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AFD E85 "ProFlex Commander" for '15-'17 S550 GT

Porsche_Manny

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After learning that our fuel-systems are fairly E85-supportive β€” I started toying with the idea of trying a FlexFuel setup on my 2017 Performance Pack GT.

Watched the Alejandro Flores videos, read up on which Coyote platform needed what components to do X, Y, or Z when considering Ethanol-use β€” and looked into options from VMP, Lund, BAMA, or Palm Beach Dyno.

During that studying, I ran across Advanced Fuel Dynamic's "ProFlex Commander" kit. A "tuneless" (or working with your existing pump-gas tune) E85-flex fuel solution.

https://www.advancedfueldynamics.com/

Never heard of them before, but I never heard of any of those other guys ⬆ listed above before owning a Mustang. I disregarded it because it didn't seem to have a good following on here (I think I saw one other thread in the 5.0-section about someone asking, and it was readily dismissed.

It wasn't until I found -this- thread in the GT350-section https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/official-afd-e85-proflex-commander-with-new-harness.126313/ that I delved more deeply into A.F.D. and their ProFlex kits.

With more than just a couple of success stories from that GT350-thread (albeit after resolving a growing-pain issue in the form of a mid-production injector harness change for newer Shelbys β€” which A.F.D. fixed and delivered new harness to GT350 owners) and features from one or two sources I trust or at least recognize β€”

https://www.motortrend.com/features/afd-cracked-code-extracting-30-hp-e85/



I felt tempted to try this instead of getting a full FlexFuel Tune. Why? πŸ€” β€” because I like the tune I have now.

Currently running Ford Performance's Power-Pack 1 Tune β€” which some regard as a "waste", but I was happy with its simplicity and that it's not a bad performer to say the least (if you believe LMR and MotoIQ's dyno tests of Power Pack-1 β€” I think MotoIQ did their test at Palm Beach Dyno too). It also has never once given me issue β€” idles factory-smooth, and the throttle control is linear, without hiccup or concern. Factory-quality β€” just "more".

https://motoiq.com/tested-ford-mustang-gt-power-packs-1-3/3/

https://www.mustang6g.com/2015-17-mustang-gt-power-pack-1-install-and-review/

But this is about AFD and the ProFlex Commander β€” and trying it out as a Flex Fuel addition to the tune on my car instead of a new tune.

Screenshot_20220427-143337_Gallery.jpg


Honestly, I was looking for the simplest, quickest way to run E85 (a blend, straight, or switch to 93 without much issue). Obviously, there's scores of people here running dedicated E85 and FlexTunes from established tuners β€” but that required (for me) purchasing a new tuning device (like a RevX or other SCT/HP Tuners device), and then sending information and logs back and forth to dial in the new tune.

Again, this is how it's been done successfully for many people β€” but with a 62-mile commute (one-way) to work, and working on other people's cars all day β€” I was looking for the least-circuitous option.

Advanced Fuel Dyanamics works on-top of your existing factory tune, or 91-to-93 tune β€” utilizing an in-line OEM-ethanol sensor (from GM πŸ˜’ 😏, but it's a factory part), sandwiched between two good-quality Fuel jumper-lines that supply the short metal fuel-line from the firewall to the fuel-rail.

-That- communicates with the ProFlex Commander module, a solid-state control unit that receives the Ethanol reading from the in-line sensor β€” and then communicates a lengthened injector-pulse, augmenting the fuel-injector signal already sent by the ECM.

It does this through a pretty-factory-quality wiring harness that plugs in directly between your existing injector harness and the injectors themselves.

Power is supplied, I presume, from the injector voltage supply, since there's only the injector connectors themselves (16 connectors for an S550 kit, 8 plug into the injector harness, the other 8 into the injectors) and a single ground, which can be bolted onto an existing ground by the strut towers.

Here's how it looks on -my- car.

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AFD's instructions include directions for laying their wiring harness along the engine so that the control module-connector ends up behind the passenger headlamp, where it can be mounted there.

I chose to route it along the firewall to the battery box, for a practically hidden, stock-look when all reassembled.

Once hooked up, AFD says you can go straight to the E85 pump and fill a blend or as close to straight E85 as you want.

Screenshot_20220427-143715_Gallery.jpg


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First attempt took me to 40% and felt alright, so I added more and got to 60% β€” and I began feeling the car run poorly and it threw lean codes for both bank-1 and bank-2.

I posted on the GT350 thread for help and advice, but eventually contacted Gray Fredrick at AFD for assistance.

Gray and the guys on the GT350 thread were very helpful and my first big discovery with this kit is β€” check and make sure you have no vaccuum leaks. πŸ˜’

That small inconvenience actually taught me even more about how these cars behave. I hadn't initially suspected a vaccuum leak because the factory vaccuum gauge measured over 20inHG.

What I thought was healthy, but it's a digital gauge (which I now suspect isn't actually measuring vaccuum, but an inferred vacuum from multiple data?)

Until I had found and repaired the vaccuum leak I had, I watered down my gas down to E40 and drove judiciously until fixed.

After repairing said vacuum leak, I tried the car on E40 (40% 🌽 Ethanol, %60 93-Oct) β€” -with- Ford Performance's Power Pack-1 β€” and -I- would certainly say I felt the difference.

Part throttle and midrange are definitely stronger β€” the car starts chasing the 3-digit section of the speedometer with noticeably more earnest, and the car is significantly more enthusiastic to prods from your right-foot.

BTW β€” note that your in-cluster AFR-gauge is calibrated to E10. Without a true-in PCM-E85/FlexFuel Tune (that adjusts that reading's calibration), you won't see AFRs typical of Ethanol-use. Trust me, it concerned me to, but I verified from AFD (and via PIDs from a scantool) that it's an inferred AFR reading based off of Lambda for E10. Lambda E10 = 13.8-14.2 AFR β€” and 11-12 at WOT for 0.80-0.85 or so.

On E40 alone, the sound (coupled with my Magnaflow TruX resonated X Pipe and Roush Axle Backs) is clean and refined, nice grumble on engine-braking and (in my opinion) a nice pop or two on upshifts at WOT (again, I'm not straight-piped β€” so these noises sound nice to me, not obnoxious).

The car has definitely woken up more with the addition of 🌽 than on just the Power Pack-1 Tune – and -I- found this a much quicker way to begin putting E85 into my Fuel tank than a true reprogramming of my ECM.

As I add high blend of Ethanol, I'll update this thread β€” but E40-E50 surprised the hell out of me. πŸ‘

Are the dedicated E85 or FlexFuel tunes from the notable tuning firms worse or better? β€” that's not what I wanted to do discuss in this thread.

Their timing is likely (at -least-) a bit more aggressive, and you can extract that much more. But the Copperhead ECM -does- add timing, even in stock form, if it continues to not see knock β€” until it does or it hits the factory timing-table ceiling.

The use of the ProFlex with a 91-to-93-Oct tune will see timing added with E85's higher octane until you hit -that- tune's timing advance-limit.

But if you favor "just give it to me now" plug-and-play simplicity to e-mail revisions and data logging (that I will not refute gets you tailored, optimal performance) β€” I found this to work satisfyingly well. πŸ‘Œ (just make sure you don't have any small fuel-trim affecting problems before β€” or it will let you know. 😁)
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Momogt26

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great review I have considered going this rout myself keep us up to date on this. we're was the vacuum leak
 
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17Magnetic5.0

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So could this be done on a factory car without voiding warranty?
 
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Porsche_Manny

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So could this be done on a factory car without voiding warranty?
β€” in that if, should anything happen, and you take it off before going in for service? β€” and that if anything happens, and you -do- drain a decent amount of that fuel out of your tank... then yes. 😬

This leaves no "footprint" in the ECM, but theoretically, you can flash back to "stock" on a tune should you need to go in for service.

It -does- however have a noticeable 'extra' wiring harness should you leave it in and go in for a warranty-related repair.

BUT β€” how much of a pain in your ass your local Ford dealership will be is also contingent on what is the issue you're trying to get under warranty.

SYNC or Sound System? They can't say this broke that. Injector locks up open or closed? ... maybe. 🀷

But that this system should put you in a position that will put you at the mercy of warranty and the dealership is another matter.
 

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On the subject of 17MAGNETIC5.0's question β€” from what I've read and watch, the S197 1st Gen Coyotes require LU47 injectors at a minimum to run Ethanol β€” but that's coming from (-Very- Experienced) people, like Alejandro Flores.

But the AFD ProFlex Commander Kit for the S197 is similar (if not the same except the fuel line) to the 2nd-gen Coyote S550. I don't believe they require injector upgrades (though they carry injectors too) for the S197 kit, but one of us should check.

But the fact that the E85/FlexFuel -true- Tune guys say the S197 needs LU47 injectors and not the S550 may come possibly down to the S550 vs S197 fuel pumps.

The S197, S550, and even the GT350 have, I believe I've read, the same injectors β€” but if you run the same injector, but with a stronger in-tank pump β€” fuel delivery rate increases (is the theoretical idea anyway).

The S550 may have a better in-tank fuel pump to begin with than the S197. The GT350 has -two- pumps β€” increasing the fuel delivery of the injectors even more so.

This only ties into the injectors and a ground. The only thing is makes work harder β€” is the injectors. If you're concerned about over taxiing injectors, that's influenced about how high a concentration of Ethanol you run β€” and how often you run that concentration.

Ethanol requires 30% more or so I hear.
 
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17Magnetic5.0

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This combined with the no tune pmas could be a decent power added for those not willing to void warranty yet.

I’ll admit from time to time I have run 87 octane especially on long highway trips just cruising and not needing the full power, I wonder if that’s too low of octane for this or if it would still work. Honestly if it does it would be pretty nice to have the choice of whatever fuel you wanted.
 
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Porsche_Manny

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E85 (which by the way, can be anywhere from E50-to-E80, there's no more oversight than that) is β€” near as makes no difference β€” 105 Oct (again β€” so I've been told).

And if the math I found to calculate octane is a correct formula β€” 50/50 of 87 and "true" E85 is theoretically 96 Oct or there about.

I just always run 93 and E.
 
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Porsche_Manny

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This combined with the no tune pmas could be a decent power added for those not willing to void warranty yet.
Most any power gains would likely be from the ProFlex and running Ethanol. I've tried tuneless intakes β€” and any intake that doesn't flow more air over a greater MAF diameter won't net too much.

Maybe throttle response? I've tried a few things on my car – but my best setup thus far is the OEM intake (true cold air that helps mitigate underhood heat soaking), the Power Pack Tune from Ford Performance β€” and -this- thing ⬆⬆⬆.
 
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Porsche_Manny

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This combined with the no tune pmas could be a decent power added for those not willing to void warranty yet.
Here's some good stuff regarding intakes on our engine:









He can sometimes be a døůčhΙ™ β€” but he knows it 😏 YDBT stands for Yolo Douche Bag Tuner I think, but he makes very good Coyote videos. Studied his about Ethanol when reading up on E85.

The benefit of a larger intake is more actual airflow β€” so much so that the MAF housing is actually larger, which necessitates the tune.

The benefit of E85 is... a bit more complicated. It doesn't have -more- energy per same amount than traditional gas, it actually has less BTUs. But it burns relatively cleaner β€” has more resistance to preignition β€” and that's octane in a nutshell. How much it can resist igniting before you want it to ignite. You can run more aggressive timing as a result, and the Mustang's ECM adds timing on its own with Adapative Octane Logic.

That's why even a tuneless car will feel a bit more pep with this. Let alone with a 91-93 tune that dials in more timing.

And even yet again more with a dedicated E85 tune. Which brings aggressive timing in earlier like a hammer.
 
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could have kept the frpp tune and just turned on flex fuel with an mpvi2 and 2 credits. $400 total. Would have given a whole new world of ECU control and ability to tweak. Or just change fuels and leave the frpp tune alone.

This is like uber eats.. twice as expensive for "ease" of use.

You'll likely make less peak power with out allowing more timing than that tune or any gas tune was setup for. If octane limited, a few ounces of boostane go along way and you keep your mpg.
 
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Porsche_Manny

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could have kept the frpp tune and just turned on flex fuel with an mpvi2 and 2 credits. $400 total. Would have given a whole new world of ECU control and ability to tweak. Or just change fuels and leave the frpp tune alone.

This is like uber eats.. twice as expensive for "ease" of use.

You'll likely make less peak power with out allowing more timing than that tune or any gas tune was setup for. If octane limited, a few ounces of boostane go along way and you keep your mpg.
There were cheaper ways, but what I wouldn't have paid in money – I would have had to pay in patience and time. Two things that I am in a serious deficit of.

I work on cars all day. Which means two things.

1) I've thought about clubbing engineers with their own kids until one of them stops crying. And I mean brandishing by the ankles and bringing them down.

2) I want my car to just "work" but maybe I want to try stuff to.

I found this to be the simplest way to try E85 without credits, or having to data-log and send revisions to someone. Like I said in my review thus far of it β€” I don't refute that you'll get more if you go the whole way with a tuner or learn to do it yourself.

I wanted the *plug**click*-"hey, I can use E85 now"-way. And just in case anyone as lazy or as exhausted as I am wanted to know β€” "but does it -really- work?" Yeah. It works. Thus far anyway. And the GT350 guys that tried it think so to.
 

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Pretty sure there is another thread about this.
 
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Here's β€” yet again 😏 β€” another 15-min video from YDBT on "Data Logging". He does an admirable effort (to say the -least-) at educating on how to get your tuner the information they need β€” and if you're prepared to do all this for your tunes β€” bless you and your dedication. I salute It β€” and if you have a good tuner (and listen to their directions), you should be rightly rewarded with horsepower and a resulting smile that would require plastic surgery to remove.



That being -said- β€” -I-... I can't. I just can't. After you've been upside down, under a dashboard, replacing something that someone engineered to last just long enough to screw your customer β€” and -you- β€” or trying to get to one, simple, 2-wire vacuum solenoid that controls a diaphragm-actuated water pump (and your partner asks why does it look like you delivered a calf out of cow that must have had teeth in its birth canal) β€” I appreciate a plug-it, click-it, whip-it solution.

Will some (maybe most) of your data-logged, dyno-tuned, lap-top-lasso'ed tunes make -more- power β€” well within the realm of possibility, and undoubtedly so.

But I made this thread to assuage any doubts that this isn't a good option for the laziest or exhausted of us that are curious about trying out Ethanol.

-I- wasn't disappointed. I have a box-tune, a drop-in panel filter, and this kit.

I'm stupid-happy with it. Just at E50, part-throttle and low-RPM acceleration are noticeably improved. I'm at 90 MPH on my highway-commute and it feels comfortable β€” like it isn't trying as much as it was on "regular" E10 93.

Lambda looks good, and I'm not losing nearly as much fuel-economy as I expected. And it -pulls-.

I'm not endorsing this as a better solution than the established E85-tuners. It's another option β€” and frankly, the only one I have patience for at the moment.
 

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So could this be done on a factory car without voiding warranty?
This is such a misnomer. Warranty isn't voided for mods but a warranty claim can be denied if the mod is blamed for a malfunction. However, say I need my my ac replaced on a warrantied mustang but I have an e85 tune or a blower and e85... warranty would still cover the work as the claim would not be denied.
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