JL's 09 F-150 Build
#61
Truck is coming along nice... The level makes all the difference in the world. We West coasters prefer the slightly nose high look of the Baja trucks lol - Get yourself an SCT Tuner, make sure it's unlocked (it will say UNMARRIED) in the IIRC device info screen. You can either get the SF3 which has SCT tunes already and you'll feel a difference, it also as slots for then you want to install custom tunes. The X3 does not have canned tunes installed and NEEDS custom tunes to work. Get you engine mods done and start calling around to some shops in Dallas or closer and start asking about dyno-tuning. Look for shops that use SCT's and have put out some fast street Mustangs and Trucks (like VMP). For the same price as 3 VMP tunes, I was able to get a full hour on the dyno, make 5 passes and each one was tweaked a little after the initial base run. When I left the truck ran harder than ever and has had zero issues since.
I've built some pretty fast mustangs using the FoMoCo ECUs and tuners as well as stand-alone ECUs. My 85 Notch was a 331 with a 67mm turbo and it was an honest 550whp on pump gas @8lbs. I used an 01 Cobra motor turbo-charged to build a sand rail. So I knew there are only really 3 reasons why pings occur. Gas/Airflow/Timing so I would have figured it out. I just really felt like I was pushed-aside when the initial tunes weren't performing.
I'm not knocking the "e-mail" tunes that sooooo many have had great luck with. It's just not the end-all to tuning. Get those E-Fans in too!
I've built some pretty fast mustangs using the FoMoCo ECUs and tuners as well as stand-alone ECUs. My 85 Notch was a 331 with a 67mm turbo and it was an honest 550whp on pump gas @8lbs. I used an 01 Cobra motor turbo-charged to build a sand rail. So I knew there are only really 3 reasons why pings occur. Gas/Airflow/Timing so I would have figured it out. I just really felt like I was pushed-aside when the initial tunes weren't performing.
I'm not knocking the "e-mail" tunes that sooooo many have had great luck with. It's just not the end-all to tuning. Get those E-Fans in too!
Last edited by 7lug; 04-26-2012 at 02:30 PM.
#62
#63
#64
Woooo... I REALLY like that grill. But I think if you go to it, the bumper should match or maybe even be blacked out. But hey, thats why this stuff is great, do it your way!
#65
I'm thinking I'm going to try and find the grille and if it doesn't look good just get the bumpers PTM'd. Best part is even if I do spend 300ish on that grille, I can make 2/3 of that back by selling the Lariat grille. People with 3 bars are paying up for them. I don't think I'll lose any way, though
#71
#75