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Tough Choices: Track Key or Steeda CAI

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In the next couple of weeks, I need to make the decision to either purchase the Track Key or to put on the Steeda CAI and Tune for the Boss.
I have used the Steeda CAI on my 13' GT Track Pack car and with a good tune, it really really woke that car up big time. Dont really know what to expect with the Track Key vs. a good tune...The ECU on the Boss is more complex than that of the GT.
Any feedback or experiences I need to consider?
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
Well I have both, if I were to do it again I would have just got Trackey, Steeda CAI wakes the car up, but the amount I'm not sure is worth it to expire warranty..
 
I had the steeda CAI tune but trackey is way better (for the track). I had to get the CAI as part of my power adding mods though. The steeda CAI tune is not "trackable" in my opinion and you lose all kinds of useful things like engine braking, throttle steering, exhaust note, etc. The decel throttle response is very WEAK, IMO.

I eventually dumped the steeda CAI tune for a dyno tune and got some of those things back....
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
I have a few tunes. I have had the trackey and various tunes for the Steeda CAI and not all tunes are created equally. The steeda tunes were weak didnt feel much faster then the trackey at all.

If I had to do it all over again I would not get the trackey and went straight with a Steeda CAI and AED tune. That is what I am currently running. Makes the trackey tune feel like a turd. I do miss the engine decel though at times. Thats all I miss. I dont track my car though so I can say if it is or isnt a "trackable" thing. I drag race does plenty fine for that. I really dont plan on tracking my car ever and I am not concerned with what may or may not "void" my warranty.

You will find here that most are going to tell you to run the trackey as most are autocross guys. There are only a handful of us on here that have both aftermarket tunes and the trackey on their boss.
 
I guess it depends on what you want to do with the car and for the car to sound like.

I just have the TrackKey, but love the Lope of the AED tune's, and from what I understand its an INSTANT Lope, not something you have to wait for (not 100% sure though).

Personally I will never track my car, but I do like the TrackKey, I just wish I could get the AED Lope without voiding my warranty... But that being said, I will run out of warranty in 3 years, long before I reach 36,000 miles on the car, so once its up, then I will play, cause that point, Its all on me anyways...

Just curious, but why put a CAI "Open Filter" on when it comes with a factory proven CAI? Granted its not as flashy, but they put allot of thought into this, and from what I understand Ford says that putting an aftermarket CAI on the car won't make any additional power, cause the factory ones have become so good... I could see upping the filter to a better one, like a K&N or something...

I have a open CAI on my V6 and it really helped the HP a little, but I also dyno-tuned the car as well, which REALLY woke it up... but the BOSS is a "Tuned" car with the trackkey the way it is... so not sure how much more performance you can gain without going nuts on it... Maybe I am wrong... Again, I don't track the car, just some spirited driving now and then...
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
rpm3dinc said:
I guess it depends on what you want to do with the car and for the car to sound like.

I just have the TrackKey, but love the Lope of the AED tune's, and from what I understand its an INSTANT Lope, not something you have to wait for (not 100% sure though).

Personally I will never track my car, but I do like the TrackKey, I just wish I could get the AED Lope without voiding my warranty... But that being said, I will run out of warranty in 3 years, long before I reach 36,000 miles on the car, so once its up, then I will play, cause that point, Its all on me anyways...

Just curious, but why put a CAI "Open Filter" on when it comes with a factory proven CAI? Granted its not as flashy, but they put allot of thought into this, and from what I understand Ford says that putting an aftermarket CAI on the car won't make any additional power, cause the factory ones have become so good... I could see upping the filter to a better one, like a K&N or something...

I have a open CAI on my V6 and it really helped the HP a little, but I also dyno-tuned the car as well, which REALLY woke it up... but the BOSS is a "Tuned" car with the trackkey the way it is... so not sure how much more performance you can gain without going nuts on it... Maybe I am wrong... Again, I don't track the car, just some spirited driving now and then...
you are right about a CAI in that if its a no tune required CAI it will have the same Mass Air Housing size and really flow no more air. When you step up to a larger MAF housing like I have on my boss then you will realize power gains from it. Shaun from AED gave me tunes for the stock air box and he told me I will see no power gains over the trackey maybe a hp or two but with the Steeda Boss CAI that is where the Gains really come in.

Now he does have a GT that runs in the 10's with the stock air box....
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
In the next month or 2 I'll be test/tune at my 1/4 track and will be testing stock airbox vs aftermarket with tunes, if I don't see any noticeable gains I'm going to dump the aftermarket airbox especially, and return to stock and use Trackey.
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
unrealford said:
In the next month or 2 I'll be test/tune at my 1/4 track and will be testing stock airbox vs aftermarket with tunes, if I don't see any noticeable gains I'm going to dump the aftermarket airbox especially, and return to stock and use Trackey.
I am curious to see the results. are you going to be going off of MPH?
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
I will be running 1/4 times including MPH. Ive seen up to 1-4 mph higher with tuned cars,but I know I can run 11.9s stock
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
Re: Re: Tough Choices: Track Key or Steeda CAI

Justin said:
I wouldnt even bother with the steeda tune I know its not any faster. Ran the same time as I did stock. 12.22 same mph
Well I gotta try it. LoL. Especially to post some statistics.
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
This weekend I tried out my Revised Steeda Tune and CAI. I ran a [email protected] a [email protected]

Then I removed Steeda and tune and installed stock airbox at the track and trackey.
I ran [email protected]...
I feel the Trackey pulls better on hard launches, but the Steeda picks up strong on the mid_top end.
That being said I'm going to try a AED tune with the Steeda.
ytuvyda3.jpg
 
Coulda guessed that was the outcome with the Steeda tunes lol. Wait till you get yours dialed in with Shaun, you won't go back. 8)
 
vista6019 said:
In the next couple of weeks, I need to make the decision to either purchase the Track Key or to put on the Steeda CAI and Tune for the Boss.
I have used the Steeda CAI on my 13' GT Track Pack car and with a good tune, it really really woke that car up big time. Dont really know what to expect with the Track Key vs. a good tune...The ECU on the Boss is more complex than that of the GT.
Any feedback or experiences I need to consider?

There is a way to do both!
I've got the TracKey and really enjoy it. However, I don't track my car so the enjoyment is just pleasure driving.

Now Airaid has a CAI Carbon Fiber (Parnelli Jones edition). It's the one that Shaun @AED suggested to me. This unit has an insert that when it is in place you can use the TracKey; remove the insert and use Black key with your custom tune.

Now, knowing myself, once I get the AED Tunes, etc. I'll probably not use the TracKey, unless I make the decision to track the car.

I admire the guys that know how to track the Boss and I might do it in the future, especially if I can work out my schedule to go to the Boss Track Attack.

ps. who says that the warranty is automatically voided if you add CAI? I've talked to my service manager and he said to just make sure the car is running the factory tune when I bring it in for service.

you need to check out Justin's youtube of his AED Lopey tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7wtcoQSzLE

ps. if you go with the Lopey tune you have to remove the Cats.
 
Boss949 said:
Now Airaid has a CAI Carbon Fiber (Parnelli Jones edition). It's the one that Shaun @AED suggested to me. This unit has an insert that when it is in place you can use the TracKey; remove the insert and use Black key with your custom tune.
I've the Airaid CF intake for a year and a half and the sleeve is easy to remove.

Have you attended BTA? If not you should go so you can drive a Boss on a track. Then take yours out to the track.
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
Re: Re: Tough Choices: Track Key or Steeda CAI

Boss949 said:
There is a way to do both!
I've got the TracKey and really enjoy it. However, I don't track my car so the enjoyment is just pleasure driving.

Now Airaid has a CAI Carbon Fiber (Parnelli Jones edition). It's the one that Shaun @AED suggested to me. This unit has an insert that when it is in place you can use the TracKey; remove the insert and use Black key with your custom tune.

Now, knowing myself, once I get the AED Tunes, etc. I'll probably not use the TracKey, unless I make the decision to track the car.

I admire the guys that know how to track the Boss and I might do it in the future, especially if I can work out my schedule to go to the Boss Track Attack.

ps. who says that the warranty is automatically voided if you add CAI? I've talked to my service manager and he said to just make sure the car is running the factory tune when I bring it in for service.

you need to check out Justin's youtube of his AED Lopey tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7wtcoQSzLE

ps. if you go with the Lopey tune you have to remove the Cats.

If you return it to stock when you come in they won't realize it. Its when there's extensive service that the Ford rep comes into dealer and makes them go deeper into the computer. Then that's when they see its been tuned and void warranty, but it's usually some serious service issue.
 

unrealford

Mustang owner since 84
521
0
Re: Re: Tough Choices: Track Key or Steeda CAI

Boss949 said:
There is a way to do both!
I've got the TracKey and really enjoy it. However, I don't track my car so the enjoyment is just pleasure driving.

Now Airaid has a CAI Carbon Fiber (Parnelli Jones edition). It's the one that Shaun @AED suggested to me. This unit has an insert that when it is in place you can use the TracKey; remove the insert and use Black key with your custom tune.

Now, knowing myself, once I get the AED Tunes, etc. I'll probably not use the TracKey, unless I make the decision to track the car.

I admire the guys that know how to track the Boss and I might do it in the future, especially if I can work out my schedule to go to the Boss Track Attack.

ps. who says that the warranty is automatically voided if you add CAI? I've talked to my service manager and he said to just make sure the car is running the factory tune when I bring it in for service.

you need to check out Justin's youtube of his AED Lopey tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7wtcoQSzLE

ps. if you go with the Lopey tune you have to remove the Cats.

If you return it to stock when you come in they won't realize it. Its when there's extensive service that the Ford rep comes into dealer and makes them go deeper into the computer. Then that's when they see its been tuned and void warranty, but it's usually some serious service issue.
 

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