Wow, what a huge difference! I have a 5.4 and have always regretted not having bought a V-10 or diesel, but I love my van too much to do it over. I put a free flowing Spectre air filter on it awhile back, but didn't want to put a loud exhaust on it. Tried that once, never again on a highway vehicle.
I went with Mike at 5-Star due to his great rep here on the forums. I got a SCT tuner (OBDII plug in) with 3 custom tunes: 87 economy, 87 performance, and 87 towing. I went with the performance tune first today and I honestly can't believe the difference. It woke the 5.4 up bigtime! I really wasn't expecting that much. I can't wait to load the van up and get it on a road trip and see how it does, but I can so far say it was money well spent on the 5.4

This may sound a lot like a commercial, but no, I'm just a satisfied customer.
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Scotty anyone who reads the V10 or V8 engine forums knows of Mike @ 5 Star---he's a legend for the Ford motors! Along with the instantly noticeable and very usable tunes he provides his customer service is simply amazing.

With all the supposed performance or mileage add-ons we can spend money on I've yet to see anything so easily installed, completely reversible or modified as what Mike offers. Flip a switch and change your performance curves---can't get any easier than that!

I'm strongly considering one for my own van, before a back up camera or even adding a raised roof. I'd like more firm shifts and perhaps slightly different shift speeds too. Since I'll be loaded to about 7800# after refitting my work interior and adding tools and tool boxes I'm not sure if the performance or towing tune would would best for me. Maybe Mike's got something for my semi-unique needs too?

Looking forward to your impressions after using the different tunes. Thanks for posting this here---good to see us vanners becoming 5 Star fans too!

 

you should really try the 93 octane tune, even better and more mpg.

 

OK, it's been 3 weeks now. Any more thoughts?

 

Silver, yes, lots more thoughts.
I just got back today from a 6000 mile trip out west with my family (I live in Tn). We did a lot of camping and were VERY heavy, I'm estimating at least 500 pounds on the hitch rack with contents, and probably 1500 pounds in van. It ran great and averaged about 14-15 mpg running 75 on the interstate, lowest mpg was about 12 when in Nat'l Parks, idling a lot, in traffic and climbing steep grades.
I think the tune did a lot for it and it is noticeably quicker unloaded, but loaded that heavy, I was still struggling out in the big western mountains. My van is an extended length, so the 5.4 is not exactly "over" powered for that much vehicle anyway. I'm considering trying the 93 performance tune that Bbasso recommends (he had it on his former v10) but I'm not sure if the price difference in each 30 gallon tank of fuel would be worth it.
Oh, also, I have a Spectre air filter element and stock exhaust. I'm told if I am willing to put a cat back exhaust on it it would help greatly with the tune for more power, but I've had loud vans and hate the highway drone on trips. I wish I could find a quiet setup, but quiet is relative and everything recommended to me so far sounds like it would be too loud.

 

Silver, i just reread my original post and looks like I'm pretty redundant in my response to you. I forgot to mention though that I tried the towing tune, even though I was just heavy and not towing, and it really would be the ticket for pulling a camper as you do. Mike has the shift-points, etc. worked out really sweet for towing. Like I said, I wasn't towing but am quite familiar with towing trailers and how shifting can make a huge difference. I would recommend that you get that for sure if you go with a 5-star tune. With his rep, you really can't go wrong.

 

14-15 doing 75 is better than stock by quite a margin, I'd say. We blasted down I-5 to Disneyland a couple years ago and at 75 she was ducking it back at a rate of 13 MPG.
So you live in TN? Anywhere near Brownsville? I get to Brownsville pretty regular for an OTR driver.

 

Na, that's over on the west side somewhere, probably 3+ hrs drive for me. I am noticing lately that there are a bunch of Tn van forum guys around.
We do have another thing in common though, I drive a rig for a living, if you can call it that. I work for that overnight delivery company with the witty commercials doing regional runs.
Yeah, i'm pretty impressed with the tune really. I want to wake it up even more but i'm iffy on the exhaust thing as mentioned. I wonder if a high flow cat might help with or without an exhaust upgrade too, but don't really want to get in to check engine lights, etc.
I should also mention that my best tank was 16 on this trip, shortly after left I was keeping it at 70 seeing how good it would do. Believe it or not this tank was 85 octane, I can't explain this, and I would not usually buy 85. If I remember right, the station I was at had only 85 and premium so I took a chance cause I'm a cheap ******* and hate to buy 30 gal of premium.