Now the upper intake manifold...
Now the upper intake manifold is ready to be mounted back onto the lower intake manifold. Make sure to reconnect all vacuum hoses before bolting the intake manifold down. A new upper intake manifold gasket is recommended when removing the upper intake manifold.
Mass AirFlow Wire Harness Wire Callouts
Red Wire-VPWR (Main Power) This wire must be spliced into pin 37 or 57 on the 60-pin main connector.
Black Wire-PWR GND (Main Ground) This wire must be spliced into pin 40 or 60 on the 60-pin main connector.
Green Wire-MAF RTN (Signal Ground)This wire/terminal must be inserted into location 9 on the 60-pin main connector.
White Wire-MAF RTN (Signal) This wire/terminal must be inserted into location 50 on the 60-pin main connector.
Time to fire it up!
Double check all wiring and everything in the engine compartment again before starting the vehicle. Before we buttoned everything up in the interior, we wanted to start the car to see how it runs, and if there were any issues that needed to be addressed.
Note the difference between...
Note the difference between the stock 60mm throttle body (left) and the new Accufab 70mm unit (right).
Please note that it is normal for the idle to be a little rough, and you may notice some slight surging while driving until the EEC relearns it's fuel curves. A couple hours will soon result in smooth driving.
We turned the key and the '88 GT fired right up! We were pleasantly surprised at how smooth the engine idled and we noticed a big difference in throttle response.
Once everything checked out OK, we slid the new EEC and wiring into place. Next, we installed the bolt for the EEC retaining bracket, and bolted down the ground wire and relay that were removed to get the old EEC out. After replacing both kick panels and scuff plates, we then replaced the driver's seat and any other trim pieces we had removed.
Wiring Note (see next eight photos): Some pre-'89 vehicles may require three black wires. If there are no terminals in the pin holes listed, you will need to add these wires. If your car doesn't have cruise control, you may have to add the speed sensor in the transmission. You'll need the speed sensor, an electrical connector, and a new speedometer cable. These should be available from your local Ford dealer. Some consider these three wires optional, but to avoid any issues with poor vehicle performance and/or EEC error codes, it is recommended that you install them.
Once the upper intake manifold...
Once the upper intake manifold was tightened up, we mounted the larger polished 70mm throttle body and billet machined EGR spacer from Accufab onto the upper intake manifold.
These shiny new parts offer...
These shiny new parts offer better throttle response, and deliver a lot more air to accompany the additional fuel being shot into the combustion chambers by larger 24-pound injectors.
For our conversion we are...
For our conversion we are installing a 73mm MAF meter, which will work well with our high-flowing Accufab 70mm throttle body, EGR spacer, and 24-lb/hr injectors. First, we needed to bolt the satin-black bracket with the three bolts to the MAF meter. Depending on whether you're using an aftermarket cold-air induction or even a supercharger, you may or may not need to use this bracket. Be sure to test-fit your MAF meter and bracket in place with your short-ram inlet before bolting everything together. That will help you to determine proper fitment and placement of your MAF meter assembly with your specific application. Also make sure your MAF meter is mounted in the correct direction according to the arrow molded into the top of the MAF connector.
Next we installed the aluminum...
Next we installed the aluminum short-ram tube that replaces the stock plastic air intake tube to the throttle body. We plan on installing the under hood kit to the ram-air hood, so we modified the short-ram tube to work with the stock air box. The short-ram tube was shortened by about 2 inches. Make sure to measure twice and cut once.
To connect the short-ram intake...
To connect the short-ram intake from the throttle body to the airbox, we chose to use high-quality silicone couplers and stainless steel T-bolt clamps from HoseTechniques. You will need two 3-inch inner diameter and one 3.5-inch inner diameter silicone coupler in 3-inch lengths. The HoseTechniques silicone couplers are manufactured to SAE J20 standards, -65 degrees F to 500 degrees F. The T-bolt clamps are also available in a polished finish. Slide the silicone hose couplers on and tighten them down with two clamps per coupler.
You can also purchase a high-flowing conical air filter and hose clamp that will mount onto your mass air meter housing if you do not want to use the stock airbox. Of course, most people bolt on an aftermarket cold-air intake kit.
It was necessary to remove...
It was necessary to remove the passenger-side lower kick panel. You may need to remove the door-sill scuff plate to remove the kick panel. Then pull out the insulation that is held in place by a plastic plug, and remove the white plastic retainer (and 8mm bolt) that holds the EEC in place. For easier access to the EEC, I also unbolted a ground wire and a green connector.
The four-wire harness from...
The four-wire harness from the mass air meter was routed through the firewall on the passenger side and down to the EEC main connector. An additional hole was made in the large oval-shaped grommet that the existing EEC harness is routed through, located in the upper corner on the passenger-side firewall. Be careful not to cut any existing wires while making a new hole in the grommet. Next, the end of the four-wire harness was taped to the end of a rigid piece of wire (protecting the EEC pins), and gently pushed through the grommet and down to the kick-panel area where we could pull it through. Make sure to leave a little slack in the four-wire harness and also use convoluted tubing to protect your wiring from chafing. To avoid possible leaks, we used some silicone to seal off the area where the new harness goes through the grommet.
Next We removed the black-plastic...
Next We removed the black-plastic wire retainer from the EEC main connector to access the wires. Then the H-shaped red-plastic pin lock on the other side of the EEC main connector was removed. We recommend using a hook-shaped awl (not a flat-head screwdriver) to gently pry out the pin lock. If the pin lock or connector is damaged, this could cause issues with the wires not remaining secure or connectivity problems in the main EEC connector.
We gently pulled the EEC down...
We gently pulled the EEC down as far as possible without pulling wires out of the main connector. Next we removed the main connector from the EEC by unbolting the 10mm bolt in the center of the connector, and we placed the EEC aside.