I am building a shit box and want to stick a a9l ecu in my 95 because its cheap, I'm cheap, and the cars cheap. I could do the mail order tune, but from the research I am doing this a9l swap is as cheap as it gets. Remaned a9l's are around 100 bucks and I am a mechanic and do alot of wiring repairs, pin outs, ect for a living so it sounds like it would take me an hour to do the repin and I have a few fan controllers sitting here. Mail order chips are 200+ and you have to get a new one done every time you do anything to the car and it sounds like alot of people make alot of power with a9l's without tunes(maybe a MAF extender). So my question is why do you need an aftermarket ignition box? I can't find any definative answers on the net and don't get why you would? I don't care that the t4mo is better the problem is it needs messed with to work and I don't have the time or money for that right now.

 

I presume this is a turbo build.

The A9L uses a single timing curve under WOT. REALLY not good for a turbo install. Without something to retard timing under boost, you either (1) get way too much timing, (2) have to retard the distributor base timing and make drivability suffer, or (3) use a locked out distributor (again, not ideal for drivability). Adding an MSD 6 BTM or similar would both adjust the timing for boost and give a hotter spark.

 

So the aftermarket ign module is only really needed for the boost retard function? I thought maybe the A9L wouldn't control the stock 94/95 module, but like I said all the stuff I read says to do it but gives no reasoning. The car is N/A for now but plan on building a turbo kit for it later on and don't want to mess with mail order tunes trying to get it to run right before and after. The dyno tuner is 2 hours away and expensive and so is hauling it there.

 

I think you may need to swap in the older TFI module as well. I believe '94-'95 used computer controlled dwell modules and earlier ones did not.

Without real tuning, this isn't going to make all the power it can be making. Some of the fudging the MAF calibrations can get the air/fuel ratio OK, but the real secret to getting all the power and drivability out of an engine is good spark table tuning.

 

I probally should just put a ms1 on it and learn how to tune the thing.

 

Looks like there are pushstart/manual(Grey) modules and computer controlled dwell/auto(black) modules? The only diff is the last letter on the part no between 93/auto 93/manual and 95. The push start just allows for longer dwell so you can push start easier. I still don't know why you would need a ignition box in all reality all they do is create more power for spark. I might just buy the 100 dollar ecu and do the pin swap and try it to see if it works or not.

 

I would run a Safeguard system by J and S. It allows you individual cyclinder knock control and boost retard as well as ignition. Check them out http://www.jandssafeguard.com/

They are great for tuning

 

Just use a t4mo or up40 cbaza strategy

 

I have thought about buying a moates or tweecer, but for the price if I was going to do either I would just put a megasquirt on it and build a new harness and use a wideband and let it tune itself. I am trying to do this sucker cheap either with a chip from Lasota for 180 or a A9L from Oreilys for 140. What I like about the A9L is its cheaper and reacts to mods better. I don't want to be sending the chip back in to reflash every other month when I decide to regear or find a set of long tubes or build a turbo kit for it. Hell they won't even do mail order T4MO chips for forced induction. I printed the pinouts off alldata and am getting the pin switch in order I am gonna just do it.

 

Just found out why you have to run an ignition box. It is because of something to do with the difference in timing control the car will run but will not rev over 4k rpm aftermarket ignition boxes get rid of the factory rev limit. So I need a BAP/MAP, repin, MSD 6AL(can put a boost retard on it later) and a fan controler.

 

Well shit I emailed Pro M and they say even though I just bought the meter a 2 weeks ago that its gonna be 100 bucks to reset. So I called Lasota racing (supposed to be the best in the business doin the moates chips for 94/95's) and asked about a chip and guess what no mail order chips for any anything but stock stangs, says you can never get the tune right and says no one will sell ya a real(non bama or superchip) mail order chip for these cars because of it. Only dyno tuned chips or quarterhorse/tweecers. So I am at a crossroads and am really being pushed towards the A9L even though I have to buy a 200 dollar 6AL, 140 dollar A9L, 100 reburn on the MAF, and a BAP and connector. I am gonna call the Dyno's Edge in Albuquerque just to see what is would cost to dyno tune and burn a chip, but I bet its alot more expensive then a A9L swap.

 

Stock ignition blows out too easy. An ign box keeps the fire lit at high rpm much better. Been there, done that. Has nothing at all to do with timing. You can control the timing in the tune, or by twisting the dizzy. Don't buy an MSD, get a Crane or Accel box. You will need the ign box no matter which ECU you go with.

 

Street tuning. Sn95 car self tuned. Technically you can mail order tune these things. You datalog, email the tune, guy edits the tune, then emails it to you, then u write it to the QH. Shit i could take active command if you had internet at the same time and tune it in real time.

 

Im gonna order a kit and build a ms2. Cheapest option and it gets away from a maf.

 

When i was at the moates tuning class a guy showed up with a ms2 and said the hell with it. Maf was the ticket. Always going to be different opinions. I understand the maf system so its what im comfortable with.

 

You will be more than happy with the MS2.

When boost tuning, ditching the MAF is the best thing to do. After dicking around with a ABACO tunable MAF, TWEECER, the MS was a God send. Car never ran so well and that was ms1 extra. I've since upgraded to ms3 and the extra tables have been great, the extra functions, additional idle control, all the inputs and outputs, boost control, nitrous, two step, 3 step, anti lag, two stage methanol injection control, air fuel ratio safety, fuel/oil pressure safety. I could go on. It's a no brainer...

 

you don't need an ignition box, you can get custom mail order chips for sn94-95's, its no different than any other ford ecu, people do mail order chips all the time

I've never heard of a 4k rev limit??

If you want cheap, just get yourself an f3 chip and jaybird from moates.net, total price would be $150 and you can make any tune changes you want

http://info.efidynotuning.com/t4m2.htm

the tuning software is free in the link above