Hey Folks,
I have the stage 1 tune from Vivid. For context, I drive a stock 16' Trail and run 91 octane both pre and post tune.
The install process is straightforward, provided you have basic desktop computer experience. A link to step by step instruction is provided. Some of the software steps/menus are slightly different than what is illustrated in the directions, but fairly intuitive. General steps:
1. Download MyGenius software to Windows laptop
2. Connect MyGenius handheld flash device to laptop
3. Prompt the MyGenius Windows software to find and install any updates for itself, as well as the firmware on the handheld flash device
4. Connect handheld flash device to 4R and download stock ECU file to handheld
5. Connect handheld to computer, and download stock tune file via the MyGenius software
6. Email stock tune to Vivid
7. Vivid emails tuned file back
8. Use MyGenius software to load tuned file onto handheld
9. Connect handheld to 4R and write tuned file to ECU
Now the part you actually care about haha, PERFORMANCE... Primary differences I noticed:
1. Increased throttle pedal sensitivity, call it 20%. Response is not completely linear now, but more so.
2. Significantly less hesitation to downshift when medium to heavy throttle is applied.
3. Ability to hold 5th or 4th gear on mild to moderate grades at highway speed without gear hunting. Before, it would downshift to 4th much sooner and inevitably also to 3rd.
4. Truck feels "lighter". Obviously that's ambiguous and subjective, but acceleration seems a little faster and smoother than before, again without necessitating as much downshifting. Accelerating to merge with highway traffic on an uphill on-ramp is noticeably easier.
5. Roughly 0.5 mpg improvement if I drive conservatively.
6. No change in engine noise or idle quality.
The truck is still not a sports car. At no point will you feel pushed back into your seat. The additional performance almost sneaks up on you. The truck just gets up and goes more quickly, without the "drama" of multiple downshifts and sudden high RPMs.
In my opinion, the more lackluster reviews on this product are caused by 2 things:
1. Much heavier trucks. The improvement will obviously be less noticeable on a vehicle with 500+ pounds of accessories bolted on. Same goes for taller / more aggressive tires which reduce effective gearing and add more rolling resistance.
2. Folks not using premium gas. The bulk of the power gain comes from more aggressive ignition timing. The higher octane gas you use, the more aggressive the timing can be without causing detonation.
Hope this is helpful. If you're looking to make the driving experience smoother and more confident, this is a worthwhile mod.
