Hi folks,

i have an EL XR8 series one with 163k on it. really good nick and tight motor with even compression, mods to date are EL GT extractors, high flow cats and all the way twin 2.25 exhaust. car also has all new ignition parts, major service and a K&N panel filter.

i done really want to pull the heads off a 163K motor as they are in such good nick so i wouldnt mind just getting the current setup tuned for a bit more power and economy.

my questions are these:

- who in SE melbourne do people recommend?
- what sort of gains can be had out of tuning a motor (its a daily too) in this form, iw with the basic mods?
- what sort of money am I talking about for a tune? (i know thats a broad question, only talking generally here)

thanks guys would be keen to hear peoples thoughts and experiences

Jason

slightly off topic, but you woudlnt have a sound/vid clip of your EL? Looking at the same exhaust as yours but no one has one on here it seems

btw, good thread. I'm interested in much the same (i have same car, same km's, same idea)

goodluck with it mate!

Jason,
I would put underdrives on it and bump your base timing a smidge before you get any tuning done. Also get yourself a 65mm t-body and EGR(or bore yours out to 65) and a 70mm AU maf body and put your hotwire on it. You'll get greater performance value out of those things than you will with a "tune"

ah ok this is interesting because i have been reading that without doing the heads/intake manifold which are the biggest restriction there is no point? is this not the case?

I also didnt realise you can change the hot wire in the throttle bodies? is that just a matter of removing the black electronics box and swapping them?

any risk that these mods will make my car run lean?

also what are your thoughts on unichips, chiptorque units etc as an alternative for gains vs. cost?

thanks for your input mate

Cheers

No point in what?
Head's and intake are the biggest restriction but you can still improve the performance before changing those items.
You can swap hotwires on the MAF's yes.
It does make it run slightly leaner which is one of the reasons you get an improvement in performance.
As for chips....I wouldn't use anything I couldn't tune myself. A custom tune is the only way to go.

yeah sorry i didnt write that clearly, yeah i ment that i had read there was no point changing them with the most restrictive items (heads/manifold) still in place. but if there is an improvement to be had i will definately do it.

what is the reason behind changing the hot wires? any chance of it running too lean with the bigger MAF?

cheers for the help

You change the hotwire only so you can still plug into your stock harness connector....the function of the electronics is the same.
It's possible you could run too lean only if some pretty unusual condtions were occurring ie; your fuel filter is nearly blocked, you fuel pump was nearly f**k,dodgy ECT or ACT sensors and or general disrepair of your vehicle. This is why Ford deliberately cals them rich in the top end....it's safer for the engine. There is not enough of a difference in the low end of the MAF transfer function to cause lean problems down there, besides mostly it's in closed loop in the low air mass/low load portion of the transfer function.

Back on the flow side of things...the heads are actually the worst part of the equation. A stock intake ported for a 65mm t-body on aftermarket heads like Edelbrock Performers will give you excellent performance.

Yeah alloy heads can give you an easy 50kw and remove 25kg off the front end.

thanks for the infor guys, much appreciated