5 star tune for FORD V10

[bob_proctor]

I have a 2004 V10 Ford motor home. I would like to hear from anyone who has had the 5 star tune done on there m/home. If so are you happy with the preformance, was there a mpg improvement. Any imformation pros or cons would be helpful. Thank you

Bob

[camperdave]

klutchdust wrote:

camperdave wrote:
I have it in my van. Definite performance improvement, definite transmission improvement. No mileage improvement.

Curious as to how you define performance improvement. When it was stock it did_____,now it does _____. And the transmission also. My coach shifts ok, pulls a trailer or toad OK, what could I expect if I installed one of these.

Mileage can be increased by buying a smaller motorhome, 8 is it, I got that. Help me out, Thanks.

sorry, no datalogger on my van lol. Just seat of the pants. A little stronger in the hills, shifts later and firmer, and holds drive longer before dropping to 2nd in the hills.

My van has the old 256hp engine, I may well see more gains than a newer 305hp engine would from a tune, I don't really know.

I wouldn't expect anything earth shattering, tunes just tweak, it still is what it is.

[stripit]

I put it in the 2007 29 ft Winnebago and felt the shifts were much improved and felt better towing the Cadillac. Switched it to the 2018 31ft Holiday Rambler right after buying it. Didn't have much driving before install but feel it is a added improvement when towing. Shifting feels firm and solid. Never saw any fuel mileage improvements in the 2007.

[klutchdust]

camperdave wrote:
I have it in my van. Definite performance improvement, definite transmission improvement. No mileage improvement.

Curious as to how you define performance improvement. When it was stock it did_____,now it does _____. And the transmission also. My coach shifts ok, pulls a trailer or toad OK, what could I expect if I installed one of these.

Mileage can be increased by buying a smaller motorhome, 8 is it, I got that. Help me out, Thanks.

[jarata1]

Love mine on my bay star a lot smoother and feels a lot more powerful

[blownstang01]

6door74 wrote:

blownstang01 wrote:
Major improvement in transmission performance. Small power increase, but it's there. I also seen no real MPG gain. Pulls hills better. Definitely worth it. The guy knows his stuff. I have both an 87 octane and 91 octane tune, modest power difference in the high octane tune, so I run that most of the time. To answer 6door , yes you plug the device into the OBDII port, but you have to upload the tune and it over-writes the stock calibration of the computer. So once you install the tune it's always running on that calibration tune until you program it back to stock.

I think i got it. With the 89 vs 91 tune, you just plug in the device before/after you fill up the tank with a different octane?

Yes, kinda. It takes about 4-5 minutes to change the tune. So, I don't normally do that on the road. The exception would be if I were on a trip and couldn't get 91 octane, then I would take the time to change it. I used to write tunes myself for the racecar using the same software 5 Star uses, and the only real change between a lower octane and higher octane tune is the timing map ie: more aggressive timing especially down low when using higher octane. However, the Ford V-10 uses knock sensors, so if any engine ping due to a low grade fuel or lower octane fuel is noticed the computer will automatically ****** the timing. So, even if you were to encounter some "bad" fuel on the road when using one of these tunes the factory hardware and software will compensate, within set parameters. Basically, once you load a tune you wouldn't touch it again for the most part.

[camperdave]

6door74 wrote:

camperdave wrote:
I have it in my van. Definite performance improvement, definite transmission improvement. No mileage improvement.

I've been thinking about getting one for my 06 V10 E350. Do you use it only when towing or for regular driving as well? We haven't gotten our travel trailer yet but intend on using one when we do. In the meantime, I've been trying to decide if I should just get one. Do you just plug it into the OBD port and that's it?

Thanks

Mine came with three tunes, I 'think' I got to choose which tunes to have loaded on it (it was several years ago), I'm pretty sure I have economy, performance and towing. All 87 octane tunes since I don't ever plan on spending the $$ for 91 lol.

I tried economy mode when not towing, but did not like it. It short shifts to the extreme and shifts like a town car. It bugged me. Performance, if I recall, was close to stock feeling. At this point, I just leave it in towing mode all the time (which shifts quite firm, and holds gears much better). It drives fine solo.

To change a tune, you plug the tuner into the OBDII port and press a few buttons, it does it's thing. Pretty easy, but honestly once I spend a few days playing with it, I have not touched the tuner in the last several years. It's just always in towing mode.

Your van, the 06, does it have the torqueshift? If so, you may not see nearly the improvement of us with the 4R100.

[harley-dave]

We have one in our 2005 31' class c. Love it. Definitely helped the shifting especially with cruise on. We got a 1-2 mpg increase also which was unexpected. You upload the tune and unplug the device normally. It stores a copy of the original settings in its memeory so you can change back if needed. Definitely a recommended step if taking your rig to a Ford dealer for service. Well worth the money.

Dave

[6door74]

blownstang01 wrote:
Major improvement in transmission performance. Small power increase, but it's there. I also seen no real MPG gain. Pulls hills better. Definitely worth it. The guy knows his stuff. I have both an 87 octane and 91 octane tune, modest power difference in the high octane tune, so I run that most of the time. To answer 6door , yes you plug the device into the OBDII port, but you have to upload the tune and it over-writes the stock calibration of the computer. So once you install the tune it's always running on that calibration tune until you program it back to stock.

I think i got it. With the 89 vs 91 tune, you just plug in the device before/after you fill up the tank with a different octane?

[blownstang01]

Major improvement in transmission performance. Small power increase, but it's there. I also seen no real MPG gain. Pulls hills better. Definitely worth it. The guy knows his stuff. I have both an 87 octane and 91 octane tune, modest power difference in the high octane tune, so I run that most of the time. To answer 6door , yes you plug the device into the OBDII port, but you have to upload the tune and it over-writes the stock calibration of the computer. So once you install the tune it's always running on that calibration tune until you program it back to stock.

[6door74]

camperdave wrote:
I have it in my van. Definite performance improvement, definite transmission improvement. No mileage improvement.

I've been thinking about getting one for my 06 V10 E350. Do you use it only when towing or for regular driving as well? We haven't gotten our travel trailer yet but intend on using one when we do. In the meantime, I've been trying to decide if I should just get one. Do you just plug it into the OBD port and that's it?

Thanks

[camperdave]

I have it in my van. Definite performance improvement, definite transmission improvement. No mileage improvement.