5.0L w/ Auto Trans Tuner?... help!

642mx

Member
Feb 23, 2011
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I think its time to bite the bullet and get a tuner for the ole red rocket...

Needing some advice from the guys with 5.0L's with auto transmissions. I assume everyone uses the SCT, but which tune? Lund, Bama, etc?

What info do I need when I call and order one? VIN number maybe?

I like the ghost cam idle I hear on youtube, and from the info I've gathered, Lund is the only one doing those now. Can you have the cammed idle with the auto tranny? Will it surge at stop lights?

Also, what difference can a tune do for the auto tranny? It seems to shift pretty lazy! I would love it to dig pavement hitting second...(or third :D)

Please help! Give me all the info you can about these tuners and which tune... also, any recommendations on where to purchase...

A HUGE thanks in advance! Never done any tuning before, so be easy on me! :nice:
 
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From what I know u can only get that guise cam tune on manuals. It makes autos stall or something like that unless it has been fixed and yes Lund has the rights to that tune but know that it adds no power increase at all.

And personally Lund is good but I hear amazon tuning solutions is incredible and one of the few that have that #8 failure down to a science and tune so it doesn't fail.

Tune will make your auto shift faster and unlock some ponies for your ride to say it plainly
 
I think its time to bite the bullet and get a tuner for the ole red rocket...

Needing some advice from the guys with 5.0L's with auto transmissions. I assume everyone uses the SCT, but which tune? Lund, Bama, etc?

What info do I need when I call and order one? VIN number maybe?

I like the ghost cam idle I hear on youtube, and from the info I've gathered, Lund is the only one doing those now. Can you have the cammed idle with the auto tranny? Will it surge at stop lights?

Also, what difference can a tune do for the auto tranny? It seems to shift pretty lazy! I would love it to dig pavement hitting second...(or third :D)

Please help! Give me all the info you can about these tuners and which tune... also, any recommendations on where to purchase...

A HUGE thanks in advance! Never done any tuning before, so be easy on me! :nice:

I have used DiabloSports in my Mustangs. I don't have anything against the SCT, just what I like. As far as Valve body duties in the automatics, you can use the Tuner when changing gears to correct speedo issue, Shift Firmness, and Torque Modulation. It REALLY woke up a lazy 4R70W I had in one of my Stangs that I sold. However, I did put a 2800 stall PI billet torque converter on at the same time, another item I highly recommend for Automatics. The stock Torque Converters aren't very good. With the one I put in, I got approx 40% more pwr to the rear wheels after installing it. Again I don't know how SCT's do this stuff or if you have to get a custom tune w/the SCT, but w/the Diablosport, it's just a matter of modifying the performance tune that automatically gets put in your car first time adding the tune. A custome tune from a Dyno Shop that they'd put in your tuner for you will really make the most of tune though. I'd say you all that have automatics can take the most advantage of the hand held tuners. i have one in my svt cobra though, even though it's a manual. I like the way the tuners wake things up and you can download or get emailed a custom tune etc... at any time as well. You can do that w/the SCT though as well, I know that much about them.
 
Thanks guys.... keep the info coming! I hope to order one early next week.

Check this Review out on Stangtv's website regarding the Diablosport Trinity for the newest Mustangs out there. This device is awesome to say the least, even a virtual Christmas Tree for practicing your reaction times. Stores 5 custom tunes, data logging, check out how hot your automatic trans fluid is getting so that you know if it's time to get a Trans Cooler, the list is huge. Just need to read this article is all I can say. if you read around, you'll hear people saying that the diablosports are more user friendly and if their local Tune Shop used them, they'd of switched back over to the Diablosport. The deal with the Diablosport as well though, is you can get your tunes sent to you via email. You just contact one of the CMR Dealers, tell them about your mods and they set you up, that simple. Ask around at the drag strip you go to and ask what tuners they're using as well. These tuners aren't cheap so you just want to do all the homework/research you can so you end up with a tuner you'll get a charge out of using.

DiabloSport Releases Trinity Tuner for 2011 Mustang - StangTV.com
 
SCT/X3 and Steeda tune here. The shift firmness increase is amazing! Almost too much, to be honest. Pulling out of a parking lot onto a main road, with just moderate throttle, and it chirps 2nd halfway through the turn is something I have to watch out for!

I don't have enough real-estate to find out if it will chirp 3rd at WOT, but I bet it would! (It's been too dang hot to bother going down to the local test n' tune.) They also gave me (at my request) a "soft shift" 93 tune for using on track days. I'll be loading that shortly to try it out also.
 
Id go with American Muscle/Bama Tuning, when you get the tunes datalog as soon as you get them to make sure all is well. if you see any thing that concerns you Chris Rose and the Bama will get you squared away quickly. Chris Rose of AM is the ONLY tuner that Ive seen be so active on forums and read any logs you need deciphered
 
THIS IS THE RIGHT ANSWER

Steeda...bar none.

They used my personal car to develop their SCT tunes with CAI for AUTO trannies. At the end of last year, they loaded their " basic tune" for the Autos, and I went from mid 340s to 365 at the wheels, and it felt great.

They had me come back in Jan, and they closed the shop on a Sat and did a 4-hour custom Dyno tune on my car, and got it to 385 rwhp with an even better "feel". They took this long so they could try some different tunes and get some readings, then make sure all the data looked good and safe.

They now use this tune as the standard Auto tune when you purchase the CAI and SCT from them. Call and ask for Todd, and tell him what you want and Rob sent you, or HMU in a PM. I know nothing about Chris/bama tuning, but I have also read many good things about them.

Good Luck
RC
 
SCT/X3 and Steeda tune here. The shift firmness increase is amazing! Almost too much, to be honest. Pulling out of a parking lot onto a main road, with just moderate throttle, and it chirps 2nd halfway through the turn is something I have to watch out for!

I don't have enough real-estate to find out if it will chirp 3rd at WOT, but I bet it would! (It's been too dang hot to bother going down to the local test n' tune.) They also gave me (at my request) a "soft shift" 93 tune for using on track days. I'll be loading that shortly to try it out also.

Steeda...bar none.

They used my personal car to develop their SCT tunes with CAI for AUTO trannies. At the end of last year, they loaded their " basic tune" for the Autos, and I went from mid 340s to 365 at the wheels, and it felt great.

They had me come back in Jan, and they closed the shop on a Sat and did a 4-hour custom Dyno tune on my car, and got it to 385 rwhp with an even better "feel". They took this long so they could try some different tunes and get some readings, then make sure all the data looked good and safe.

They now use this tune as the standard Auto tune when you purchase the CAI and SCT from them. Call and ask for Todd, and tell him what you want and Rob sent you, or HMU in a PM. I know nothing about Chris/bama tuning, but I have also read many good things about them.

Good Luck
RC

I just got your PM. I am pretty much going to piggy back on what these guys said. I have the Steeda 93 tune installed on my Car with the CAI. Yes it will chirp 3rd at 80ph:nice: I know these tunes are dialed in as GTLAser alluded to so they are safe and well tested on the dyno. I was going to drive my car to Florida to have it dyno tuned. Gus told me that he may be able to squeek 4 or more 5 hp out of it safely (maybe none) but that's it so there was no use really. He said they have the tune dialed in so good that you're going to get the power right out of the box with no need to put it on the dyno because of all of the testing. Get the Steeda 87 and 93 tunes! You're car will turn into an animal in all areas. It is like nitrous compared to a stock car. You will say "Oh *****!!!!" the first time you nail it guaranteed. Steeda also doesn't play around with the knock sensors as other tuners do sometimes; so in my opinion it is a safe safe tune but with very abrupt power which is hard to do. Get the Steeda CAI as well with the tune. Take every advantage of it.
 

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Thank you all very much for all the info!! I'll keep you all posted with which way I go. I really do appreciate all the advice!! :nice:

One thing I should have mentioned about a quality Stall Torque Converter. Be very careful with what stall you go with or the drivibility issue will only help at the track at WOT. The great thing about them especially the PI models because they're built very well. Some manufacturers use the stock cover. PI uses a Billet cover and quality internals for the one I went with. Weighs about half as much as the stock torque converter as well. A tune will help with a stock torque converter and the valve body duties, but a correct stall performance torque converter like you'll see guys/girls using at the track is really going to get the pwr to the rear wheels, that's why we spend money on them so we kick butt at the track. You can put all the mods you want in your engine, quality forged everything, cams, 1.8:1 rockers, whatever, but if you want all that new power to get past the flywheel to the rear wheels, you'll want one, eventually. Some people go with the old fashion way of getting the correct Stall converter by putting pushing as hard as you can at a dead stop on the brake peddle then start pushing in the gas peddle, keeping a close eye on the rpm gauge, and just when the power starts spinning your rear wheels over taking the brakes, while looking at the gauge, that's the stall they will go with. Best thing to do is talk to the tech at the manufacturer and tell them about every single mod you have on your car/truck as well as dyno info and they will help you get the right one. PI will also let you swap one time if they don't get it right the first time. Quality stuff !
 
One thing I should have mentioned about a quality Stall Torque Converter. Be very careful with what stall you go with or the drivibility issue will only help at the track at WOT. The great thing about them especially the PI models because they're built very well. Some manufacturers use the stock cover. PI uses a Billet cover and quality internals for the one I went with. Weighs about half as much as the stock torque converter as well. A tune will help with a stock torque converter and the valve body duties, but a correct stall performance torque converter like you'll see guys/girls using at the track is really going to get the pwr to the rear wheels, that's why we spend money on them so we kick butt at the track. You can put all the mods you want in your engine, quality forged everything, cams, 1.8:1 rockers, whatever, but if you want all that new power to get past the flywheel to the rear wheels, you'll want one, eventually. Some people go with the old fashion way of getting the correct Stall converter by putting pushing as hard as you can at a dead stop on the brake peddle then start pushing in the gas peddle, keeping a close eye on the rpm gauge, and just when the power starts spinning your rear wheels over taking the brakes, while looking at the gauge, that's the stall they will go with. Best thing to do is talk to the tech at the manufacturer and tell them about every single mod you have on your car/truck as well as dyno info and they will help you get the right one. PI will also let you swap one time if they don't get it right the first time. Quality stuff !

I had the PI in my 94 and loved it, however the verdict is still out on the "need" for this in the newer stangs except for the track, but as far as I know the only "good" one for our new cars is by Circle-D

RC
 
I had the PI in my 94 and loved it, however the verdict is still out on the "need" for this in the newer stangs except for the track, but as far as I know the only "good" one for our new cars is by Circle-D

RC

According to Jack at PI they've been out for a few months now. Although if you go to their website it states 6R80 Coming Soon! PI torque converters are not the cheapest but they are very well built. Anyone can go to their website and Click On :the Facts about Our Converters: and learn a lot about theirs. I did a lot of research before buying one myself and I had no complaints what so ever, just great pwr to the rear wheels and comfort knowing it will last a long time due to the build quality, not to mention the true 5yr unconditional warranty, billet cover, custom made to order, supports up to 1600 HP, 1 free stall adjustment, ship world wide, etc... Mines been in it for 3 years now. Jack said the new converters have been out for 3 months now. http://converter.com/stallion.htm , If you want to send Jack an email, here it is. [email protected]

P.S. I did sell my Mustang that had one in it recently. I sold it to a friend, that's how comfortable I was with the quality of internals and drive train etc.. I put in it. They love it ! I did include the Diablosport tuner with it, because of the change in the rear gears and the tune. It wouldn't be the same without it.
 
i have the sct tuner with a local performance shop tune (livernoismotorsports.com) my car is 2012 auto with steeda CAI and axleback magnaflows. day and night difference. 2nd gear will actually chirp and slam sidways and take off like a rocket. it is definatly money well spent if the tunes are right.
 
IM still waiting for the original poster to let us know what he did.
RC

I wish I had an answer for you... I haven't even drove the car in 2 weeks, it just sits there while I slave away at work... so I haven't done anything with it yet.

But!! I hope to get some time to call (before Friday) Amercian Muscle about the Bama tune and also Steeda... so I have narrowed it down to 2. Whoever is the best salesman on the phone will probably earn my business. I like the Bama's free tunes for life... so if I add more accessories, I can just get a new tune for free. And I like the "known" reputation of Steeda... I'm sure they know the new 5.0 well.

I will hopefully have the tuner and the tune loaded up before this time next week. I will report back after its done! :nice:

Thank you all for the advice!!! :nice: