Here are some of his posts, he's using the PIMPx as he's got a non-computer controlled trans and his truck is batch fire. It's still the same tuning process, software, support, etc. though, just different hardware than the PiMPxs (sequential with no trans control) or PiMPxshift (batch or sequential EFI with trans control for E4OD's and such:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18509735

Just for clarification before it gets too far away.

Did you ever check for verifiable top dead center & the accuracy of the marks on your balancer?

I can't seem to find anything, but could have missed it.

Glad you're getting some response on tuning options.

Yes on tdc I do not have a piston stop though
i pulled the pcm today and I can’t see any burn ares or anything out of ordinary
i picked up some other parts that I hope get me running with the help of Chuck

This was going to be a budget build and I am for sure in a black hole
I don’t know if this is the answer or not and if it is I going to need some help
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...612516e5bc.jpg

Man I hate it when your right I had the balancer on TDC pulled the head and the piston was almost a 1/4” below the block deck. My checking was not correct.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...60882e667.jpeg
Timing mark with piston at TDC
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...2674197c7.jpeg

Man no joy other than you found something to put things right.

Been meaning to bump this thread to see how you were doing.

I have been taking a break from truck for a while family time headed to North Carolina soon more family time. I got a explorer intake with pcm and wire harness I guess I’ll put that stuff in. my electric engineer Chuck had Hart surgery and is doing good so with his help I’ll figure this out.

Looks like a new balancer. The markings are a little off. You could replace the pointer with an aftermarket adjustable unit.. A word of advice with that chrome T-Stat cover: rought up the gasket face before trying to use it, otherwise it's gonna leak. Chrome's too slick to get a seal with anything.

I’m probably going to make a new mark don’t know just what yet, on the t-cover not using that one I hope

Well you can always just use it as is, taking note of where zero is in relation to the factory pointer, looks like it falls right in the middle of the "U". I think I have an earlier 70's pointer on my Comet, I'll look at it later and see how that one lines up with your's

If you have an old stock balancer, you can check it to see where the markings SHOULD be.

I had bought a fancy looking chrome plated T-stat cover, which turned out to be made of pot metal, and after a few years, it literally rusted through from the bottom side. I think it was branded Mr. Gasket, made in China. I replaced it with an aluminum version, which I hope will work better with the aluminum intake.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...938be3fcd1.jpg
Is this a 97 explorer intake and if so has any one got a pic of there vacuum lines and heater tree

also ideas of where to mount coil

It looks like it, but can you show pictures from other sides? A picture from the back showing the EGR plate, and another one of the driver's side of the lower manifold, head face.

I think 1997 is when they went to an external EGR passage, so the upper/lower interface is in two pieces; 4 runners each. Earlier versions had internal EGR passages, starting from the driver's side intake face, going to a hole in the top of the lower intake, in between the two groups of four runners, so that part is continuous.

On my Mustang, there is a pair of steel pipes that run along the passenger edge of the lower intake, one of the pipes has a 90 degree bend that goes into that big hole that the ECT sensor is currently installed through the step-up adapter in your picture. The other pipe connects to one of the nipples on the water pump through a 90 degree hose. The other ends of the two pipes connect to the heater core through a couple short segments of hoses. I'm sure it's different for a truck, but the heater input still has to come from that area where the ECT sensor is currently installed. You could conceivably run something from the hole on the T-stat housing.

The coil for most of these engines are usually mounted off the engine, and use a long high tension wire going to the distributor. There is usually no space on top of the engine, like on older models without the huge intake plenums.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...0e58dc29d5.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b0959fe5e1.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...91e94116eb.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...41f0d2db63.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...9595366f02.jpg