A tune modifies your cars ECU programming to run differently. It compensates for your modified parts and makes your ECU compatible.

 

I did mine yesterday...it's friggin' sweet. 2nd and 3rd gear pull so much more now, assuming you have a manual.

 

It is defentaly a worth while mod to do to your car. it will make it run alot better and get you untapped horse power. Basicly all you need to know is get one and you will be very happy! LOL

 

http://www.focussport.com/sct_flasher.htm

Do I think it is worth $379? No, BUT if you can find someone who is selling it for really cheap I'd pick it up!

 

In the long run, it's a pay off for horsepower when you add Cold Air Intake, Throttle Body, Intake Manifold, and exhaust, add a tune you'll get atleast 20 hp more.

 

Is this hard to use? What is involved as far as doing the flashing? where does it plug in!?

 

Wait, can you go to like JiffyLube to get a tune? Was that flasher thing it? Is there any point in getting a tune if you have a stock car?

 

It plugs into your OBD port and just push a couple of button and it will load the tune. I wouldnt waste money on one if I had a stock car. The best place to get one is Focus Sport.

 

Would this be worth it for my car w/ steeda SR CAI and magnaflow exhaust?

 

no

only point in getting a tune is if you have quite a few mods to your car

mostly what the tunes do is advance or retard your spark timing to create the most power out of the mods you have...it also adjusts fuel metering...

wouldn't worry about a tune until quite a ways down the road...

and if you take your car to jiffy lube expecting ANY sort of quality work done OR even the slightest bit of performance modification i will beat you haha

 

I gotta disagree with some of you, I have a focus sport cai, and custom 2.5" cat-back system, and I put the tune in my car, gears 2 and 3 no longer "shift lag" and they pull alot more then they did with the stock settings in the ecu. Another member on the boards named strung would also agree with me.

 

You can get mileage with a tune, BUT you start using premium fuel with a tune.

 

I'm pretty new to fuel-injected performance too...I'd only tinkered with (and honestly, still prefer) carb'd cars, so I'm a little behind the learning curve. I'm still confused on kustom tunes vs. "regular", generic tunes. I realize that a kustom tune really hones it in for your specific car, but what happens when you change out your combo? Do you have to get it kustom tuned again? For a guy like me who loves to tinker, is it really worth it?

 

The tune will work with most combinations. So if you have an CAI then it will work with all brands. If you decide to go back to stock then you can take the tune back off. You can still run mods without a tune, but when you get more than a CAI, TB and exhaust, you really should have a tune.

 

ok so why pay 400 bucks when you can just borrow someones or rent it to do your tune ?

 

I remember when i did a tune on my 96 z28 that when you loaded the tune into it that it would lock out to that car only, until you put the tune back from the car onto the tuner then you could use it on a different car.

If you follow what i just said.

 

20hp from a tune on a duratec... i have never heard this before most people even FS and focus-power said maybe 8-10 MAX the duratecs are pretty much tuned very well off the lot they just smooth out the curves a little more

 

Note: I said AFTER a few upgrades(like CAI, TB, Intake Manifold, Exhaust), you can expect to get 20 more hp, not from bone stock.

 

nacho would be right....im most pleased with my tune....as earlier posted it basically advances your timing (causing you to run higher octane fuel)...if you have a cat back exhaust and a cai you will see a 5 whp gain....plus the flasher comes with many adjustment perameters....if you plan on a header you will need the flasher to delete the 02 sensor check engine light....if you plan on going turbo'd dont bother purchasing it because the turbo kit comes with the sct flasher...id recommend the xcal2 to any member that has at least a cai and cat back....basically its 5 whp for 2 minutes of programming....and yes, you can reprogram it back to stock any time you want.

 

Yeah, that's what frank had to do when he sold me his. I bought it for $100 then I contacted randy at focus sport and with another $100 he sent me a new tune. Just like strung said, for 2 minutes of your time, you get 5 whp, and you can actually feel the difference. I think it also happens that it takes advantage of the fact that I'm running the Autolite copper cores too.

 

ok, well i've read what everyone has to say. here is my situation. i have an mbrp, i'm getting the new F2 intake, also getting a TB very soon and have a torque mount with energy suspension bushings on the way. with that said, would it be worth me getting a tune? i've heard that a tune will smooth trhings out by raising the idle once i get the mount in.

 

My idle is much smoother now, even with my cai and cat-back system. It cleans up the shift lag and the car just overall gets more "oomph". So I say go for it!

 

its a lot of money for little gain
i would always recommend waiting but its your call

 

Wrong post, whoops.

 

if your expecting 2 seconds off your quarter mile times with a tune then get a turbo instead.....the sct tune only COMPLIMENTS your exhisting mods....it does work....and you can use it down the road again with other mods....plus you can plug it into any ford vehicle after 1995 and read/clear cel codes.

 

i'm certainly not one to think i'll gain tons of power with it. i just want to tighten up the car. bring things together i guess. get the most out of what i have.

 

^with your mods you'll fell a difference.