At least that's what it feels like. Let me start by saying I really liked my truck when I first got it a few weeks ago. Only two issues made me not 'love' it. The first was the grill. An acre of chrome on a square nose, just did not appeal to me. However, now I have come to really like it. It's big and bold and dare I say macho.


The second issue was the driving experience. It had no real get up and go off the line. No pedal feel...it's like there was a goose down pillow between my foot and the gas pedal. Lots of lag when taking off from a start and the shift timing was horrible. 6th gear at 38 mph??? Really?? Uggh. With this big 6.2L with plenty of torque and hp, why set the shift pattern up so the driver can't enjoy or at least 'feel' it?


So, I decided to get a tuner. Picked up the SCT 7015 X4 from the boys at 5 Star and had them load 3 custom tunes on it. Got the performance, the economy, and the daily tow all at 87 octane (because I am cheap).


I LOVE this truck now. Immediate throttle response. I can 'feel' the engine through the gas pedal. Longer runs thru the rpm range before shifting, giving a much livelier driving experience both in the seat of the pants, and even in the sound of the engine as it winds out.


Chris and Josh at 5 Star could not have been more helpful. They walked me thru the whole deal with extreme patience, considering I am a guy that can't even program a VCR. They shipped the unit the same day I purchased it. Once I got the unit I hooked it up, emailed back the ECU Strategy and in a couple hours my custom tunes where in my inbox for me to load onto the X4 and then into the truck. So simple a caveman could do it.


So big props to 5 Star!! You guys gave me the truck I always wanted.

 

I've always found the crew there to be helpful and responsive. Emailed questions are usually answered pretty quickly.
My only issue, and it isn't with 5 Star, it's with SCT is that any new tunes or updates all have to be done on a Windows based computer. All I've ever owned is Apple. 5 Star tells me that they've tried but SCT has yet to budge on this problem.

 

Read all the complaints ON HERE of people complaining OF POOR Gas Mileage.....


and I remind them .. its 6.000 plus pounds and get 14 mpg...


in 1969 my 1965 Impala 409 got 12 mpg and was less then 4,000 pounds and SMALL compared to this big box truck


Ford is just trying to make the EPA, U.S Government and Buyers of F-250's Happy.

 

Agreed for sure. Ford should really sell these trucks with a better factory tune. But we do always need to mod something, right? Wouldn't be any fun havin a stock truck.

 

Gotta remember they also have to answer to federally mandated emissions also.got stuck behind a guy with a Dodge and a tuner belching black. He's going to get nailed as they're tightening up on all these items. Just got the renewal notice on my Bronco and even Washington is getting more stringent. Says right on the notice 1995 and newer must meet the year of manufacture California emissions.

 

The day of your emissions/smog inspection, reset your truck to stock tune. Takes about a minute. After inspection, reload your custom tune.

 

What about MPG's? Better, same or worse? Does it hold a gear better on hills,etc?

 

I wonder if five star does a VCT lockout tune?

 

I haven't checked gas mileage, nor have I run the economy mode tune. MPGs is not my concern on a truck that's as big as my house and not nearly as aerodynamic. I never had an issue previously with it holding gear on a hill.


I'll check the MPGs on my next fill up just for giggles and will update.

 

You better set it back to stock a week before your smog test. The new obd2 smog checks can check when the last time the codes were reset and fail you.

 

Didn't think MPG's would bother me on my 6.2 either but it does. The combination of not holding a gear when towing a small load and shifting up and down on hills bothers me. But I always find unecessary things to complain about.

 

Yes sir we do if you give us a call we can get you set up.

 

He is correct. Set it back to stock and drive it for a week every day before you go to smog test it.

 

No smog test needed for my truck in Delaware.

 

I'm sure this has been discussed here many times over, but I just got a 2014 F250 6.2 and i'm interested in the 5 Star Tuning, however I am only at 22k miles and very much within my powertrain warranty. Is it a foregone conclusion these tunes void my warranty or is it a crapshoot on which dealer I go to? Thanks