It's Alive! Oh No, It's Alive! (with pics)

I had to fire up the SCT software for the first time in over a year and grab SCT base files for the Big Air 2400 MAF and the siemens 60lbers and figure out which end of the flasher I was supposed to use but somehow I loaded a tune for the new setup and the crossed my fingers.

Managed to find a milk carton to sit on, slide my foot by the still dangling wires for the radio delete gauges to press in the clutch. Dash gauges and bezel pods lit up, Stock boost gauge overlay to 16 lbs is all I will ever need with my whimpy setup, and it looks stock.

Not only did Lou at Laurel Mt. Mustang give me a good deal on the corner pod bezel, like he always does but he also painted the sucker to a PERFECT match. Thanks Lou! Unbelievable!


Yup, I had to cycle the FP 4 or 5 times, the tank was out of the car 3 times since it started last (but the gas gauge works again SOB!) and I don't have a pprv anymore but after stumbling a bit and one short stab to fill the rails the beast came alive and ran scary smooth.

Black smoke, yeah but it ran. New relayed wiring to the pumps, new black braided garden hose unkinked fuel super highway, 30 micron filter, PPRV trashed and upgraded submersible line, CPR rails with braided equalizer, modded FPDM, BAP on hyperdrive, 60lbers and a BA2400 all with the manners, at least from the first listen, of the stock parts they replaced.

No pipes on it right now, waiting on DSS driveshaft lengthening and the anti-roll setup to chop up that beautiful StainlessWorks 3" exhaust to convert from IRS to over the axle so it is not time to finish tuning it but I really needed hear it run for the first time in 6 mos and straight headers was 100% tool time and therapeutic to the soul.. urg urg

Snapped a couple more pics, wiring is still on top until it is complete and then we will tuck it in with loam covering everything.

Here is where the window switch is for easy track access, no glove box for me, not interested in stealth or showcar neatness, I want utility.


Needed a NOS arming WOT switch.


Here is how the Plenum jet installed, nice and neat, easy to change jets!


Here is the relay block for under the hood, everything added is relay triggered, once again a little overkill, but not required. The IC pump is now manually controlled with a dash switch thru a relay.


Here is mjchip’s upgraded FPDM and the solder splices.


These relays control the BAP and the bottle temp control system.


This is where I mounted the BAP, this is a bit older pic, the Hobbs and boost sensor wires have been snipped and jumpered.


Since power is drawn from the back to shorten wire runs, needed a fuse block!


So much for wintertime fun, back to the salt mines...

Uncle Meat said:

Damn dude. You've about got yourself an all out race car there! What are you using for a fuel pump setup again?

U.M.

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Stock Cobra pumps and I have the stock hat, everything else has been monkeyed with inside and outside the tank. No PPRV, no more corrugated sumersed line, 6AN fire hose, oversize CPR rails, upgraded wiring and relays everywhere and I draw the power through 8 GA right from the rear, no more long wire runs.

I know I am forgetting something but I have been messing with these power supporting mods for over a year.

Uncle Meat said:

So you think those stock Cobra pumps will be capable of delivering all the fuel those 60lb injectors may demand? I realize you've modified pretty much the whole fuel system now, I'm just surprised you haven't moved to some different pumps yet.

U.M.

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they are fine with a BAP to 700HP, if I go above that with a car that can actually hook, I'm deep into in the nines and I have to cut up the car worse and get a special license so I am drawing the line there for now.

I will be data logging and if I run out of pump i will upgrade but I can still do the hat mod and squeeze a tiny bit more flow out, but I don't think I will need it.

- stu

Uncle Meat said:

If the stock Cobra pumps are good up to 700HP with just the use of a BAP (or are you including the other fuel system modifications you've done) why do we see so many Cobra owners switching to dual Focus, Navigator, or GT pumps?

U.M.

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No you have to look at the total picture as always. remove the restrictions you get more flow without changing pump capacity. Change the wiring and you will get better pump performance without changing pumps. I have removed ALL restrictions except the 2 into 1 gas tank hat and rewired everything including a trick modded FPDM so it is not "just" a BAP . If people are trying to feed a hungry twin screw but want to try a squeeze the fuel thru the stock, thin and twisty fuel rails (you have examined them from under you car right?) with the stock wires coming from the front of the car you might need more pump capacity right? Lots of guys are going to GT pumps and skipping the BAP, why people are replacing Cobra pumps with Focus pumps I have no clue, that is something from 2 years ago? The Navaigator pumps are supposed to flow more than a Cobra's, but I am not familar with that setup.

Many, but not all of those guys make those choices without datalogging anything to do with the fuel pressure or the FP duty cycle so I'm noty sure why they take a shot in the dark but I have done my homework and it will continue next year AT THE TRACK and if I need to make adjustments I will, but I highly doubt it, this was not a random plan.

Uncle Meat said:

Wasn't trying to insinuate you hadn't done your homework. I'm just suprised that the stock pumps are capable of providing enough fuel. I understand the larger diameter fuel lines allow for less restriction in the fuel flow, and the beefier wiring delivers more amperage to the pumps. Just amazes me that the stock pumps can be driven hard enough to supply the thirst a 700HP twin screw demands!

U.M.

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my setup will top off at 650hp with a 100 shot, but now with all the other tricks that have been discovered I think is pretty much agreed that the stock pumps with either a modded hat and/or duel FPDM's 700 is the new ceiling and quite a few guys have done it, so that is why I decided to stick with the stockers and a BAP on full.

Tool time metality will tend to go with an overkill solution and you never want to run out of fuel so I understand why everybody wants the GT pumps, but I want to log the FP duty cycle of my new setup at the track before I decided to pull the trigger on the bigger pumps. You do realize that they are a little bigger and the stock ones are already a trip to get in thru the access hole without futzing up the float. the thing is I can only go so fast at the track and then they won't let me run, so since I will never go over 700 I was having trouble justifying it, that's all, they are a good mod and will overcome the lack of work done on some of the other fronts.

- stu

03mustangcobra said:

Acutally GT pumps are less expensive than BAP and allow a lot more through put. If you are allready changing out fuel lines etc, there is very little extra labor to put the new pumps in, and the wiring upgrade obviates any need for BAP with the bigger pumps.

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Hindsight is 20-20 and it looks like you have a very nice setup, but I bought the BAP new over a year ago for $250 when guys were just starting to play with the GT pumps and benchtesting their flow rates, since that info from Ford was not readily available. I followed that whole change in thinking and it is better if you are just now starting to put the pieces together, although now getting used BAP's and Cobra pumps is cheaper than ever because everybody wants the GT pumps.

However, the question was would a maxed out setup using the stock pumps and a BAP support 700hp and I know several guys that have done that and their duty cycle is not up to 50% (x2=100%), but they have braided 6AN and upgraded wiring like me.

The real limitation is a returnless system and going beyond 700-800 and trying to make it work with the returnless system, no matter what pumps are used is problematic and I personally would switch to a traditional return style setup with a sumped fuel cell, walbro pumps and a regulator. But that is just me. I did see one guy put 3 GT pumps into his tanks with 3 FPDMs to feed a turbo but that seems like a lot of trouble to stick with a spikey returnless setup? What about the voltage required to run them at WOT, I have seen the voltage drop to 11.5 volts with 2 stock pumps with no BAP, the main reason I added a voltmeter gauge to my radio delete cluster. The aftermarket High Amp alternators have a very poor track record when they are spun hard, failing left and right, so I swap in a new Ford rebuilt 130AMP OEM every season just to be safe. I always datalog volts now so I'm not sure how that will all work with 3 volt hungry GT pumps but I'm just a dummy, not a pioneer like some of those guys.

My cobra will not need to handle more HP than it already has the ability to create with NOS so if my duty cycle doesn't max out and I don't start blowing FPRSs my plumbing is done.

If I hit the ceiling next up for me is a modded duel feed hat into 8AN T and duel modded FPDM and I would switch to GT pumps in a heartbeat if I thought it was required for my setup, but I don't think it is and nothing but datalogs from the track will settle that argument to my statisfaction. I'm funny like that.