MAF for v6???

Topic: MAF for v6??? (Read 1865 times) previous topic - next topic

MAF for v6???

September 17, 2009, 08:35:55 PM

Does anybody know if this possible to do? ...Or is it as dumb of a question as I think it probably is?

MAF for v6???

Reply #1 – September 17, 2009, 09:23:37 PM

Well, I was going to see what year model Cat you had, but it isn't in your profile, and IE couldn't seem to find the Cardomain link to your car. But, seeing as how I've been down this very road ....

If you have an MFI V6, possibly, yes. If you have a TBI (like mine), the answer is a resounding NO unless you spend a LOT of money for custom work.

My son has a 1990 MN12 bird, with a 3.8, with EFI, but it's still a bank-fired SD engine. That one would be much more easily converted using a later model Mustang harness and computer. Even being SD EFI, it'll still run circles around a SD TBI engine. That thing will scoot for a six banger. (All things being relative, of course)

But, to convert one of our TBI engines to SEFI/MAF? Gonna have to say Sorry, but no. There are no aftermarket intakes to fit our engine except for carb conversions. Our engine was designed with the same bolt pattern at the as the 5.0, generally speaking SB Ford V8s. I don't think that a later model Mustang SEFI is a simple bolt in either. I thnk the tranny has to be swapped as well because of the different bell housing. Some of the master mechanics may eat my lunch on this one, though. The big problem is the lack of performance parts available for our vintage engine. These things were designed in the recession of the 80's, and hot-rodding was going to become a thing of the past with computerized engines and 'high' gasoline prices. Little did we know back then.

I have considered taking a spare intake and mod it to do just this, and then use a later model MAF EEC on it. But, this is NOT a cheap option. Building it up, then boring it and finishing it for the injectors, and matching it to the heads would be a very expensive proposition without a machine shop in my own back yard. Then, an adapter would have to be fabricated to replace the TBI, and put on a newer style throttle body. The next problem is going to be intake runner length. They're very short on our intakes, which is probably going to make for an engine with no bottom end torque at all. I won't even start on the problems with the runners being unequal length. The engine would probably have plenty torque at higher RPM, though. To properly mix the air/fuel, that air needs to be hauling A$$ when it passes the injector on the intake stroke. The problems introduced by unequal runner lenght will probably prove to be the hardest obstacle.

I won't say it CANNOT be done, but I will say not on a reasonably limited budget. Be ready for some nasty problems before it becomes your dream engine. Plan B would be to get a V6 and AOD out of an MN12 and mod it in. This may require some driveshaft and support tweaking, though. I think the MFI first showed up in the 87's, but I'm not absolutely positive about that. The big problem with the MN12 version of the engine was head gaskets letting go. Some say the same about our vintage 3.8 too, but I've NEVER had a HG let go. I have two of them. The first one gave up at about 90000 miles because a moron mechanic left a rag under the intake when I had new intake and timing cover gaskets done on it. The rag wrapped around the cam, turned into lint, and blocked the oil pick-up, starving the bearings for oil. Otherwise, that engine would have had at least another 90000 in it. Timing cover and water pump gaskets, though, that's a whole other issue. These things LIKE to leak on the front end.

TBI is what it is, and there are very few mods that can be done to it. Putting a TBI from a 5.0 on it would probably be the most significant gain, and they can benefit from 1.7 rockers too. To my knowledge, though you'll never get neck breaking HP out of it. You can try smog deletes if you don't have inspections (which they don't in FL, right?).

The up side of this would be if you did it, you could come back in here and sell it like hotcakes. Approximately 85% of the Fox body CatBirds were produced with the 3.8. This is why the 5.0 swap is so popular. It's a LOT cheaper to just add two more cylinders than it is to try to mod the 6 we have.

MAF for v6???

Reply #2 – September 18, 2009, 12:13:43 AM

if you want maf for your v6 you need a engine harness and ecu from a 95 or up v6 car. and the upper and lower intake manifold, all the sensors. but its cheaper if you do the windstar intake setup with maf electronics so you gain more horsepower.

MAF for v6???

Reply #3 – September 18, 2009, 07:02:16 AM

My '91 T-Bird had a mass air V6. I believe a 91-95 T-Bird ECM and harness would be your best way to go, since 95+ Mustangs were OBD-II and much more complicated

MAF for v6???

Reply #4 – September 18, 2009, 07:11:57 AM

you would also have to remember the differences in the 87 and earlier blocks vs 88+ blocks so intakes may take a little work making fit due to the balance shaft in 88. yet newer motors still had the added length but without the balance shafts if i do recall correctly

MAF for v6???

Reply #5 – September 18, 2009, 09:23:42 AM

also, there is no difference between whats referenced as "TBI" and teh 1988 injection system.

both are wired pretty much the same to the eec. on the 1988 v6 , three injectors are bonded to one eec control pin and the same for the other three injectors.

The intake says "fuel injected" for a reason.

MAF for v6???

Reply #6 – September 18, 2009, 09:32:55 AM

All that work for what gain??? Stock the '87-'88 5.0 speed densety Stangs were quicker than any of the later mass air versions... I converted a stock 86 Stang to MA and it ran slower in the 1/4 mile, converted it back and was it's old self again...

MAF for v6???

Reply #7 – September 18, 2009, 12:25:59 PM

Just a fyi but 89-90 3.8 T-birds and Cougars were SD and SEFI. Only the 88 T-bird /Cougar was batchfire

. 91-97 3.8 T-birds and Cougars were MAF SEFI.

Also a MAF conversion is a waste of time on a 3.8. Just swap in a 5.0 or 2.3T :D

MAF for v6???

Reply #8 – September 18, 2009, 03:45:32 PM

Right... sorry was vague... its a 88 w/ mfi. i recently replaced the engine so its as good as new and in the process i added a custom CAI and put a funny littke ram style forced induction on the end of that in the grille. but i noticed ab7olutely no gain in anything with all this added flow and volume. then one day i was reading about maf for the v8 and realized that was probably most of my problem (with the exception of still stock exhaust piper of cousse but im workin on that now) so just wanted to give that a try. im typing this om my phone btw so sorry for bad grammars

MAF for v6???

Reply #9 – September 19, 2009, 12:18:26 AM

have you tryed upgrade your fuel pump in the tank, bigger throttle body and change your gear ratio with a traction lock rear end instead of trying to do maf on a v6

MAF for v6???

Reply #10 – September 19, 2009, 07:41:16 AM

You have a long way to go before you need to worry about going MAF. The only time you will really need to go MAF is if you swap a cam, and with the cost of the performance parts for a 3.8L, I wouldn't take it that far.

You can do a lot of little stuff to make the car more peppy without even needing to touch the computer. Exhaust, add some timing, electric fan, a decent cold air intake, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, a little porting, etc.

Some gears and a traction lock would make it act like it has more power.

It won't be fast, but it would be a decent gain, and probably surprise some stuff on the street.

MAF for v6???

Reply #11 – September 19, 2009, 02:40:35 PM

i agree if your going the extreme then go with lots of engine work and then go maf but dont just go straight into maf conversion for the price of just driving the car. my cougars not maf and it make tons of power just tbi for now.

MAF for v6???

Reply #12 – September 19, 2009, 05:48:47 PM

tc rear end conversion is in the plans. i wanted to put a bigger tb on it but i didnt think there were any that were compatible. all the ones i looked at off v6 stangs cougars and tbirds either didn.t bolt up right or didnt have anywhere to put thd idle air controller and i have no idea whether one from one of those cars will mate up with our cars ...kind of ignorant in that whole part swapaping area

MAF for v6???

Reply #13 – September 19, 2009, 05:59:47 PM

Oh and btw, as much as i would love to swap in a HO, unfortunately i do not have $1500 in my back pocket and limitless amounts of time to work on ny car like you guys all seem to... i am on a *very small* budget with *very big* dreams... sigh

MAF for v6???

Reply #14 – September 20, 2009, 10:16:35 AM

I wouldn't worry about the throttle body as of yet. It probably supports more power than you'll make and the gains may not be worth the effort.