Introduction One of the most common modifications that require recalibration of the ECM are changing injectors and changing Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensors. For the rest of this article, we’re going to assume that you’ve already read the articles explaining basic MAF operation and a model for injectors.  We’re going to discuss how to properly […]

Introduction This article is being written to answer the most basic questions about what to shoot for when tuning an engine.  This is not intended to be absolutely what you must do – it’s intended to be a starting point for those who don’t know any better. Prerequisitites This article will assume you have read […]

This article provides a full overview of options and procedures for Ford-based tuning solutions. Everything is discussed, including year/model coverage, hardware compatibility, software licensing, cost breakdown, and tuning strategies. Read through this evolving article if you’re interested in Ford EEC tuning.

Introduction / Prerequisites Before you read this, make sure you have read Theory: Alpha-N, Theory: Mass Air Flow and the FordOverview.  Although not essential, it wouldn’t hurt to have at least read about Speed-Density operation as well.  This page will assume you have read and understood these pages.  This is a somewhat complicated topic and […]

Introduction As stated in our overview of MAF systems, one of their main weaknesses are air leaks.  Whenever air can enter the engine without going through the MAF, weird things happen. There are two principal kinds of leaks that wreak havoc on MAF systems – constant leaks (like a unplugged vacuum port) and mechanically induced […]

Introduction If you’re completely new to burning chips, you may want to take a look at the Beginners’ Guide before reading the rest of this article.  You will probably still need to read this guide in order to choose the correct programming parameters unless you’re in the situation where you’re programming a chip that is the […]

Introduction What makes engine management tricky is that even the best theoretical models fail to accurately represent physical behavior in certain situations.  All engine controllers would use the same logic and procedures for running the engine 100% of the time if there was a perfect engine control strategy.  Instead, most engine management schemes incorporate several […]

Introduction Before you read this, you should already have read the articles on Injector Theory and Speed-Density.  This article will not make much sense without the background information in those articles. First, vocabulary: ECM, ECU, Engine computer : used interchangeably to mean the computer operating the fuel injectors and running the engine RPM : Revolutions […]

Introduction Be prepared to do a lot of reading in the numerous side links on this page.  More information that is beyond the scope of this overview will be available. “Mass Air Flow” (MAF, for short) is a method of measuring airflow into an engine in order to supply an appropriate amount of fuel and […]

Introduction If you do not have a strong background in physics and chemistry, be prepared to do a lot of reading in the numerous side links on this page.  This isn’t intended to be a brutal presentation of the topic, but theoretical concepts are necessary in order to be able to understand what is going […]

This is going to be rather brief because Alpha-N is rarely used as the primary strategy for engine management today.  You should at least know what it is because it is often used as a “sanity check” for primary control strategies. Alpha-N is also sometimes called “TPS maps” because the only sensor that is used […]

Introduction Understanding your fuel injectors is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that fueling is appropriate for your engine.  First, some vocabulary: ECM, ECU, Engine computer : used interchangeably to mean the computer operating the fuel injectors and running the engine AFR, Air – Fuel Ratio : the ratio between […]