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so i was at my dealership talking with my tech and we decided to see if there was a software update for my svt. turns out there wasnt :( but then we started to see whatelse we can do with the ids. turns out we can m-adjust what kind of fuel to use
all the way down to like 80 octane :huh: or up to like 110 octane :D
so we played it safe and went from the factory 91 and adjusted it to 93.
he told me to listen for pinging just to be safe eventhough i run sunoco. no pinging evident in the motor, but if feels more slugish then ever at mid to low rpms. coincidence or what and if not what the hell can it be?
i hate to bother him again with my bulls***
sounds like he adjusted the octane scalar.. what it does, IIRC, is adjust the timing to account for engine wear over time.

I believe this actually will lower timing somewhat to remove pinging in an older engine... and is not a recommended way of tuning. You're better off having it reset to stock.

If you want a better tune, check out some solutions that FocusSport and/or Steeda has. There are aftermarket tunes out there that could get you a bit more power and better driveability out of the car.
Yeah, I agree with what puppet said...

If I wanna change ANYTHING under my hood on the stang, I need to have it reflashed/tuned every time, and well...there aren't really tunes out there for 87 octane, which the 4.6 was designed to run on...then again, maybe I'd get more fuel economy overall with higher grade fuel, and the difference in price at the pump when compared to mileage might be favourable...

Anyways, best of luck to ya!
on Horsepower tv last weekend they had a programmer that mounted to you window with a touch screen, kinda looked like a gps device. but it gave you a bunch of programing options:

-the ablity to swich you optimal set up for the octane gas your running.

- a cockpit dyno

- wheel size adjustments

-air fuel control

but it cost $700 usd


i wish i could remember the stupid name....grrrr
ya im not sure if the change in octane level is the direct reason behind the sluggish feeling but im gonna bring it in soon and up it to 94 octane and see if she pings!

the only supporting mod i have is a k/n fipk intake
chances are upping it to 94 octane is only going to make it slower.. any pinging might be due to timing being too low.

I'll try to remember to check my software when I get home tonight.

Ian, half the problem with parts all needing a retune on the GT is because they made the parts 'wrong' (no in the literal sense).

For example, the cold air intakes all swap the MAF into a larger diameter tube = needs a tune.

Most of the mods I see are similar in that they change something that affects the computer's knowledge of the engine.

which is funny.. because you see a CAI that'll add 15-20HP... it only gets maybe 1 or 2 via actual airflow improvement. The rest of it comes with a 91 octane tune.

BTW, you know how AEM managed it's somewhat impressive HP gains? They put the MAF in a slightly larger diameter MAF tube. If you look at a dyno chart of an AEM, you can see where the diameter difference was learned out at part throttle.. then the HP comes on in WOT because it leans out the A/F slightly.

People, seriously, don't do tuning half-assed on these new cars. HP by tune is done by adjusting the commanded a/f at WOT on a properly tuned MAF transfer function and timing... It's not something your ford mechanic can just do by modifying just one scalar.
darkpuppet,Dec 14 2006, 07:25 PM Wrote:chances are upping it to 94 octane is only going to make it slower.. any pinging might be due to timing being too low.

I'll try to remember to check my software when I get home tonight.

Ian, half the problem with parts all needing a retune on the GT is because they made the parts 'wrong' (no in the literal sense).

For example, the cold air intakes all swap the MAF into a larger diameter tube = needs a tune.

Most of the mods I see are similar in that they change something that affects the computer's knowledge of the engine.

which is funny.. because you see a CAI that'll add 15-20HP...  it only gets maybe 1 or 2 via actual airflow improvement.  The rest of it comes with a 91 octane tune.

BTW, you know how AEM managed it's somewhat impressive HP gains?  They put the MAF in a slightly larger diameter MAF tube.  If you look at a dyno chart of an AEM, you can see where the diameter difference was learned out at part throttle.. then the HP comes on in WOT because it leans out the A/F slightly.

People, seriously, don't do tuning half-assed on these new cars.  HP by tune is done by adjusting the commanded a/f at WOT on a properly tuned MAF transfer function and timing...  It's not something your ford mechanic can just do by modifying just one scalar.
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k so what ur saying then all r toying around and trying to squeeze a few more hp by adjusting the timing according to octane levels is useless and i should go back to 91?
^-- in this case yup.

if you want to bump up your base timing to the borderline knock spark, and advance your borderline spark a bit, then you'd be ready for a higher octane..

but adjusting that one scalar won't do a lick of good IMO.