Digital Tuning New Fox Owner

[ZakAri]

Hello all,
Just bought (about 8 months or so ago) a clean 1989 Mustang GT 5.0 convertible, my dream car.... I didn't necessarily want to get into something built rather than stock but so it goes....
Here are some of what (I have been told) has been done:
-Coast Crate Engine
-GT40P Heads,6:1 Roller Rockers, e303 High Performance Camshaft, Trickflow intake manifold
-Forged Pistons and Crankshaft (9-1 compression)
-MSD ignition and coil, 24lb injectors,190lph fuel pump
-Mac cold air filter system,70mm throttle body, 70mm EGR plate, C&L 73mm mass air flow meter
-Tremec 3550 5 speed Manuel with b&m short shift kit
-Bama SCT 4 bank Mustang Eliminator chip w/sct tuning switch (flopping in the wind)
-BBK Shorty headers and short mid Off-road X pipe
- Flowmaster dual low restriction mufflers /stainless tips
-3.55 limited slip diff

...............................sooooooo...... fingers are tired from typing smh......
After buying the car I found a piece of paper in the glove with BAMA logo saying that it had four programs, a 93oct race, 100oct, 110oct, and stock computer program. I called the previous owner and he said 'it runs just fine on 92 octane' ??
I have been putting 92oct with an octane booster for each tank and leaving it on 93oct race program, no pinging or knocking evident.
It is running super rich and idles at 900rpm.

Some of my questions are:
- Can the eliminator chip I have be programed to run on 92 octane or a fuel that is available at a gas station in the Portland (OR) or greater area?
- Does anyone know any trustworthy mechanic in the Portland area that has expertise in built Mustang 5.0's?

I am sure I will have a bunch more questions but that can wait till the next thread..... thank you very much for reading and your patience with the newby.... Zak

 

[General karthief]

Sorry I can't help you. Only thing I can suggest is to run the codes, @jrichker has a sticky on how to do this.
Congratulations for stumbling upon the most awesomest, friendly web page and the smartest most willing participants in the free world. (not too over the top eah?)
Really nice ride too.


Ignore me, someone with some real answers will be with you momentarily, but seriously, run the codes.

 

[ZakAri]

T

Sorry I can't help you. Only thing I can suggest is to run the codes, @jrichker has a sticky on how to do this.
Congratulations for stumbling upon the most awesomest, friendly web page and the smartest most willing participants in the free world. (not too over the top eah?)
Really nice ride too.


Ignore me, someone with some real answers will be with you momentarily, but seriously, run the codes.

Hey, thanks for the reply, I gotta get this thing plugged in

 

[90sickfox]

The best I can advise is that you try to run codes and take it to a Dyno tuner in the area. BAMA mail order tunes don't have the best reputation on this site. The c&l MAF sensors use a sample tube....another thing that people say is not the best.( I don't know this from personal experience, though )

I've never used BAMA or C&L.

Running rich could be a few things....or if going by smell...it could be the fact that there are no cats on the car.

jrichker is the man when of comes to these cars 30yr old electronics.

Nice looking convertible, man ! I've owned a bunch of them in the past. [emoji106]

 

[a91what]

Bama tunes are junk. my opinion set it on the stock tune and see how it acts. if the sample tube in the MAF is correct for 24lb injectors then the ECU will have no issue with corrections.

Another issue, this is by no means a high performance build.... what I mean is the e303 cam is a serious limiting factor. it was not designed for use in an efi engine, in order to get the idle stable below 1000rpm they likely enriched the idle mixture to compensate.

Most likely the chip is only jacking the timing way up, remove the thing set the base timing at 12* and run 87octane. 9-1 compression is low by today's standards.

 

[mikestang63]

welcome and congrats on the very nice stang.

Couple of comments./questions

• Is the Mass Air Meter calibrated for 24# injectors? C&L's use different color sample tubes for the size of injectors.
  
• There is no way in holy hell that car needs anything more than 93 octane.
  
• BAMA tunes are garbage- the fact they made tunes for 100 & 110 octane is mind blowing. Your car would run like absolute crap with high of octane.

The E cam is designed for a carb application and the power band is 3000 and up. It has a much different lobe separation and that is why you need to raise the idle up so much, as it often causes surging/bad idle and poor vacuum and also contributes to your runnin rich along with the BAMA tune. . If you have a 24# MAF, I would remove the BAMA chip and see how the car runs.

If possible, I would check the following

• base timing- should be around 10 BTDC as most piggy back chips use a stock base timing and have the tune put in the amount of advance/total timing.
  
• fuel pressure- it should be 39-41 with the vacuum line off and pugged

 

[jrichker]

As suggested, first dump the codes and fix whatever you find.

Then and only then after you have fixed all the codes, start modifying or changing things. Otherwise you won't know if it was one of the original problems or one caused by modifying or changing that you did.

 

[General karthief]

What he said. Ask me how I know.