[94T-Bird]

I am still somewhat confused about MAF sensors.
I read alot of posts that removing MAF increases performance and mileage.
I read elswhere that it does nothing....which is correct?
What kinda changes does it make?
How do I take it out?

Also.....is there a way to advance the timing without a chip?

 

[Robinson]

there is absolutely no benefit to removing your MAF. i dont remember seeing that written anywhere. there are old articles on flipping it, but that wont do you any good either. leave it be.

 

[WhiteBird101]

Like j-rob said, no benifit in removing the maf, nor boring nor flipping the maf.

Also.....is there a way to advance the timing without a chip?

Yes, but 99.9% percent of the different ways are extremely ghey. The .1% is using a chip. Chip is really the only intelligent option, and safest one to boot.

 

[AverageJoe]

Well, ours cars would run without the MAF, I know that (forgot to plug it back in, oops) but man, they don't run very well, I'll tell ya that much. Save some cash and pick up a 80mm Mustang MAF and a Dennis chip. There's truly no other way to safely modify the car's timing and it'll give you a bigger performance boost than the timing alone.

 

[NickFL]

Like j-rob said, no benifit in removing the maf, nor boring nor flipping the maf.

Yeah...I did that boring crap...I have my new 80mm LMAF sitting on my dining room table, and am gonna get the new chip next week. Now I just need to figure out what I need to do with my air filter setup. I know...I am not trying to start up that debate again. I just havent decided which way I want to go. I am anxious to get rid of my hacked up MAF. I have been lucky though...The car has run fine, and no codes have been thrown.

 

[94T-Bird]

thanks, but....

... the only chip I have found in my neck of the woods (British Columbia, Canada...the country that made 1989-1993 t-birds a prohibited import) is the hypertech chip.
Where can I get a Dennis chip?
What is the price for a Dennis chip and for an 80mm MAF??
Thank you in advance to all who respond.
This site is great and I am so glad I found it. My bird is pretty much stock and it is time to do some upgrades.

 

[Big-Al]

http://www.reinhartautomotive.com/

"Call him at home....call him late !"

 

[AndyR]

Also.....is there a way to advance the timing without a chip?

yes.
A Steeda timing adjuster.
Most guys who are 'In the know' say it's not good cause it 'tricks' the EEC.
Take that however you want...

I had one till I got my EEC flashed;
all I know is, it worked.

 

[WhiteBird101]

A Steeda timing adjuster.

This is in the 99.9% of ghey ways to do it. Glad you fixed it though.

 

[AndyR]

I honestly and truely want to know...

What is so "ghey" about a Timing Adjuster?
Not trying to start a fight, but a disscusion;
All I've been told is that it 'Tricks' the EEC, and this is bad? somehow?

The thing did what it was advertised to do, ie: Made my car faster.
It knocked a tenth or so off my e/t in the 1/8th mile. It was fairly inexpensive and not too aweful hard to install.
If it was on there now I could retard the timing and probably curb this spark knock I've got. Hopefully, there's a part goin bad and causing it(i'm in the process of finding it) because if it's in the tune then I've got to take my EEC out and send it to someone, and we all know the car won't run with out the EEC, and she's my only mode of transportation...kinda got off on a tangent there, sorry.

inlighten me sir

 

[Robinson]

knock eh? which part do you think is causing it?

 

[AndyR]

lean on both banks

got so bad it threw a code once, had it checked and reset at the parts store and it hasn't come back on. It's worse in the heat and it was very hot that day.

I'm leanin toward the fuel pressure regulator. I've already changed the 02's and it didn't help anytning.
If I change it(it should get to my house today) and it's not the problem, I'm only out 40bucks and at 145k, I don't reckon It'd hurt to change it anyway.

It's been tuned this way since the end of June of '01 and I didn't notice it knocking till Easter of this year. I use 93 octaine always and from the same place as always.

and don't get me wrong, I love the tune. But when something ain't exactly right, your options are limited.

 

[AverageJoe]

Have you hooked up a fuel perssure guage to see how much pressure you're actually getting?

 

[WhiteBird101]

Like you said, the ghey ways of increasing timing fool the eec. Chip is the proper and unghey way to do it. It is not 1960 anymore. We do not have carburators. Don't get me wrong, i have nothing against carburators, but this is the 21 century. Computers have taken over the new car world. Computers are your FRIEND, and if used correctly, will provide you with many hours of high horsepower fun. But when you make the computer your enemy, it will fit you back, making any attempt to compensate for what you have done. Take adjustable fuel pressure regulators. These should also be the enemy of eec's. Lets say you crank up the fuel pressure, and your car gains some hp. The computer detects the increased fuel flow, and after awhile, will compenstate, negating your hp gain. What have you gained? Hmm?

 

[AndyR]

was going to...

but I don't have a gauge.
If it's runnin lean it's obviously getting more air than fuel.

My friend has one, but the adaptor for it is gone.
so, I could spend $30 to make the gauge work find out it's low then spend another $40 for a regulator, or go ahead and spend just $40 and get the regulator.

 

[AverageJoe]

Is there a male fitting on the guage? I'm not sure about Fords, but I know on GMs that you can use any pressure guage that'll measure liquid pressures and an A/C filling hose to hook it up to the fuel rail. If you have acess to a setup like that, it might not be 100% accurate, but it'll be correct to within 2-3psi which should tell you if its your fuel pressure causing a lean condition.

 

[94T-Bird]

very common lean reason....

This mat help, check the vacuum T connecter at the back of the engine right on top under the coolant hose.....I know not technical......but I am not a mechanic but I do know some stuff...the vacuum T there is a very common part to wear out. It will wear right in the joint of the T causing a lean code to be thrown. My uncle is a mechanic and has seen this in T-birds Cougars Mustangs and Crown Vics. Mine just wore out last week .
To check turn on engine and run finger over the T if it is split you won't see it but your finger will be sucked to the hole.
Hope this helps someone.

 

[AverageJoe]

That and you should hear a loud hissing coming from the engine with the hood up. Just last week I had to replace the two vacuum hoses that come fromthe PCV valve and down the side of the engine bay because they rotted out. So if you ever hear what sounds like a loud hissing from the fuel pressure regulator, check those hoses. thats what it was on mine.

 

[Josh_Keady]

White Bird, I'm still confused about what's actually wrong with "tricking" the ECM? I don't know how the timing adjuster works, so I can't say yea or ney, could you enlighten me? I mean, beyond the "friends with the ECM" metaphor ;-) Lay some tech on me dude! I can take it!

 

[Leto]

Re: very common lean reason....

This mat help, check the vacuum T connecter at the back of the engine right on top under the coolant hose.....I know not technical......but I am not a mechanic but I do know some stuff...the vacuum T there is a very common part to wear out. It will wear right in the joint of the T causing a lean code to be thrown. My uncle is a mechanic and has seen this in T-birds Cougars Mustangs and Crown Vics. Mine just wore out last week .
To check turn on engine and run finger over the T if it is split you won't see it but your finger will be sucked to the hole.
Hope this helps someone.

Ooooo.... I have the two Engine Lean codes in both banks AND the hissing. (which btw, fades away after ~20 seconds after the car has been turned off and seems to come from about the spot where the air filter box is, or near there. Seems also more like "front of the engine" to me.

So I went out and tried to find said "T", but couldn't find it.
Someone care to point it out to me a little more specific? I saw a big big coolant hose running to the radiator from the front of the engine, which is near the hissing, but couldn't see any T vacuums.

P.S. Back of engine is direction back of car, right?