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Wanting suggestions on handheld tuner for my 5.0 ranger.


Craig0320

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Vehicle Year
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Ford
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5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
As the thread title says.
 


bobbywalter

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Location
woodhaven mi
Vehicle Year
1988
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FORD mostly
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
BIGGER
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
hp tuners


sct




the mongoose is a neat piece too.




the quarter horse and tweecer offer quite a bit for 5.0 as well.
 

Craig0320

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Ford
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V8
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5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
I am going to give all those a look. I'll even buy an unmarried used one here if someone has one.
 

Craig0320

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Vehicle Year
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Ford
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Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
Leaning towards hp or sct. The tweecer gives you the capability to fully custom tune at your hands but I am no where near confident enough to make decisions by myself.
 

Craig0320

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Location
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Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
By the time I buy a tuner and have someone tune it I am looking around 500 dollars. I am really considering buying hp tuners and installing on my laptop. I have been reading for hours and watching videos. I would love to learn how to tune my own vehicles.
 
Last edited:

bobbywalter

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Location
woodhaven mi
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
FORD mostly
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
BIGGER
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
thats 500 well spent.
 

Craig0320

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Location
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Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
thats 500 well spent.
Damn right. Software is supposed to come with 8 credits. Usually only 2 per vehicle required. I have been watching thetuningshop and Matt from sloppy mechanics. They give lots of great info. If I plan on doing an ls swap Matt lists everything he does for free on his website. He has built a lot of turbo stuff on stock internal ls engines and made incredible power.
 

bobbywalter

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Location
woodhaven mi
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
FORD mostly
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
BIGGER
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
its hard to go wrong with sct or hp.


the credit thing and the new system are different but i look forward to thenew mv setup. have not ordered it yet...waiting to watch the bugouts..
 

Craig0320

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Location
Mississppi
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
So far I have read really good reviews on the mpvi2. Everyone is saying to get the pro version. The prolink is pretty sweet.Pro Link for MPVI2
Designed specifically for the MPVI2, the Pro Link bridges the gap between the MPVI2 and the Expander Hub. The Pro Link together with the MPVI2 and Pro Feature Set allows the professional user to input 2x analog signals (from a wideband sensor, map sensor, etc) and 1x CAN bus signal simultaneously. It comes with the pro package. Also read that the credits were going universal. No more Ford, Gm, Chyrsler, etc. Just buy the credits and use them on any vehicle. I also like having the laptop hook up driving is optional because the device is capable of data logging by itself.

https://www.hptuners.com/product/pro_link/

https://www.hptuners.com/mpvi2/
 

Craig0320

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V8 Engine Swap
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Location
Mississppi
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
The biggest part about tuning myself is learning were my timing and fuel needs to be for performance increases and not damaging the motor. I know I could do it. Just going to be a big learning curve for me.
 
Last edited:

Craig0320

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Location
Mississppi
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
Is it necessary on my stock 5.0(other than headers) to log using a wideband. If so, can someone explain to me the function and significance of it. Thanks in advance.
 

scotts90ranger

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2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6
Tire Size
35"
It depends on what you are going for in performance, if you just put headers on and are leaving it there other than monkeying with the tuning it probably won't matter too much, just don't go too crazy on leaning it out at high engine speeds and loads (despite popular belief, leaner is more powerful, the trick is getting more air in so that you NEED more fuel, not just adding fuel...). The air fuel ratio isn't the end all be all of numbers to look at, sure you want an AFR of 14.7:1 (Lamda or Phi of 1) most of the time until you need to add more fuel to keep the valves cool. I tune engines at work for emissions and however much power I can get with meeting the emissions requirements so I leave the engines in closed loop fuel control until EGT gets too high, with the help of an AFR to get an idea of how much fuel I'm really adding and monkeying with timing to balance the power and EGT or NOx production... But I'm usually working on engines that will live with steady state loads like a boat, crane or irrigation pump which is no where normal operation for a road going vehicle so EGT is more important...
 

bobbywalter

TRS Technical Staff
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TRS Banner 2012-2015
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Joined
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Reaction score
4,667
Points
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Location
woodhaven mi
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
FORD mostly
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
BIGGER
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
wide band is the clearest tool for playing with tune imo. i used to have a bad ass gas analyzer for work too...but it fell down a hole.
 

Craig0320

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
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Messages
1,209
Reaction score
225
Points
63
Location
Mississppi
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Break it right the first time. Fix it better the next time.
It depends on what you are going for in performance, if you just put headers on and are leaving it there other than monkeying with the tuning it probably won't matter too much, just don't go too crazy on leaning it out at high engine speeds and loads (despite popular belief, leaner is more powerful, the trick is getting more air in so that you NEED more fuel, not just adding fuel...). The air fuel ratio isn't the end all be all of numbers to look at, sure you want an AFR of 14.7:1 (Lamda or Phi of 1) most of the time until you need to add more fuel to keep the valves cool. I tune engines at work for emissions and however much power I can get with meeting the emissions requirements so I leave the engines in closed loop fuel control until EGT gets too high, with the help of an AFR to get an idea of how much fuel I'm really adding and monkeying with timing to balance the power and EGT or NOx production... But I'm usually working on engines that will live with steady state loads like a boat, crane or irrigation pump which is no where normal operation for a road going vehicle so EGT is more important...
Thank you for the info. I have been watching lots of tuning videos and it seems the reoccurring theme that I keep seeing is wot around a 12.5 because you are less air and more fuel with adding degree of timing or two and egt's were staying where they should be. Also knock retard was virtually non-existent. I wouldn't want to lean the truck out at wot just because of engine damage could occur. Cruising I have seen some want to run around 15.1 or so cruising for fuel mileage. But as soon as you hit wot the afr goes down to 12.5. I do not have to worry about emissions here so I can tune my truck however I want. If I do not need the pro link right now for a wb then I will just buy the tuner and download the software for now. If I buy everything I will be around 650.00 and they still haven't released how much the expander hub will be. This bug his bite me over the last few days and I am wondering more why I haven't ever tuning my self before.
 
Last edited:

scotts90ranger

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Location
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Make / Model
Ford
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Engine Size
2.3 Turbo
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6
Tire Size
35"
true going a little leaner will improve fuel mileage, but to get repeatability just leaving it in closed loop control but maybe moving the rich/lean point (be it in VE table or however it is in, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough, I'm going to go the same route with a tuner within the year most likely) is much better than trying to get it to run in open loop... the normal narrow band oxygen sensor only knows that the system is rich or lean not the actual AFR so for the most part you just get to modify how long it stays rich or lean (to keep a catalyst working efficiently the fueling is switched between rich and lean to get some extra fuel and oxygen mixed in the cat for it's reaction to work)

What you've seen are reasonably safe numbers, running lean and or too much spark advance makes for a more knock sensitive system, higher cylinder temperatures and pressures increase preignition.
 

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