Base 2014 Mustang GT Track Key

[LarryJM]

I have a Base 2014 Mustang GT that now weights 3440 lbs with a 1/4 tank of gas. I am using 255/45/18 Run Flat Tires and no spare. It's build date was in August 2013 and the talk says I can run a track key on this setup designed for the 2014 6sp manual trans. Anyone ever do this??

 

[dre256]

I heard track keys where stopped few years ago due to unresolvable software issues with too many customer complaints.

For the cost and what it did, getting a tune is a much better choice. If you want to stay Ford, I suggest Ford Racing Procal. I had it for awhile and it's a good tune for being conservative. I ran 12.8 average in the 1/4 mile with it and a best of a 12.6.

 

[LarryJM]

Thank you for your reply. They just started to reissue the Red Track Key for the Boss this month but not the GT. I can get a Track Cal for my 2014 Mustang GT which is the same as the Track Key but it's on every time I start the car with the black key. I have never had my Mustang at the track but it seems to pull very hard on the street. The Track Key only works on Mustang GTs made after July 1 2013. Some people question why this is so. Ford says they made a running change to the dash. Some say they used leftover Boss engines with the standard intakes. I have bumped against the cutoff several times with the engine pulling very hard at the cutoff.

 

[GLOCKer]

I ran the GT TracKey on my car for awhile and enjoyed it. It sharpened throttle response, and that made it feel more powerful. I REALLY loved the Track Idle! That being said, I ditched it and went with a ProCharger and accompanying tune.

Here are some clips of my car with the TracKey (and GT500 axle back mufflers with resonators deleted).
Long Clip:

Short Clip:

Lopey Idle 1:

Lopey Idle 2:

More Lopey Idle:

 

[GLOCKer]

And here is why I ditched the TracKey:

 

[LarryJM]

Do you still have the red key? I am still trying to understand why this Red Key that is mostly used on the Boss cars from 2011 to 2013, works on the 2014 Mustang GT produced after July 1 2013? Then a guy who had a late build 2014 said his engine was really a Second Gen Engine. He found that out when the engine had some big problems and needed to be pulled. Now the reissue red key for the Boss engine is now semi-self installed. You get a Procal device tied to your VIN from Ford Racing. You load that program yourself. Then you go to the dealer to get your red key setup. It's the same for the Track Cal on the standard 2014 GT. You load that program yourself. It takes 20 minutes to load. Then it says if you want your old stock program back, it only takes 1 minute to load. I would take that to mean both programs are now on you ECU but you do not get a Red Key but rather use the Procal device.

 

[GLOCKer]

Do you still have the red key? I am still trying to understand why this Red Key that is mostly used on the Boss cars from 2011 to 2013, works on the 2014 Mustang GT produced after July 1 2013? Then a guy who had a late build 2014 said his engine was really a Second Gen Engine. He found that out when the engine had some big problems and needed to be pulled. Now the reissue red key for the Boss engine is now semi-self installed. You get a Procal device tied to your VIN from Ford Racing. You load that program yourself. Then you go to the dealer to get your red key setup. It's the same for the Track Cal on the standard 2014 GT. You load that program yourself. It takes 20 minutes to load. Then it says if you want your old stock program back, it only takes 1 minute to load. I would take that to mean both programs are now on you ECU but you do not get a Red Key but rather use the Procal device.

There were two kits: TracKey and Track Tune. The TracKey came with a tune and the key activated the second tune on eligible cars. The ProCal Track Tune was on all the time.

The BOSS cars came with the red key and you could go to the dealership to have it activated (I believe the tune was on the car already or the voucher would allow it to be downloaded).

For the GT TracKey you got a black key with a Ford Racing logo on it and a voucher. You took the key to the dealership and they would cut it for your car and program it for your PATS, and then download the second tune (TracKey) to your car with the voucher code. On their computer they would check a box to "activate Track Cal" with the TracKey.

 

[LarryJM]

I thought both the Boss and the 2014 GTs had red track keys. For sure Track Cal on a ProCal tuner is now available on both cars but they are full time. Just in the last few months, the Red Track Key been available for the Boss again under 164-R8021.

So this is what was said to me. If I want the available Track Cal for my 2014 Mustang GT I can get it by ordering M14204MGTTC. With that, I get a Voucher and an K&N Airfilter. I sent the Voucher into Ford Racing with my VIN and they send me the Track Cal on a ProCal tuner. There is no Key. They say it will take 20 minutes to load and if I want my old tune back, the Procal tuner will do that in a few minutes. This makes be believe I now have two programs on the ECU but no key.

 

[LarryJM]

Then under the Red Track Key number 164-R8021 it states for 2011 to 2013 Boss and 2014 Mustang GT use. The Key must be connected by a Ford Dealer. I have the dealer instructions and it states the red key must be connected before the Track Cal program can be loaded.

 

[GLOCKer]

Activating the key is actually pretty easy. It has to be cut, programmed for your car's PATS, and then they use a laptop plugged into the OBDII to simply check a box to activate the Track Cal upon starting with the key.

When I had mine done, it took FOREVER! They came out after several hours and let me know they got the Track Cal on the car but couldn't get the car started on the TracKey. I went home sad without a working TracKey. 15 minutes later I was on the way back to the dealership after I programmed the PATS myself! (It's pretty simple.) I took it back to the dealership, they plugged in the laptop, checked the box, and my Track Cal was live!

 

[LarryJM]

That is interesting as the instructions state the Track Key has to be activated BEFORE the Track Cal is installed. But then again the Track Key connection to the Track Cal could be different then the Pal connection of the Track Key. For sure the Track Key must be used when the Track Cal is installed. Not sure the Track Key needs to be programed to actually start the car before it is used to install Track Cal. Then the big question is just why does this only work with a 2014 Mustang GT and not any other Mustang GT with a standard Coyote Engine?

 

[redfirepearlgt]

Am I reading gossip here correctly that late model 14 GT's may have received the boss engines long blocks?

Any way to verify if this is a valid statement aside from a build date? VIN indication? Block stamp markings? Anything? Would be nice to know if the engine actually has the benefit of the forged internals. I'd be inclined to keep the car and turn up the boost rather than sell it and step into a GT500.

 

[LarryJM]

You are reading correct sir but it seems not all 2014's work. At last one person said in his late build 2014 he had a second gen motor. The engine stampings can not be read in a completely assembled car. For sure with the 2014 GT, at last the first four months of the build work with a Track Key. That would take it until Thanksgiving 2013. Mine was a August 2013 build and I purchased in Feb 28 2014. At that time, no more 2014's were being built. It's also interesting that no 2014 Boss Mustangs were built. This 2013 to 2014 changeover maybe have been very stressing for the Ford "just in time" parts guys knowing they are soon going to receive Gen 2 engines and they have too many Boss long blocks on hand.

 

[LarryJM]

I also want to add, it seems not many early 2014 GTs seem to have engine problems if any.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

^^^ Well that just sucks if there is no way to affirm if you have a forged internal boss block in your 14 model or not. Would be a waste of money for a guy to buy a boss short block for the purpose of the forged internals only to find out that when yanking the old engine out he had one already.

 

[GLOCKer]

That is interesting as the instructions state the Track Key has to be activated BEFORE the Track Cal is installed. But then again the Track Key connection to the Track Cal could be different then the Pal connection of the Track Key. For sure the Track Key must be used when the Track Cal is installed. Not sure the Track Key needs to be programed to actually start the car before it is used to install Track Cal. Then the big question is just why does this only work with a 2014 Mustang GT and not any other Mustang GT with a standard Coyote Engine?

The BOSS 302 cars and later build 2014 GT cars have a "daul-path" ECU; basically it holds two separate tunes. The earlier production GTs don't use this ECU (I think the magic cut-off is 2014 GTs built before October of 2013?), thus you can only use the ProCal Trac Cal with the earlier production GTs.

 

[LarryJM]

So if that was true, the window would be cars built between July 1 2013 to October XX 2013. Ford says it the Dash Change but I really do not believe that. Your saying it the ECU change. Maybe so. Now me I think it's Boss Long Blocks being installed in 2014 cars between July 1 2014 to sometime in October with Boss ECUs. Then here are reports Gen 2 engines were installed in the last built 2014's. For sure the 2014 Production was all done by February 2014.

 

[LarryJM]

So mid February 2014 I was looking for a SUV and I stopped at this Ford dealer right after a big snow storm. I see the back end of new Mustang sticking out of a snow bank. I asked the sales guy about it and he said he could make me one hell of a deal on that Mustang. It was a 2014 Black Base GT stickered for $33,500 that he said I could have for $25,000. A about a week later I came back to get a test drive. In the mean time, I purchased a Honda CRV. One drive around the block in that Mustang GT and I had to have it. I could not get over how hard it pulled in the upper gears. So on Feb 28 2014, they made me a no money down deal I just could not refuse. I test drove a 2018 Mustang GT several weeks ago and it feels soft to me in the upper gears. The 2014 is really a garage queen just driven on very nice days. Now I am asking questions on just why does this thing run so good and just maybe there is a reason and the reason is in the Track Key Issue for a few Mustang GTs built between July 1 2013 to Mid October 2013.

 

[LarryJM]

The dates I have is the last 2014 Mustang was made on June 20 2014 and the first 2015 Mustang Production car was made on July 14 2014. First Presentation of the 2015 Mustang was Christmas Time 2013. Ford says all 2014 GT 6M built after July 1 2013 can use a track key because of a dash change. Then some people have reported their late build 2014 GTs had 2nd Gen Engines.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

Mine has a build date of 8/13. Its an auto. All I care about is if the engine has forged internals like the boss did if this story has any validity. There should be a way to look at block numbers are tell.