Limited knowledge, willing to learn.

So, I've been looking around at these forums ALOT for the past couple weeks and figured I'd ask a few things on here, they've been said before I'm aware, but alot of those threads are quite old.

Also, It should be said I have an extremely limited budget (17, looking for a new job only income is from freelance programming work and side jobs fixing broken electronics) along with limited knowledge on engines. (I'm quite aware how they work, just no hands on time involving anything within the the engine itself. pretty much just textbook stuff)


Anyway, I was just looking for some advice on a few ideas I had, this is a pretty long winded post so please forgive as I'm just gonna toss all my Q's in one post.

its a 4.0L OHV RWD, 110% stock. (Well outside of some offroad lights cause im paranoid of deer out here and a switch that controlled my transmission pressure, soon to be removed now that i can control it "properly" with the PCM)

Here are some of my plans, looking for any criticism or new ideas. I plan on doing this in a cheapest first fashion since I got the most "important" part I guess you can say out of way with having a flash tuning unit and the ability to tune it myself.

1) Homemade coldair intake, basicly just taking the air box off and going to drop strait down as low as I can and tossing a cone filter on.(Without getting to much water in the intake). If you think I should just go with a new one let me know, I'v mostly looked at K&N stuff which seems grosely overpriced for a tube with a conefilter.

2) I allready have the sniper special forces software/tuner (Just got it, can't use it yet as its about 1/2 birthday present, I just flashed it changing the transmission settings to make sure I didnt buy a brick.) and I was wondering how dumb you think I'm being by not having EGT's or a wideband and just gonna go by reading the (new) plugs. It's a bit dumb but I simply dont have the $ for the proper gauges at the moment, but of a tough time with "family" issues. But I am happy to spend alot of time working on this making small increments and double checking everythings fine. and how much you guesstimate I can advance the timing on 87 oct? (92 isnt much of an issue if itll make up for it with a difference in fuel milage, this is a daily driver.)

3) Speaking of plugs, I can't seem to find a "well defined" oppinion (do they exist?) on them, I'm looking at NGK G-Series (Cheap platinum plugs, for the price I doubt the platinum is little more than funny colored steel), anyone used them?

4) Anyone used water/methonal on these? I'm going to be going with a homemade setup on it once I can get a suitable pump for cheap (dang fleamarkets suck in the winter. cmon spring

5) Not gonna go with NOS untill I have the water/methonal pump, one to many horror stories from friends. (Ofcourse there ricers, one managed to put the nozzle on backwards... )

6) Debating on leaving the hydrogen cell I made on there. Its strait o2/h2 into the air intake, makes about 0.4/L a minute. Or...using it as a fuel source for my potato cannon as I cant seem to notice a big difference in fuel economy. It does however idle quieter (at the same rpm) with the cell on.

7) Throttle body, 66mm bbk is what I was thinking. after I have a new intake. as for the MAF, I'v heard untill you get into some higher end mods its really just not worth it, is this correct?

Once again, sorry for the long winded thread, there'll be plenty more, I go on alot of rants and many thanks for any help I get, this is more of a "fun" thing for me to do and learn with, I'm not really looking to be a die hard street racer. But country roads and honda owners sure are a fun combo

P.S. For what its worth I also know a bit about ciruitry design, If theres some type of cheap mod that would require soldering, or modding circuits in place I'm quite comfortable doing it. Although I dont think there's any :/ O and no, the A/C isnt coming off, summers get hot here and while im happy with the windows down, it tends to mess up long blonde hair.

...and get me yelled at.

 

[Donner]

Welcome! I have no advice for you about your post, but I'm learning, and I will suggest you keep ice, water, and bandages near by. Oh, I guess I could mention to search Platinum plugs, you'll see a lot about plugs there. Good luck!

 

[jah81592]

For plugs, unfortunately contrary to popular belief the standard copper plugs are best for spark delivery and performance. The downside, you have to routinely change them. I recommend Champion coppers for your application. Champion give a 2 year/unlimited mileage warranty on thier copper plugs. I personally run them in my turbocharged setup. Platinum is optimum for longevity but isn't optimal for any performance application.
Please remember that the MAF meter is the most important sensor in the Ford fuel injection. Be careful making home made air kits, they can drive you crazy with irratic a/f ratios. Kits such as MAC are engineered to work with your vehicle and do real well. Meth-for a non boosted application... Hmm, I would put my money elsewhere. -j

 

[killer7]

For plugs, unfortunately contrary to popular belief the standard copper plugs are best for spark delivery and performance. The downside, you have to routinely change them. I recommend Champion coppers for your application. Champion give a 2 year/unlimited mileage warranty on thier copper plugs. I personally run them in my turbocharged setup. Platinum is optimum for longevity but isn't optimal for any performance application.
Please remember that the MAF meter is the most important sensor in the Ford fuel injection. Be careful making home made air kits, they can drive you crazy with irratic a/f ratios. Kits such as MAC are engineered to work with your vehicle and do real well. Meth-for a non boosted application... Hmm, I would put my money elsewhere. -j

Hmm, you make a good point about the MAF. I might toy around with one sometime and watch my MAF voltage.

On the champions, Iv heard nothing but bad things about them except from my dad. I don't mind changing them allot, keeps be busy. I guess I'll start reading up on those. (And yea, I did read on plugs here and I was just wondering about NGK, which I couldnt find anything about)

as for the water/meth system, I was thinking maybe just being able to keep a few degrees of timing on cheap gas if I ever find a long country road on my way home. and as a bit of a safety net for nitrous if I go that route. Would it work for this? (Not allot of info I can find about running them on NA applications). the price isn't much of an issue as all I need is a pump and im keeping my eye open to try and find a shurflo for cheap.

Thanks a ton for the help I really appreciate it

 

[jah81592]

I have a local clientel with auto's I built all boosted Mustangs,Vettes and Camaros,Explorers,F150's. If they come to my shop then they get Champions unless otherwise requested. As far as a failure, I have had failures from NGK and several from Bosch, to date ZERO from Champions... My truck-runs Champions. Champion did have probs around 25 years ago but haven't heard of any lately. The quality control has definately improved over the last decade. As far as NGK being a better plug, I doubt it! They just market well.

BTW- If you are running a wet nitrous kit then the Meth won't be necessary. I would definately pull a few degrees timing with N2O. As far as running meth and 87 octane, run 93 you will save a bunch of headaches. You can buy a bunch of 93 for the price of a meth kit and meth.-j

 

[killer7]

Ah, Im still kinda in a toss up between NGK and champions. Starting to lean towards champions although iv heard alot of cases of them seizing to the block.

As for the meth, I don't mean as a replacement for fuel, I mean as an octane booster so I can use 87 or 93oct (Most likely 93) with more advanced timing.

Heck I could just run water for that really, I dont need a meth kit as I have all I need, just lacking the pump, only reason why I'm even considering it cause in my situation its a cheap, although limited usefullness, upgrade.

On a side note, assuming a truck is set up to be ~2 degrees from knocking on 93 octane and someone decides to put 87 in it (Yes family members barrow my truck and there cheap) would the computer's knock sensor be able to retard the timing enough automaticly or would it be new piston buying time?

Remind me to buy a lock for my gas cap heh

P.S. I would never buy a dry nitrous kit.

 

[jah81592]

As far as Champions seizing in the block, any plug can do that. Especially with an aluminum headed vehicle. Always us anti seize on the threads of any plug and seizing problems are eliminated. As far as the knock sensor, in the SCT software you can choose how much knock retard can be assigned to the knock sensor. I am not aware if you can do this in the special forces software. I believe the Special Forces software is of the "drop down menu" style tuning. Yes the knock sensor can pull the correct amount of timing when properly assigned.-j

 

[chriswells78]

Not in SF but you can in Commando. You can also upgrade your software by calling Sniper, they will send you the files you need to upgrade for the price difference between SF and Commando. Some dealers will alter your tune file for you too.

 

[rocket 5979]

If I were you I would not even bother with the meth injection whether it be N/A or even if you are doing nitrous on your vehicle. If I were you I would save your money with the meth kit and put it somewhere else better used.

 

[killer7]

Yea, about SF to commando. thats a pretty big price gap and is out of my range at the moment.

SF is just some drop down boxes really, its tuning for dumbies. You can advance/retard timing and adjust fuel trims in RPM ranges (high, mid and low ranges)

Overall, for someone just learning I think its a nice setup. Once I feel more comfortable and need more specilized tuning the prices will probly be down on the software upgrade.

I enjoy tuning it myself, I'm not really in it for "out of the box" performance, but for performance I setup and the learning expirience. So I don't plan on getting it tuned by someone else.


About the spark plugs, yea your right. It just happens I guess more people voice there opinion on champions than NGK although it happens with both.

about the meth kit, ill say it again, i have everything but the pump, and if I get a pump for $20 at the fleamarket I'll do it just for laughs even. its not a priority.

And yea, you're right the knock prevention it provides isnt much on a N/A engine, even with nitrous from what I've read.. Maybe if it was high compression.

Thanks a ton you guys, your a great resource to have around

 

[Donner]

Autolite was the search word, not Platinum. Sorry, brain fart...

 

[killer7]

Autolite was the search word, not Platinum. Sorry, brain fart...

Heh, you should see some of the simple things I've managed to screw up....it would be enough to even make darwin wonder how natural selection hasn't eliminated me