For those that have tuned(N/A).....

[FKE SNK]

I really never wanted to mod this car, but I have been interested in the easy gains provided by a flex fuel tune. Additional low end could make the car a lot more fun to drive.
I'd love to hear some real world experience from those that have.

-What did you like the most and who did you use? How did the driving experience change?
-Is it worth it if you're running 93? I have access to E but wouldn't use it exclusively
-Is a CAI a good partner to the tune or unnecessary? PBD mentions it really does help at RPM

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[robvas]

M6 car with a 93 tune is not going to be a big difference

A10 with e85 tune would be way more noticeable

 

[RNM]

If you have easy access to e85, you would be a fool to use anything else.

 

[SnowFox]

When I was N/A I did the flex tune on 22 A10.

It was probably the only "mod" that was really worth the money for added HP. It definitely picked up some fair power.

Things to consider: Tuners typically have a minimum Ethanol content requirement/preference mine was around 70%. E85 runs like 53%-83%. Depending on your location during colder months they usually reduce the amount of ethanol % to alleviate starting issues.

For example, during the fall here you couldnt find any above 60%

Not a big deal but. something to consider.

 

[galaxy]

-What did you like the most and who did you use? How did the driving experience change?

My post from another thread...

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/wengerd-tune-installed-review.204278/

Plenty of excellent reading in the engine section about Wengerd and tunes.

-Is it worth it if you're running 93? I have access to E but wouldn't use it exclusively

Yes it's worth it. If I had access to quality corn, I'd never run anything else - especially all summer. E85 is life altering in this car. It was for me. Maybe back to 93 for winter. Great comment from @SnowFox about winter corn. Gotta test it, don't just send it.

-Is a CAI a good partner to the tune or unnecessary? PBD mentions it really does help at RPM

All my homework and Wengerd said don't bother. Bang for the buck not worth it. $400 for 1-2 hp on a good day. And I personally don't like the looks of any of the aftermarket intakes anyways.

 

[galaxy]

M6 car with a 93 tune is not going to be a big difference

A10 with e85 tune would be way more noticeable

Welcome to the 350 secion, boss. Driveability and overall performance across the board is significantly enhanced...for a manual...which BTW, that's all us 350 guys have.

 

[robvas]

Welcome to the 350 secion, boss. Driveability and overall performance across the board is significantly enhanced...for a manual...which BTW, that's all us 350 guys have.

No kidding. Why do you think I said what I said.

 

[engineermike]

Skip the CAI. Causes more problems and improvement is very small if even measureable.

The stock mustang PCM logic can be reconfigured for flex fuel and work EXTREMELY well, but it is a MUST to use PCMTec to get access to ALL of the required parameters. That said, I have basically no confidence in any aftermarket tuner to get this right. The mustang has the ability to be just as good at flex fuel as the OEM logic in the F150, cold starting and all. It really is astounding what it is capable of, but most tuners seem to just change stoich, add a few deg of timing and call it a day.

 

[JoeCee]

Skip the CAI. Causes more problems and improvement is very small if even measureable.

The stock mustang PCM logic can be reconfigured for flex fuel and work EXTREMELY well, but it is a MUST to use PCMTec to get access to ALL of the required parameters. That said, I have basically no confidence in any aftermarket tuner to get this right. The mustang has the ability to be just as good at flex fuel as the OEM logic in the F150, cold starting and all. It really is astounding what it is capable of, but most tuners seem to just change stoich, add a few deg of timing and call it a day.

So now is your time to open your tuning business!! Ill certainly use you.

 

[GaryConn]

I just had a tune done at mustang week here in Myrtle Beach. Done by 5 star tuning. I got the 87 tune as I use regular gas all the time. I wasn't expecting too much hp gains. But the difference in my 10speed auto is night and day. My car is a 2020 California Special. In sport+ mode it chirps the tires when I step on it. Definatly worth the 300 buck show special price. I just have a dry k&n type filter installed. Plus a switch hfire res delete installed.

 

[Point45]

I recommend it

Its hard to crank when its cold so I dont run it during the winter months but an easy 50hp. Im in southern california so winter is only like mid 60's average.

There is a difference between the flex tune and the E85R tune, the 85R tunes have more agressive timing ramps where the flex tune will be more conservative. You can feel this in how responsive the throttle is.

It wasnt available when did it but I would get the PCM multi tune where you can swap maps and adjust for ethanol content on the fly.

 

[engineermike]

Its hard to crank when its cold so I dont run it during the winter months .

That’s just poor tuning. Ford makes the f150 start up in cold weather on e85, so the Mustang can too.

There is a difference between the flex tune and the E85R tune, the 85R tunes have more agressive timing ramps where the flex tune will be more conservative. You can feel this in how responsive the throttle is.

You can set up a gen3 flex tune to be as aggressive as you want with the timing when it learns e85 and very tame when it learns pump gas. Gen2 didn’t accommodate flex nearly as well.

 

[Point45]

That’s just poor tuning. Ford makes the f150 start up in cold weather on e85, so the Mustang can too.



You can set up a gen3 flex tune to be as aggressive as you want with the timing when it learns e85 and very tame when it learns pump gas. Gen2 didn’t accommodate flex nearly as well.

Its only a hard crank on the flex tune, with the R tune it starts right up. As was explained to me its the flex tune being conservative with initial timing on a 12:1 compression engine.

The flex tune does learn on my car but its just not as agressive as the E85R tune. Its perfectly drivable and you notice the increase in HP with either map. Its just a better throttle response on the R tune.

Im going to venture a guess there's a few differences between an F150 coyote and a mustang coyote in regards to base timing and compression especially with the 5.2 that the requires a softer touch in regards to unknown ethanol content. Not a tuner, last time had to mess with anything like this was a carb with jets and float levels and you adjusted the timing mechanically.

All that to say, do it. E85 really wakes up the 5.2 engine and it smells like bad whiskey when I fill up.

 

[robvas]

What's your definition of "cold weather"? The F150 owners manual has things about e85 and cold weather in some years of the manuals

 

[engineermike]

Its only a hard crank on the flex tune, with the R tune it starts right up.

The tables required to "fix" the cold starting on a flex tune aren't available in the most popular tuning software, unfortunately.

As was explained to me its the flex tune being conservative with initial timing on a 12:1 compression engine.

I see now that the voodoo OS doesn't have the logic to change borderline timing as a function of ethanol content, so I stand corrected on that. On a Gen3+ you can get as aggressive as you want when it learns ethanol rather than relying just on knock advance to get the extra timing in. The flex logic in the voodoo basically just applies to the fuel delivery. On other OSIDs it can change all sorts of stuff like even load limits, fuel pressure, egt, etc.

Im going to venture a guess there's a few differences between an F150 coyote and a mustang coyote in regards to base timing and compression especially with the 5.2 that the requires a softer touch in regards to unknown ethanol content.

The F150 is also 12/1, but like I said, the entire borderline timing map can elevate as much as you want but only once it learns ethanol. The Gen3+ mustang OSID has all the same logic as the F150 available; its just turned off and uncalibrated. Unfortunately its just a shortcoming of the GT350 logic.

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