sounds like everything is working out.
One Man's CAI/Tune Experience
Just some counterpoint to the widespread enthusiasm for CAIs and custom tunes 'round here... FWIW. YMMV.
I ordered one of the highly-respected CAIs with custom tunes from one of the highly-respected vendors back in February. Everything arrived with minimal delay, and I eagerly awaited the weekend to install the kit. The installation of both the hardware and the software went smoothly, and I pulled out of the driveway excited to experience the expected benefits.
The first thing I noticed was the anticipated intake roar -- music to my ears. The next thing I noticed was the increased thrust above 3500 RPM -- the car pushed me back in the seat the way it never had while stock. But I quickly discovered that I had lost a considerable amount of torque below 2500 RPM. Going up a familiar hill in third gear at 2000 RPM, I floored it, and whereas the car would accelerate while stock (if slowly) it now wouldn't. It just kind-of "moaned," and maintained speed. I found the same behavior with both of the supplied tunes (i.e., for midgrade and for premium).
I drove the car for a couple of weeks to become familiar with its behavior. I became convinced that my observations were accurate. The gains above 3500 RPM were significant; they were present, but minor between 3000 RPM and 3500, and there seemed to be no appreciable difference between 2500 and 3000. Below 2500, and especially below 2250, there was a clear loss of power. As my daily driver, I found the missing low-end torque a constant annoyance.
After a couple of weeks I restored the stock intake and tune, and confirmed my observations. The high-end thrust was now gone, but the low-end torque was back. I contacted the vendor, who attributed the problem to the large MAF housing that came with the intake. He suggested I try custom tunes for the stock intake.
They arrived promptly via e-mail. I loaded them into the programmer, then into the car, then I drove the same familiar course with that third-gear hill. They car behaved almost exactly as it had with the CAI and corresponding tunes: decidedly more urgency above 3500 RPM; decidedly less below 2500. I restored the factory tune and repeated the course to confirm my observations.
The intake (which, I must admit, looked terrific and sounded great) and the programmer are now enroute back to the vendor for a refund. The vendor has been responsive and easy to deal with from the get-go, and I cannot fault them (as long as the promised refund materializes once they receive the returned merchandise).
I'm now trying to find a local shop that's qualified to swap my 3.31 gears for 3.73s ...and hoping the experience is more successful than my CAI adventure.
That's my story ...and I'm stickin' to it...
I ordered one of the highly-respected CAIs with custom tunes from one of the highly-respected vendors back in February. Everything arrived with minimal delay, and I eagerly awaited the weekend to install the kit. The installation of both the hardware and the software went smoothly, and I pulled out of the driveway excited to experience the expected benefits.
The first thing I noticed was the anticipated intake roar -- music to my ears. The next thing I noticed was the increased thrust above 3500 RPM -- the car pushed me back in the seat the way it never had while stock. But I quickly discovered that I had lost a considerable amount of torque below 2500 RPM. Going up a familiar hill in third gear at 2000 RPM, I floored it, and whereas the car would accelerate while stock (if slowly) it now wouldn't. It just kind-of "moaned," and maintained speed. I found the same behavior with both of the supplied tunes (i.e., for midgrade and for premium).
I drove the car for a couple of weeks to become familiar with its behavior. I became convinced that my observations were accurate. The gains above 3500 RPM were significant; they were present, but minor between 3000 RPM and 3500, and there seemed to be no appreciable difference between 2500 and 3000. Below 2500, and especially below 2250, there was a clear loss of power. As my daily driver, I found the missing low-end torque a constant annoyance.
After a couple of weeks I restored the stock intake and tune, and confirmed my observations. The high-end thrust was now gone, but the low-end torque was back. I contacted the vendor, who attributed the problem to the large MAF housing that came with the intake. He suggested I try custom tunes for the stock intake.
They arrived promptly via e-mail. I loaded them into the programmer, then into the car, then I drove the same familiar course with that third-gear hill. They car behaved almost exactly as it had with the CAI and corresponding tunes: decidedly more urgency above 3500 RPM; decidedly less below 2500. I restored the factory tune and repeated the course to confirm my observations.
The intake (which, I must admit, looked terrific and sounded great) and the programmer are now enroute back to the vendor for a refund. The vendor has been responsive and easy to deal with from the get-go, and I cannot fault them (as long as the promised refund materializes once they receive the returned merchandise).
I'm now trying to find a local shop that's qualified to swap my 3.31 gears for 3.73s ...and hoping the experience is more successful than my CAI adventure.
That's my story ...and I'm stickin' to it...
1 - 20 of 29 Posts
That sucks man, sorry to hear to it didnt work for ya. I love mine, and have dyno proven gains across the RPM range.
I bet you are talking about Brenspeed. I have used them for a lot of my parts, their customer service is outstanding, and I have a lot of respect for them. BUT....I have noticed that everything with them is about peak horsepower. Good for some, but my car is a street machine weekend warrior with its primary objective to be loud, obnoxious, and to burn rubber. I am about ready to get a torque tune from Doug. He also has a great reputation and you might like what he has to offer.
I decided I'm not going to name names, so I'll neither confirm nor deny the vendor's identity. But I do appreciate the suggestion.I bet you are talking about Brenspeed. I have used them for a lot of my parts, their customer service is outstanding, and I have a lot of respect for them. BUT....I have noticed that everything with them is about peak horsepower. Good for some, but my car is a street machine weekend warrior with its primary objective to be loud, obnoxious, and to burn rubber. I am about ready to get a torque tune from Doug. He also has a great reputation and you might like what he has to offer.
Try Doug's torque tune, it is great.
That's what I was going to say. Try a torque tune from Bamachips.
I respect your decision but I submit to you that part of the purpose for this forum is to help each other and any problems that you may have or voice about a vendor do not contribute to the greater good or assist others unless you tell everyone who it was. If you search this site you will find many bitches, gripes, complaints, and endorsements for and against every manufacturer and tuner. This only allows those that make their decisions after us to make more informed decisions and thereby contributes to the betterment of mustang performance in general. IMHOI decided I'm not going to name names, so I'll neither confirm nor deny the vendor's identity. But I do appreciate the suggestion.
Oh and on the actual matter at hand the CAI issue, I noticed that you are from Colorado so I am just spit balling here but could it be the altitude and a possible Air Fuel issue? The only reason I ask this is that who ever your tuner (likely Brenspeed) I have not herd many people disappointed with their tune but then again most people I know reside on the east cost or west cost and do not have altitude and thin air to deal with. This is again just a hipothisis. You might check into a tuner on Colorado to see if this could be the cause.
+1 part of this GREAT site is that we become aware of certin products and tunes, it is great that you had good customer service but making people aware is what this site is aboutI respect your decision but I submit to you that part of the purpose for this forum is to help each other and any problems that you may have or voice about a vendor do not contribute to the greater good or assist others unless you tell everyone who it was. If you search this site you will find many bitches, gripes, complaints, and endorsements for and against every manufacturer and tuner. This only allows those that make their decisions after us to make more informed decisions and thereby contributes to the betterment of mustang performance in general. IMHO
Sorry to hear about your experience, mine was much different. My CAI and tune really woke mine up. You got very lucky with the refund. Hopefully your gear mod will be better. However, I'd recommend 4:10. I got 3.73 and already have 4:10"s on order.
We all have experiences some are good and some are bad. Thanks for sharing.
We all have experiences some are good and some are bad. Thanks for sharing.
How much you want 4 those 373s??? PM me..:yesSorry to hear about your experience, mine was much different. My CAI and tune really woke mine up. You got very lucky with the refund. Hopefully your gear mod will be better. However, I'd recommend 4:10. I got 3.73 and already have 4:10"s on order.
We all have experiences some are good and some are bad. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry man my bro called them 2 seconds after I ordered the 4:10"s.How much you want 4 those 373s??? PM me..:yes
My experience is also much different ... while not allowing myself to expect the power increase of a blower, I had hoped for some seat of the pants. I got it.
Buddy of mine has a Trail Blazer SS with tune and intake that I couldn't run with (pull, stay with, etc). After the Brenspeed 93 and a JLT, I pulled him fairly well and was about to run away when we ran out of road. From a dig, it would be even better (we did a 35mph roll, he launched first) He argues that I've done more to the car and is putting his in the shop for cam, header, y-pipe etc.
quan ao tre em cao cap do lot nam sieu mong ty gia ao so mi nu ban buon quan ao cac loai chup anh studio dep
You read a lot of folks singing praises of their purchase, few admit that that they were expecting too much. Bottom line, it was $550 well spent in my case. Then again, my expectations were reasonable.
Buddy of mine has a Trail Blazer SS with tune and intake that I couldn't run with (pull, stay with, etc). After the Brenspeed 93 and a JLT, I pulled him fairly well and was about to run away when we ran out of road. From a dig, it would be even better (we did a 35mph roll, he launched first) He argues that I've done more to the car and is putting his in the shop for cam, header, y-pipe etc.
quan ao tre em cao cap do lot nam sieu mong ty gia ao so mi nu ban buon quan ao cac loai chup anh studio dep
You read a lot of folks singing praises of their purchase, few admit that that they were expecting too much. Bottom line, it was $550 well spent in my case. Then again, my expectations were reasonable.
Before I ordered, I inquired of the vendor whether the altitude here would be an issue. (I also mentioned the different octane ratings here. As you probably know, we can get by with less octane without worrying about detonation; midgrade is 87 and premium's 91.) I was told that my altitude would be factored in. But maybe a local tuner is the answer. I haven't stumbled across one yet, but I haven't really been looking.Oh and on the actual matter at hand the CAI issue, I noticed that you are from Colorado so I am just spit balling here but could it be the altitude and a possible Air Fuel issue? The only reason I ask this is that who ever your tuner (likely Brenspeed) I have not herd many people disappointed with their tune but then again most people I know reside on the east cost or west cost and do not have altitude and thin air to deal with. This is again just a hipothisis. You might check into a tuner on Colorado to see if this could be the cause.
It has been obvious to me for some time that the vendor I selected is very well respected in these forums. Clearly, their tunes are working for a lot of people. In all the hours of research that I did here and on other forums, I never ran across an experience like the one I've had. So I have no need to badmouth them. I just want to inject, as I said, a little counterpoint, for those who are starting their research on CAIs and tunes. It doesn't always work out. Even when you select one of the most respected products and one of the most respected vendors, you may not wind up with what you expect. Be prepared for it.I respect your decision but I submit to you that part of the purpose for this forum is to help each other and any problems that you may have or voice about a vendor do not contribute to the greater good or assist others unless you tell everyone who it was. If you search this site you will find many bitches, gripes, complaints, and endorsements for and against every manufacturer and tuner. This only allows those that make their decisions after us to make more informed decisions and thereby contributes to the betterment of mustang performance in general. IMHO
If this vendor had shafted me, then I would have cause to name names. They've treated me quite well, I think. I may deal with them in the future.
you should have waited till you replaced your rear... you'd been happier with the 4.10's or w/e with the cai and tune... im going to assume you got a c&l racer... you need to compliment every modification, to make the entire package work in harmony... sorry didnt work for you.
Fair enough.It has been obvious to me for some time that the vendor I selected is very well respected in these forums. Clearly, their tunes are working for a lot of people. In all the hours of research that I did here and on other forums, I never ran across an experience like the one I've had. So I have no need to badmouth them. I just want to inject, as I said, a little counterpoint, for those who are starting their research on CAIs and tunes. It doesn't always work out. Even when you select one of the most respected products and one of the most respected vendors, you may not wind up with what you expect. Be prepared for it.
If this vendor had shafted me, then I would have cause to name names. They've treated me quite well, I think. I may deal with them in the future.
I understand that you are not trying to bash anyone, but that is not what I was getting at. First of all, you could say whatever you want about some of the vendors that are well known around here and it isn't going to matter anyway. One bad story about Brenspeed or Bama, or one good story about RPM outlet isn't likely to change any opinions.
Anyway, what I was saying about Brenspeed is that while they are a top notch source of parts and info for our cars, they might not suit everyone's needs perfectly. Their tunes are designed to safely get the most HP out of a car they have never seen. Every car is different so there is no way for them to custom tune your car without having it. Your car might not respond to a tune from Doug, or anyone else, any better without dyno tuning.
I just hope that noone thinks I am in any way trying to say anything bad about Brenspeed and their tunes since I am considering a torque tune from Doug. If Brenspeed had a torque tune I would consider getting it from them. Doug however is well-known for his. If quarter mile times are what someone is after then I would suggest that it would be tough to say with certainty that either shop is better, but the only track around here will only let me run 13.5s with a vert so the track is not much of a concern for me.
Anyway, what I was saying about Brenspeed is that while they are a top notch source of parts and info for our cars, they might not suit everyone's needs perfectly. Their tunes are designed to safely get the most HP out of a car they have never seen. Every car is different so there is no way for them to custom tune your car without having it. Your car might not respond to a tune from Doug, or anyone else, any better without dyno tuning.
I just hope that noone thinks I am in any way trying to say anything bad about Brenspeed and their tunes since I am considering a torque tune from Doug. If Brenspeed had a torque tune I would consider getting it from them. Doug however is well-known for his. If quarter mile times are what someone is after then I would suggest that it would be tough to say with certainty that either shop is better, but the only track around here will only let me run 13.5s with a vert so the track is not much of a concern for me.
The way I see it is this turned out well... You weren't happy with your order and they made you happy by fixing it... Looks like you would want to let everyone know who took care of you and that they kept a customer for possible future mods... Just my measly $.02...
But its cool if you wanna keep quiet...
But its cool if you wanna keep quiet...
1 - 20 of 29 Posts
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