2016 GT Desperately Need Advice!

Tehdood

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Hi all,

I recently purchased a used 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 last night with 16k miles and one owner. When I was looking at the car I saw that the exhaust was not stock (Borla Cat-back) and so I checked under the hood and saw a JLT CAI. Not thinking anything of it, I proceeded on a 20 minute test drive and everything seemed to be normal. I went ahead and purchased the car, and drove home about 35 miles away without any issues.


After looking up the JLT CAI in my mustang (JLT-CK1517-18) I noticed that JLT does not make any CAI's that do NOT require a tune, which they sell. Now, since this car is used, and I wasn't able to find any tuner in the vehicle, I am a little nervous about driving it since I have no idea if the previous owner tuned it or not. I understand that not tuning it with a CAI like this one can cause the engine to run very lean and cause serious damage. I'm a little apprehensive to drive it any further to say the least.


My question to you all is, do you know of any sure fire way to see if it has been tuned?


Should I just be safe and pop the stock intake back in or would that also cause problems if it was tuned?
 

CobraBob

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That kit DOES require a tune. Since you don't know if the car WAS tuned, you're going to at least want to use a wide-band and check your A/F. If you're running lean, you likely don't have a custom tune. If this were my Mustang, I'd keep the JLT kit (worth $199) and get a custom tune, playing it safe. The CAI with a tune will get the most power from the CAI.
 
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PaxtonShelby

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You should buy an SCT from a reputable tuner like AED. Before he tunes your car he will require that you send him datalogs so he can first confirm your motor is running well. Once that is confirmed he will write you a tune. If you do nothing and keep driving the car as it sits you are just rolling the dice and risking serious damage. There are a lot of hacks out there writing tunes.
 

Tehdood

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That kit DOES require a tune. Since you don't know if the car WAS tuned, you're going to at least want to use a wide-band and check your A/F. If you're running lean, you likely don't have a custom tune. If this were my Mustang, I'd keep the JLT kit (worth $199) and get a custom tune, playing it safe. The CAI with a tune will get the most power from the CAI.

As it stands, I currently do not own a wide-band, I'll have to find a local shop.

Thanks for the info!


You should buy an SCT from a reputable tuner like AED. Before he tunes your car he will require that you send him datalogs so he can first confirm your motor is running well. Once that is confirmed he will write you a tune. If you do nothing and keep driving the car as it sits you are just rolling the dice and risking serious damage. There are a lot of hacks out there writing tunes.

I did check out the site, I'll have to call first thing in the morning tomorrow. In the meantime, would it be safer to put the stock box back on or am I gambling either way?
 

PC03GT

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As it stands, I currently do not own a wide-band, I'll have to find a local shop.

Thanks for the info!




I did check out the site, I'll have to call first thing in the morning tomorrow. In the meantime, would it be safer to put the stock box back on or am I gambling either way?

Do you have any of the track apps on your car??
 

Tehdood

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Do you have any of the track apps on your car??

Yes I do.

In fact, I just went for a drive and noticed that the mustang was showing my A/F ratio at about 14.0 - 14.4 when driving normally.

At WoT, it dropped to 11.4 - 12 and then when I let off fully it jumped to 20 for a few seconds and went back to the 14.0 - 14.4 range.

Based on the research I did on what's normal for A/F ratios, I believe the car is likely tuned, otherwise it would be reading lean, correct?
 

PC03GT

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Yes I do.

In fact, I just went for a drive and noticed that the mustang was showing my A/F ratio at about 14.0 - 14.4 when driving normally.

At WoT, it dropped to 11.4 - 12 and then when I let off fully it jumped to 20 for a few seconds and went back to the 14.0 - 14.4 range.

Based on the research I did on what's normal for A/F ratios, I believe the car is likely tuned, otherwise it would be reading lean, correct?

I would say you're good. I would still buy a tuner and get your own tune so you know that the car is 100%
 

Tehdood

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I would say you're good. I would still buy a tuner and get your own tune so you know that the car is 100%

Sweet, I was really worried there for a bit.

I'll definitely be buying a tuner and making sure it's 100%

Any recommendations? SCT x4? Livewire? Diablo?
 

PC03GT

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Sweet, I was really worried there for a bit.

I'll definitely be buying a tuner and making sure it's 100%

Any recommendations? SCT x4? Livewire? Diablo?

I and a lot of guy's on here use SCT. It depends on who is going to tune your car if you went with LUND you would use an n gauge
 

Curt@injected

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Yes I do.

In fact, I just went for a drive and noticed that the mustang was showing my A/F ratio at about 14.0 - 14.4 when driving normally.

At WoT, it dropped to 11.4 - 12 and then when I let off fully it jumped to 20 for a few seconds and went back to the 14.0 - 14.4 range.

Based on the research I did on what's normal for A/F ratios, I believe the car is likely tuned, otherwise it would be reading lean, correct?


Coyotes have factory wideband and stay closed loop all the time. The only way to confirm if the vehicle has been tuned for the intake would be to look at fuel trims. I would either suggest having a dyno evaluation performed locally or having the car tuned or finding a way to at least datalog fuel trim by yourself. The jlt maf curve is far enough out you should be able to tell pretty quickly if it is tuned or not. Tbh if it weren't tuned you would most likely have a cel by now.
 

PC03GT

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I would contact your dealer also to see if they can get a hold of the previous owner. They can't do anything with that tuner because it's married to your car. If you can get the tuner for the car you can save some money, considering the only way they could use it again would be by sending it away to get cleared
 

Tehdood

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I would contact your dealer also to see if they can get a hold of the previous owner. They can't do anything with that tuner because it's married to your car. If you can get the tuner for the car you can save some money, considering the only way they could use it again would be by sending it away to get cleared

Actually, when I was going through the car I found a speeding ticket buried in some paperwork in the glove box. Has a name and phone number on it, so I'm going to call them tomorrow and hopefully it will be the previous owner and not a salesman on a test drive.
 

Tehdood

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Why not ask the previous owner if it was tuned? Or did you buy it at a dealership

It was bought from a dealer. I found a ticket in the glove box mixed in with some papers so I'm currently trying to get a hold of this person. I don't yet know if it is the actual previous owner or a salesman that was on a test drive.
 

Tehdood

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Just an update:

Shaun at AED got back to me very quickly over email and gave me his opinion of things. He recommended taking it in and getting it fully inspected top to bottom to make sure everything is still good. I'll be taking it in tomorrow.

He also suggested trying to get a service history from Ford with the VIN but the only stuff I am coming across online is like Carfax stuff. Is there something Ford specifically can do for me that I'm not aware of?
 

Tehdood

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Well, I lucked out big time and the guy on the ticket was in fact the previous and only owner.

It is tuned, and was done by Edge Autosport in Denver. From what I've been able to find they are really good tuners. The deal he had with them was that he would buy the tuner and in exchange for it, the shop would dyno tune his car for as long as he had it if he let them keep the tuner as they didn't yet have a mustang tuner.

So, it looks like I'll be buying the SCT from AED and getting it tuned as well. From what the previous owner said, it's putting down 410hp to the wheels.

Just wanted to thank everyone here again for all the help and advice.
 

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