Sponsored
An exercise in overthinking - Junits15's street build
.
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #122
So update on the cats
I was only ab to quickly look at the passenger side, I need a bore scope for the drivers side.
It has a very very small fracture in the substrate and it’s completely black. Which is VERY odd to me I’m used to them being white or like off white colored. Black is wrong I’m sure of it.
I’m now wondering is the “failure” was caused by buildup. No idea.
I'm going to keep them for now, id like to do more investigating. I will need to eventually track down a pair of new headers and keep them on hand
I was only ab to quickly look at the passenger side, I need a bore scope for the drivers side.
It has a very very small fracture in the substrate and it’s completely black. Which is VERY odd to me I’m used to them being white or like off white colored. Black is wrong I’m sure of it.
I’m now wondering is the “failure” was caused by buildup. No idea.
I'm going to keep them for now, id like to do more investigating. I will need to eventually track down a pair of new headers and keep them on hand
Last edited:
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #123
couple adjustments done, getting the exhaust to sit right in the back is a bit of a drag, and the clamps don't do well getting the stock resonator to mate back up to the axle-backs. Exhaust actuator is not hitting the frame so we're clear to go, need to tweak the tips just a hair more but I think its fine for now.
Kooks "greencats" are not so green after all, here is a capture of the cat-test during one of my long driving logs. Failed spectacularly of course. This is the only log I have right now, looks like the post cat traces are on a low polling rate, but either way you can see that this isn't working.
Here's the car idling, cats can't even keep up with that.
However, at idle and during slow driving, once they are warm the smell is negligible. There's never any smell inside the cabin, my wife was in the chase car after I picked up the mustang and reported no "lawnmower smell" behind me. I think that's pretty good as far as aftermarket performance cats go.
I would have preferred that this specific header kit been sold with the new "ultra greencats" which carry the EPA approval, but sadly that isn't an option. If it ever gets really stinky or starts to cause issues at inspection I'll look into those but for now I think this is a nice place to be.
And yes, it did throw the check engine light for cats, strangely just the drivers side again. Not sure if the codes are linked, or it only ever throws one at a time. Either way I will be "solving" that issue using completely legitimate methods.
Kooks "greencats" are not so green after all, here is a capture of the cat-test during one of my long driving logs. Failed spectacularly of course. This is the only log I have right now, looks like the post cat traces are on a low polling rate, but either way you can see that this isn't working.
Here's the car idling, cats can't even keep up with that.
However, at idle and during slow driving, once they are warm the smell is negligible. There's never any smell inside the cabin, my wife was in the chase car after I picked up the mustang and reported no "lawnmower smell" behind me. I think that's pretty good as far as aftermarket performance cats go.
I would have preferred that this specific header kit been sold with the new "ultra greencats" which carry the EPA approval, but sadly that isn't an option. If it ever gets really stinky or starts to cause issues at inspection I'll look into those but for now I think this is a nice place to be.
And yes, it did throw the check engine light for cats, strangely just the drivers side again. Not sure if the codes are linked, or it only ever throws one at a time. Either way I will be "solving" that issue using completely legitimate methods.
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #124
I also tweaked the optimum power camshaft timing. These are just some base values that were recommended by @K4fxd as starting points. These are completely not optimized and are absolutely leaving power on the table. Due to where I live, the traffic patterns in my area, my work schedule, and the stupidly long gearing on the D4 transmission, street tuning this car is almost impossible.
With all that said, it feels faster, and i'm not in any danger running these cam angles, they just are not optimized.
Exhaust valve closing:
intake valve opening:
With all that said, it feels faster, and i'm not in any danger running these cam angles, they just are not optimized.
Exhaust valve closing:
intake valve opening:
engineermike
Well-Known Member
I bet those cam angles don’t leave much in the table.
Sponsored
engineermike
Well-Known Member
Rule of thumb is that exhaust cam doesn’t affect it much but 15 give or take works well. Maybe advance a bit up top. Intake should be -20 from 2000-4000 then start retarding. Where you stop retarding depends. Gen2 stops around 15 and gen3 stock is 24 but seems to work better around 18. With a pd blower, stop retarding between -5 and +5. I believe -5 to 0 works better when knock limited.
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #128
Appreciate the response mike! I see what you mean then, I wasn't all that far off the mark with the values I was using.
I tweaked them slightly, but unless I really spend time dialing it in correctly it wont matter. I'm just happy to have some extra power. Eventually I'll get that flex fuel stuff going, and that should really turn it up to 11.
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #129
functional update:
After installing headers, the x-pipe would have been too loud. However the stock resonator never really mated up right with the stock axle backs. Ford instructions have you cut the exhaust on a bend. Making it nearly impossible to clamp back together.
I torqued the hell out of two clamps to hold it together temporarily, but it leaked all the time and the mufflers never sat right in the valence. The leak was audible and annoying.
Big thanks to @Oxford19 who gave me his old whole active exhaust system. Transplanted the motors and mounts over and installed it today. Fit like a glove (no surprise) and no more leaky exhaust tick.
I think I should save just the mufflers, valves mufflers aren’t cheap and I’m sure I can put these into use one day on another project.
also my old lady Ava bundled up for the holidays:
After installing headers, the x-pipe would have been too loud. However the stock resonator never really mated up right with the stock axle backs. Ford instructions have you cut the exhaust on a bend. Making it nearly impossible to clamp back together.
I torqued the hell out of two clamps to hold it together temporarily, but it leaked all the time and the mufflers never sat right in the valence. The leak was audible and annoying.
Big thanks to @Oxford19 who gave me his old whole active exhaust system. Transplanted the motors and mounts over and installed it today. Fit like a glove (no surprise) and no more leaky exhaust tick.
I think I should save just the mufflers, valves mufflers aren’t cheap and I’m sure I can put these into use one day on another project.
also my old lady Ava bundled up for the holidays:
Last edited:
Sponsored
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #131
I went to an independent tire shop, night and day experience from the big chains. Excellent service and much more knowledgeable techs.
they said this much alignment discrepancy amounts to like a quarter inch of error. So there’s the explanation for the messed up tire.
The WS-90’s are louder but maybe that means they’ll work better lol.
Last edited:
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #132
I should update this thread more, however that would require me to do things to the car more lol.
I'm going with PCMtech flex fuel moving forward. I finally have a garage, and thus by extension I have a place to store ethanol. I still can't get ethanol that often, so a sensor driven system is a must as I will frequently be operating at random ethanol concentrations and switching from gas to ethanol. I need something safe.
For those that don't know, PCMtech has enabled flex fuel with a sensor. The sensor is read by a Zietronix ECA CAN module which is tied into the HS CAN bus of the car. The ECU then reads from the Zietronix module on the CAN bus and uses that data to modulate the tune based on fuel ethanol content. Very slick.
This is way more robust than stock inferred flex, this allows you to fill and floor the gas immediately. There's no worry about improper timing being applied, fuel trim codes, or any of the issues commonly seen with inferred flex tunes. It can even work on boosted cars.
I have the module installed, the sensor wiring run, the gauge mounted and the CAN bus connection made. Just need a fuse tap for power and a bracket for the flex sensor.
Flex sensor wire:
I'm going with PCMtech flex fuel moving forward. I finally have a garage, and thus by extension I have a place to store ethanol. I still can't get ethanol that often, so a sensor driven system is a must as I will frequently be operating at random ethanol concentrations and switching from gas to ethanol. I need something safe.
For those that don't know, PCMtech has enabled flex fuel with a sensor. The sensor is read by a Zietronix ECA CAN module which is tied into the HS CAN bus of the car. The ECU then reads from the Zietronix module on the CAN bus and uses that data to modulate the tune based on fuel ethanol content. Very slick.
This is way more robust than stock inferred flex, this allows you to fill and floor the gas immediately. There's no worry about improper timing being applied, fuel trim codes, or any of the issues commonly seen with inferred flex tunes. It can even work on boosted cars.
I have the module installed, the sensor wiring run, the gauge mounted and the CAN bus connection made. Just need a fuse tap for power and a bracket for the flex sensor.
Flex sensor wire:
Last edited:
OP
OP
junits15
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #133
Flex sensor is in and communicating with the PCM.
it’s on a 3D printed bracket made of HTPLA which was then annealed in my lab toaster oven
.
The strength of this part is unreal, I’m stunned at how far 3D printing has come. After annealing, this part is resistant up to nearly 300f before it gets soft. I’ve yanked on the hoses and there wasn’t even a crack from it.
put a yellow filter on the gauge, the white is too bright at night and yellow is more appropriate for e85 imo.
But the car is currently working and adjusting based on ethanol, the tune is not set up to do anything right yet. If I were to put in a lot of ethanol right now the fuel trims would be on target but it would have a lot of trouble starting and likely misfire under load.
it’s freezing out so I’m planning on getting the cold start dialed in nicely then when summer rolls around I can get the power dialed in
it’s on a 3D printed bracket made of HTPLA which was then annealed in my lab toaster oven
.
The strength of this part is unreal, I’m stunned at how far 3D printing has come. After annealing, this part is resistant up to nearly 300f before it gets soft. I’ve yanked on the hoses and there wasn’t even a crack from it.
put a yellow filter on the gauge, the white is too bright at night and yellow is more appropriate for e85 imo.
But the car is currently working and adjusting based on ethanol, the tune is not set up to do anything right yet. If I were to put in a lot of ethanol right now the fuel trims would be on target but it would have a lot of trouble starting and likely misfire under load.
it’s freezing out so I’m planning on getting the cold start dialed in nicely then when summer rolls around I can get the power dialed in
Duece McCracken
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2021
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 570
- Reaction score
- 537
- Location
- Yardley, PA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Gladiator Rubicon, 2019 Bullitt
Flex sensor is in and communicating with the PCM.
it’s on a 3D printed bracket made of HTPLA which was then annealed in my lab toaster oven
The strength of this part is unreal, I’m stunned at how far 3D printing has come. After annealing, this part is resistant up to nearly 300f before it gets soft. I’ve yanked on the hoses and there wasn’t even a crack from it.
put a yellow filter on the gauge, the white is too bright at night and yellow is more appropriate for e85 imo.
But the car is currently working and adjusting based on ethanol, the tune is not set up to do anything right yet. If I were to put in a lot of ethanol right now the fuel trims would be on target but it would have a lot of trouble starting and likely misfire under load.
it’s freezing out so I’m planning on getting the cold start dialed in nicely then when summer rolls around I can get the power dialed in
Yes. Do it. Do all the things!!
Time to get E98 drums delivered to your house. Its actually not that expensive.