Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Big Green Machine on March 14, 2014, 07:30:11 pm
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Has anyone on here done a 5 Star Tune on their PC? I've read on other forums that owners think it's the best ever fix for the Ford V10...? Supposedly helps shift points & over-revving. Any thoughts?
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Just did it. Yes, initially love the new shift points and actually now using all six speeds. It always bothered me to have the tranny drop out of sixed gear over a little change in throttle or incline. Now it stays locked longer which certainly should help the fuel economy. Going down to Arkansas next week so will report after that.
Denny
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Will do.
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Do the Ford Dealers do this or is it a private organization?
Bob
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This topic has my curiosity.
I always thought our 2007 E350 Torqshift transmission didn't behave properly when in cruise control on the open road and we start to climb an over-pass. It drops into too low a gear and races like crazy up the incline. It is so irritating that I don't use the cruise control nearly as much as I'd like to.
I wonder if the 5-star tune will remedy that.
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Well, here is a small update. Put on 480 mil!es today. No crazy downshifting. Stays in 6th. This is with using Cruise. No racing of the engine. No engine laboring ether. Doesnt slow down on the hills that it normally raced the engine previously. The V10 has the power. Shifts thru all 6's, doesnyskip gears. (Got six, should use them all!)
Will report on fuel mileage later. But have 480 miles on this 1st tank and have just a bit under a quarter tank. Thats with 64mph interstate mostly, and heavy cross winds most of the day.
5 Star is not associated with Ford.
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Thanks for the preliminaries. It sounds promising. :)
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Will be looking into this when I get home from this trip. Thanks for posting this info
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Denny, What, where and cost.
What did they do?
Where was it done?
At what cost?
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OK the numbers are in. After 700 miles of various driving conditions, I averaged 10.8 mpg. I think this was a good test, as this drive included cross head winds, AC used mostly, today had many inclines, speed about 64 with cruise on and today with the Missouri hills, I sling shot'd many with speeds in excess of 70.
I would say without the Tune, the mileage would be a bit under 10, under these driving conditions.
But, I'm enjoying the added engine performance or torque, and the nice transmission shift attitude.
Tom, here is the link that should answer your questions. If not shoot me a email. http://www.5startuning.com
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Hi Fellows,
I looked on the 5 Star Tune website. It appears to be an engine computer programing change. Does it also affect the transmission computer?
That website had me a bit confused as to what you had done, what it cost, and where to get it done.
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Hi Fellows,
I looked on the 5 Star Tune website. It appears to be an engine computer programing change. Does it also affect the transmission computer?
That website had me a bit confused as to what you had done, what it cost, and where to get it done.
I still feel the same as Ron.
Looking at 10.8 vs 10.0 miles is not much of an improvement for me to want to do it just for the gas milage. Back in 2002 I owned a Chinook on a Ford F-350 and had the Banks full systems installed. he too promised an improvement in MPG and performance. The performance was there but the MPG was not much of improvement . Some of it was I had a heavier foot after the install. :-D
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Hey guys, the website may not be the clearest, but basically you buy the tuner and they install the proper program in it. So when you get the unit, u plug it into the OBD port of your my. Located just under the staring wheel. Then turn it on and follow the prompts. First, it downloads your mh old program, and saves it, then uploads the new program. Since the ECU (vehicle onboard computer system), controls everything, transmission is fed a new program also. One can change back to the original program at any time, and they suggest you do that if taking vehicle in for any engine work.
Hope that explains some of the questions. To me, the 10% mileage improvement was icing on the cake, as better engine and transmission performance was what I was looking for.
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I see that there is another company as well, www.superchip.com.
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Thanks, yep see that also. Can't find our V10 though. Maybe I did something wrong.😮
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I spent a little more time on the 5 Star Tune website and am still confused. They have a section on E-Series-V10 motor homes, but no reference to a particular product. I then go by engine of which it has one V10 engine category, not broken down into any particular chassis or application.
Over the years there are different flavors of V10 engine/transmission/differential combinations on pick-up trucks, vans, cut-away, and stripped chassis. Some may have a throttle cable. The product website is shutting down my interest because it is just too vague for me. If they were specific, I could then have a good feeling and understand better. But I am not comfortable, so I can't consider the product. If they have one devise that covers a range of model years & truck/van/chassis varieties, then they need to state it that way for me to feel good and consider it.
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I see your concern Ron, so if u want to pursue this product further, I would suggest calling or emailing them. They are good people to talk to. Websites sometimes leave too much tech stuff out.
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I see your concern Ron, so if u want to pursue this product further, I would suggest calling or emailing them. They are good people to talk to. Websites sometimes leave too much tech stuff out.
You are right. I will give them a call next week.
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Hey Denny,
The results sound great - especially the transmission behavior. I'm with you -
mileage improvement is just frosting.
Looking at the 5 Star web site, they recommend filling out a calibration request
form with a bewildering set of options. Did you do that? How did you determine
what to order?
Thanks so much for your report!
Bill
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Makes me wonder if they have the same expenditure for test equipment that Ford does, as pertains to torque limits of components other than engine (making torque, HP, heat) and transmission (having to deal with increased torque, heat, etc.).
Kinda reminds me of years ago when we sub'ed THM350's for THM400's behind the big block Chevy's because we could and they fit and were cheaper, results didn't bear out the experiment. Then it was back to Caddy THM400's because we could put more clutch packs in them. Glad I am not a hot rodder today.
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Denny
Was your tune a SCT X4 or some other tune. This is the one they recommended for my 2012 E450 and I was wanting to work on the shift points also
Thanks
Roger
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BandD... Yep filled out the calibration request. And that is when I learned from emailing 5star that motor homes usually only need one tune. Cuz.. Our load is always the same. Go figure. We are not a pickup truck! I did ask for a 89 tune, that they gave me. Doubt if I ever use it.
Bowtorc.... Yep, they programmed the SCT X4 for me.
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Hello All,
Installed the 5-Star Tunner last week, did a run from Peoria, IL to Avon, IN. My 3100 ran very well and only dropped to 3 gear on 1 hill. The RPMs only incressed about 300 RPM on most of the inclines on the I74. Ran in cruse all the way. Ran in Tow Mode on the way there and not Tow Mode on the way back. They both ran about the same above 50 MPH. With the Tow Mode under 50 MPH the RPMs stayed about 2000 RPMs in the 45 MPH zones, where the Non-Tow Mode the RPMs dropped to 1500 RPMs. Which I like a hole lot better. Over All I am very pleased with the 5-Star Tunner. Had a Hypertech tunner on my GMC 8.1 and it didn't do as good, but Hypertech could not do anything with the Allsion Transmission. That the big difference.
Jim
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Thanks for the report Jim. I also like the no_downshift on most hills. Maybe the added torque helps that also besides the reprogramming of the shift levels. You probably have also noted the slight increase in fuel mileage. I am averaging about 10% increase.
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Being an old gear head, this brochure, http://www.5startuning.com/wp-content/uploads/New-FearNoMountain.pdf explains the whole deal to me.
When they find out your specific specifications, they program the tuner to your specific vehicle setup. Simple....