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5Star 93 Perf Tune: 400+ mile review

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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
#1
Overall, I am very pleased with 5Star. The truck is a rocket ship and the customer service is fantastic. I have no issues/concerns with daily driving including normal operating conditions, shifting, etc other than those noted below at WOT. With that said, even after allowing 400 miles or so for the tranny to adapt/learn (per their rec), I am still having some WOT shift concerns as outlined below:

1st to 2nd shift - hard/clunky and sometimes feels like the bottom is going to fall out.
2nd to 3rd shift - slow/delayed, best described as someone coming up from the bottom of the pool for deep breath of air and then it shifts into 3rd.
3rd to 4th shift - this could be a good baseline for comparing the other 2 shifts. The 3rd to 4th shift seems much quicker than 1-2 and 2-3. The 3rd to 4th shift is buttery smooth, fast. and almost unnoticeable even at WOT.


Anyone else experience the 1-2 and 2-3 shift symptoms with ANY tune? Is ZFG shifting at WOT buttery smooth in these low gears/all gears?

I just put in a tune adjustment request with 5-star to remedy and they have already indicated receipt so we'll see what they come back with.
 

UNBROKEN

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Location
Houston, TX, USA
#2
A guy on one of the FB groups had the same issues with a new 5 Star tune. His went to the shop today for a new transmission. They should never clunk, hang or bang into gear...ever.
Mine with ZFG just snaps into gear at WOT...just like it should.
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #3
That’s good to know. Kind of concerning since ive done like 80+ hard pulls from a dig expecting the clunk to subside (which it started to but came back)
 

dadams69

New Member
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Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
#4
Overall, I am very pleased with 5Star. The truck is a rocket ship and the customer service is fantastic. I have no issues/concerns with daily driving including normal operating conditions, shifting, etc other than those noted below at WOT. With that said, even after allowing 400 miles or so for the tranny to adapt/learn (per their rec), I am still having some WOT shift concerns as outlined below:

1st to 2nd shift - hard/clunky and sometimes feels like the bottom is going to fall out.
2nd to 3rd shift - slow/delayed, best described as someone coming up from the bottom of the pool for deep breath of air and then it shifts into 3rd.
3rd to 4th shift - this could be a good baseline for comparing the other 2 shifts. The 3rd to 4th shift seems much quicker than 1-2 and 2-3. The 3rd to 4th shift is buttery smooth, fast. and almost unnoticeable even at WOT.


Anyone else experience the 1-2 and 2-3 shift symptoms with ANY tune? Is ZFG shifting at WOT buttery smooth in these low gears/all gears?

I just put in a tune adjustment request with 5-star to remedy and they have already indicated receipt so we'll see what they come back with.
I am having the same issues with the shifts. I wasn't sure if it was because I added so much at the same time. I added SPD downpipes, borla s-type exhaust, whipple intercooler all at the same time then uploaded the tune. I don't even use sport mode because it breaks all four wheels loose under any conditions, I asked several times if the parts that I purchased from them was considered when the turn was built. They keep saying yes. I would go in and look at the tune but it is encrypted. I have since removed the 5startune and purchased the HP tuners MPVI 2 with 4 credits and have not looked back since. I am wanting to spend money on parts not a new transmission. I believe they just sent me a cookie cutter calibration and called it a tune, not what I expected after spending $5k. with them.
 

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Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
#5
I have a PBD tune and it's jerky from 1st - 2nd and 2nd - 3rd. Without tune its still jerky (if I recall correctly) so I think it's my transmission. Just keeping this car 5 years so just hoping it last that long.
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #6
You should request an engine only tune with stock tranny calibration. After the 2nd revision was slipping shifts, I asked for engine only and the shifts are silky smooth. 0-60s dropped off a bit but i have them blending in a few minor tranny tweaks to eliminate the lag. Keeping my Dragy so ill keep reporting back with results. Im not letting them off the hook that easily. They’ll eventually give me a solid tune im happy with or ill get a partial refund
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #7
I have a PBD tune and it's jerky from 1st - 2nd and 2nd - 3rd. Without tune its still jerky (if I recall correctly) so I think it's my transmission. Just keeping this car 5 years so just hoping it last that long.
There’s a TSB for trans so Id revert back to stock, see if its still jerky, and then bring it in for the TSB. I have all smooth shifts stock otherwise i would too.
 

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Location
NYC, NY, USA
#8
Not a very experienced person when it comes to tuning, what happens to all the driving modes when you do a tune like this. Do they keep their “characteristics” ? Like going from normal to eco to sport
 

UNBROKEN

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#9
Not a very experienced person when it comes to tuning, what happens to all the driving modes when you do a tune like this. Do they keep their “characteristics” ? Like going from normal to eco to sport
Yes
 

Stradt03

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Location
Wake Forest, NC, USA
#10
I have a ZFG tune and I occasionally get a very hard 1-2 shift, the first time I experienced I thought it broke.
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #11
I have a ZFG tune and I occasionally get a very hard 1-2 shift, the first time I experienced I thought it broke.
Are you talking at full throttle or just normal DD?
 

Cdubya

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Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#12
I personally would not be pleased with a tune that has no trans tuning or does a bad job of it. That's half the fun!
 

LowBoost

New Member
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Location
Dallas, TX, USA
#13
There’s a TSB for trans so Id revert back to stock, see if its still jerky, and then bring it in for the TSB. I have all smooth shifts stock otherwise i would too.
What is the TSB for? Does it effect the 21 models?
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #14
What is the TSB for? Does it effect the 21 models?
supposedly just for 2020s last i heard but if you’re experiencing the symptoms, id bring it in to ask
 

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Location
Ashburn, VA
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#15
I have a PBD tune and it's jerky from 1st - 2nd and 2nd - 3rd. Without tune its still jerky (if I recall correctly) so I think it's my transmission. Just keeping this car 5 years so just hoping it last that long.
my PBD tune shifts well, especially after I dropped in the aFe filter - I am happy with it.
 

OP
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Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Thread Starter #17
So I'm still having 5-star tweak some of their tunes so I can get the most bang for my buck. Interestingly, I've noticed a small tranny slip/blip consistently in 3rd gear during slow, daily driving (never at WOT). I've tried to have them tune it out and the most recent tune had the same little slip/blip in 5th gear. They finally determined that it's the torque convertor locking/unlocking. They tell me that slip/blip cannot be eliminated but it can be moved around a bit (obviously to different gears).

Who else has experienced this with their tunes and is it a load of BS or what?
 

TMac

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Location
Knoxville, TN
#18
I would have assumed they have control over the converter lockup. If not, that's a valid explanation. Otw, they may not be all that great at dealing with the trans.
 

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Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
#19
Sounds like BS to me. 5 star seems to struggle with trans shifting on several platforms.

What tuning device are you using? If it’s a SCT, if would be getting a tune from Gearhead, Unleashed or BoostKing. If it’s a HP tuner device, I would reach out to BoostKing, Palm Beach or ZFG when he is back (indicated he would be back pretty soon).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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125
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Location
Va
#20
Mine is doing fine, tuned for a few weeks now.
I did have the Ford service procedure done at the dealer before the tune. It isn't a TSB, but a special service procedure for the 10r transmissions. Something to do with the transmission actuators being too tight. I posted that in another thread.


Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
 



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