Situation: I have a '94 Ranger with the 5.0L out of a '97 (or '98) Explorer in it. Everything works flawlessly, including the OBD-2 system, with the check engine light fully functioning just as it should. But, I want more power out of it.

Of everywhere I've looked, supercharging is by far the best bang for the buck. I could go with the aftermarket supercharging route, or, I have access to a free supercharger out of one of the 3.8 Bonneville's. Building an adapter plate for it to mount to the factory Ford manifold isn't a problem, we have many machinist friends with more than enough capability, and a little bit smaller pulley on it should compensate for the displacement. The problem I've run into is compensating for the boost of the supercharger with extra fuel.

Now unless I've thought this out wrong, being that it uses the MAF system instead of a MAP, it shouldn't see the boost numbers in the manifold instead of the vacuum and freak itself out, correct? It should read before it enters the manifold, and thus not see the boost (where it's actually supposed to see vacuum) and not go all crazy. I don't know what the computer would do... I know with cams I've done in the fuely's that the extra vacuum it sees causes the computer to just keep adding more fuel, but what would it do in a positive boost situation?

Also, in overcoming the fuel issue, would simply running a larger injector be the simplest way to add fuel, given that at full duty cycle it was putting out enough fuel to beat the knocking? Or, like in a Cadillac, could I use a boost pump in the fuel system to change the fuel pressure from say, 30psi up to 60psi and effectively change the amount of fuel put out by the injectors per cycle?

Or, if worst came to worst, where would I go to get a chip burned/built/bought that would have the right parameters in it for the supercharger...?

I absolutely love my truck and want more out of it, and in ponies/dollar this seems like the absolute best way to go. Any thoughts on where I could find the air/fuel ratio's for given boost anywhere? I know the motor has the knock sensor, so it technically shouldn't detonate itself to death if it was lean, but I don't want it to have to operate on really wild timing all the time, either, obviously. Having a starting point for air/fuel ratio's under boost would save alot of headaches, so if anyone has any experience with this kind of 'problem', it would be HUGELY appreciated!

Thanks, Matt

 

Have you ever visited allfordmustang.com they have some people that may be able to help with more hp out of the popular 5.0

 

Matt -

You could also try posting this in the Supercharger/Turbocharger/Nitrous Oxide Forum and see what the folks there have to say.

Welcome to FTE!

Steve