Kevbaby

Hello I am from New Zealand and have had my S197 4.6 GT for nearly 2 years - I love it!
Recently I got a Steeda CAI and SCT X4 Tuner thingy as I was told this CAI Needed a tune. So I installed it and low and behold the car is almost undrivable due to throttle sensitivity. Feels like you push the accelerator 1mm down and it advances the throttle body 8mm.
Ive been in touch with CJ Pony where I bought it, and their response was to get a personalised tune......WTF
Just so anyone knows why would you buy a product that wasnt set up right and no one wants to do anything about it.
I have been to Steeda as well.... crickets thats all I hear.
So I'm going to remove it because of two reasons 1/ I cannot see feel think there is any horsepower gain at all 2/ if its not supported by anyone, and my driving experience is rubbish with it.
So if you are thinking you can get 38 more hp buy adding this - think again dont bother buying and wasting your money. These people are selling unsupported crap.
Have a nice day

m05fastbackGT

If your doing just basic bolt-on mods, such as CAI? Consider getting a custom mail order tune from JDM engineering... They're custom Ford tuning specialists who've been in the tuning industry for over 20 years and have excellent customer support to back it up. I know this through personal experience, as I've been running a JDM custom e-mail tune for my supercharged "06" GT for over 2 years and have been very pleased with the throttle response and overall performance. Meanwhile, here's the link below for JDM's website if your interested?

https://www.teamjdm.com/05-10-mustang-gt/

houtex

Going to ask the question... it being an electronic throttle... Did you train the throttle pedal?
If not, the training is thus:

Disconnect battery, wait 20 minutes. Maybe clean your throttle body and MAF while you've got the battery off.

After the 20 minutes or so, put the battery back on. Get in car. Close door.

Turn key to 'On', but DO NOT START. Depress pedal to the floor taking about 5 seconds. Count '1. 2. 3. 4. 5.' and you should be at the floor on 5. Release when the pedal is at the floor. Start the car. Check throttle operation. Go drive it for 10 miles in regularish traffic conditions, 50 MPH and under. Half AC on, half AC off. That'll train the computer up.

If it's still broken, you'll need the tune to be adjusted. Unclear as to why a 'stock replacement' part with a tune wouldn't work, but these things do happen when you mod the car. Steeda isn't SCT, and vice versa, and while yes, *if* SCT knows *exactly* which CAI you got it should work... Steeda may have done something and messed that up. Or you didn't reconnect this or that (done that myself...) and the car's mad... or there's something else unrelated but disturbed by your modding attempt... All kinds of reasons. Gotta love engine computers.

Also... Seems to me that readin' around and such, exploring this option... a CAI isn't anything to get by itself Even with a tune. The CAI without the exhaust and/or cam/fuel setup to go with it, and maybe a bigger throttle body, intake... the road gets steep y'know... anyway the CAI doesn't do much except sound nifty without the rest of the system modded to match it. The CAI that comes with the car (and yes, the stock one is a CAI) is pretty good until you start putting/modding things after the snorkel. Then you might need a different CAI to get more air in there.

For what that's worth... Hope that helps! Good luck! And welcome to the forums! Howdy from up over!

Kevbaby

Thanks m05fastbackGT, but that defeats having already purchased a canned tune for the Steeda product, SCT and CJ PONY all three of them are culpable in this any one of them could fix this simple problem. I gotta tell ya I'm no longer in the business of throwing good money after bad. I have big ideas for modifications on this car. Maybe then Ill talk to JDM... but more likely a local guy. For your information I have purchased lots of stuff from American companies (not these three though) for my Model A Hotrod. But the way I feel about these three companies is the same contempt I have for the Chinese, who couldn't care less about customer service and expectation, as we all know.
I now want other purchasers to know and understand that their customer service is **** poor, and may in time taint the purchase decisions.

Kevbaby

Hey Houtex, Thank you for the great information. Yes I have done the throttle recalibration and even taken the throttle apart to check that the little wires in the unit were touching the CB properly and adjusted some of the free play out. but no difference.
I understand that SCT and Steeda and C J Pony are not the same company and have asked for help from each. Only CJ Pony came back to me, but with no help.
I shall do the throttle thing again, as I didnt disconnect the battery. Maybe this will help.
But really I suspect that the tune remapped the throttle and front loaded it to make it feel like the Steeda CAI gave the car more power. Bear in mind that the information I got said 38 more horsepower with the addition of a Steeda CAI, other companies claim more horse power too. (No other mods necessary). Hmmm
Thanks again

Bert

The canned SCT tunes are known for not being very good, and they probably use the exaggerated throttle response to fool you to think the car is more powerful with the tune. If you buy the intake from Steeda with the tuner, it comes bundled with a "good" semi-custom tune. (meaning customized remotely to the mods you have on your car, but not a true custom dyno tune)

For a good remote tune, contact "Lito" (Manuel Pazzo) at support@tudyno.com -- I think he charges about $150 for a complete tune with data-logging, and he is very responsive by e-mail

m05fastbackGT

The main areas of concern I have with Lito, is he's located outside of the U.S. in Caracas, Venezuela who can only be contacted thru e-mail.. His website also requires translation from Spanish to English. I also like having piece of mind in knowing that whoever my custom tuning vendor happens to be, they can also be contacted directly by phone whenever necessary.. Anyhow, just my opinion

Bert

yeah it's a judgment call; but I have seen nothing but positive feedback about Lito; and my experience with him was that he responds quicker and more clearly by e-mail than most companies do by phone these days; and best of all, no computer phone menu to fight your way though! I've never looked at his web site so that never bothered me a bit, LOL

this reminds me, I am about to test him again, my car failed emissions so apparently the tune needs to be modified

EF1

I am not sure which CAI you bought, but I am assuming it is something like this one from CJ Pony Parts:

https://www.cjponyparts.com/steeda-c...009/p/PP113-V/

The item clearly states that the SCT X4 tuner is only compatible with North American model Mustangs due to differences in the on-board computer systems. It makes sense that you are experiencing drivability issues, which are most likely related to the tune. I am not sure what you expect Steeda to do since they only made the CAI and did not write the tune you purchased. I know at least a dozen people that have Steeda CAI's on their S197 Mustangs (4.6 and 5.0) and are quite happy with them, but then most of them purchased the parts from Steeda with their tune.

Bert

Not sure there is any way around that tuner device compatibility problem, but I know who I would ask (Lito, e-mail address above)

I have Steeda intake with Lito tune on my 4.6 and car runs great; but I didn't have that tuner compatibility issue to deal with..

m05fastbackGT

Perhaps the OP should had considered reading the fine print before purchasing the X4 tuning device with canned tunes and Steeda CAI from CJ Pony Parts, to begin with.. IMHO, if he purchased both the Steeda CAI and SCT X4 directly from Steeda? they would've written the correct tune which is compatible for his on board ECM