Mustang and Ford Performance Forums banner

New TSB concerning aftermarket tuning

16K views 122 replies 39 participants last post by  ViciousJay  
#1 ·
Looks like the recent crop of engine problems is fully on Ford's radar.
 

Attachments

#2 ·
Higher Shift points to get gains from Boss Intake Install are suject to be scrutinized by Ford
 
#5 ·
Can't say as I blame them for issuing this TSB. Let's be honest, we all know that once you start modding it is your wallet that is going to be paying for a blown engine, not Ford. There are those that have tried to fool Ford into thinking they blew up a 100% totally stock engine. When Ford didn't pony up (pun intended!) for a new engine they had the nerve to come in here and post a thread and say Ford had a design flaw in their 5.0 engines, and they were pissed that they weren't going to get a new engine. If you don't have the balls or the money to pay for the repercussions, leave it stock.
 
#8 ·
I am not sure there is anything wrong with these engines per say , as it seems to only be a problem with the N A tunes ? I haven't seen any problems with the engines that have superchargers on them . Why is that , or have I overlooked them ?
 
#19 ·
There has been some supercharged engine issues, most arent posted about much. I think the main reason you dont see them posted is people who put blowers on are usually well aware if it blows up its on their dime and dont expect Ford to fix it. People who put a CAI and tune on figure they are entitled to a new engine if the tune blows it up so you see more bitching. Not to mention a bigger shop may work with a customer to get them into a forged engine at a better deal if they dont post all over the internet about it. And thats really a shame because many would like to see the limits with a blower and exactly what caused the failure. Unfortunately simply pushing too hard at a customer's request and breaking a stock engine may end up looking like it was the tuners fault at the end of a forum thread..
 
#12 ·
Nope. What you are seeing is the same group of numbnuts posting a load of shit across multiple forums making the perception to be more than there is.

There may be a couple of legitimate cases here or there. The rest of it is total garbage.

You mod your car, you take the risk of having something not covered under warranty. Cut and dry, plain and simple.

Pick a reputable tuner, such as Jon Lund, if you want to mod your car.
 
#10 ·
Not a lot, but enough to worry some people I think.Leaving mine stock till they figure this out as to if it is a tune problem ,or an engine problem,or maybe it is just that they are being tuned for 93 gas and then putting wrong grade of fuel in the car. Who really knows at this point ?
 
#23 ·
These are high compression motors and need very good gas when you start using after market tunes.
Race Tunes means RACE GAS(If you guys think you can put a supercharger on or mod the hell out of your 5.o and run pump gas,I think you are asking for a broke motor. Racers like Chris Cruz and Justin Starkey do not spend $7.00 per gallon for race gas just for fun!
 
#24 ·
Could you please tell me where you are buying race gas for $7? lol

There is no reason for this to cause the panic it is. I only posted it so everyone has the facts. If the tune is good you shouldn't have a problem. But if you want to be 100% sure you won't hurt your warranty, don't do anything to your car.
 
#25 ·
The only thing I'm curious about, is, what if I'm going in for regular service work, i.e. maintenance? The last few sentences of the first paragraph seems to indicate the service techs will be scanning the computer for tunes if they suspect aftermarket mods, period, not just when in with driveline trouble.

If so, that really blows. I know I always have the option of just cruising down to JPC for work I can't do myself, but people without a close-by shop with no means of doing their own things like coolant, trans and rear end changes might be in a world of hurt over this.

The line about potential damage to the clutch/transmission smells like Ford is really never going to offically accept that some of the MT-82's have had some major problems, and will just fall back on saying the air intake did it.
 
#28 ·
According to My Service Advisor, YES, although Ford Sells some FRPP parts through the dealer, Tuners (only on the 5.0) and Blowers, etc., ARE on the Hit list, word he got three weeks ago from Ford, ie., even FRPP HP inceasing parts are "Warrantie VOID" for any Motor problems...
 
#30 ·
I'd attribute these failures from the majority of "tooners" that blindly load in tuning company provided canned tunes, and not understanding what is being changed. The 5 degree global spark adder is BAD. Why a tuning company released a file like this to dealers makes no sense.

For those that do not know, the global spark adder is a parameter that takes the calculated spark, and then adds a certain amount of timing to it. This comes in after the knock sensor calibration. If the car is knocking, the PCM removes timing, but then the global gets added back.

I've never used a global spark adder for anything other than quickly finding what a combo likes while on the dyno.

Ken, we have a local gas station that sells leaded 110 octane race gas for around $7 a gallon.
 
#32 ·
I'd attribute these failures from the majority of "tooners" that blindly load in tuning company provided canned tunes, and not understanding what is being changed. The 5 degree global spark adder is BAD. Why a tuning company released a file like this to dealers makes no sense.

For those that do not know, the global spark adder is a parameter that takes the calculated spark, and then adds a certain amount of timing to it. This comes in after the knock sensor calibration. If the car is knocking, the PCM removes timing, but then the global gets added back.

I've never used a global spark adder for anything other than quickly finding what a combo likes while on the dyno.

Ken, we have a local gas station that sells leaded 110 octane race gas for around $7 a gallon.
Can you name names of 'tooners' using these files, or would that be inappropriate for a public forum?
 
#34 ·
Only one I've seen popped was being sprayed and it windowed the block.......

I run Torco in every tank as cheap insurance - $10/tank ($200 for 5 gallons shipped to the house/32oz per tank)
 
#35 ·
I just wished this didn't have to be such a mystery. Why can't we just name the companies that tunes were being run in these few 5.0 mustangs that experienced the engine damage. I am a ford tech and believe in "you play, you pay" yet none of our diesel customers understand this. But at the sametime im sure everyone here when they ordered a tune, they wanted more power but not at the ragged edge of possible engine damage.
 
#38 ·
Other than seeing my plugs for the first time turn red and think WTF. Then I did a forum search and realized that this was normal...

No problems, it's o2 safe and is supposed to add 5 points of octane. Lots of guys running it and I bought mine from Lethal performance and got 2-5 gallon drums to save on shipping. I have access to free empty 32oz bottles so I always keep a few full ones floating around. I've been getting at least 300-325 miles/tank so it's really not to bad. On long distance trips I just fill a couple of jugs (I have a couple of empty lucas 1qt fuel additive jugs) and secure them in the trunk.
 
#53 ·
The main reason I am running e85 is because of crappy gas. I think that I have a little more room to play with aggressive timing on e85 compared to 93 that might not even be 93 octane at times.
 
#54 ·
What guarantees that you E85 is not E42.5--just food for thought. All gas from a pump at a local gas station is probably not the same every time. I have found that VP race fuel is more consistent. Years ago a santioning body tried to make a pump gas class with a fuel check--no luck on the testing as the specs were all over the place.
 
#56 ·
I went to Jon Lund for my tune so I am not worried. Just because he did the tune does not mean my car is now bullit proof but I do fell safer knowing he is a completly liget tuner and it is not an inexperienced mail order tuner. So I assume that even if flashed back to stock, ford can scan the cimputer to see if it had been reflashed??
 
#57 ·
Has ghost cam tunes caused any issues?
 
#59 ·
Well good to know if your going in for a routine maintenance and not a poped motor LOL I guess pushing it doesnt count LOL