[SVT232V6]

Hey all, I have a 2001 3.8 with a CAI, long tube headers, X pipe and dual GT exhaust. I’d like to experiment and tune it myself. I tried using my HP Tuners but can’t seem to get it to work with this car. Is there some other program I can use to get the stock tune file so I can start modifying it?

 

[Cobrajet67]

If the car has a tune in it already and you don't own the tuner that has the original Ford program with it then you need to get the car to a dealer to have them reprogram the car with the original Ford program. At that point then you might be able to pay HP to have one of your existing tuners reset/licensed to work with that Mustang. I believe this will render it unusable to tune with other vehicles unless you have it again reset. You'd have to contact HP to find out.
Note that if you have no cats then no tune will be able to compensate for that. No tuning adjustments are going to be available anymore to have deleted cats or to even mess with the O2 sensors. All tuning companies are now unable to allow for any kind of illegal modifications.
Unfortunately, a full exhaust isn't going to make much of a difference on a 3.8 v6 and the CAI by itself without any cam or head upgrade is not going to do anything at all. The CAI can only cause problems. It's a worthless part without major induction mods. I'm not talking about a TB or MAF either as they're also completely worthless without major induction mods.
Also, you aren't going to magically free up any noticeable hp. If you have an auto then you can adjust shift points to make a difference and you might be able to pic up just a very small amount of hp, like 5 hp if you're lucky, by making some adjustments but it's questionable to be worth the $ that HP will want to use their tuner with an Essex v6.

 

[SVT232V6]

If the car has a tune in it already and you don't own the tuner that has the original Ford program with it then you need to get the car to a dealer to have them reprogram the car with the original Ford program. At that point then you might be able to pay HP to have one of your existing tuners reset/licensed to work with that Mustang. I believe this will render it unusable to tune with other vehicles unless you have it again reset. You'd have to contact HP to find out.
Note that if you have no cats then no tune will be able to compensate for that. No tuning adjustments are going to be available anymore to have deleted cats or to even mess with the O2 sensors. All tuning companies are now unable to allow for any kind of illegal modifications.
Unfortunately, a full exhaust isn't going to make much of a difference on a 3.8 v6 and the CAI by itself without any cam or head upgrade is not going to do anything at all. The CAI can only cause problems. It's a worthless part without major induction mods. I'm not talking about a TB or MAF either as they're also completely worthless without major induction mods.
Also, you aren't going to magically free up any noticeable hp. If you have an auto then you can adjust shift points to make a difference and you might be able to pic up just a very small amount of hp, like 5 hp if you're lucky, by making some adjustments but it's questionable to be worth the $ that HP will want to use their tuner with an Essex v6.

No aftermarket tuner or tune. I have the original Ford program file for the car, it’s read only, no editing allowed. I want to tune it myself just to experiment and tinker a bit. Won’t be going with an aftermarket tuner.

 

[Cobrajet67]

No aftermarket tuner or tune. I have the original Ford program file for the car, it’s read only, no editing allowed. I want to tune it myself just to experiment and tinker a bit. Won’t be going with an aftermarket tuner.

The PCM still has the factory Ford program on it? If so, that kind of surprises me that it's able to run without any problems or trouble codes. Either long tubes or a CAI are often times enough for a tune to be required.
From what's been my understanding, in order to adjust a tune you need to have the original program saved on a device like a tuner and then be able to edit a copy of that original program with a tuning device. You need a device in order to make changes and what changes can be made will be dictated by the device itself. You can't tune something however you like and in any way you like even if you get a tuner to specifically use with your car. You are limited by preloaded "canned" tunes on the tuner, custom tunes done for you by a tuning company and loaded onto the tuner and transferred to the car, or have this done by a dyno tune shop.
Idk what you mean by "won't be going with an aftermarket tuner". You need one specifically for your car to make any adjustments at all.
By all means someone else on here correct me if I'm wrong on anything but this is basically how tuning works.