would have made any different, I traded it

 

[M.A.N.]

FWIW, I get the exact same default warnings--except for the wrench--on my bone stock Bullitt, sometimes on hot-starts but most often when the car has sat at my mom's ranch for the day. I thought it was heat-related, and it may be, but the dealer let it sit on a hot parking lot and couldn't duplicate the problem (or so they said). I complained about it on this forum, but nobody has solved the problem for me yet. There may be a clue in there somewhere.

Sorry to here about your problem, I know it can be frustrating to find something like that.

Don't think I could help much either, I do remember reading somewhere when I was looking for info to fix my problem,
that others was having the same issues that your having. It seemed that a lot of different things could cause it.

Someone had problem with a wire on the Magneride [ loose, broke, bad ground ] don't remember, that caused it.
Someone else had a bad wire or plug on the active exhaust [ at back of car on the muffler ], and another said it was a weak
battery, the dealer replaced the battery and fix it. Sound like anything could cause it.

Good luck, hope you find it and can let others know. This is a great place for info, with everyone sharing what they have learned to help others.

 

[Schwerin]

Thats very strange, even as the FORScan has an option to assign a 4.09 gear.

 

[GreenS550]

Got an email back from Whipple today. They tell me that their tune will "learn" the new rear axle ratio as I drive if I change gears. I wonder if that is the case for the stock tune?

 

[Speedycrw]

I just want to let you know my experience in changing the gear in a Bullitt, it may save you some grief if you don't already know about this.

I was like you, didn't like the long gear so I changed my Bullitt to a 4.09. Well before I got out of the driveway I had all these default warnings, cross traffic, blind spot, hillside assist, I couldn't change drive modes and when you get to about
30 mph the wrench sign would pop up saying see service manual. Long story short after talking with a lot of people [ tuners ], dealership and FP, no one had an answer. I was told a tune may fix it, may not. But I didn't want to try it
because of warranty.

There is something different I believe about the Bullitt. This was in January and I was talking with someone at FP about it, he was reading me something about a performance package that was coming out in April for a GT that was
going to include a program for a gear change, but then it said [ except the Bullitt ]. I also tried changing the hex in the BCM but it didn't help. So I gave up put the 3.73 back in, cleared the codes, everything back to normal.

So if you or someone else decides to do a gear change you may want to do some checking on it first, it may save you some work. I just know you can't simple change the gear and be done, something has to be done to fix all the default
warnings.

Man.....that really sucks....I was actually thinking of going all the way to a 4.56 after seeing/feeling the long gearing on my car.....never thought I would run into a problem like you described......there HAS to be some tuning you can do to get the car to accept the rear end gear change. Has anyone on the boards done this successfully????

 

[el-guapin]

So did the OP get a Bullitt?!

 

[GreenS550]

If I would have stayed NA on the Bullitt I would have done more than 4.09. Like Chris said, 4.56 or so. The 2 overdrive gears allow you this with no problems. Like a 4.10 in the 60s muscle cars with a 4 speed but with overdrive.

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