Topic: 2011 MUSTANG 5.0 aftermarket tune damage

[cobrajetchris]

I know this site is dedicated to mostly concours correct and original mustangs, however I felt this is worth mentioning and hopefully avoiding a fellow mustang enthusiast a lot of grief.  A friend of mine had a SCT authorized dealer install the 93 octane tune in his 2011 5.0 mustang about a year ago and it increased it by 34hp. the downside is he had a check engine light come on and the FORD dealer checked it out and said the #8 piston is damaged as a result of the tune, gave him a copy of a TSB that explains the problem (tsb 11-7-7) and voided his warranty. The dealer also said that other people have came into the shop with the same problem. One dealer mentioned SCT tunes as being a problem tune for the 2011 mustang. My friend is going to contact SCT to see what they have to say about this and the FORD TSB. I belong to several mustang forums and car clubs and will let everyone I can aware of this situation and the outcome. The SCT tune and a JLT cold air intake are the only modification done to this car. Anyone else out there with this same problem, please let me know.
Please feel free to copy & paste this note to anyone that would be interested.

[craig429]

Was the SCT tune for the JLT cold air intake?  If the SCT tune was not recalibrated for the cold air intake, the MAF would read low and therefore run lean.

[cobrajetchris]

The JLT cold air intake and the SCT  tune were done at the same time at a authorized dealer that sells and installs both products.

[BigB427]

Here's a link to view the TSB on this concern if anybody wants to read it: http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/12/6/474864/tsb11-07-07.pdf

[jmlay]

SCT will not have much to say about it since it is a custom tune by the dealer. SCT provides the tools it up to the diligence of the person using them to ensure it is safe. There is a huge difference "tuners" as well.

[cobrajetchris]

SCT has taken no responsibility for this problem and blamed it all on their dealer who installed it (typical), and of course the installer blamed SCT. I don't know too much about custom tunes on modern computer controlled engines but I do know that if a person has a problem with a aftermarket part it's always the installer or owner's fault. I recommend against having this tune done as in my opinion if FORD could safely get more horsepower out of this engine it would. They know more about this engine than anyone else because they built it. I feel anytime someone installs a aftermarket part on a car they have devalued it.

[craig429]

I have used SCT to tune older Mustangs. There are precanned tunes that you can use from SCT.  Example, there are tunes for several MAF or cold air kits that you can choose from, you can choose to run 93 octane fuel, and etc.  Also with SCT, a tuner can customize the tune to what ever the tuner wants.

So IMHO if the tuner used the precanned tunes, SCT should take some blame (but they do have warnings that they are not respossible for damage).  If the tuner actually tweeked the turn from SCT precanned tunes, then I would think it would be the tuners responsibility. 

It is tough when you start modifying from stock. Ford must be having lots of problems to put out a TSB.