Diablosport or SCT Performance impact on 2002 V6 Mustang and my Introduction
Hello all,
I'm new here and pretty excited about joining up. I've been looking forward to talking to people about V6 'stangs who have more to add other than a comment about how a GT does X or Y better than a V6.
I'm introducing myself in the V6 forum specifically because this is where I'll probably spend most of my time.
I'm a 23 year old guy who bought a V6 Mustang out of convenience more than anything, and quickly fell in love with it. It's manual, with mineral gray body color, 2002 model year. I initially wanted an '05 GT, but the high price tag combined with insurance would have sunk me.
I also have some experience driving a (stock, '04) GT, and wasn't really impressed with the difference in power. That is, it didn't seem much faster at all.
It's great to be here, and I look forward to seeing other people's ponies, not to mention having a chance to pick a brain or two for info on my car.
That said, I have a question. I've been looking into acquiring either an SCT or Diablosport Predator tuner for my car, and I've been getting mixed results in my research. Long story short, I'm having a hard time finding out something specific and important about the tuner.
What kind of performance increase can I expect on my car (given that it's a 2002 V6 manual)? Is it really worth the $350+ price tag? Is my car going to be that much faster or should I bolt on some other parts first like a CAI or headers first to make the tune worthwhile? I know my friend got a huge performance boost out of his GTO after he tuned it with the Diablosport, but I was worried that I wouldn't see the same effect given that a GTO has a V8 and my car does not.
I don't konw much about cars, so any information is helpful, and the more straightforward and plain-language it is the better.
first off (my opinion) i think you should do CAI and dual exhaust before you get a tuner then you will feel a great improvement as the tune will take advantage of the new potential brought by both..
ive heard manufacturers claim gains as much as 22 hp or so.. i would guess more along the lines of 15ish though i havent put it on a dyno.. best performance increase would be with a tune with the highest octane fuel you can find in your area so you might have to spend a few dollars more at the pump...
take a look at all the stickies at the top of the v6 tech and talk sections they should answer most questions beginners have.. and let us know if you have any additional questions
I tried to find my answer on these forums (and google) before asking the question, but a lot of the discussions on the tuners didn't quite give me the answer I was looking for at the time. I guess you basically told me what I was leaning towards anyway: put in some bolt on parts before bothering with the tune. I'm not too concerned about the exact HP gain, because to me that's just a number that may or may not indicate the actual increase in performance. What I'd really like to know is how the car feels before and after the tune.
I'm kind of at a crossroads with the car right now, and I'm not sure what to do. I have a guy out of a neighboring city who is friends with my roommate that wants to make my V6 "faster than most V8s" - as he put it - for like $3k. This is the same guy who turned a GT into a 900hp monster, before blowing out some important/expensive part on the car that I forget the name of right now. So I'm a bit skeptical about that.
I'm considering having the engine "built" (by someone who won't proceed to destroy the car), but I'm not sure what that entails at this point so I still have a lot of research to do. If nothing else, I'd just like to update the looks - because if I can't have the fastest car on the road, I can at least have one of the best looking cars on the road.
Long story short, I agree with you and I think I'm going to wait before splurging on a tuner.
i spent alot of time looking around, tuners, chips, etc. and i came to a couple of conclusions. 1st..i put a high flow muffler for a little exhaust clarity and sound. 2nd..i bought some parts at the local auto store, built a cai and built a metal heat shield around it. 3..i put a really nice stereo in it (convertible), and i keep it clean and running nice. that is the joy. a little hp here and there is alot of work. enjoy the ride and the sound with the windows down.
IMO, you'll feel gears and an lsd more than anything less then a power adder to your car.
__________________
2001 True Blue Mustang V6:
MAC CAI, True Dual Flow 40's w/ MAC Long Tube Headers and turn downs right before the bumper, 15% tint, Eibach pro kit, Tokico HPs, Detroit Tru Trac, FRPP 3.73s, Diablo Predator w/ custom tuned by Mike, v3 vap windstar kit. Waiting to be installed: Steeda short throw shifter.
Thanks for the advice, guys. In the meantime, I've been doing a good bit of research and I've kind of come up with a solid plan of the sequence of upgrades I want to do - some aesthetic work and some practical work.
I've got parts for a custom CAI on the way that I'm installing, and my next move is to bolt on some new headers and put on a wider mid-pipe (I already have a Magnaflow catback exhaust welded on).
After that it's a tuner, a new rear differential gear (I'm leaning towards 3.73 but I have time to decide - input is appreciated) with the almost completely necessary limited slip differential to go along with it, and then just visual mods from there. Along with the CAI, I also have new black rockers and black rear bumper insert letters on the way. I'm pretty excited about installing the CAI since it'll be the only real work I've done on a car aside from changing the oil on my old '97 Escort years ago.
I want to do racing stripes, but I might wait until after I'm done with all of the behind-the-scenes work. Before that I'll probably tint my tail/headlights, paint my wheels black, and exchange the silver pony emblem inset in the grille for a black one. A hood scoop is likely as well.
I'd like to do a supercharger (I love the way they sound), but I doubt I'll ever feel like dropping that much dime into my car. Maybe after I get my tax return I'll change my mind, but $3000 sounds a lot better as a financial investment than blown money on an upgrade for my car.
I've been looking into acquiring either an SCT or Diablosport Predator tuner for my car, and I've been getting mixed results in my research. Long story short, I'm having a hard time finding out something specific and important about the tuner.
What kind of performance increase can I expect on my car (given that it's a 2002 V6 manual)? Is it really worth the $350+ price tag? Is my car going to be that much faster or should I bolt on some other parts first like a CAI or headers first to make the tune worthwhile? I know my friend got a huge performance boost out of his GTO after he tuned it with the Diablosport, but I was worried that I wouldn't see the same effect given that a GTO has a V8 and my car does not.
First off, welcome to the site & welcome to the forum. You're definitely on the right track by making a few upgrades prior to investing in a tuner.
One thing I wanted to add regarding the tuners (Diablo Sport vs. SCT) is that the specific brand of tuner doesn't matter as much as who you get your specific tunes from. Also check with the local Dyno shoppes in your area to find outwhat kind of tuners they use... that way, as you add performance upgrade(s) down the road, you can simply take it to your local Dyno for the best possible performance tune.
I think you'll feel & enjoy the Gears upgrade the most once you get around to it...just be sure to get a new tune immediately afterwards to recalibrate your mileage as your speedometer & mileage counter will read low with the new set of Gears.
Finally, be sure to keep a camera handy when doing upgrades to post & share pics of your work(s) in progress & the final outcomes.
One thing I wanted to add regarding the tuners (Diablo Sport vs. SCT) is that the specific brand of tuner doesn't matter as much as who you get your specific tunes from. Also check with the local Dyno shoppes in your area to find outwhat kind of tuners they use...
First off, welcome to the site & welcome to the forum.
Thanks.
Quote:
One thing I wanted to add regarding the tuners (Diablo Sport vs. SCT) is that the specific brand of tuner doesn't matter as much as who you get your specific tunes from. Also check with the local Dyno shoppes in your area to find outwhat kind of tuners they use... that way, as you add performance upgrade(s) down the road, you can simply take it to your local Dyno for the best possible performance tune.
I've been around to a few other forums and I've seen a lot of electronic ink spilt in discussions on tuners about how tuner x isn't user friendly, or tuner y is better because someone with a really fast car uses it. Ultimately, advice like your's above is what makes the most sense to me.
Quote:
I think you'll feel & enjoy the Gears upgrade the most once you get around to it...just be sure to get a new tune immediately afterwards to recalibrate your mileage as your speedometer & mileage counter will read low with the new set of Gears.
Yep, that's the upgrade I'm definitely looking forward to the most in the short term. It'll also be the most frustrating since I hear you have to be light on the pedal for about 500 miles or so until the gears break in. That's probably going to drive me banana sandwich, not being able to take advantage of the combined mods on my car for that long.
Thanks.
Yep, that's the upgrade I'm definitely looking forward to the most in the short term. It'll also be the most frustrating since I hear you have to be light on the pedal for about 500 miles or so until the gears break in. That's probably going to drive me banana sandwich, not being able to take advantage of the combined mods on my car for that long.
Opps. . . . .
Well. . . . . .I hope this isn't true.
__________________
2001 True Blue Mustang V6:
MAC CAI, True Dual Flow 40's w/ MAC Long Tube Headers and turn downs right before the bumper, 15% tint, Eibach pro kit, Tokico HPs, Detroit Tru Trac, FRPP 3.73s, Diablo Predator w/ custom tuned by Mike, v3 vap windstar kit. Waiting to be installed: Steeda short throw shifter.
Yep, that's the upgrade I'm definitely looking forward to the most in the short term. It'll also be the most frustrating since I hear you have to be light on the pedal for about 500 miles or so until the gears break in. That's probably going to drive me banana sandwich, not being able to take advantage of the combined mods on my car for that long.
LoL True, that break-in period is gonna be brutal. I'll probably be going sandwich right along with you in about a month... I've got an 8.8" rear end & a brand new set of Motive 3.90 Gears sitting in my garage; both awaiting install. I'm saving up for a tuner before doing the 7.5 to 8.8 swap. The wait is already torture
Many a Philosopher has said, "Patience is a virtue..."; and A man who once tamed a couger once said, "If you ain't first, you're last..." (Ricky Bobby, 2006). Well, that doesn't make much sense, so here's my take. I'm no philosopher but I say, "Speed is my addiction & mi Madre raised me to NEVER be a quitter..."
I've heard that there's a chance that driving on it hard early on can "break" it, which I assumed meant that it would crack or something.
Don't actually know if it's true. How are you liking the difference so far?
Quote:
LoL True, that break-in period is gonna be brutal. I'll probably be going sandwich right along with you in about a month... I've got an 8.8" rear end & a brand new set of Motive 3.90 Gears sitting in my garage; both awaiting install. I'm saving up for a tuner before doing the 7.5 to 8.8 swap. The wait is already torture
Haha, well the wait will be worth it from what I hear. Keep me posted on how that turns out for you. I definitely want to slap in some new gears after I buy a tuner, so I'd love to know how your experience turned out.
Haha, well the wait will be worth it from what I hear. Keep me posted on how that turns out for you. I definitely want to slap in some new gears after I buy a tuner, so I'd love to know how your experience turned out.
I've heard that there's a chance that driving on it hard early on can "break" it, which I assumed meant that it would crack or something.
Don't actually know if it's true. How are you liking the difference so far?
I'm lovin it. It accelerates 4x faster now than before, its a night and day difference. Plus, it seems to go into gear a lot smoother. I'm not quit sure why. LOL, I got excited the other day because I had to jump out into traffic kinda quick and my driver side tire chirped. This mod bug has grabbed on to me and wont let go. Cam and heads come in January!
__________________
2001 True Blue Mustang V6:
MAC CAI, True Dual Flow 40's w/ MAC Long Tube Headers and turn downs right before the bumper, 15% tint, Eibach pro kit, Tokico HPs, Detroit Tru Trac, FRPP 3.73s, Diablo Predator w/ custom tuned by Mike, v3 vap windstar kit. Waiting to be installed: Steeda short throw shifter.
Diablosport or SCT Performance impact on 2002 V6 Mustang and my Introduction 
sandwich right along with you in about a month... I've got an 8.8" rear end & a brand new set of Motive 3.90 Gears sitting in my garage; both awaiting install. I'm saving up for a tuner before doing the 7.5 to 8.8 swap. The wait is already torture 
