5.0 EFI | Stock? Upgrade? How to tune?

603 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Arc_jpiv, 2 mo ago

Arc_jpiv

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

Hey y'all,
Got an '89 302 that I'm wanting to put in my fox body mustang. As easy as it would be to throw a four-barrel manifold and a holly on it, I'd like to run fuel injection on this engine. It's already got the stock setup on it, but I hear nobody likes those!

Would it be worth building an engine and using the stock intake/injectors with a tune, or going with a full standalone aftermarket setup? How do you even tune one of these? I know later cars can be tuned with obd2, and I've seen chips for these, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.

I'm sorry if these are some really novice questions, been a carb guy forever and I'
coming in with next to no knowledge on EFI. Closest I've ever had was a self tuning Holly sniper.

Looking forward to your feedback, thanks!

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heavyd5

· #2 · 2 mo ago

What are your intentions with the car? Plethora of bolt ons that work with the factory computer AND injectors. Heads, cam, intake, long tubes yield around 300hp to the wheels without changing a thing electronically.

Arc_jpiv

Discussion Starter · #3 · 2 mo ago

heavyd5 said:
What are your intentions with the car? Plethora of bolt ons that work with the factory computer AND injectors. Heads, cam, intake, long tubes yield around 300hp to the wheels without changing a thing electronically.

It's definitely going to need some kind of an ECU as it's a four-banger right now. The intentions just a fun weekend warrior it's quick enough to get out of its own way. I'm not looking for 700 horsepower or anything like that. I was thinking a slightly more aggressive cam with maybe a stroker kit. Maybe some heads in an intake in the future.

LEE Boss

· #4 · 2 mo ago

A stock block 5.0 with AFR 165's, 1.7 rockers, ported GT-40, off road H-pipe and a 75mm MAF will make a shade over 300 to the wheels without a tune or injectors. The stock cam is a good unit when compared to other manufacturer's "performance" production cams. For a daily or just an ice cream getter that's what i would do. If you don't tune definitely stay away from "stand alone aftermarket systems" no matter what the fan boys on here tell you. There is no such thing as self tuning.

Reactions: 1

LEE Boss

· #5 · 2 mo ago

Arc_jpiv said:
It's definitely going to need some kind of an ECU as it's a four-banger right now. The intentions just a fun weekend warrior it's quick enough to get out of its own way. I'm not looking for 700 horsepower or anything like that. I was thinking a slightly more aggressive cam with maybe a stroker kit. Maybe some heads in an intake in the future.

In that case go carb. Then you can do whatever you want and don't have to negotiate with Microsoft every time you step on the gas............ Get a Progression Ignition distributor for it. It will build a base timing table for you that you can play with for fine tuning, nitrous etc... It Bluetooths to your phone.

Arc_jpiv

Discussion Starter · #6 · 2 mo ago

LEE Boss said:
There is no such thing as self tuning.

Meant to say self learning.

Nitrous SSC

· #7 · 2 mo ago

Cheap and decent EFI, A9L computer with Moates or Tweecer. (Only cheap if you already have the harness and ECU)
Since you're familiar with the sniper if you already have a carb intake it would be a good choice.
Or upgrade to a Terminator X if you have a multi port intake already.

Arc_jpiv

Discussion Starter · #8 · 2 mo ago

Nitrous SSC said:
Cheap and decent EFI, A9L computer with Moates or Tweecer. (Only cheap if you already have the harness and ECU)
Since you're familiar with the sniper if you already have a carb intake it would be a good choice.
Or upgrade to a Terminator X if you have a multi port intake already.

Right now it's got the stock 5.0 EFI intake. I'm just trying to figure out what I should use before I start ordering parts. I'll look into both of those.

Bentley

· #9 · 2 mo ago

Nitrous SSC said:
Cheap and decent EFI, A9L computer with Moates or Tweecer. (Only cheap if you already have the harness and ECU)
Since you're familiar with the sniper if you already have a carb intake it would be a good choice.
Or upgrade to a Terminator X if you have a multi port intake already.

Didn't Moates close??

kjb302ho

· #10 · 2 mo ago

p heads, b cam, 24# 75mm pro m bullet, stock air box explorer intake. 190lph in tank

all that for far less a set of overpriced afr heads. and no tune needed.

93Cobra#2771

· #11 · 2 mo ago

Honestly, for the plans you have, you won't need a tune. Slap a stock style system on there and roll with it.

Reactions: 1

89fast5oh

· #12 · 2 mo ago

Bentley said:
Didn't Moates close??

Yes.

Reactions: 1

superirish

· #13 · 2 mo ago

You won't necessarily need a tune just because you swap some parts around, it can help, but not mandatory. The stock cam can work pretty decent with the right supporting equipment.

This is a good thread to read through.

www.corral.net

Post your GT40 setups here

I have been looking for a thread like this and I may have missed it so let me know if I did. But, it would be sweet if everyone posted their GT40 combos. Please post your full mod list (head specs, cam, intake, any/all port work, timing, exhaust) race weight, track times, and dyno numbers...

www.corral.net

superirish

· #14 · 2 mo ago

This is another one.

www.corral.net

Who is committed to running a stock roller cam?

Please post up your stock cammed combo and why you are sticking with a stock cam. Don't wanna here that stock cams suck, etc. Wanna know what people are doing while retaining a stock cam. Thank you everyone. UPDATED 10/9/2018 Why: I'm staying stock cam. Mine is an 85GT that has been upgraded...

www.corral.net

Arc_jpiv

Discussion Starter · #15 · 2 mo ago

So I'm going to run a mild build with the stock intake and injectors. Would I need to swap my ECU from the 4 cylinder to a V8 ECU? If so, should I get a used stock one? Thanks!

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