xx

[Ggradtech]

I had the car back to LMS after the install and they drove it 120 miles and looked at the tune and said it was good except for a random rev limiter issue. It is really weird that several folks had this exact setup with zero issues.

I called other hot rod shops for opinions. They were varied and respectful. It COULD have been bad gas, incorrect ring gap that reared its head when it was boosted. Or, the tune, too.

So far LMS has been open about the issues except the tune. They are certain the tune was not the issue.

I have their kit and HAD ISSUES. I mainly had a rev hang and the shift points were not adjusted properly. Those were the primary/drivability issues with their custom MyCalibrator tuning I experienced. Possibly a bigger (porentially), less noticible issue was that I had some audible detonation on their tune when under load at low RPMs. This certainly bothered me. I knew it wasn't safe by any means. I just couldn`t get LMS to return emails or phone calls and finally gave up on them.
The Lund tune has been perfect since day one. Lund forced me to purchase and install a BAP since they were concerned that there might be an issue with enough fuel without one. It's "possible" that LMS runs this kit/tune on the peak, ragged-edge of performance without a wide enough regard to engine longevity.

Sponsored

 

[GreenS550]

Everyone on this site has been really helpful in me making the decision on my Guard Green 2015 Mustang GT!

After listening to many of you and taking the advice of contacting other shops, I have decided to stay with Livernois Motorsports.

Here are my reasons:
1) They have my car and I am 550 Miles away.
2) Between the Wednesday conference call and yesterday's discussion with my salesman, I have pretty good clarity on the damage. They could have scoped it.
3) The discount on the forged bottom end is fair. It IS possible the problem is not their fault. I am skeptical about this still, though.
4) Compared to other phone quotes, I am paying at least $1,000 less than at any other shop.
5) They are one of the few shops that use the Magnuson SC on the S550.
6) They know now that IF there is an issue, it is theirs, not Fords.
7) If I sell the car in the future, the future owner can have confidence that it has a forged bottom end and not just another engine. Hopefully, this will allow me to get a fair price in re-sale.
8) LMS is giving me a 1 year warranty on the labor. Parts, no.
9) Perhaps the biggest reason is that they have a reputation to keep, which has suffered recently.
10) This keeps all the mods to one shop. Other shops are already very busy and cannot get to the car until fall.
11) Several of you suggested I get a tune from LUND, Etc. That is still always an option.
12) I've been to LMS several time and have seen the engine building area and it is very clean and organized.

I know a lot of folks think I should move the car, but these issues could come up at another shop, and then what?

 

[Mustang_Lou]

Difficult decision for sure but I'd likely do the same.

 

[vzwire]

What plugs are you running? I ask because I installed my Hellion TT myself. I had no idea I needed to run "colder" plugs. Blew cylinder 8 on the dyno during tuning. An extra $40 in spark plugs caused me to learn a huge (and expensive) lesson.

 

[cnycomp]

Everyone on this site has been really helpful in me making the decision on my Guard Green 2015 Mustang GT!

After listening to many of you and taking the advice of contacting other shops, I have decided to stay with Livernois Motorsports.

Here are my reasons:
1) They have my car and I am 550 Miles away.
2) Between the Wednesday conference call and yesterday's discussion with my salesman, I have pretty good clarity on the damage. They could have scoped it.
3) The discount on the forged bottom end is fair. It IS possible the problem is not their fault. I am skeptical about this still, though.
4) Compared to other phone quotes, I am paying at least $1,000 less than at any other shop.
5) They are one of the few shops that use the Magnuson SC on the S550.
6) They know now that IF there is an issue, it is theirs, not Fords.
7) If I sell the car in the future, the future owner can have confidence that it has a forged bottom end and not just another engine. Hopefully, this will allow me to get a fair price in re-sale.
8) LMS is giving me a 1 year warranty on the labor. Parts, no.
9) Perhaps the biggest reason is that they have a reputation to keep, which has suffered recently.
10) This keeps all the mods to one shop. Other shops are already very busy and cannot get to the car until fall.
11) Several of you suggested I get a tune from LUND, Etc. That is still always an option.
12) I've been to LMS several time and have seen the engine building area and it is very clean and organized.

I know a lot of folks think I should move the car, but these issues could come up at another shop, and then what?

Smart move, I think. They will most likely take this very seriously and do a great job for you. They have been in business a long time and that tells me your satisfaction is important to them.

 

[GreenS550]

What plugs are you running? I ask because I installed my Hellion TT myself. I had no idea I needed to run "colder" plugs. Blew cylinder 8 on the dyno during tuning. An extra $40 in spark plugs caused me to learn a huge (and expensive) lesson.

I've had 3 FI Mustangs. Every one of them I ran colder plugs. The first Vortech I put on my Bullitt I installed myself and Vortech recommended colder plugs. The other 2 on coyotes were installed by shops and ran a colder plug.

My understanding is that the colder plug keeps heat away from the top of the piston and surrounding valve area.

It is possible you just had an engine issue unrelated to the plugs. Look at what happened to my car. How do we always know? Did you disassemble the engine to see? Maybe a hotspot.

LMS is going to show me the damaged parts and photograph it for me. Maybe do the same?

 

[MyFirst5.0]

LMS is going to show me the damaged parts and photograph it for me. Maybe do the same?

please share the photos and keep us posted. did they give you a return date?

 

[racingmason]

OP,

I too have used Livernois for over 6 years dating back to my SHO. Everytime I needed help they were there for me. On a Saturday I was able to get ahold of their tuner to fix an issues with the software so I could flash the ECU with my FI tune. Every time I bought a new car I was able to reset the device and got free tunes for life. That is a fair price to get a built engine installed in the car.

It's always best practice to follow your tuners recommendations regardless of what other people say. My plugs are gapped way less than most .022 but that is what he wants them at. MY car makes ridiculous power on a conservative e85 tune, and the only thing holding me back from going up over 850 hp, besides the fuel system, is the fear of production or assembly flaws in the engine.

One thing I did learn was fouled out plugs, even if them are almost new, will destroy an engine. I was getting nasty surging, dyno pulls were jerky, just because 2 plugs were fouled. It was a good thing we caught it mid pull otherwise who knows what would have happened. It also got me to get rid of the cats and open up the exhaust.

 

[Boduke0220]

I am curious to see the plugs and what the pistons look like

 

[Shagen]

Here is the quote I received:

Dude, you should really think about scrubbing your personal info off of anything you post to the internet. I would take that PDF down and white out your personal information before you put it back up.
Not everyone on the internet has good intentions.

 

[cars2see]

Everything’s peachy when it’s going fine. You find out a companies true colours when things aren’t so great. Based on the lack of response from Livernois, I wouldn’t want them involved in my car either.

this is the hardest line in this whole thread!

 

[sigintel]

Livernois is dead in my book after this thread.

A 2017 service motor is 4k and change with core INCLUDING NEW HEADS and comes w oil in it.
2 techs, 2 10hr days or 3 8hr days and refire. 1600 labor and misc parts like exhaust gaskets, 50 bucks. Most importantly, shop proves they are worth trusting.

I would say call Jeremy, Glen, Dave or Chris... BUT THEY AINT AT LIVERNOIS NO MORE!

Instructions for shop:
#1 Make enough money to handle swapping motors at cost WHEN (not IF) you kill a customers motor.
Check compression before installing anything on a motor. Install shit. Get tune done and run it hard and hotter than customer will.
Check compression. Back it down 10% and hand back to customer.
If customers need to be constantly logging because tune is on ragged edge, FREAKN TELL THE CUSTOMER THAT!

 

[SolarFlare]

I’m sorry, the 7200 out of pocket still a lot to me. I’d tell them write me a check for a grand and I’ll be on my way. Get stock motor and put gears in it. Obviously they would never do that because they feel like they have you by the balls, and they are squeezing.

 

[Sighlense]

They smoked your engine. If you really want them to fix it then tell them to come down. Like someone else said, they have you by the balls and they know it.

 

[Southview]

Sorry this happened. Same thing happened to me with a very “reputable “ shop in Jersey with my new vette, 7 years ago. Didn’t make 1hr into the 4hr trip home before having trouble. Anyways long story short, it was there tune on my maggie. Wouldn’t give them another dime! Solar flare is correct. You don’t need a forged block for that little power. Good luck.

Sponsored