How can '95 FORD 4.0 OHV V6 EFI be Converted to MicroSquirt ?

[TigerDan]

I have a 1995 Ford Engine 4.0 OHV V6 from an Explorer that I am installing in a Sunbeam Alpine. I have designed headers , engine, transmission mount brackets, radiator, etc hooked to an A4LD transmission.

I looked for a 4 bbl intake to replace the EFI system but there are none that I know of available?

Next option, if there is such a thing is MicroSquirt? What if anything will work to convert the stock to the MicroSquirt ?

Anyone ever done this?

Thanks for any ideas, suggestions and or comments,

 

[snoranger]

@PetroleumJunkie412

 

[RonD]

MegaSquirt?

As far as I known MegaSquirt can be used with the 6 Ford injectors in Batch Fire mode, 3 injectors on each ground and if you get the newer units you can also use it with stock waste spark coil pack, 3 grounds as well

Might need a flyback board kit for the low impedance Ford injectors, if you have an old Megasquirt unit
(From MegaSquirt: you do NOT need this if you are using a MegaSquirt equipped with the PCBv3.0 or later, this is only for PCBv2.2 users running low impedance injectors!)

The A4LD did have torque lockup and 1987 and up, OD shifting via solenoid done via stock PCM(computer)
You can use manual ground switches for these

 

[ericbphoto]

All the above. Megasquirt/microsquirt replaces the original computer controlling your engine. Its not cheap. But its very flexible and gives you the opportunity to custom tune to your hearts content.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

My 1988 2.9 is running a DIYPNP1.5.

Best thing I've ever done to a vehicle, period.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

MegaSquirt?

As far as I known MegaSquirt can be used with the 6 Ford injectors in Batch Fire mode, 3 injectors on each ground and if you get the newer units you can also use it with stock waste spark coil pack, 3 grounds as well

Might need a flyback board kit for the low impedance Ford injectors, if you have an old Megasquirt unit
(From MegaSquirt: you do NOT need this if you are using a MegaSquirt equipped with the PCBv3.0 or later, this is only for PCBv2.2 users running low impedance injectors!)

The A4LD did have torque lockup and 1987 and up, OD shifting via solenoid done via stock PCM(computer)
You can use manual ground switches for these

Spot on. Doing your homework i see.

Injectors on 2.9 are no problem.

Tfi and edis are plug and play compatability depending on jumpers.

Microsquirt is good, megasquirt is better. A DIYPNP1.5 is my favorite unit built, just a microsquirt processor and daughter board on a megasquirt frame. The DIYPNP and megasquirt units for same era foxbody are plug and play for same era RBV with jumper repositioning.



My tunes and diy info are in the tech forum.

Just tag me in posts if you need help with it. I was the first one to publish anything about converting a cologne. They respond VERY well to tuning and turn into mean little bastards when properly tuned.

 

[Elutheros]

I'm running the MSPNP2 on my 5.0 and it is excellent. Steep learning curve at first, but so nice to be able to tune my own stuff.

 

[TigerDan]

MegaSquirt?

As far as I know MegaSquirt can be used with the 6 Ford injectors in Batch Fire mode, 3 injectors on each ground and if you get the newer units you can also use it with stock waste spark coil pack, 3 grounds as well

Might need a flyback board kit for the low impedance Ford injectors, if you have an old Megasquirt unit
(From MegaSquirt: you do NOT need this if you are using a MegaSquirt equipped with the PCBv3.0 or later, this is only for PCBv2.2 users running low impedance injectors!)

The A4LD did have torque lockup and 1987 and up, OD shifting via solenoid done via stock PCM(computer)
You can use manual ground switches for these

Ron, Thanks for making a reply to my POST. I can do carb;s but not FI's.

I am a dummy on this stuff. The terminology used is foreign. I stated I have a '95 FORD 4.0 OHV V6 Engine that is installed in a Sunbeam Alpine. I attempted to purchase a 4bbl intake but the only one I found was rather expensive and required a lot of other modification.

Kept hearing about MicroSquirt/MegaSquirt and was told the Mega is too much for the 4.0 so I am searching for a means to install the Micro in my FORD 4.0 Cologne Engine powered Sunbeam Alpine.

First off I discovered the stock FI system sat rather proudly on top of the engine and I thought to tall for what I wanted. After lots of changes I was able to set the engine down enough to get by with a small low scoop for the hood/bonnet.

Now that I figured to utilize the stock FI, the next thing is some means to send fuel to the engine? MicroSquirt ?

Just what does it take to make this thing work? What components from the FORD Explorer do I need? Is there a list or diagram of the wiring of which I need to remove from the Explorer?

Does the MicroSquirt come with the necessary wiring and instructions to guide a "Dummy Like Me" ?

Any and All helpful means will be appreciated,

TigerDan

 

[RonD]

What were you going to use for spark?

The 1995 Explorer should have the older EEC-IV computer, 60-wire
And it will have a separate spark module, EDIS-6 located on the rad support, could be on engine side or front(grill) side of rad support

There isn't much to do to use the whole explorer engine wiring harness with the computer and EDIS-6 module

You do need the two O2 sensors on the exhaust, any exhaust shop can install the "bungs" for those, you don't need these to start and drive it, but it will run VERY RICH, and not good rich, smoky rich, lol
But everything else is on the engine, literally plug and play, including the spark system

A few wires need fuses and 12volts, nothing fancy, and of course grounds
You need 2 relays, PCM(computer) relay and a Fuel Pump relay

You can use a small fuse box like this: https://www.bluesea.com/support/articles/Circuit_Protection/1517/Independent_Sourced_Circuit_ST_Blade_Fuse_Block
Then you can wire it so some fuse are full time 12v and other fuses are Key on 12volts, you need both in engine bay

Relays are cheap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/12VDC-5Pin-CAR-RELAY-CAR-AUTOMOTIVE-Relays-WITH-SOCKET-car-relay-with-socket-/143361354344


3 wires from engine bay to dash, 4 if you want a tachometer
Oil pressure wire
Coolant Temp wire
Alternator(battery light) wire
Tach wire if wanted
But you need these regardless of EFI

You don't need to "know" about EFI, all that stuff was worked out long ago, you just need basic mechanical skills to install the parts and plug in the wires
The 4.0l computer already knows what to do

 

[TigerDan]

I thank you for the comments. I am trying to make this thing work. Either MicroSquirt or Holley Sniper

A friend is making be a 4bbl intake for my 4.0 V6 OHV engine. Hoping it will help make it more simple.

UPDATE: NOW have the 4bbl intake for my 4.0 OHV V6. Stripped the wiring harness from the Ford Explorer. Trying to figure what wires I need.

 

[RonD]

You will also need a spark system

Spark systems need two things
RPM spark advance and Load spark advance(vacuum advance on older engines)

RPM advance is simple, used to be done with weights and springs in the distributor but can be done with electronics

Load advance is another story, when you "step on the gas" the air/fuel mix changes suddenly, so the spark advance also needs to change just as suddenly or engine stumbles or misfires
In the old days Vacuum Advance was used, and still works
Electronic load advance is faster and better but you need "sensors" and a computer to calculate "load" in real time

The 4.0l OHV never used a distributor but...............
2.9l Distributor will work in the 4.0l OHV, but it uses TFI spark system, so needs a computer for Load Advance

The 4.0l OHV did use an EDIS-6 stand alone spark system(1990-1994) but also needs Load Advance from a computer

The EDIS-6 was popular with Hotrodders so maybe there is a solution for load spark advance for that, never looked into that myself
But most of these were switching TO Fuel Injection and wanted to get rid of distributor, lol

 

[Angry Possum]

Interesting thread. I never heard of this. Found a video.

 

[Angry Possum]

In what I have read so far researching Megasquirt etc.

"Do I need micro/megasquirt at this stage in my car's life?"

Yes IF....
... you have a larger than stock turbocharger
... you have a significantly larger than stock camshaft (And even then it comes down to other factors as well)
... you've got larger than stock exhaust with the above
... you've hit the limits of LH

If you're bombing around with stock stuff and just the boost turned up, you don't need microsquirt or megasquirt. Sure, you could benefit from it, but you dont really need it. When you've reached the limits of the stock turbo usually you've reached the limits of LH (any minute now the bandaid advocates will come screaming..

 

[Angry Possum]

@PetroleumJunkie412 dumb question, but what would you gain from a Squirt, if your running a fully stock engine. Say a 4.0 OHV. Would it be More HP? Or Better Gas Mileage? And for me personally, would It benefit my 93 Ranger 4.0

 

[superj]

megasquirt/microsquirt lets you adjust the stuff on your engine to your actual engine, if your engine is stock. of course, stock ford stuff works fine but its made to work in a broad range because of the mass build used on stock engines. ms3, which is probably what is available now, lets you tune to your specific engine requirements if you are stock. you can learn all kinds of stuff now so later when you go turbo, you already have an idea of how to set and change stuff in your fuel tables and the other areas that turbo effects.

i built one many years ago. it was super cool to do because you get a box with some green electronic boards, case pieces, and tons of packages of resistors, diodes, capacitors, all kinds of stuff. like its a little overwhelming when you first open it but after you do your parts check and make sure everything is there, its badass to solder everything together and build it up to a complete ecu. then you build a simulator so you can plug the ms into you computer and make sure everything works.

once you pass all the part, you get to the part that killed me. setting up the wiring harness in the vehicle. i was putting it into an 89 bmw 325i and i got something messed up because it would not run. no matter what, i couldn't get it to work. it worked fine on the simulator but not at all in the car. i took it off and put the car back to stock and it started right up so i traded off my megasquirt and gave up on my supercharger dream but building the system was really really cool. if you are decent with computers, you can probably get it to work fairly easily though, as that is the part that gets most people.

and pick a vehicle that other people have already done. don't be like me and try to do a vehicle that no one has done so you are on your own. sounds like you don't have to worry about that here though