Custom 5.0 Tuning Question

[phatwebs]

Hello,

I am curious if a professional tune would be worth the money. I have not done any ECU tuning myself, just timing tweaks. Here is my latest dyno chart with 14 degrees base timing and 92 octane fuel. Three consistent pulls. Here's a link to the video.

The motor build parts are listed in my signature, plus a quad-core radiator. Any ideas how much more performance could be extracted from this build via a professional ECU tune? This 1995 Mustang GT has an A9L ECU. No, I do not want to add any additional mods at this time, just tuning.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

You could absolutely benefit from a tune. Possibly some 30lb injectors, too. I'd swap back to the T4M0 computer if it were up to me, but that's another story. I'm surprised you don't have any issues to speak of with a surging idle or dying when you come to a light, etc.

 

[phatwebs]

I am seriously considering a professional tune.

Nope, no problems with surging idle (except for the roughness because of the aggressive cam) and no stalling either. In a rolling stop out of gear the idle is ~1200, then settles down and hovers around 1000 RPM when stopped. I had it set low around 900 to get that crisp, lumpy sound, but then the car was nearly stalling when taken out of gear.

Thanks for the feedback,
Paul

 

[Blackened302]

i'd definitely go for a tune (and stick w/ the 94-95 ecu)--even if you don't have any driveability issues, the performance benefits are worth it, i think.

 

[phatwebs]

Really? I was informed the A9L accepted agressive tunes better than the 94-95 computers. Is there some information you can point to comparing the different ECUs in these cars?

What benefit would moving up to 30 lb. injectors give me?

Thanks for the help!

Paul

 

[Blackened302]

i don't remember where i read it (it was somewhere on here, though) but there are plenty of good reasons to stick w/ the 94-95 ecu..

something like the fox stuffy not having the same sensors, and having stuff we don't have, and vice versa... sorry, dont' remember the details, but i'm sure one of the much wiser gents of the tuning world will chime in.

 

[blksn955.o]

The 94-95 eec is more advanced and the biggie...LOAD based were the fox pcm is RPM based. All that really boils down to is the MAF is very important and from what I have seen a large part of issues.

The thing is finding someone (if your not wanting/able to invest the time to self tune) that has a good reputation with the 94-95 eec. The only real advantage with the A9 swap is that there are more tuners out there who understand it moreso than the 94-95 eec.

The 94-95 eec is faster and some things are more adjustable. With it load based it is easier to tune for boost (from what I have read...no hands on exp. here as I am not boosted).

Since your already one foot into the retro- (literally) fit and have money invested in that you will now know why the fox eec swap is looked down upon here...you spent that money for what is still a stock eec that will need a tune. The world will not end from you doing this but at the same time unless you still have all of your stock stuff to put back in I would just tune the A9 setup. If you can find (or want to learn) a tuner for the 94-95 then you could easly offset a good bit of the tune by selling the A9 swap stuff.

30's IMHO are a good h/c/i injector as with a tune you can make sure your sitting at a good duty cycle with plenty of flow. A good tune will have no ill effects at idle with this inj.

 

[phatwebs]

Great info! I also found lots of goodies here (http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=20) particularly this file (http://fordfuelinjection.com/files/A9L_vs_T4M0_showdown.pdf). You are dead on about the load vs. rpm, plus the Tip-in "feature" which Final_5.0 notes needs to be tuned out. I am not boosted either and don' plan to because the motor is already doing 10:1 compression. I e-mailed my local Mustang tuner and he told me the A9L is easier to tune than the T4M0. In any case, I'll get the car tuned as is now and see where that puts me. I'll post a follow-up dyno chart when it's done. You guys are a big help!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[final5-0]

Great info! I also found lots of goodies here (http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=20) particularly this file (http://fordfuelinjection.com/files/A9L_vs_T4M0_showdown.pdf). You are dead on about the load vs. rpm, plus the Tip-in "feature" which Final_5.0 notes needs to be tuned out. I am not boosted either and don' plan to because the motor is already doing 10:1 compression. I e-mailed my local Mustang tuner and he told me the A9L is easier to tune than the T4M0. In any case, I'll get the car tuned as is now and see where that puts me. I'll post a follow-up duno chart when it's done. You guys are a big help!

Cheers,
Paul

Hello Paul

The other fellows here have given what I feel to be good info

I would like to challenge that statement about
the A9L pcm is easier to tune

I would say ... from MY perspective ... a 94-95 pcm is easier to tune

It should be so obvious as to why I would say that for two reasons ......

1) I'm an individual self tuner and NOT a Pro Tuner :Word:
thus
2) My experience is based upon the fact I own a 94-95 Stang :Word:

I just wanna point out and stress the fact ... as Greg did above

More peeps who tune a Stang ... Self or Pro Tuner ... are gonna be
more familiar with Fox pcm's simple because the're more of em

Sooooooo

A Fox pcm is more easier ... FOR HIM to tune

Just Stressing Facts here
and
Hoping to keep past thinking which is no longer valid

Down to a minimum !!!

Yes ... makes sense to tune the pcm you now got as I see it

Grady

 

[phatwebs]

OK - follow-up post. I am back after going for my tuning run. We baselined the car on a Mustang dyno. It put down numbers very similar to the Dynojet dyno numbers linked at the begining of this post. Based on these numbers and the great drivability of the car already, additional tuning just wasn't worth it. So, I declined to have any tuning done at all. I am sitting at base 13 degrees of timing, which I was told is exactly were I need to be with the A9L + 92 octane pump gas. I am happy with the motor and tune as is and will be moving on to tune other parts of car such as steering and suspension.

Thanks,
Paul