Stand alone vs chip tune (for noob)

nicholase · Jan 2, 2025

I'm putting together some ideas for my winter project. I've been reading a bunch on ProM and Holley. While one is MAF based and the other is SD, they both use an add on MAP sensor to measure boost and adjust timing accordingly.

My car is factory MAF and uses a Baro sensor. So if I went with something like a quaterhorse / binary editor, how would it know how to adjust ignition relative to boost? I'm a total noob with tuning.

I did get in touch with a local well respected Tuner in my area that is a Ford and foxbody guy (one hour drive). He uses quaterhorse and binary editor. I forgot to ask him about the MAP. This is curiosity more than anything. I would imagine some how it needs to know how much PSI is in the intake ? Maybe it does use a MAP, not sure.

I was originally planning on doing a ProM setup because the sales pitch is you don't need a tuner. But after finding someone very knowledgeable on foxbodies within a drive I could get a sweet HCI setup and his tune for what I was going to pay just for the Pro M and all the add ons.

Any suggestions? Any thoughts on using quaterhorse? The plan is just a real basic setup. 60k mile stock block. Anderson EZ 6200 kit and complete fuel system, Vortec 10 psi. The guys at Anderson said it would put down around 450 hp.

Also has anyone here used Pops Racing in Rochester NY for tuning? Thoughts?

Thanks for any insight.

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

Because of age alone, a brand new stand-alone with all new wire is where I'm headed.

I will likely end up with one of the Holley systems unless one of the smart dudes talks me into something else. The great about being here so long is I have a pretty good idea who those dudes are.

I'll be watching to see which way you go.

nicholase · Jan 2, 2025

Yeah, the wiring is a good point.

The ProM setup is pretty slick. You can do a coil near plug and use a crank position sensor. That totally takes dependence of the Ford PIP and TFI out of the equation. That's one reason I was really considering that rout (still am).

But i haven't found anyone near me that will tune it. If I ever needed help with something or had a driveability problem I'd be on my own. Seems every tuner has a system they like.

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

Yeah, why I'm leaning toward a self-learning version. There will be some human-interface tweaks here and there but for the most part, plug-play-idle-drive.

I [should] teach myself to tune but man... It feels like a job. I'm already up to my eyeballs in computer systems.

General karthief · Jan 2, 2025

Noobz347 said:
Yeah, why I'm leaning toward a self-learning version. There will be some human-interface tweaks here and there but for the most part, plug-play-idle-drive.

I [should] teach myself to tune but man... It feels like a job. I'm already up to my eyeballs in computer systems.

I would think you do'n 'tunning' from a 'puter would be a breeze after hang'n in the control room for that toy chopper I ahummm, crashed, cough, cough....again, sorry about that anyway that room had like 5 computer screens and enough 1's and O's passing through the air to set off alarms at MacDill AFB 80 miles away.

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

General karthief said:
I would think you do'n 'tunning' from a 'puter would be a breeze after hang'n in the control room for that toy chopper I ahummm, crashed, cough, cough....again, sorry about that anyway that room had like 5 computer screens and enough 1's and O's passing through the air to set off alarms at MacDill AFB 80 miles away.

Right, so, whatever system I end up with is the one I'll dig into. I may soon have 'facilities' to start doing 'stuff'.

I really gotta tackle brakes and suspension first but the EEC is def on the list.

I have a wish list:

*Ahem*...

Self Learning
New Harness
Will tune with as many effin' Wideband O2 sensors as I want to throw at it.

After some 2024 discussions, my next set of injectors [will] be flow tested and [will] be a matched set with a pretty tight tolerance at 40 psi.

... My engine combo on some of that intercooled PD "sickness" we're talking about in the other thread would be sick sick sick

Let's pack a 100 Wet Shot on top for good measure

General karthief · Jan 2, 2025

Don't forget the remote control machine guns, them gatlin gun looking things ya know?

AeroCoupe · Jan 2, 2025

Isn't there someone that can modify the Holley Terminator X harness to plug into the dash harness on the Fox Mustangs? That would be plug and play like the Pro-M for a lot less and the Holley has a lot larger crowd running them so lots of tuners to help out.

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

General karthief said:
Don't forget the remote control machine guns, them gatlin gun looking things ya know?

Clean all that unnecessary (holy crap try typing that word) crud out of the wheel well and relocate the vacuum cannister for the feed system and voila! Room for this:

I plan to blend mine in a little more. Maybe, cover it with the license plate.

I think I've settled on .50 cal paint balls.

It's [got] to be better than my current system:

I mean, Don Marco tries but the "thumb" thing is an issue.

TOOLOW91 · Jan 2, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
Isn't there someone that can modify the Holley Terminator X harness to plug into the dash harness on the Fox Mustangs? That would be plug and play like the Pro-M for a lot less and the Holley has a lot larger crowd running them so lots of tuners to help out.

MFK customs but then you’re using a very aging harness and to me that’s just asking for issues. Does make install easier

TOOLOW91 · Jan 2, 2025

OP I have had a Holley in my car since 2017 before there was even a kit. Only other guys I knew with them 2 of them were on here at the time.

It was the best thing I did . Almost no one is running that pro m setup and the support is limited because of that locally almost anywhere.

Holley will do everything you named from running a stock tfi to coil on plug and everything in between

nicholase · Jan 2, 2025

TOOLOW91 said:
OP I have had a Holley in my car since 2017 before there was even a kit. Only other guys I knew with them 2 of them were on here at the time.

It was the best thing I did . Almost no one is running that pro m setup and the support is limited because of that locally almost anywhere.

Holley will do everything you named from running a stock tfi to coil on plug and everything in between

Thanks for that. I'll have to look more into the crank trigger , COP setup for the Holley. I wish someone just sold a comlete kit with all the stuff in one harness. Maybe they do? I just haven't seen it.

I'll call around and see if anyone local will tune that system.

Does the Holley have nice driveability on your car? Some of the reviews i come across say it makes good power but lacks smooth driveability.

With that said i take all that with a grain of salt. Lots of installer error issues I'm sure.

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
Isn't there someone that can modify the Holley Terminator X harness to plug into the dash harness on the Fox Mustangs?

And don't forget these things

Dakota Digital Automotive Parts - VHX Hybrid Analog Digital Systems - Ford - Falcon & Mustangs - Phoenix Tuning

www.phoenix-tuning.com

nicholase · Jan 2, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
Isn't there someone that can modify the Holley Terminator X harness to plug into the dash harness on the Fox Mustangs? That would be plug and play like the Pro-M for a lot less and the Holley has a lot larger crowd running them so lots of tuners to help out.

Noobz347 said:
And don't forget these things

Dakota Digital Automotive Parts - VHX Hybrid Analog Digital Systems - Ford - Falcon & Mustangs - Phoenix Tuning

www.phoenix-tuning.com

And these things. Holley makes a 12" screen for our cars.

I'd like to see how the guages look in person. But being able to tune w/o a labtop and having selectable guages you can assign to the screen seems pretty slick.

I do like analog guages though....

Video starts at 26 min

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

Yeah, I'm an old-time analog gauge whore.

The General can tell ya... I spend [lots] of time converting digital signals to analog gauges. hehe I used to build flight sims.

nicholase · Jan 2, 2025

Noobz347 said:
I [should] teach myself to tune but man... It feels like a job. I'm already up to my eyeballs in computer systems.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I don't have a computer. So I'll probably have to get one of those. And figure out how to use it.

My learning curve will be steep

Noobz347 · Jan 2, 2025

nicholase said:
I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I don't have a computer. So I'll probably have to get one of those. And figure out how to use it.

My learning curve will be steep

IT will indeed. LoL

Here is the secret to all great geniuses...

Youtube University Shhhhhh....

AeroCoupe · Jan 2, 2025

What I was taking about was taking the Terminator X harness and adding connectors to it to plug into the dash harness at the fire wall. Somebody was doing this and I just cannot find where I saw it. You ship them the harness and let them know the year of the car and done.

TOOLOW91 · Jan 3, 2025

nicholase said:
I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I don't have a computer. So I'll probably have to get one of those. And figure out how to use it.

My learning curve will be steep

You’re not going to do any measurable type of tuning through a dash if any at all .

Plenty of Holley support out there all over the country.

Holley 558-118 is the ford main harness setup for cop. Then you need ls coils or smart coils.

You can use dual sync which is sort of cheating or use a cam sync and a crank sensor in conjunction with the coils and your good to go.

I still run a conventional dual sync distributor on my car and it makes enough power to go mid-high 5s in the 1/8 mile.

Drivability comes down to who tunes the car. Junk in = junk out.

I drive my car 60 plus miles round trip to work all the time. Drives fine

Looks like you’re upstate NY - you could hit up Doug Vanstrom for Holley tuning or Brian Freezy who is in NJ remote tunes.

nicholase · Jan 3, 2025

TOOLOW91 said:
Holley 558-118 is the ford main harness setup for cop. Then you need ls coils or smart coils.

You can use dual sync which is sort of cheating or use a cam sync and a crank sensor in conjunction with the coils and your good to go.

This is what I was looking for. Thanks.

TOOLOW91 said:
Drivability comes down to who tunes the car. Junk in = junk out.

That's pretty much what I figured. I'm assuming most of the complaints are from those with sketchy installs and just relying on the system to "auto tune".

TOOLOW91 said:
Looks like you’re upstate NY - you could hit up Doug Vanstrom

Excellent. This guy isn't far from me at all. 35 minutes tops. Never even knew he was there. This is exactly what I was hoping for.

Another advantage of the Holley is without the mass air boosted applications could just use a typical blowoff valve i would imagine.

Stand alone vs chip tune (for noob)

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

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