BBK OFF-ROAD X-PIPE NEED TUNE?

03mustangGT09

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Dec 27, 2003
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Hey guys, I got an off-road x-pipe (no cat's) put on a long while now. I also changed out the resonators from my SLP cat-back system with Magnaflow mufflers so that all I have is SLP tips. I also got a BBK cold air-intake put in around this same time. I never got a tune. Do you think that I should have? It seems that I sometimes get horrible gas mileage. My average is a little bit over 200 at best with stop and go city driving. Lots of stopping where I live!! Recently though (last tank), I only got 152 miles on a full tank and am pretty sick of it. Not sure why it was so bad but I wanted to know what you all thought. Should I have gotten a tune after I got the off-road mid-pipe put in or is it alright to go without it? The exhaust smells like it is running lean. I usually drive with my windows up, but figured that the car smells of the fumes because of the catless exhaust. Any help you all can give me is appreciated. Also, if it is true that I do need a tune, there is a shop in my area that will do one for 350 (not a dyno tune..those are 550), any ideas where it can be done cheap? Super chips...cost at best? thanks.
 
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No pinging from the engine at all I am just concerned over my recent crappy gas mileage, like something has finally gone wrong because of not getting a tune. I wasn't so sure I needed one at the time and was told by one person to get one but I thought it was a waste of money for only having a mid-pipe and mufflers added more or less. I still don't want to pay the money for one unless its totally necessary that it solves my problem .
 
We did similar mods with my Son's '04 Gt and had a dynotune done. Without a tuner in stock trim it was running rich, he was able to pick up near 10hp in the middle from the dynotune using the SCT tuner as well as making the A/F ratio right on.
 
When is the last time you did a tune up? Plugs, fuel filter, etc... clean your MAF with some quick-dry electrical contact cleaner, it is possible that the oil from your BBK air filter has contaminated it. Also, do you have a check engine light from removing the cats? When I had an off road H, my gas mileage was kinda bad bc the computer ran in limp mode until I put on a set of BBK MIL eliminators. That straightened out the A/F ratio and the car ran better.

I would only do a dyno tune if you have extra cash, right now I don't think it will gain you too much.
 
hotrodnut said:
We did similar mods with my Son's '04 Gt and had a dynotune done. Without a tuner in stock trim it was running rich, he was able to pick up near 10hp in the middle from the dynotune using the SCT tuner as well as making the A/F ratio right on.

The stock tune is fairly rich to begin with. It's not likely that the mods were the cause. It is normal to pick up some power going from the stock 12:1 ratio to 13:1


To the original poster, even if you did get a tune it isn't likely to help your gas mileage. The tune will usually only adjust WOT fuel settings. If you are keeping your foot out of it, it should not have any effect on mileage.
 
jstreet0204 said:
The stock tune is fairly rich to begin with. It's not likely that the mods were the cause. It is normal to pick up some power going from the stock 12:1 ratio to 13:1
Your're close, it was 11.7-11.9 accross the range before the tune. Kinda fat if you ask me, and will waste some fuel too . . . but keeping the foot out is best, although easier said than done. :D

03mustangGT09, I don't see where you mention a turner being added to your car, most tuners come with a tune that is satisfactory for your mods without a dynotune being done to get the A/F ratio better.

You didn't mention where you live but the guy who done the tune on my Son's Mustang is Justin from VMP Tuning here in Florida. He is at most of the FFW Events doing dynotunes and charges $499 for the dynotune which includes an SCT handheld tuner with 2 tunes loaded in it. The Tuner is $379 alone, so the dynotune was only $120 more and for getting the A/F ratio correct for that price, it's worth it IMO. :nice:
 
I had a check engine light on my car right after I got the exhaust done, but it went off for good probably an hour or 2 after the exhaust was done. I never took out a fuse or anything, it just stopped being on, so I thought whatever was wrong stopped being wrong. As far as the BBK CAI goes, it was used when I bought it but its been on probably a year and a half now. I think it might be time to clean it out or maybe get rid of it altogether. I've heard it doesn't do a whole lot at all for anything performance-wise, that it mostly just looks better because of the chrome pipe. I'm wondering now if maybe the CAI has taken a crap...because I have done the tune up of spark plugs, fuel filter, etc. so everything is good there.