Timing and Fuel Air Ratio Question..

[robt978]

I currently have a 5spd 2003 mustang gt with the 2v 4.6L. The only mods I have done to it are a K&N CAI, and a pair of flowmaster 40s. I just purchased an SCT X2 tuner off of ebay, and am unsure of the most effective timing adjustment to make to make the car gain a little bit of power off of 93 octane, and how much to adjust the A/F ratio to compensate and increase the power from the cold air intake. Unfortunately the tuner did not come with any tunes for my car, but I can still makes the timing and A/F adjustments until I take it to a shop to make a tune, but for $150 the tuner was a steal.

 

[BurningRubber]

You can increase the timing in increments, then test drive the car and do some wide open throttle runs under load to make sure the car does not start pinging. If it doesn't ping, then you are ok. Don't just max it out though.

If you bump the timing a good bit ADD a little fuel in to help combat pinging. Its also a good idea untill you see what the A/F ratio is on the dyno to make sure you arent lean.

 

[robt978]

Thx

wow thanks for the help, the only thing I've never experienced is when the engine starts pinging, is it pretty obvious when that happens? (amateur question, I know, but I have to start somewhere)

 

[BurningRubber]

No problem.

If its light pinging you may not notice it unless you have a really keen ear.

Just do your test runs with the windows up, radio off, air off so you hear nothing but the car.

It will sound like a rattle, marbles in a tin can, knocking, pinging, tinging... and it will stop when you let out of the gas.

 

[oxfordgt]

Do like he said on the timing but do not touch the fuel. If you don't have a wideband and you have no clue what your doing leave the fuel alone. If you start adding fuel when you add timing you are defeating the purpose of adding timing and it will kill the power. The proper way to do it is to adjust your a/f ratio first then timing never the other way around.