Tuning Update - Ford Mustang Forums

Oneslow4v · #1 (**permalink**) 10-24-2008, 10:46 PM

My 2001 GT with the 2001 Cobra motor is running well (accidentally), but wouldn't pass emissions. No matter how hard MAC Autosports tried, they couldn't get the hydrocarbon emissions down to an acceptable level.

I'm pig-headed enough to never accept the status quo, so I looked for a replacement to my Anderson PMS piggyback system. No one makes one for this car that allows you to control the fuel mapping on a PC. I tried AEM, F.A.S.T., and Perfect. No go.

So I said to myself, "self, you paid good money for the PMS system, and a lot of people are using it successfully. I should be able to also".

So I called the people at Anderson, who turned out to be just the distributor. So I called the owner of EFI Systems, Inc., the maker of the PMS system. Lets just say I'm very fortunate that I didn't fry the PMS system. Here's why:

I have 72 lb low impedance injectors in my car. Any injector over 50 lbs, that is low impedance requires a low impedance driver from EFI Systems, be connected to the PMS module. Without it, you're sending 10 amps to injectors that were meant to accept 1 amp.

He told me that as long as my car hasn't dropped a cylinder, and seems to be running okay, I haven't done any damage to the PMS, but not to drive it that way anymore. He said with the current configuration, there's no way I'll pass emissions because the injectors will do nothing but dump raw fuel.

Needless to say, the low impedance driver has been ordered, but is on back order at least 2 weeks. In the meantime, I gave in and gave MAC my new clutch to install. Yeah, I know. I said I would install it myself, but I weenie'd out.

One side note, the owner of EFI said they have stopped production of the PMS system due to lack of demand. Recession? What recession?

I'll post a follow-up once the driver shows up. I'm going ahead with three tunes - 10 lb pump gas tune, 10 lb E-85 tune, 20 lb, E-85 tune.

Take care everyone,

Mike

jthorn9 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-25-2008, 06:33 PM

Man that sucks to hear to hear about the fuel injectors, hope you get it worked out.

Yea, I was gonna go the PMS route, I just couldn't see myself paying $1000 for something I'd use a handfull of times and only be able to resell for roughly half the price, hense why I went the chip route (only other option 5.0 wise).

Oneslow4v · #3 (**permalink**) 10-25-2008, 06:43 PM

My research showed a lot more options for the 5.0 than for the mod motor. F.A.S.T., AEM, and Perfect all had systems for the 5.0. Everything seemed to stop at 1993, though. I'll live with the PMS system, and hopefully get it right.

jthorn9 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-26-2008, 04:32 PM

Yea, the 94/95 5.0s are very particular engines. They are 5.0s, however are quite different from the foxbody engines. They can be "made" into a foxbody engine (different intake, ecu, etc.) however that requires a lot of money. In short, finding a tuning system for the 94/95 with their picky a** ECUs is a pain.

Oneslow4v · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2008, 09:41 PM

I'm learning that all Ford ECU's are picky. There's so much more out there for bow-ties. They must be really simple or something.

jthorn9 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-27-2008, 03:40 PM

Not sure about how simple they are but the 94/95 ECUs really hate engine work, not as sensitive as the Sn-197s that require tuning for everything, however they do hate cams in particular, only cam I know of that works with an SN-95 that doesn't require an ECU swap, or major tuning is the Steeda #19.

Oneslow4v · #7 (**permalink**) 10-27-2008, 03:45 PM

I'll let you know how well the PMS does once the low-impedance driver shows up. If it's that important then it should make a heck of a difference trying to tune the car.