So this spring I will be pulling my immaculate 35k mile 305 TPI and replacing with a 383, Vortec AFR, Super Ram w/ highflow base, 1.6RR, LPE219 cam, Dyno Dons, and GMMG.

One spot I have not thought about or explored yet is the chip/tune.

I have zero knowledge or equipment to tune myself and Im not worried about having the "perfect" tune at start up but what chip should I have in there to have the most successful startup and get me going and having fun. I highly doubt the 305 chip would be sufficient, what about a factory 350 chip?

 

Moates.net has everything needed for do it yourself. The diy tuning section is very helpful to get you started. Or there are other ecms like dynamic efi system. If speed density I’d start with setting injector flow rate, offsets for injectors and cid and a conservative timing table. A wideband gauge will really help you dial in fuel.

 

I would like to maybe eventually get into tuning but currently that is way over my head. I just looked up the Dynamic EFI system and that looks attractive from what I do understand. Especially since they are based only less than an hour from me.

There is little chance of me assembling this engine, installing it, and learning and successfully tuning and having this thing on the road any time this upcoming season.

Do I have any "good enough" options until I undertake my own tuning.

 

I would try burning a base chip somewhat based off of the 350 tpi cars with some changes for your setup. Mild easy to do changes for now. See what happens on first idle. I would disable closed loop and bump commanded idle speed, smooth out the timing table and maybe bump it up a few deg at idle. Not to hard to do for a first start.

i would strongly recommend a wideband o2 sensor to watch air fuel ratio. See where its at once it fires and if you need to make changes you can quickly before letting engine warm up more. Once its stable enough and running you can let it warm up and check for leaks, etc. Do your heat cycles and retorque any bolts as needed. Work the fuel table at idle when warm to get open loop idle around 14-14.5:1 and you can do some revs in park to work the higher rpm higher vacuum areas prior to driving car to see how it goes.

im in pittsburgh area and do dyno and street tuning so if you need help let me know

 

I used the original 305 chip to start with, for about a year. BUT, I used Desktop Dyno to get HP/Torque numbers. I was able to enter the cam specs, lift, etc. Then I got the head flow numbers off the internet, and read the instructions on what items to select when using headers. After getting the HP/Torque numbers, I determined the flow rate needed for the injectors. I could not find exactly what I needed, but Ford had one that would work. Ford runs at 38psi, but when you put it on a GM running at 45psi (I think, it’s been a while), you overdrive it to what I needed. I think I found that formula on the net also. I stared with the 305 chip and kept taking the plugs out to check the color and they were perfect. I later had a chip burned with the new parameters and a lower setting for the radiator fan to kick in. A couple of years later I ran the car on a Mustang Dyno and the numbers came out within 5 hp of the desktop dyno. (Calculating the at the wheels number at 80% of crank power). I used the 80% number because the torque converter was a 2200 stahl and I never really hooked up till 3800rpm.

The engine is a 406, 9.6 compression, 5.7 rods, stock TPI, and SLP 1 3/4 inch stainless steel headers. I built it to be a torque monster and limit the rpm to around 4500 max since that’s about all the stock TPI will flow enough air for. So the chip does not know the engine is bigger, and doesn’t know the injectors are bigger, so it worked just fine. I see you will have more rpm with that intake, but your cam is a 210/219 close to mine but with more lift. Get the injectors right and it should be ok. BUT keep checking those plugs, better too rich that too lean.

 

from what i am reading, you are almost into the 0411 PCM swap territory

 

i am shocked yours worked out. The chip does know what injectors it has, so changing them changes everything fuel related. Thats not the recommended way to tune these cars but it will give more fuel. I think you got lucky but MAF cars are alittle more forgiving in some instances.

i have done enough of these cars to know the stock chip settings dont work most of the time. They can be close but also can be way off correct.

 

You're overthinking the tuning part. If you get an EBL your tune will be done in a matter of minutes with the right guidance. And don't use the stock chip for anything, the timing, the AE, the PE, all of it will make your new engine combo run horrible... all for the sake of getting it to idle? It's way more than just swapping from a 305 w/19# injectors to a 383 with larger injectors to match, while then relying on the MAF and O2 correction. It's going to run lousy. As mentioned, the MAF can only compensate for so much. Either get Justin to tune it for you since you're local to him, or just get an EBL. Do not rely on the stock chip for anything...

- Rob