TheDoug
Full Access Members
If I didn't get it fixed yesterday that's what I was going to do. May regret the x4 choice down the road, but we will see.
SCT tuner
- Thread starter ETC13
- Start date
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If I didn't get it fixed yesterday that's what I was going to do. May regret the x4 choice down the road, but we will see.
MxRacer965
Full Access Members
Sent info to 5 Star around 6:30 on Friday, got confirmation the info I sent was good on Monday AM, got my tunes before end of business today. Going to tune on Friday when I get home from my business trip and see how it goes!
MxRacer965
Full Access Members
Got home from Austin about 5:40, said goodbye to the wife (ortho trauma nurse, she works nights) and had the 5 Star tune in by 6:10. Took it for a test drive and immediately noticed a big change in how the vehicle drives. Just did the 87 street/tow tune for now. It almost responds too quick right off idle but I’ll reserve judgement until I get used to it. I think my Grand Cherokee was more like this, my parents own it so I get to drive it again now and then and noticed it was touchy off idle like my Expedition is now.
Immediately noticed it no longer has a insatiable desire to climb to the highest possible gear in search of Prius like MPG it will never achieve (so why bother). Usually driving through my sub I end up lugging along in 8th. Now it sat in 5 in the 1,500-1,800K RPM range. Not lugging the motor, but also not revving needlessly. Just right.
Accelerating is entirely different. Before I had to keep mashing the pedal more to keep the RPM’s climbing and preventing it from grabbing the next higher gear, instead of just holding the pedal steady like in every other vehicle. It was irritating. Now I just put my foot in it and it shifts through the first few gears at a more reasonable pace and keeps the engine a bit higher in the RPM range. Unlike sport mode it does get to 10th. It still gets there pretty quickly, just not constantly grabbing another gear in search of better MPG at the expense of driveability though. I actually found that without trying it was accelerating at a more rapid pace as I would have to back off a bit or I would get too close to the cars ahead of me.
It was just one drive through the sub and a few miles on 55MPH roads so I reserve the right to change my assessment but from what I’ve felt so far this is exactly what I was looking for. It made the vehicle more enjoyable to drive, at a reasonable price, and without having to install, log data, send, wait for revision, etc. Could I do that if I was solely after more power or wanted to tweak the shifting even more? Sure. Would this be the right tuner for that? Doesn’t sound like it from Loki’s experience. But if you want to save a few bucks and don’t want/need to eek every bit of power out of your ride, I’d go with the X4 and 5 Star.
Immediately noticed it no longer has a insatiable desire to climb to the highest possible gear in search of Prius like MPG it will never achieve (so why bother). Usually driving through my sub I end up lugging along in 8th. Now it sat in 5 in the 1,500-1,800K RPM range. Not lugging the motor, but also not revving needlessly. Just right.
Accelerating is entirely different. Before I had to keep mashing the pedal more to keep the RPM’s climbing and preventing it from grabbing the next higher gear, instead of just holding the pedal steady like in every other vehicle. It was irritating. Now I just put my foot in it and it shifts through the first few gears at a more reasonable pace and keeps the engine a bit higher in the RPM range. Unlike sport mode it does get to 10th. It still gets there pretty quickly, just not constantly grabbing another gear in search of better MPG at the expense of driveability though. I actually found that without trying it was accelerating at a more rapid pace as I would have to back off a bit or I would get too close to the cars ahead of me.
It was just one drive through the sub and a few miles on 55MPH roads so I reserve the right to change my assessment but from what I’ve felt so far this is exactly what I was looking for. It made the vehicle more enjoyable to drive, at a reasonable price, and without having to install, log data, send, wait for revision, etc. Could I do that if I was solely after more power or wanted to tweak the shifting even more? Sure. Would this be the right tuner for that? Doesn’t sound like it from Loki’s experience. But if you want to save a few bucks and don’t want/need to eek every bit of power out of your ride, I’d go with the X4 and 5 Star.
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Nice write up. This was my feeling when going with the SCT over other devices (that it should fit the bill for a device that I am not using to take a truck to the track with). Though from my chats with 5 star it sounds like it can log a bunch of data points these days.
Haven't sent it back yet... Maybe I will try my luck with ford updating the PCM which wouldn't be a bad thing for the truck to begin with.
Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
MxRacer965
Full Access Members
If you haven’t sent it back yet and can get the updates needed without having to pony up the funds then this might be a good way to go.
My perception is the X4 is pretty nice. I tuned my 2011 Grand Cherokee Summit back in 2013 or so and used a tuner that compared to the X4 is complete garbage. But it did what it needed to. The X4 does what I need and more, plus it does it faster. Does it do everything another tuner can? Sounds like yes and no. It can make the same changes, but maybe not log as much data. Or maybe not log as much simultaneously. At any rate I didn’t buy my Max Platinum to be a race car. I just wanted it to drive a bit better. Mission accomplished and it cost $400. In the end it’s about what tuner suits your wants and needs. I can say though that the X4 was capable and fulfilled my needs. It’s up to others to decide if it will fill theirs.
The XCal4 released 7 years ago. It is old Tech. It is slow, and does log, but very few channels at once and with a not so good refresh rate.
It is just old tech, and not the best. Person doing the tuning removed, the device is just subpar in the options that are out there. The NGuage has most of the features, can log slightly better, and gives the tuner more options from a tuning perspective.
I use a MPVI2 from HPTuner. There is a slightly cheaper more user focused device called the RTD. All the logging, but no editing from the user perspective.
I am obviously preferential to ZFG, but even tuning with 5Star, the NGuage is a better option than the X4.
This comes from A LOT of experience in tuning. I have used them all at one point.
Currently I own the following tuners:
HyperTech MaxEnergy 2.0
LMS Original Tuner
LMS New Style Tuner
HPTuner MPVI2
Previously have owned:
XCal2
XCal3
XCal4
Livewire
Malone Tuning
I have used the NGuage on several friends vehicles. I really like the MPVI2 for the advanced features, but if I was going for simple, and tune switching without a computer, the NGuage would be my choice.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
It is just old tech, and not the best. Person doing the tuning removed, the device is just subpar in the options that are out there. The NGuage has most of the features, can log slightly better, and gives the tuner more options from a tuning perspective.
I use a MPVI2 from HPTuner. There is a slightly cheaper more user focused device called the RTD. All the logging, but no editing from the user perspective.
I am obviously preferential to ZFG, but even tuning with 5Star, the NGuage is a better option than the X4.
This comes from A LOT of experience in tuning. I have used them all at one point.
Currently I own the following tuners:
HyperTech MaxEnergy 2.0
LMS Original Tuner
LMS New Style Tuner
HPTuner MPVI2
Previously have owned:
XCal2
XCal3
XCal4
Livewire
Malone Tuning
I have used the NGuage on several friends vehicles. I really like the MPVI2 for the advanced features, but if I was going for simple, and tune switching without a computer, the NGuage would be my choice.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
I got a Bully Dog BDX Tuner to adjust for 33in tire size for speedometer primarily. It comes with a couple preloaded tunes. I installed the 93 octane tune to see. Pretty impressed. If I drive conservatively it gets stock or better gas mileage. The tuner has WiFi so you don’t need a computer to update and can download custom tunes from a cloud. It can be reverted back to stock easily too. Noticed it has auto start/stop disable (already had the behind the switch disable). The tuner was $400 and a $45 rebate. Dyno charts are at the wheel HP: https://www.bullydog.com/products/bd-category-tuners/bdbdx
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MxRacer965
Full Access Members
Update on tuning...
wow, gobs of power! I usually cruise around in 2H but it is raining here in MI today and this thing is spinning the tires now when accelerating! Even caught me off-guard when getting on the highway, I gave it some gas to go from 45-75 and spun the tires then too. Guess it’s 4A all the time now for me.
definitely pleased with the results for sure
wow, gobs of power! I usually cruise around in 2H but it is raining here in MI today and this thing is spinning the tires now when accelerating! Even caught me off-guard when getting on the highway, I gave it some gas to go from 45-75 and spun the tires then too. Guess it’s 4A all the time now for me.
definitely pleased with the results for sure
So while driving down to Florida for the holidays the PCM went into malfunction and kicked into limp mode. Fun for it to do while towing on the highway.
Just took to Ford yesterday and the fix for such was to update the PCM. Sent the new code to 5star and they sent custom tunes for it a few hours later. Updated it last night and only did a quick drive around the neighborhood, but could tell the difference just with that little drive.
Also, based on the info in the customs tunes they sent it looks like the X4 can be connected to a laptop running livewire software to do datalogs.
Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
Just took to Ford yesterday and the fix for such was to update the PCM. Sent the new code to 5star and they sent custom tunes for it a few hours later. Updated it last night and only did a quick drive around the neighborhood, but could tell the difference just with that little drive.
Also, based on the info in the customs tunes they sent it looks like the X4 can be connected to a laptop running livewire software to do datalogs.
Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
5280tunage
Full Access Members
Hey @LokiWolf ,
Quick question. On my previous vehicle I had a diablosport tuner that allowed me to not only apply cust tunes, but do things like adjust tire/wheel sizes, adjust throttle response, etc. Of the tuners you listed, are there any that are similar to that? I liked the diablosport, their service was really good if there were issues. I was looking at the HP RTD bit if I read it correctly, it essentially only Los and applies tunes, not necessarily other configs, is that right?
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