How much HP do we gain when steering is set to sport mode? 2012GT

[twistedneck]

I've read from some that turning the steering to sport mode takes less HP, so much so that the fuel economy numbers change in the manual. Have you guys noticed this and what mode do you use at the track? I always liked std. mode better because i can move the wheel quicker.

 

[AdmirC]

I think most people turn advance trac completely off on track. I leave it in standard on the road. I doubt that there would be a bump in HP or MPGs that would be noticeable but I could be wrong. It would be interesting to run an amp clamp to the rack and see what the draw difference is in the different modes, as well as see how much more the alternator has to output to keep the the voltage up in the different modes.

 

[Grant 302]

There’s definitely a difference. A lot of it is in the throttle mapping. But there are other observable changes like how traction control behaves. The standard tune does seem focused on mileage...like how the throttle feels like it hangs a bit and decel is non existent when you lift. And blips for heel toe just suck. Good for mileage, but hardly appropriate for any performance driving.

In my ‘11 I turn it all off for the track. I can’t separately choose firmer steering and turn it off, but even sport mode is too invasive for track use and applies the rear brakes too much.

‘12 Boss allows for separate EPAS setting regardless of TC mode with the silver key and automatically set firmer with the red key.

 

[302 Hi Pro]

Red Key / Track Key - A Ford OEM Performance based Tune. Gotta love it!

 

[67GTA]

like how the throttle feels like it hangs a bit and decel is non existent when you lift. And blips for heel toe just suck.

What you described is exactly how my AED tune responds to throttle inputs. When I bought the car, it had a BAMA tune on it, and I decided to go the route of AED when I did the transmission swap. The BAMA tune was much more crisp and responsive.

Reached out to Shaun to see what could be done in the tune - here’s the response:
“Torque based system with 26 individual tables based on cam position load, and RPM. Not ‘easy’ to adjust this and therefore we do not. Far too time consuming”

This surprised me a bit, as it seems other tuners are addressing this, including the red key on the Boss’ it seems.

 

[Champale]

Thats interesting. My AED e-tune is over 5 years old and is super crisp (put down 423whp at 7900rpm with just a Steeda CAI and Borla axlebacks when I finally dyno'd it last summer). In fact its a super easy car to heel and toe crisply.

 

[Grant 302]

I think the differences in your two experiences is from the difference in base tunes. The Boss base part of the tune isn’t that bad IMO for blips and throttle response. Red key is of course better. Base GT tune is terrible...and the FRPP/FP ProCal seems a lot like the Red key mapping. I just wouldn’t quite call them the same.

So if Sean (sp?) isn’t touching the that part of the tune, it would explain your different descriptions.

 

[Grant 302]

Red Key / Track Key - A Ford OEM Performance based Tune. Gotta love it!

I do. And Ford clearly spent time to do them.

While there is zero regret in the dollars I spent on both Red key and the GT ProCal...I almost think they both should have been included in the purchase price.