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FRPP calibration in my 2012 Mustang GT

16K views 128 replies 29 participants last post by  JR-15 HBAR 
#1 ·
Hello All,

This will be my first post. So, here we go. I had the FRPP calibration installed on my 2012 GT with 6R80 on Friday, 09-23-11. Here are some non scientific observations. The tune completely changes the character of the car....... for the better. Throttle tip in is much quicker, but very linear. It certainly changes the shifting of the 6R80. Shifts are very smooth, quick and somewhat firmer. It does let the engine rev a bit more around town before shifting. It does not raise the rev limiter. This tune adds perhaps a little horsepower on the top end. It really adds a lot of torque down low. I really like this part of the tune. Only downside is the mild "ping" under full throttle. Yes, I only run 93 octane in the car. Ford Racing says this is NOT spark knock, but is "catalytic impingment" and is part of the tune and will not hurt anything. It only happens for a second and stops. I did go back and change mine to "octane adjust" with the ProCal tool. This does not seem to affect the performance and it still has the same mild ping under full throttle. Overall I am thrilled with the change to the car's character and the vastly improved driveability. I do plan on putting a 3.55 gear in this car soon. If it will hook up, I bet it will launch like a goosed gazelle!

2012 GT premium Kona/Saddle 6R80 4500 miles to date
 
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#95 ·
welcome, but again I wouldn't write it off until you do as I suggest...look at, print off and read the warranty, then talk w/Ford Racing and your Service Mgr...you may very well find FR will cover your power train for 3 yrs/36K miles

If that's the case, you'll sleep better and I'm confident you'll enjoy the improvement.

It's not earth shattering, but quite improved...from throttle response to how the acceleration improves, especially in the low end.

Myself, I've only had the skip shift force me to 4th one time, the second day I owned the car, so it's defeat didn't really benefit me.

Regarding rev and speed limiters, I don't believe they've been altered.
 
#97 ·
I wonder why Ford doesn't correct that from stock, since it can be done... That's the only issue I have on my car, when I change gears from 1st to 2nd, I end up doing 1st to 4th lol, not all the time, but it happens often and yes, it is annoying...

As for the ping, it looks like some have it, and some don't, weird...
 
#100 ·
Interesting review here, and they talk also about the warranty...:

Ford Racing 2011 Mustang GT Performance Cal/Filter Dyno Results

Last week, we tested the Ford Racing "2011 MUSTANG GT FORD RACING PERFORMANCE CALIBRATION WITH HIGH FLOW K&N AIR FILTER" Package (Part# M-9603-MGTB)

I would like to thank Overboost for the use of his car.

The car, a manual trans 2011 Mustang GT was baselined with a Corsa X-Pipe and X-treme Axleback. We then installed the K&N provided in the kit and flashed the car with the FRPP handheld device.



Baseline numbers were 391 RWHP / 382 RWTQ. Post numbers were 403 RWHP / 393 RWTQ.







The Ford Racing calibration is available with factory warranty and is recognized as the FR cal if you take your car in for service at a Ford dealer. For someone looking to do minimal mods, it's a great choice, but does not support further mods like headers, different air inlets, throttle body, Boss 302 intake, etc. whereas the Livernois tuner does work with all of these mods. We're happy to install either one for you.

Thank you,

Regards,

Rick LeBlanc
Livernois Motorsports

Link: http://forum.grrrr8.net/showthread.php?t=23389&page=1
 
#101 ·
One thing about the dyno chart in the post immediately before mine: the text is a bit fuzzy on my monitor, but the filename of the first dyno plot seems to contain the word "stock87". The next filename, which is even harder to read, seems to have something that looks like "PP90" or "PP93" in it.

This could mean nothing, but part of me wonders if it means the first (stock) dyno run might have been done on 87 octane.

In at least one other place on the web, someone posted a dyno of the FRPP tune that compared stock tune running 87 octane to the FRPP running 93. Which in my mind is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
 
#102 ·
Did anyone happen to notice, and/or does anyone remember, what the Octane Adjust setting was set to before their performance calibration was loaded?

I'm guessing it would be the same after the calibration was loaded, as long as it wasn't adjusted during the installation, but I'm not sure.

The reason I ask, is because neither of the two guys I spoke with at Ford Racing could give me a definite or confident sounding answer.

If anyone could do better, I would greatly appreciate it!
 
#103 ·
IIRC octane adjust is defaulted to be (N). the instructions say that should you hear spark knock, change the octane adjust to (Y).
 
#105 ·
think someone's confused...

there's no adjustable octane setting on the cars stock calibration

the Pro Cal has the ability to adjust it's tunes engine timing if your engine is experiencing predetonation

when the Pro Cal is loaded it's default setting is 'N', for NO, in it's 'octane adjust' setting

if you're getting engine knock, the instructions tell you to edit the octane setting to 'Y' for YES...
 
#106 ·
Nope, not confused. Probably just not doing a very good job of asking the question.

If you plug in a Pro Cal to a car with a factory calibration, which has never had a Pro Cal plugged into it, or any type of performance calibration loaded on it, you can still go into programming, then edit settings, and see the same settings for axle ratio, tire size, octane adjust, etc., just as they can at the dealer with the IDS tool they use.

I would like to know what the value for octane adjust is from the factory, before the performance calibration is installed. I should have checked before I loaded the performance calibration for the first time, but hindsight is always 20/20.

I don't personally remember what the value was after I first loaded it, but I am assuming that it was the same thing it was before I loaded it.

I say this because I have returned to the factory calibration and/or loaded the performance calibration multiple times due to the spark knock issues, and that setting doesn't get set to anything specific as part of the process of loading the factory or performance calibration. It just stays set at whatever it was set to last, regardless of what calibration you load.

Therefore, in order to truly return to the way the car was before you ever started messing with it, you would have to know what the octane adjust was set to before you ever started messing with it.

I've gone back and forth with both the octane adjust setting and switching between the calibrations enough times to lose track myself. That's why I was hoping someone could help me remember.

It sounds like the common consensus so far, is that the default setting after loading the performance calibration is N, and you have to go back in and change it to Y manually if you hear audible spark knock. So, hopefully if I make sure it is set to N both before and after I return to the factory calibration, I should be OK.

I know what it says in the instructions, such as they are. If the damn thing came with better instructions, I wouldn't have to ask...
 
#107 ·
OP

Well, my wife and I took a couple of days to wander around the Blue Ridge mountains in the Mustang. This was the first real road trip since I installed the FRPP tune. Total miles driven was about 500. The car is great in mountains. Handled great and plenty of power. The power sure made passing slow traffic easy! The car still has a mild, occasional ping under full throttle. I still have my tune set to octane adjust - YES. Default at install is NO. I made extensive use of the "hill mode" on the 6R80. It works very well. I rarely had to get on the brakes going downhill. I was curious how the use of hill mode might affect oil consumption, since it will downshift and use the engine as a brake. On big grades it would hold the engine at about 3000 rpm. This morning I added maybe 6 ounces of oil. That makes a total of 10-12 ounces added in 5000 miles. I hope to have a set of 3.55 gears installed by the end of this week. I bet those would have made the mountains even more fun!
 
#108 ·
Well, my wife and I took a couple of days to wander around the Blue Ridge mountains in the Mustang. This was the first real road trip since I installed the FRPP tune. Total miles driven was about 500. The car is great in mountains. Handled great and plenty of power. The power sure made passing slow traffic easy! The car still has a mild, occasional ping under full throttle. I still have my tune set to octane adjust - YES. Default at install is NO. I made extensive use of the "hill mode" on the 6R80. It works very well. I rarely had to get on the brakes going downhill. I was curious how the use of hill mode might affect oil consumption, since it will downshift and use the engine as a brake. On big grades it would hold the engine at about 3000 rpm. This morning I added maybe 6 ounces of oil. That makes a total of 10-12 ounces added in 5000 miles. I hope to have a set of 3.55 gears installed by the end of this week. I bet those would have made the mountains even more fun!
That's some good driving up there! I live in North Georgia, so I know the drill. I really wish I could go back in time and do the auto instead. The MT82 is crap. It barely handles the torque of this motor, and lots of people have had problems with that Chinese POS tranny, including me. The auto is very strong by comparison. And, I've been stuck in traffic enough times on I-75 during rush hour to know I made the wrong choice by now, regardless of all that.

If that's all the oil you've used, I think that's great. I used 2 quarts in the first 5000 miles during break in, while I was babying it. Haven't used a drop since though...guess that's good.

I'm done with the spark knock for good. Went back to the factory tune and am dealing with the MT82 skip shift. Looking back, I believe my motor would be running better now if I never ran that tune. I guess some cars are good with it, and some aren't. Spark knock is bad no matter what, I don't care what anyone says. Mine has done it worse than others though... Probably one of the worst, aside from those who have lost their motor because of it.

Every time I thought I had it licked, it came back. Usually after a long trip, such as my most recent one I just got back from. Hopefully, if I have any issues moving forward I'll be OK with warranty.

Anyway, not trying to ruin your fun, just saying...watch out for it. Hope you don't get a bad batch of gas and bust up some ring lands while you are having that fun!
 
#110 ·
Great thread.

Over the past two weeks I have installed the FRPP power pack with the SVT mufflers, Barton bracket, and Barton Short Shifter (I had no transmission problems - just wanted a shorter mechanical shift). This is a completely different car. 0-50 blasting around town is dynamite. The new-found torque makes "safe" playing more fun. The sound of the mufflers is intoxicating. "Honey, I need to go to the grocery store for more milk/floss/soap...-back in 20 minutes."

No Pings.

This is my daily driver. I have the same Brembo wheels in black for the winter with LM 60's ready to go when it gets cold (snow or not). Oversteer was already on tap with right foot but even more-so after the calibration. But that is another topic.

In summary: 5 stars

2012 5.0 Silver/Brembo/3.73
 
#111 ·
Hate to see 50/50 reviews on the FRPP tune because I'm ready to "drop the hammer" on it for my car, however if you have serious issues I'd think it being a FORD RACING product especially installed by a FORD DEALER they would stand behind the warranty for atleast 12 month / 12k miles.

I'm mostly pumped about the addition of the extra torque down low and decreasing the torque management in the throttle response and if it pulls to 7k that a bonus also. Once I install mine I will do before / after Dyno pulls to see any gains and check A/F just to be on the safe side.
 
#112 ·
I have the FRPP tune on my 2011 5.0 Brembo. It's been an interesting evolution because I installed it twice, once from stock and once after doing and then undoing the Boss 302 intake mod. Of course the second time I had to untune the car back to stock when going from SCT to Procal.

The first time out, I liked the tune but the pinging bugged me, and it did it with 94 AKI fuel. Then I had a brainwave that a Boss 302 manifold would make the car work better at the road race tracks I run. Well, it turned out that the short twisty tracks I run at actually were better with more low end torque, so I pulled the Boss manifold off and reinstalled the FRPP tune. This time, I switched the Octane Control to "ON" and I've been very happy with the results. No pinging, lots of torque, good HP, and no worries about breaking anything from revving too high.
 
#115 ·
that really sucks...wish you nothing but the best

almost 13K miles here in 4 1/2 months

if mine starts giving me fits I know how bummed and pissed I'll be about it, especially if it doesn't get resolved...divorced single parent of one who's been with me his whole life but is starting his Jr year of college a couple hours away. He's home during the summers and about every other weekend (his girlfrind of 3+ yrs is out there at the same school).

I quit drinking 5 years ago and this car is presently the biggest thrill in my life. All my miles are for pleasure, I work 2 miles from my house

lot of canyon and mountain carving around here and I had to have this xmission
 
#116 ·
OP

Well, I had the 3.55 gears installed on 10-13-11 to go with the FRPP tune. The tech who did the install at my Ford dealer begged me to not do any burnouts for 300 - 400 miles. Okay, no problem. My wife and I took another day trip on Friday which came out to about 350 miles. The engine went from about 1900 rpm at 70 mph, to about 2250 rpm at 70 mph. The install appears to have been well done, since I have not heard any gear whine. Total cost for parts and labor was $825.00. The car is much more eager to please now. I am very pleased with this change and feel it to be an excellent compromise since the car spends a good deal of time on the highway. I went to fill up this afternoon and just had to see how the 3.55 affected launching from a dead stop. OOPS, no traction at all, even with traction control fully engaged. It spins through first, hits second and starts spinning again. Looks like I will have ease it off the line before hammering it! Any suggestions?
 
#117 ·
Well, I had the 3.55 gears installed on 10-13-11 to go with the FRPP tune. The tech who did the install at my Ford dealer begged me to not do any burnouts for 300 - 400 miles. Okay, no problem. My wife and I took another day trip on Friday which came out to about 350 miles. The engine went from about 1900 rpm at 70 mph, to about 2250 rpm at 70 mph. The install appears to have been well done, since I have not heard any gear whine. Total cost for parts and labor was $825.00. The car is much more eager to please now. I am very pleased with this change and feel it to be an excellent compromise since the car spends a good deal of time on the highway. I went to fill up this afternoon and just had to see how the 3.55 affected launching from a dead stop. OOPS, no traction at all, even with traction control fully engaged. It spins through first, hits second and starts spinning again. Looks like I will have ease it off the line before hammering it! Any suggestions?
Just curious who you used for the gear install? I believe I am going to go with the 3.55 as well.
 
#118 ·
Sloppymax : PM sent
 
#120 ·
If you read the instruction for the tuner it has a section for audible pre-ignition knock...
Purchaced November 2010
I have ran mine both set to adjust for octane (Y) and do not adjust for octane (N) on top tir 91 octane and never heard a pre-igntion knock, and I live above 5000 feet... If you put the the stop and go so called gasoline (liquid stuff) in your car, its only your fault...
My pickup is a pinging mother if I put cheap gasoline in it...
 
#122 ·
I read that section, and I think I should be ok. The only fuel available to me on base here is Regular (92) and Premium (98) which are running $3.65 and $3.80 per gallon respectively.
 
#121 ·
I'm at 2 weeks, 400 miles, and a few t n t runs at the track with the frpp tune loaded. Still no pinging. Never got a good e.t. run in at the track as I experienced some high rpm gear lockout, but that has nothing to do with the tune. Best I could muster was 12.3 at 116. 1.83 60' and mediocre shifting. Pulled a 1.71 60' and a 1.69, but got locked out of 3rd on both passes. No grinding, no weirdness, just hits a wall. She's got 11's in her as she sits, just have to find the kink in the tranny and fix it. Gonna do an mgw shifter and redline fluid, see how she does after that.

Not bad mph for the frpp tune with no filter, 3 inch cat back exhaust, and 17 inch stock height drag radials. On a heavy ass gt premium.
 
#124 ·
Glad to see seem decent track numbers on the FRPP tune, I was hoping to get atleast what my old tune got (12.2 @ 114) I'm going to add the FRPP tune and the Ford Racing mid pipe and hit the track in the next few weeks.
 
#123 ·
Couldn't wait for the weekend... Only got to take it for a 15 mile drive after work, but I'm still smiling. Like :bigthumbsup
 
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