My 5 Star tuning results on 2021 F-150 EcoBoost

[Mortonsk9s]

I received my sct X4 from 5 Star Tuning and just got back the tune files. Installed on my 22 3.5 my usual E-30 tune I prefer. Compared to my MY18 E-30 tune, the 21 and up seem like there is still a bit of torque management happening but the top end power is alot better. Usually the 3.5 seems to run out of breath in the higher rpm band, but this tune really wakes up the higher rpm band.

Bottom end torque feels a little better then stock but the high rpm band is a nice surprise on how hard it pulls compared to the 18 3.5, and I am going to leave the tune alone "no revisions" until the adaptive learning curve is more complete.

Its almost like the perfect combo, a lot of low end torque and hell of pull up top. It was worth the wait for 2 years for these MY21.

Shift points are great and smooth, less firm then I though they would be in comparison to my other 5 Star Tunes. The truck doesn't feel tuned as far as shifting unless you want to feel it. Very smooth I am impressed.

Loading the tune is alot faster after it pulls and saves the stock file which is awesome.

Thumbs up and I do recommend. Will try the E-50 in a few months and report back.

Hope this helps anyone on the fence.

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[9663mu]

Great review! Can you please explain E30? All I have here is is 91 , just wondering how much more power E30 would allow. Please keep us posted!

 

[TheGoatman]

You’re manually mixing e85 and premium to get e30.

 

[Mortonsk9s]

You’re manually mixing e85 and premium to get e30.

Yes sir, I have been mixing for years even when stock.. you can use 87 and e-85 to make 93 octane for cheaper then 93 minus the 10% drop in mileage for instance. But yes for my tune I run premium and mix e-85. Sometimes I have to bust out the octane calculator but its worth it. I test the e-content usually 4 times a year twice when winter fuels are released and twice when summer fuels are released.

When gas was 4 to 5 bucks a gallon and everyone was paying $100+ a tank. I paid a max of $65 to fill up my 36 gallon. Because e-85 was still like 1.59 a gallon. I just do not go above a 60% ethanol percentage because the fuel system is not strong enough to support safely underload.

E-85 is around 100-105 octane depending on the content % so basically you just thin down the octane with pump gas to around 97-98% octane fuel. It cheap race fuel.

i have ran it for years, but my cars do not sit for more then a few days at a time maybe max 5 days. I go thru a tank a week due to my commute. So the fuel does not sit idle and start breaking down and gumming up.

 

[EricR]

Where are you finding e85?

 

[Mortonsk9s]

Great review! Can you please explain E30? All I have here is is 91 , just wondering how much more power E30 would allow. Please keep us posted!

Depending on stations some offer e-15, e30, and e-85. If you find a good station that offers e-85 you can blend your fuel by knowing the size of your tank, testing the content of the e-85 which is usually around 70% and choosing a octane level 87,91 or 93 and using a octane calculator by inputting the volume amount. After a while it is as easy and putting a certain amount of e-85 say like 10 gallons and then 23 gallons of 87, or 91.

Ethanol tunes are more powerful then 91, or 93 tunes do the the cooling characteristics which allows more timing to be advanced with less engine knock.

The guys running high 11's and low 12's on just a tune are running E-tunes. Throw in a bigger inter cooler so the recirculated air is cooler allowing more power, for the some reasons ethanol allows longer timing advanced and less knock.

 

[Mortonsk9s]

Where are you finding e85?

"Kum and GO" "Cassie Gas Station", "Quik-Trip". I think all of these are more southern state based.

 

[Mortonsk9s]

Found a picture online from a station near my house.

 

[EricR]

Hmm, I've never noticed that here in Boise. I'll have to pay attention and see if I can find this.

Thanks!

 

[Eskram]

Where are you finding e85?

https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_locations.html#/find/nearest?fuel=E85

This should show if there's anything local to you.

 

[Jjdh]

Have you done a dragy run?

 

[Mortonsk9s]

Have you done a dragy run?

Unfortunately I do not, I let someone borrow it back when these 14th gens were not tuneable and never got it back. I haven’t wanted to spend the 150 bucks for another one.

 

[Jjdh]

Unfortunately I do not, I let someone borrow it back when these 14th gens were not tuneable and never got it back. I haven’t wanted to spend the 150 bucks for another one.

I’m trying to decide if I want to use 5 star or go with livernois.

 

[Mortonsk9s]

I waited because I have used 5 Star before and I loved how my truck ran. Back then Livernois was too conservative.

I had two buddies with similar equipped trucks with same tire size and gear ratios, running the My Calibrator from Livernois and my truck would out pull them pretty hard.

I always had a good experience with 5 Star, I have not had a chance to compare because no one i know has a 14th gen that is tuned by Livernois. I have notice 5 Star is slower in responding then previous years so take that in consideration, But I do not know how Livernois responds either.

Your truck your call, I will not have any draggies because I do not want to by another one but hopfeully someone will have a similar setup soon with some draggy slips.

All I know is how my last Ethanol tuned 3.5 ran and this one pulls way harder up top. Where the other truck had more low end grunt, but that is my observation, because I cannot get this 14th gen to hook up down low either.

I punched it at 35 mph in 2wd and it slung me in the oncoming lane when a car was coming at me pretty close that I did not see before hand, so I have not done a low end launch since out of fear of other peoples safety. And there is not alot of good roads to be safe around me that isnt full of highway patrols or local police. I live 1/4 mile from a police and fire academy and have 5 local police in my HOA.

MY 22 only has 1100 miles so I am taking it easy before I do any 4wd launch. Stock the truck "feels" like a very high 13 to low 14 second truck. With the tune it feels close to mid to low 12's with the crappy factory tires and the tranny not fully adaptive learned.

If anyone in the Tulsa, Broken Arrow area wants to let me borrow a draggy for a day ill get some numbers but until then just choice who you think would work best for you and your setup.

There are alot more Livernois videos out there due to their engineer cracking the process and getting product out. "Kudos to him and there team, which is why SCT knows how to do it."

Good luck, honestly I think you will be happy with either, it makes a huge difference. Just wait until you piss off those scat packs and 5.0 Gt's. You should already pull on those RT's in your stock truck.

One note I feel like it is fast enough now to need performance brakes. I could smell mine thru the truck when I did a high mph pass and I slowed down easy.

 

[Jjdh]

I waited because I have used 5 Star before and I loved how my truck ran. Back then Livernois was too conservative.

I had two buddies with similar equipped trucks with same tire size and gear ratios, running the My Calibrator from Livernois and my truck would out pull them pretty hard.

I always had a good experience with 5 Star, I have not had a chance to compare because no one i know has a 14th gen that is tuned by Livernois. I have notice 5 Star is slower in responding then previous years so take that in consideration, But I do not know how Livernois responds either.

Your truck your call, I will not have any draggies because I do not want to by another one but hopfeully someone will have a similar setup soon with some draggy slips.

All I know is how my last Ethanol tuned 3.5 ran and this one pulls way harder up top. Where the other truck had more low end grunt, but that is my observation, because I cannot get this 14th gen to hook up down low either.

I punched it at 35 mph in 2wd and it slung me in the oncoming lane when a car was coming at me pretty close that I did not see before hand, so I have not done a low end launch since out of fear of other peoples safety. And there is not alot of good roads to be safe around me that isnt full of highway patrols or local police. I live 1/4 mile from a police and fire academy and have 5 local police in my HOA.

MY 22 only has 1100 miles so I am taking it easy before I do any 4wd launch. Stock the truck "feels" like a very high 13 to low 14 second truck. With the tune it feels close to mid to low 12's with the crappy factory tires and the tranny not fully adaptive learned.

If anyone in the Tulsa, Broken Arrow area wants to let me borrow a draggy for a day ill get some numbers but until then just choice who you think would work best for you and your setup.

There are alot more Livernois videos out there due to their engineer cracking the process and getting product out. "Kudos to him and there team, which is why SCT knows how to do it."

Good luck, honestly I think you will be happy with either, it makes a huge difference. Just wait until you piss off those scat packs and 5.0 Gt's. You should already pull on those RT's in your stock truck.

My 2017 was 5 star tuned. I had all the bolt ons, dw400 and ran e50 at times. Truck ran great. I feel like this one will be faster when tuned. I’m considering just driving up to livernois and let them custom tune it. I like 5 star and don’t really have any complaints. I’m just watching and seeing feedback right now.

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