If you're running an LMS tune... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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If you're running an LMS tune...

ecoboost_xsport

Mad Scientist
Elite Explorer
Joined
March 29, 2015
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City, State
Orangevale, California
Year, Model & Trim Level
2015 Ford Explorer Sport
So if you've seen my posts here, you will know I'm no fan of @Livernois . However I won't spend too much time bashing them here as I know they are a vendor and some still "drink the kool-aid". Hit me up offline if you ever care to know my list of gripes with them (some opinionated, but most legitimate). However, I felt I should do some due diligence and let you guys know that haven't updated your tunes in awhile that you need to check what version you are running. I frequent the SHO forums and there is yet another blown LMS tuned motor running v11. There were alot of issues with v11.


Granted, a lot of things can cause this failure and to blindly speculate it was an LMS tune by itself that caused it would be unfair without some context. However, based on their recent history, my personal experiences, and just some better research on my part, I will say that it doesn't surprise me. You would be better served by switching to an SCT or HPTuner device and going with any number of other more reputable ecoboost tuners. Anyway, at the very least, ensure you reach out to LMS and get their most updated tune.

I understand that I may catch some flack for this post as many of you are running just fine with your LMS tune and may even like the shop...I know I did back in the day. I just ask that you keep an open mind and come to your own conclusions.

For those that care...just some more information to pick apart and make your own mind up about:

There's much more out there...
 



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I was so confused by reading those threads.

The first one was running a tune for 2 years and the engine let go, but there's no report of what failed. Just comments that V11 of Livernois tune is junk.

The other ones (2 different threads of same car) ran for 5 years, the owner made some additional mods and engine blew. There was response from Livernois in one of those threads, but it seemed like a pi$$ing match of who said/did what.

I guess I'm not sure what to believe.
I don't have a tune, nor plan to have one on my 14 Sport.
 






I have a Livernois tune on my 2015Mustang EcoBoost, I was one of their first ones, and they even dynoed my car to develop chip tune.
I have 5Star (only cause I got a deal on 2 of them) for 2016 Explorer Sport and 2016 Explorer Platinum.
Also have 5Star on 2018 F150 Ecoboost.
Probably 100K miles between all of them, and zero issues, and glad I did it on all of them.
 






5Star is good...but I wouldn't give the LMS clown show a dime of my money. But I leave it to the individual to decide. Too many cons to even think about LMS, IMHO.

Top 3 ecoboost tuners? Probably AJPTurbo (I'm biased, Brad is awesome), Torrie at Unleashed and Matt at GearHead. Honorable mention goes to Lee at Ortiz Performance, up and coming. I've heard great things about 5Star as well as Brew City Boost but have no personal experience with them.

That's 6 tuners to pick from before I would even entertain LMS...
 






Something seems to me this is more of a competitor than actual ex customer experience from the OP.

That being said. if the engine blows on the dyno one could blame the tune.

However 2 years in one example, 5 years in the other after making several other mods while abusing the **** outta the vehicle and you should be thanking the tuner you made it that far.
 






Something seems to me this is more of a competitor than actual ex customer experience from the OP.

That being said. if the engine blows on the dyno one could blame the tune.

However 2 years in one example, 5 years in the other after making several other mods while abusing the **** outta the vehicle and you should be thanking the tuner you made it that far.

Lol...nope not a competitor. Ex-customer, I'm out there enough with all my social media accounts, open for the world to see for you to be able to verify that if you choose to.

As I mentioned, make up your own mind. Their customer service is horrendous, if you start questioning things. Their tunes are weak, comparing what you pay to others. And...if you want to be locked into only their tune and never anyone else, you can buy their antiquated "proprietary" device. If you ever wanted to try another tuner out, well you're SOL, nobody else uses that device. It's now a paperweight. Everybody else uses an SCT or HPTuner device, both with WAY more capabilities than their device. Oh and good luck asking them to custom dial in your tune using datalogging (like every other tuner out there will do for free when you buy tunes from them). Nope, they don't support that. How can a canned email tune address the many variables that are inherent in each person's build? They can't, and that's why the tunes are weak, so it covers all possible vehicles out there. Want to get a tune dialed in for a performance part that doesn't have an LMS logo on it? Nope, they don't support that. And don't get me started on all their "custom" built parts they offer. What a joke. They have been fortunate enough to have been able to buy their way into contracts and deals that they will slap their logo on a device, mark it up and call it their own. Granted, this is fine because, as they say "a fool and his money shall soon be parted". I'm not going to be the fool. They don't "make" anything. Every component they offer can be found cheaper, and better elsewhere. Sure, other shops "resell" components, but none as blatantly masquerading them as their own parts like LMS does.

- Fueling? You're better off with an XDI device, Uwe Ostmann there has a way better grasp on fueling...do your research on that one.
- CAI? It's just an AirAid box, and they call it "windstorm" you can buy elsewhere...same thing.
-Exhaust? Just a Corsa system they slapped their label on and call it "thunderstorm", get it elsewhere.
-downpipes? Checkout PPE, they are TIG welded and better quality.
-spark plugs? Lol, those are just Ford MotorCo SP-542 (getting difficult to find, equivalent new Ford PN: M-12405-35T). Gap them yourself. They are reselling you a Ford part with a mark up.
-3bar MAP? Its just another Ford MotorCo part they are marking up and selling you. PN: AA5Z-9F479-D
- thermostat? Get yourself the gold standard, a Reische
- turbos? If it's OEM bolt-up you are looking for, get yourself a Gearhead or ATP set...its likely all they are doing
-methanol? Like 90% of every other system out there, they are just based off an Alky Control setup. Go straight to the source and get yourself an Alky system.

I can go on and on and on...they are not very well liked within the ecoboost community as their business practices have been known to be shady. They won't even post on the SHO forums anymore because the SHO owners there have become hip to them. I feel really bad, because there are a lot of good people on this board that don't know any better. The Explorer is not as commonly modified to the levels the SHOs are. LMS is taking advantage of that ignorance here. It's a free country and they are free to conduct business as they choose. But hey, it's your money. I ultimately don't care what anyone here does as I don't have to live with the consequences, but I will continue to turn people away from them every chance I get. The choice is always up to you. I'm just shining a light for all to see.

Can another tuners tune blow a motor? Absolutely it can, but if you read those entire scenarios, you'll get a feel for how LMS as a company handled the situations. We may all read into those threads differently, and that's ok. I just saw a company that took some good customers for granted. And for me, thats all I need to not give them my support any longer. You may have seen something different in those posts.

This is a forum, where we, who all have love for this platform, get together and commune, share experiences, information and generally try to help each other out. I'm doing my part as someone who loves this platform and it's capabilities by sharing the things I've learned along the way, and sometimes that means exposing some ugly truths. At then end of the day, you are free to make up your mind yourself. I've done my part...
 












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