Ford Ranger Ford Performance Tune Review

[crazyrazor21]

Good product for those obsessive about retaining some sort of warranty, though in this case of the 3/36 warranty it may be completely useless depending on your mileage or buy date.

That is about all the good I can think of and that good is like a half-ass attempt by Ford to placate the sky is falling customers.

For half the price you have Livernoise, Unleashed, 5-Star, etc etc who will net you (on paper) about 90HP + 100TQ on premium. These tunes also address sloppy transmission mapping as well as takes the anemic electronic throttle and brings it back up to old school fly by (physical) wire response times. Press the gas with you big toe and you get immediate response.

As stated in the past, I have probably the least aerodynamic Ranger on US soil and run 285/70/17 (will be changing over to 255/85/17's in future). With a 93 Performance tune from 5-Star I noticed about a 2MPG increase over factory mapping. On top of that I run gear lock out at 7th and keep the trailer mode activated in town driving. I generally lock out to the 9th gear for highway travel, unless in an extremely flat area which I will open up 10th again and turn off trailer mode. This habit has increased my MPG in town by about another 1 MPG and probably 1 - 2 MPG on highway.

With all that said my grand total on MPG is about 16.5 in town and 18 on highway. Highway numbers may drop a good bit if I am engaged in "ludicrous" (yuck yuck spaceballs reference) speeds.

Without the tune and gear lock outs I was getting about 14.5 MPG with factory settings.

For those still unaware, you dont have to haul a trailer to take advantage of trailer mode. All this mode does is takes your RPMs about 500 higher before upshifting and also will utlize engine braking automatically.

This has the advantage of those not hauling trailers of keeping you much better in the ecoboost range of 2200 RPMs when cruising at speed limits. This also addresses going into an incline or steep hill and having to wait for your transmission to figure out what it wants to do as it downshifts (sometimes twice...). At 2200 RPM in 7th gear even a moderate incline might as well be flat land.

I've been running my 5-Star tune close to 2 years with zero issues.

Edit: Also for those concerned about running a lower max gear range, 7th gear is our transmissions 1:1 ratio gear.

It's rather well known that the Ford tune is made by livernois. Even when you download the software it says it's from Livernois. I tuned my 2020 Ranger on 9/26/2020. I plugged it back in yesterday and realized that I was on version 1 and they had just pushed version 9 of the tune. Biggest improvement is that with the version 9 my truck cannot skip gears. Thus eliminating the dreaded Ranger 3rd to 5th skip that slams into gear. My tuck has to go 3rd to 4th to 5th. The FPP tune is not just a one time deal. It wil continue to improve.

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[crazyrazor21]

I didn't think/know there were any engine changes between 21 and 22 to warrant this re-certification, hence why I bet the existing tune would work just fine.

Not entirely true. The 2019 to 2021 rangers have a different exhaust manifold and a different turbo design. Hence why exhaust for earlier model years are not compatible.

 

[Doc]

It's rather well known that the Ford tune is made by livernois. Even when you download the software it says it's from Livernois. I tuned my 2020 Ranger on 9/26/2020. I plugged it back in yesterday and realized that I was on version 1 and they had just pushed version 9 of the tune. Biggest improvement is that with the version 9 my truck cannot skip gears. Thus eliminating the dreaded Ranger 3rd to 5th skip that slams into gear. My tuck has to go 3rd to 4th to 5th. The FPP tune is not just a one time deal. It wil continue to improve.

I thought ford Racing used Mountune.

 

[crazyrazor21]

I thought ford Racing used Mountune.

In the beginning there wasn't too much information about who was doing the work behind the scenes. As of now, the Procal 4 software that is downloaded from the Ford Perfomance website states it's made by Livernois when you install it. It's also come out within the past year that Livernois was doing the tunes, which did shock me as well.

 

[LB'sTremor]

It's rather well known that the Ford tune is made by livernois. Even when you download the software it says it's from Livernois. I tuned my 2020 Ranger on 9/26/2020. I plugged it back in yesterday and realized that I was on version 1 and they had just pushed version 9 of the tune. Biggest improvement is that with the version 9 my truck cannot skip gears. Thus eliminating the dreaded Ranger 3rd to 5th skip that slams into gear. My tuck has to go 3rd to 4th to 5th. The FPP tune is not just a one time deal. It wil continue to improve.

This is good to know thx! (FPP = Livernios) so if the exhaust and turbo's are different on the new models do we know if the tune is differet?

LB

 

[crazyrazor21]

This is good to know thx! (FPP = Livernios) so if the exhaust and turbo's are different on the new models do we know if the tune is differet?

LB

I'm not sure. I'm guessing the changes were made for EPA restrictions, however due to Ford constantly updating the tunes I would suffice to believe that they are probably the same. It would be easier to make a tune thats safe for both engines than having to support two seperate tunes. To have to continuously update to tunes annually on the same truck would most likely be too cumbersome.

 

[Deleted member 15875]

It's rather well known that the Ford tune is made by livernois. Even when you download the software it says it's from Livernois. I tuned my 2020 Ranger on 9/26/2020. I plugged it back in yesterday and realized that I was on version 1 and they had just pushed version 9 of the tune. Biggest improvement is that with the version 9 my truck cannot skip gears. Thus eliminating the dreaded Ranger 3rd to 5th skip that slams into gear. My tuck has to go 3rd to 4th to 5th. The FPP tune is not just a one time deal. It wil continue to improve.

I wasn't aware they made the Ford tune. Just hope CARB gives the green light soon so I can get it for my Cal/22 Ranger.

 

[LB'sTremor]

I wasn't aware they made the Ford tune. Just hope CARB gives the green light soon so I can get it for my Cal/22 Ranger.

I think there is another thread that says it has been approved and a couple of people have installed it, I will have to dig for it...

 

[Deleted member 15875]

I think there is another thread that says it has been approved and a couple of people have installed it, I will have to dig for it...

I'm not sure I've seen anything to suggest it has over the past week. Still show on the website "2022 available for non-California vehicles"

 

[WNCblueridge]

It's rather well known that the Ford tune is made by livernois. Even when you download the software it says it's from Livernois. I tuned my 2020 Ranger on 9/26/2020. I plugged it back in yesterday and realized that I was on version 1 and they had just pushed version 9 of the tune. Biggest improvement is that with the version 9 my truck cannot skip gears. Thus eliminating the dreaded Ranger 3rd to 5th skip that slams into gear. My tuck has to go 3rd to 4th to 5th. The FPP tune is not just a one time deal. It wil continue to improve.

Is there a way to update without a laptop using only the plug in Ford Tuner? I am still on original version as well. Actually I returned to stock to save on buying premium for awhile but miss the tune and will prob reinstall Ford Performance tune soon. Would love to try the updates but dont recall seeing options for that on tuner settings

 

[crazyrazor21]

Is there a way to update without a laptop using only the plug in Ford Tuner? I am still on original version as well. Actually I returned to stock to save on buying premium for awhile but miss the tune and will prob reinstall Ford Performance tune soon. Would love to try the updates but dont recall seeing options for that on tuner settings

So you can put the tunr back on using the procal. However, when you connect it to the laptop you have the software on it will reach out and then prompt you to update the version. If you don't have th software anymore you can login to your ford performance account you created when you first tuned it and get the software.

 

[SummitPlummit]

There's a million threads with a million posts on this, many of which get into the weeds pretty fast. Figured it might be helpful, particularly for current or prospective Ranger owners who aren't super active forum users to have a concise source of information.

Or: I'm so in love with this tune that I just really wanted to write something about it.

What Is It? It's a $900 ECU-flash that ships with the installer device, and a drop-in K&N filter replacement. Ford Performance claims it's good for +45bhp @ 4,500 RPM and +60lb-ft @2,500 RPM. Those numbers are on 93 octane; it requires 91+. Note that those quoted additions aren't at peak power or torque, so you can' say the tune takes the Ranger to 315/370. What it does is add a significant amount of low and mid-range performance, and some top end.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9603-REB

If you have an ASE-certified mechanic install it (get receipts!), it comes with a limited warranty from Ford Performance that's 3 years/36,000 miles from your vehicle's sale date. Note that's total years and miles on your vehicle, not after you install the tune. The tune likely does invalidate OE warranty coverage for any parts it may effect, including in the engine, transmission, driveline, etc.

Why: The Ranger's powertrain is very good, but it does make a few compromises. Programmed to run on 87, the motor's not making as much power as its capable of, and the transmission programming is really aggressively oriented towards maximizing fuel economy, at the expense of responsiveness. Basically it tries to get into 10th gear as quickly as possible, something it does as early as ~37mph. It can then be reluctant to kick down when you need to accelerate, unless your really stomp on the throttle, at which point it must drop like 4-6 gears just to perform minor acceleration tasks like changing lanes. It's annoying, basically. All those issues are exacerbated with larger tires or additional weight on board, especially given that there aren't aftermarket gears available for the Ranger yet.

I chose this tune because of that validation by Ford Performance. That gives me peace of mind on longevity, even though I opted to install it myself, foregoing the warranty.

Some Important Caveats: My truck is on 34s, and is heavy. I live in Montana, where highway speed limits are 80mph, and we have a bunch of high elevation mountain passes. I drive pretty much everywhere at 85mph, and about a third of my total miles are on some form of unpaved surface. So, don't take my fuel economy numbers as relevant to anything but comparison to before/after. I also have no experience of how this tune compares to others, or how it would feel on an otherwise stock truck. We only have access to 91 octane here, so I'm probably not achieving the tune's full potential, but I do have a Magnaflow cat back, so maybe that makes back some power.

Installation: I was a bit intimidated, and had my enginerd little brother come help me install it. The only thing I ended up needing him for was his Windows laptop. The installation module connects to that computer with a USB-A cable. We just followed the instruction, updated the installers firmware, downloaded the tune, and then installed it on the car. The entire process took about 30 minutes, or two beers. The vehicle cycles through a bunch of warning messages, clicks, and whirrs, you don't really need to do anything.

Take the time to click through the menu on the installer device and correct for your wheel size. Just look up the specs on the website of whichever tire brand you have, and grab the RPMs per mile number. FP says they can only do this for up to a certain size, but I think that's just for liability. I had no problem inserting the correct RPMs for my 285/75-17s.

Result: I've done about 1,000 miles so far, which has been a mix of in-town, highway, two-lane, and off-road. My fuel economy has increased from 13 to 15mpg, as calculated at the pump. Mountain passes that I used to take in 5th or 6th gear at 75mph are now easily accomplished in 7th or 8th at 85. Passing RVs on two-lane feels like it takes half the time.

Transmission responsiveness has been completely fixed, without making it overly aggressive. It's actually enjoyable to drive the thing in D now. I have not felt a need to use S or tow/haul at all, but have played around with them a bit to see what they're like (they're both similarly improved). The truck instantly gets into the gear I need when I just tickle the throttle, but at the same time, the extra torque means I'm spending at least twice as much time in 10th gear when cruising at higher speeds. Every acceleration task just feels so much easier, and so much more natural and intuitive than before.

The tune does not melt your face or feel wild in any way, it just feels like you're driving a stock truck that came from the factory with a larger engine. Nothing feels wild or overly performance focussed. This is exactly what I was looking for by sticking with an OE tune over a 3rd party. The Ranger should ship like this, stock. Oh, and the speedometer/odometer is spot on now. I think that helps inform shift points too, but I have no actual confirmation of this from a real source.

Had a former Baja racer buddy take it for a spin the other day. "Wow, this thing rips," was his conclusion.

Altogether with the OME BP-51 suspension system, the whole truck just rides, handles, and performs incredibly well. One of my goals for my total build was to try and make it drive as close to as well as the OE long travel 200-series Land Cruiser I built for my wife last year. I never thought I'd be able to say this, but I think I actually prefer the Ranger now. I'm certainly choosing to drive it more than the 200.

Happy to answer any questions.

Here's a photo, just because. Credit to Bryon Dorr.

Sweet ride! I love he ARB summit bumper too, waiting to do my rear leaf springs with the OME medium duty, and eventually he bp51s in the front. Currently just running their heavy duty coils on the stock shocks in front to support the bumper.

 

[Simon Says]

Question for people who has the tune.

Is your transmission still skipping gears?

I read at a few places that with the tune, it no longer skip gears. I had the tune installed at a Ford dealership a week ago (they took 5,5hours to do it -.-). I was expecting to not see that annoying 1-3 gear shift. First thing I notice, it still skip 2nd gear -_-

And sometimes 3-5 or 4-6. I feel the better response to downshift and the added power, but I thought the tune would smooth out those annoying gear skipped shifts. And also these gear slips on 4th and 5th. Was I wrong to expect that?

 

[Colo_Ranger]

Question for people who has the tune.

Is your transmission still skipping gears?

I read at a few places that with the tune, it no longer skip gears. I had the tune installed at a Ford dealership a week ago (they took 5,5hours to do it -.-). I was expecting to not see that annoying 1-3 gear shift. First thing I notice, it still skip 2nd gear -_-

And sometimes 3-5 or 4-6. I feel the better response to downshift and the added power, but I thought the tune would smooth out those annoying gear skipped shifts. And also these gear slips on 4th and 5th. Was I wrong to expect that?

ford tune still skips gears for emissions reasons. Unleashed does not skip gears.

 

[Simon Says]

ford tune still skips gears for emissions reasons. Unleashed does not skip gears.

I see. Too bad.

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