Is there a reason you can't use A9L computer... It would run your engine just fine, to the limit of the 19# injectors anyway, which is the best you can hope for and should not be too bad to modify your harness to work. It is what I would run in your shoes...

 

i think the older a9l uses the push start style icm vs the later truck icm so he would have to rewire.

 

He is going to be re-wiring regardless if he goes with MAF.

 

1 - Mustang manual transmission ECUs
2 - Keep MLPS in neutral when using with manual trans.
3 - $250 for QH, is low, compared to PimpX $1300 standalone.

Since you are doing a "Lightning..ish" build, your SD is tuneable with QH, assuming your hardware on ECU is SD48x.

 

Choose your poison, *everything* is tuneable:
Downloads / EFIDynoTuning

 

ok, so lets look at this piece by piece:

1) A9L would be nice, but I am only seeing used ECMs starting at $300 and going up to $800. Not really cost effective when you have to add a QH and software on top of the ECU cost. THEORETICALLY my build would max at just about 300hp and the limit of 19lb injectors. I do have 24lb injectors available I am thinking of adding with the MAF conversion for headroom since the MAF ECU "should" be able to adjust to the larger injectors.
2) The MLPS info is appreciated, Neutral makes sense. I would have to somehow put that in series with the existing manual Neutral Safety switch for the HUG2 ECU I believe?
3) While I do agree that a PIMPxs is not cheap, I don't require a plug and play solution. I have a normal MS-II that I can make my own dongle for that is sitting on a shelf at the moment. Additionally, efidynotuning.com doesn't explicitly state it covers the HUG2 ECU, nor what hardware is required for tuning. Considering a remote tune starts at $450 before hardware/software, this rises up the cost chart. Even MOATES doesn't list the HUG2 is supported by their F3V2 chip as HUG2 is sequential, not bank fire. Moates would be the most cost effective so far at $75. I would be tempted to go MOATES if I had more info on if it would work with the HUG2 ECU.

In the end, if I have to abandon the MAF swap and go Megasquirt, thats not a deal breaker. I was hoping to have a factory style upgrade to cover the hopped up motor given its use case and for the smaller increase in peace of mind when driving.

 

What was your original hardware code, and strategy?
All and any SD EEC-IV work with QH.

If your build maxes out at 300hp, why are you even worried about tuning? Pretty sure both SD and MAF will work fine in stock form.

If your stuck on using HUGx, the hardware code is SMD-219, in which any SMD-219 hardware and strategy will work.
To tune, use the CBAZ0 definition, with TunerPro and QH.

I haven't read the beginning of the post, but if you are just doing a manual swap, not exceeding 300hp, not changing injectors, then all you needed was your stock ECU, put the MLPS in neutral, your done.
If you want a cleaner solution, put the QH in, adjust one single parameter to tell the computer it is a manual.

 

I will have to check the original ECU but it was for a 95 5.0 SD manual truck

HUGx was due to that being the best (i.e. only) 5.8 MAF ECU I have been able to scrounge up so far. ($25 from the junkyard)

The reason for looking into swapping to a 5.8 MAF is due to the level of change to the motor. From research, going from a bone stock truck 5.0 to a GT40 headed, mild cammed 5.8 will leave the engine running lean above 4000-4200RPM. If something relatively simple such as swapping in a 5.8 auto MAF ECU and harness (with some small tom-foolery on the MLPS side) will get me a more adaptable system capable of not leaning out as bad up top, that was quite appealing. Sticking to a factory setup also was ideal as I have a freshly built motor that I don't want to damage trying to figure out initial start and warmup tuning on a Megasquirt Standalone install.

 

Honestly, it sounds like you're just making this far more complicated than it should be, just to try and stick with factory parts, and make it work. If it were me (and because I happen to have one sitting around to do it with), I'd toss a 4bbl manifold and carb on it, to fire it up and break in the cam and whatnot, and then just put the EFI back on it, with something like the PimpX or QH. You're already dealing with a non-stock engine configuration.

 

How much time do you plan to spend north of 4000 rpm in daily life?... . Pretty much all the stock computers are going to give up somewhere between 4000 and 5000 rpm, as you are running out of injector. The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is the AKCO, which is paired with larger injectors.

The A9L is going to be as good as it gets for a stock computer... but will require some wiring work. If you are going to go with larger injectors then I would go with Stinger Performance for the active support, but I think on the aftermarket side of things it will be pick your poison and go.

I think with the parts you have picked out, it should be in the realm of stock efi, maybe a little on the ragged edge, but not over.

I also think that if you are seriously looking at aftermarket efi then eye ball some carburetors while your at it.

 

The base PimpX is all you need for a batch-fired engine with manual transmission and is $800, not $1300.
https://www.stinger-performance.com/...ine-management

That's what I'm using to run my 5.8L with M5OD, GT40 Heads, Shorty headers, 1.7 Roller Rockers, 5.0L/5.8L hybrid intake.
With the stock 19# injectors it pulls strong to about 5,500 RPM, where it starts to break up (I assume starving for fuel at that point).

Having said that, user Scndsin has ran his similarly built 5.8L with the factory ECU, and later swapped to MAF and ran it with that too... So there's certainly nothing wrong with using factory parts either.

 

The cam I picked tops out at 5500 anyway and its not a race motor. MAF/SEFI was also appealing for fuel economy reasons. If the stock 5.0 SD is capable of running the engine combo built, I can start with that and see how things go. I'm not as concerned about cam break-in as I am the whole motor since its a roller cam/block.

IIRC the PIMPx is based on the Megasquirt framework anyway, so an MS-II should be similar. Batch fire etc.

 

Yes PimpX is just a Megasquirt ECU in a Ford EEC-IV case. As far as fuel economy goes I'm getting close to 16mpg with my 5.8L. I was pretty happy with that considering that's what I got with a 4.9L in the same truck (with the same transmission, rear gears, tires, etc) prior to the swap... Double the hp - same mpg

 

So today was a bit rough. Fought with the left knuckle for 4 hours trying to install the new ball joints. Finally got them in only to have both boots I had for the upper joints rip. I have some energy suspension boots on the way as NO PARTS STORE sells a replacement boot without buying the whole ball joint over again (nearly $100 for both...if I have to do that). Anyone got any tips? Lower joint is easy to put in first, but the angle on the knuckle for the top makes it a bugbear for the ball joint tool to get a purchase to install the joint.

Second setback is one of the spindles had been walloped with a hammer and the threads are messed up for the first two or three turns. Anyone have a good spindle for sale perhaps? (Single seal, 4wd, non-abs). Plan is to keep looking for another spindle and depending, hit up the junkyard next weekend. I really don't want to spend near $200 for a replacement if I don;t have to...

 

Use a thread file on the threads. Usually you can clean them up, and keep going, while you're trying to find a replacement. As far as the ball joint boots, you're not going to rip the poly ones. That being said, I usually take the rubber ones off when I'm pressing the ball joints in.