Cold Air Intake System Really Not Needed

[Grumpaw]

In case it's helpful, the Transmission Fluid Temperature (TFT) PID on my 2004 Ranger (V6) is Mode $22, PID $1674. Formula is "AB/8", in degF. I suspect that it may be the same on your 2009 4-cylinder Ranger's ECU.

I admire the ScanGaugeII but don't own one, so you'd need to translate that info into ScanGauge-friendly "TXD" and "RXF" (etc) commands, but their "XGauge Coding Information" manual has all the necessary info and I suspect you may have already done it for other data points (e.g. your motorhome).

Trans in your 2004 and my 2009 are different...your may have the trans temp sensor, but the 5 series dosen't..If there is one, I can't locate any info on it and they do not list a trans temp sensor replacement anywhere for a 2009.

 

[8thTon]

I have a good friend that has a stock 64 Falcon Sprint. He always uses premium gasoline and nothing say can convince him he is wasting money on premium. Remember, it has a 260 cu. in. engine. Even if the premium fuel does help (which it doesn't) it still isn't going to make much power. I had a 65 Mustang convertible powered with a 260 between Viet Nam tours. It was fun but not a performance machine. Of course, that didn't prevent me from driving it like it was.

Would someone explain how cooling the fuel increases performance. You can densify it by cooling to get more fuel in but that just makes it more rich resulting in less power. That is not difficult to do anyway. Bigger jets will do it on carbs and reprogramming the ECU on electronic fuel injected engines.

I know cooler air is more dense and can get more oxygen in into the engine which lets you also add more fuel to maintain the best air fuel ratio. Kind of like turbo or supercharging. I just don't get the cold fuel trick. I know at one time when F1 didn't allow refueling and they had to carry all their fuel with a maximum capacity tank, some teams were caught cheating by filling with cold fuel right before the race. That allowed them to use more fuel because it would expand as it warmed up. It didn't improve performance though. The extra fuel just let then drive harder longer than the teams not cheating.

Exactly, gasoline is a liquid while air is a gas. The engine is an air pump, and the amount of fuel molecules needed depends on the amount of air molecules the engine draws in. Fuel is the dependent variable.

Cooling the air makes it denser, so more oxygen molecules per unit volume - then you add more fuel as required and get more power. Cooling the fuel doesn't do much since it's a liquid and will not get much denser. Even if it did then the mixture would become too rich and you'd lose power - assuming you didn't have O2 sensors and a feedback control system that just corrected any of that anyway. The best you could hope out of cooled fuel would be a little more evaporative cooling, but I doubt it.

 

[Grumpaw]

You can do pretty much do the same thing with a blue tooth OBD adapter and your smart phone... right?

Does this scan gauge have any diagnostic capabilities? Read and clear codes? Perform any set up/programming functionality?

There is a well known and reliable company, 5 Star Tunes that has a tuner/reprogramer for certani Rangers/years. They provide you with 5 performance tunes of your choice.
Had on on my Mustang GT, and currently have one on our Ford V-10 motor home, and they do "wake up" the engine.
Kicking around spending the $400 bucks for the Ranger. Sounds like alot, but still cheaper than fabbing up headers, exhausts, intakes, or modifing engine. In addition it also reprograms the trans shift points to take better advantage through the rpm range.
Other companies make chips that I believe piggyback to the ecu, but 5 Star reprograms the unit.
Would be fun to see what an 89 or 91 octane performance tune would do.

 

[Orca]

Trans in your 2004 and my 2009 are different...your may have the trans temp sensor, but the 5 series dosen't..If there is one, I can't locate any info on it and they do not list a trans temp sensor replacement anywhere for a 2009.

This is already OT, but you're the OP, so I'll continue.... Feel free to tell me I'm beating a dead horse, though, if appropriate.

Doesn't your 2009 have the 5R44E tranny? If so, my information shows that there should be a "TFT" PID. So it might be worth trying, depending on your interest and motivation.

 

[Grumpaw]

You may be right...still playing around with it,

 

[Orca]

Nope, my 2009 with the 2.3 has the 5R55E. No temp sensor listed for it.

Now I'm really confused! My 2004 Ranger 4-liter V6, has the 5R55E too, IIUC (despite the manual [erroneously, I think] saying that it's a 5R44E). So if TFT works on my 5R55E, why wouldn't it work on yours?

BTW, the transmission chart on this very site seems to show that your 2.3-liter 2009 should have the 5R44E. I'm genuinely curious... What am I missing here?

Either way, you should have a TFT PID reported by the ECU.

EDIT: Missed your latest post. Looking forward to what you discover.

 

[Grumpaw]

Doubly confused also. But I believe my searchs have indicated mine is a 5R55E.
Web site called Transmission Repair Cost Guide has mine as a 5R55E.
Other sites list it as a 5R44E.

Either way...still playin around with it. If the sensor/info is there I WILL FIND IT !!! Before Mt Everest is worn down to a little hill, I WILL FIND IT !!!

 

[Grumpaw]

Only difference appears to be the gear set. the 5R44E uses 3 planatery gears, the 5R55E uses 6, and has a higher torque rating. No way to tell from outside physical observation, and both use a D code on door sticker.

 

[Orca]

It might be time to split this into a new thread, but you're the OP, so it's your call....

No way to tell from outside physical observation, and both use a D code on door sticker.

There's supposed to be a metal tag bolted to the tranny, but I was under my 2004 a couple weeks ago and couldn't find it. But I intend to try again when I can get more nose-to-pan clearance! My door jamb sticker shows "D", but the manual says (wrongly, IIUC) that "D"="5R44E" (EDIT: i.e. even for the 4WD, 4-liter, V6 Rangers, not just for the other engines).

I just read that the TFT "sensor" on the 5R55E transmission (and, undoubtedly, on the 5R44E too) is merely a thermistor (a temperature-sensitive resistor, for any who are unfamiliar) in the transmission wiring harness. That may well be why you don't see it listed wherever you're looking for a "sensor". I'd bet you a stale doughnut that your PCM reads it and reports it. Worth a try, IMHO.

 

[RonD]

Grumpaw have a read here: https://www.scangauge.com/support/x-gauge-commands/ford-lincoln-mercury/

Looks like Ford changed communications protocol in 2008, so you may need to change ScanGauge settings to get TFT
It is there, for sure
TFT sensor is connected to pin 29 on the PCM

There are 4 different setting to try to get TFT readings

 

[Grumpaw]

I'll see your stale donut, and raise you 4 mouldy donuts.
Will try the codes in the Scan Gauge instructions and see if they work out.

 

[RonD]

I like the fuzzy bits
More please

 

[Grumpaw]

Grumpaw have a read here: https://www.scangauge.com/support/x-gauge-commands/ford-lincoln-mercury/

Looks like Ford changed communications protocol in 2008, so you may need to change ScanGauge settings to get TFT
It is there, for sure
TFT sensor is connected to pin 29 on the PCM

There are 4 different setting to try to get TFT readings

Thanks...I did see that info on there web/support site.
Will play with it later today and see what results I get.

 

[Orca]

And, per RonD's link, it looks like if my Mode $22 PID $1674 doesn't give you TFT, then PID $1E1C might.

EDIT: Oops! A bit late. RonD edited his post, the sneaky devil!

 

[G8orFord]

Yeah Uncle, it does read and clear codes.
If your referring to reprograming the ecu like a "tuner", no it dosen't have that capability.
It will get and display any codes or readings from almost all sensors that feed info to the ecu
I', not into blue tooth or smart phone adapters, but I know there are programs that do the same thing. I just like the Scan Gauge as it is just a nice compact unit. Have had one on our motor home since 2012 and I'm just used to it.
As for "blue tooth"...we used to get that years ago by drinking Grape Nehi.

Just an FYI. While the SGII does read and clear codes, it's pretty much limited to the PCM. Unless they've updated them over the past 5 years or so you will not get ABS codes, BCM codes, TCM codes, etc., you'll only get what's passed along to the PCM. Many of the sub-system codes are not passed along.

If you like wires instead of bluetooth, you can get a USB OBDII adapter even cheaper.