Emissions

A race track only 5.0 Mustang will need a custom dyno tune & chip to prevent CEL and other problems. That will cost $300-$500. Some places will retune for $100-$150 if you need more work after the initial dyno run and tune.

Removing the pollution control equipment from a street driven 5.0 Mustang is a bad idea. All you have accomplished is to make the computer mad and spit codes. The pollution control equipment all shuts off at wide open throttle, so the HP losses from it on the car are 2-5 HP. The catalytic converters may soak a few more HP than that. None of the pollution control equipment reduces the HP enough to cost you a race in anything but professional drag strip competition. I seriously doubt that you will be in the final runoff on “Pinks”, so leave the smog equipment in place and make sure it is working correctly.

Know what does what before removing it. Remove or disable the wrong thing and the computer sets the check engine light and runs in "limp mode". Limp mode means reduced power and fuel economy.

If you removed the smog pump and still have catalytic converters, they will ultimately clog and fail.

Here's a book that will get you started with how the Ford electronic engine control or "computer" works. READ the book before making any changes. If you can't or won't read it, you should consider another hobby.

It's about $20-$45 from Borders.com see Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more . Select books and then select search. Use the ISBN number (without dashes or spaces) to do a search

Use the ISBN number and your local library can get you a loaner copy for free. Only thing is you are limited to keeping the book for two weeks. It is very good, and I found it to be very helpful.

Remove any of the equipment and you will not pass a full smog check, cannot title the car in an area that does smog checks and have broken several federal laws. Granted that the Feds are short on people to check cars, but it is still Federal law.

Not to be a dork but Why? The smog pump costs no hp and helps the engine at start up. the charcoal canister stops your car from smelling like a gas can, the egr is so we dont live in bejing....

I removed my smog pump, egr, and cats. Put Explorer heads and intake on, got it running nice, and passed emissions testing NO PROBLEM and this include the pipe sniffers. No tuning, using stock ECM, no monkeying with timing.

Most of the smog equipment 'covers up' for when things aren't running right. If you keep the car in very good tune then the emissions are very minimal. The majority of modern vehicle emissions reduction is due to the automated tuning in the ECM.

Smog pump- remove pump, associated piping and tubes. Block vacuum ports, and block holes in back of heads with bolts or fill in with some sort of cement. Block tube in H-pipe also.

EGR - remove and block ports on spacer with a metal plate you can buy or make. Block coolant tubes at both side also. Use resistors to prevent CEL, pretty easy to find this on Internet.

Charcoal canister- I would leave this ! It's a safety item and is important !

pete_05_gt said:

i'm not against reading so thank you for that. I really am just removing the smog pump and tubes for now. the only problem with that now is the threads in the back of the head are clogged up or the threads on the LMR plugs are wrong idk. But none the less the car will be primarily a track car with little street use maybe on the way to a show or something.

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The threads are clogged up. Very common and nearly impossible to clear unless you have the heads off. Exhaust cement might be the next best option.

pete_05_gt said:

i'm not against reading so thank you for that. I really am just removing the smog pump and tubes for now. the only problem with that now is the threads in the back of the head are clogged up or the threads on the LMR plugs are wrong idk. But none the less the car will be primarily a track car with little street use maybe on the way to a show or something.

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Remove the smog pump with the catalytic converters in place and they will eventually clog and fail. They are designed to use the additional air to burn up some of the pollutants. The tube on the back of the heads is for cold engine startup, and isn't as important as the tube to the catalytic converters. Once the engine warms up- 2 minutes max - the airflow to the cylinder head tubes shuts off and the air is diverted to the catalytic converters,

Dave2000GT said:

EGR - remove and block ports on spacer with a metal plate you can buy or make. Block coolant tubes at both side also. Use resistors to prevent CEL, pretty easy to find this on Internet.

Charcoal canister- I would leave this ! It's a safety item and is important !

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There is a lack of understanding on how the computer & EGR system works. A fully functioning EGR system uses the EGR sensor to tell the computer to advance the ignition timing when the EGR is open. This is to make up for the slower burning, leaner mixture caused by the addition of exhaust gas. Using the resistors to fool the computer means that it advances the ignition timing even though the richer mixture burns very quickly. This can result in ping or detonation which may not be heard over a loud exhaust or road noise. The ping or detonation may result in serious engine damage.

The idea of fooling the computer with resistors may keep the CEL from coming on, but it won't prevent the possible ping or detonation that can cause serious engine damage.

Mustang5L5 said:

I've emphasized that plenty of times. "tricking" the EGR with resistors to tell the EEC the EGR is working is a bad thing, because then the computer will pull fuel and timing to compensate for the inert gases. The O2 sensors will try to compensate. In the end, there is no benefit of removing the EGR and all it does it create potential issues for very minimal gain.
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Technically that's not how it works. Even with the resistors, you will still get and EGR code. Code 33 will be logged because the computer is still not sensing EGR valve movement. So the computer still knows the EGR is not working, its just a code that doesn't turn the CEL on. So no timing will be added and no fuel trims will be adjusted.

I've mentioned it before, but any time that any of the EGR related codes are logged, the computer bypasses the EGR part of the strategy.

Here is the direct quote from the actual Ford GUFB strategy guide.

The EVP sensor failure Mode strategy will force the EGR valve to close and will have no adverse impact on Spark or Fuel.

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pete_05_gt said:

EGR means exhaust gas recirculation right? I/m not being ignorant Jrich but how does that mess with timing? I/m trying to learn a few things.

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Correct on the meaning of EGR.

To keep it simple, gasses from the EGR slow combustion, so you need to start the spark earlier.

liljoe07 said:

Technically that's not how it works. Even with the resistors, you will still get and EGR code. Code 33 will be logged because the computer is still not sensing EGR valve movement. So the computer still knows the EGR is not working, its just a code that doesn't turn the CEL on. So no timing will be added and no fuel trims will be adjusted.

I've mentioned it before, but any time that any of the EGR related codes are logged, the computer bypasses the EGR part of the strategy.

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Exactly, the resistors prevent you from getting the CEL and internally the ECM disables the spark advance w/EGR. Without the resistors you get the code and it messes with timing. Personally I have a Moates so I took it out of the tune, but prior to that I just used the resistors (in fact they are still installed) with no bad effects. After I removed the EGR but before I put in the resistors I had the CEL and did notice it ping a couple times before I put in the fix shortly after.