I test drove a 2017 V6 base model and was very very impressed with the power. The seller bought it at an auction as a salvage title. I didn't even ask if it had a tune. Didn't think of it.

So then I test drove a 2015 V6S and it felt noticably slower. Even though it should have 40 additional HP. Over the base model. I was baffled.

So the question is, does the V6 base model possibly have a VAP tune to bring it to a minimum of 400HP. Or...is there a possible issue with the power output of the V6S? I'm interested in buying the V6S but I'm unclear on the power. I did see a thread on here where a guy had a sluggish V6S and turned out his supercharger belt was destroyed.

I was thinking of asking the V6 standard owner if it has a tune. But he didn't seem very knowledgeable about the car.

Is there a way to know if a tune exists on these F-Types??? Maybe using the OBDII? Or otherwise?

 

Can't speak for other tunes out there, but I know for all VAP tunes they lift the factory 4K RPM rev limiter in park or neutral. So with the car in P or N if you can rev it past 4K it has a VAP tune. If it stops at 4K it's stock.

 

Checking for codes using an OBDC reader may show a P0167F code. If so, the ECU has been modified at some point by an unauthorized device (tuned). That code can persist even if the stock file is restored. There are likely tunes that would not show such a code, so that's not conclusive.

It's also possible that the difference you felt was from the system's learned behavior. In any case, if the standard tune is still in place it can be replaced with a more optimized one, e.g. ~416HP.

 

Great thinking. I forgot about that.

 

Is an OBDC reader the same as an OBD2. I googled it and only OBD2 popped up.
I did mention possible learned behavior in a Facebook group because I saw it on here. Someone commented that learned behavior doesn't make a big difference.

Funny thing is, the owner says he has a bad case of vertigo so he drives the car very slow.

If the car is changed to driving faster, how long does it take for the car to give more power? Based on miles maybe?

 

I can't find any Google info on the Jags learned behavior. Will it upgrade if the car is driven harder and faster?

 

The learning is in the gearbox not the engine, the gearbox "learns" your driving style and adapts the shift points accordingly.
Driving harder and faster will cause the gearbox to rev out higher before it changes up, hold on to lower gears longer, and kickdown to lower gears quicker.
Just about the only common performance complaint by F-Type enthusiasts is that the gearbox can tend to be a bit lazy and slow to kick down when you floor it, but this happens mainly when you have been tootling around in D for quite a while driving Miss Daisy.
The easiest solution if you want snappier performance is first of all put it in Dynamic mode and then Sport mode (shift the stick over) then change up or down using either the paddles or the stick.

 

I think you could email the VIN to VAP to see if they’ve issued a tune for it. That wouldn’t rule out other tuning companies, of course, but it’s a start.
https://www.velocityap.com

 

If i am not mistaken you can brick your ECU if you or a a dealer tries to change the tune without the original VAP flasher (if in fact it has a VAP tune). The advice to ask VAP if they supplied a tune for your VIN is very good advice.

 

As it was explained to me, the dealer sometimes updates only part of the programming. My recollection of the risk is that there is a checksum (essentially a signature of the entire image) and the partial update includes a checksum for what is expected of the entire image. That may not be correct if another part of the image was rewritten without the knowledge of the LJR systems. If the recorded checksum doesn't match that calculated during reboot, the programming is deemed corrupt and the ECU will refuse to operate.

For the early models (can't remember the cutoff - 2018 and earlier, maybe?) the handheld programmer used by VAP leaves a code of P0167F even if the stock file is restored. This indicates that *at some point* the ECU was written to by an "unauthorized" device but does not indicate if the current tune is factory or modified. I do not know if other tunes or tuners are different.

 

Were both cars RWD? If the base was RWD and the S AWD that could partially explain the difference. Otherwise my guess would also be that the gearbox in the S was used to lazy driving.

Other remap providers than VAP also remove the neutral rev limiter by the way.

 

VAP will not disclose if they've issued a tune for a car by VIN. I found this out personally last year. They advised me to look down into the engine bay to see if the crank pulley had been swapped, and they did confirm it that way after I sent them some pictures. I also noticed "VAP" on my belt.