98' Cobra Intake Manifold

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X-Cal @ Fan Club

X-Cal @ Fan Club

Holy Crap! Everybody is constantly singing the praises of the X - cal 2! Does it solve the problem of cold fusion? End global warming? Find Osama? In all seriousness though, I value everyones opinion on these boards because anyone who spends the kind of time we do talking about a relatively umknown car the newest model of which was made 10 years ago, he or she must surely have an informed opinion on virtually all aspects of said car. I guess I'm just gonna have to break down and buy an x - cal 2. I just hope I can find one thats not too expensive. It seems like with even one tune they're like $600. Thats kinda ridiculous.
 
IMHO if you're only an avid mechanic or only plan on doing minor mods, the chip would be the best route, plug it in and you're done. But thats just me, lol.
 
Fred, I would suggest you save your money and not buy the SCT XCal 2 as you will never fully utilize it. When and if you ever get ready to do a full boogey tranny and convertor I would advise you to get your car over to Lonnie's or to Alternative Auto and have them to the tune at the same time they put in the tranny & TC. You can have your choice of up to a 4 switch chip if you want, and have a tune for each. Drivability issues always abound on performance upgrades, that's not to say a mail order tune is a bad thing, but thwere are just so many issues that can come up that can adversley effect an attempt to tune a car thru the mail. Read up on some of Lonnies posts over the last 6 months and you will get the idea.

Some things you can do on your own in your driveway/garage like doing a J Mod (intermediate step) for now, installing a tranny cooler, exhaust mods, suspension & Brake up grades. I would suggest if you are going onto making some serious power that you change out the drivetrain all at once or prepare to pay for several visits to your tuner of choice.

Just so you also know, I am running the "C" style heads and cams with the Whiner. The headers that Super Coupes sells (Kooks) fit either the "B" or "C" style heads. You do have to run a newer style front cover though. I even kept the coil paks that the Gen 1's used.
 

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bryantaylor said:
i wouldn't put a mail order tune in anything, but thats just me. there are just WAY to many variables.
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The problem with your reasoning is that the person that is putting the tune on knows there stuff and has been around Marks for a long time. Sure its mail order, but anything from Lonnie or Torrie has be researched, tweeked, and fine tuned for YEARS. Basically, if I get it right, you're saying that you have more experience tuning a car with a hand held vs. someone that has been doing it for years?
 
IF your close enough to get your car tuned by lonnie thats the way to go! if not its best to get a "canned" tune by someone that REALLY knows these cars...its not a mustang so the overall tune is unique and dyno time is very expensive(by the hour) and unless you want to pay for the operators learning curve! get one from an experienced mkviii tuner you'll save money and agrivation in the long run!!
 
Well Roadboss, not to say that I in any way whatsoever discount your obviously informed opinion, but you are the first naysayer to say nay to a through the mail X - cal from Lonnie. I actually ordered my x -cal w/ tune just a few hours BEFORE reading your post. I must say that I am suitably impressed by your Mark and if mine is even 80% of that when I'm done I will be happy. I don't plan to do forced induction, but all boltons / full exhaust / full cobra brake, wheel, and intake upgrade, as well as 373's and trans cooler / "J - Mod". are in my future. It has been my (albeit totally Mustang but extensive) experience that most driveability and reliability issues tend to arise as a result, whether direct or indirect, from FI. I have never electronically tuned any car before as this was not needed on my 5.0's, but Lonnie assures me that the mods that I intend can be handled by him from afar with the x - cal. I will most likely go to a local dyno for a final "dial in" tune when all of the upgrades are finished, but I hope with some modicum of faith that Lonnie and his tunes will carry me safely through my journey until that final tune. I hope that high 12's low 13's can be accomplished with this plan.
 
SolipcisticSmile said:
Well Roadboss, not to say that I in any way whatsoever discount your obviously informed opinion, but you are the first naysayer to say nay to a through the mail X - cal from Lonnie. I actually ordered my x -cal w/ tune just a few hours BEFORE reading your post. I must say that I am suitably impressed by your Mark and if mine is even 80% of that when I'm done I will be happy. I don't plan to do forced induction, but all boltons / full exhaust / full cobra brake, wheel, and intake upgrade, as well as 373's and trans cooler / "J - Mod". are in my future. It has been my (albeit totally Mustang but extensive) experience that most driveability and reliability issues tend to arise as a result, whether direct or indirect, from FI. I have never electronically tuned any car before as this was not needed on my 5.0's, but Lonnie assures me that the mods that I intend can be handled by him from afar with the x - cal. I will most likely go to a local dyno for a final "dial in" tune when all of the upgrades are finished, but I hope with some modicum of faith that Lonnie and his tunes will carry me safely through my journey until that final tune. I hope that high 12's low 13's can be accomplished with this plan.
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You'll need 4.10 gearing for 12's.

Check out JP's NA setup. He and Lonnie have the fastest NA Marks, and they haven't quite hit the 12's yet.

What you are proposing above is good for mid 13's...maybe.
 
J said:
The problem with your reasoning is that the person that is putting the tune on knows there stuff and has been around Marks for a long time. Sure its mail order, but anything from Lonnie or Torrie has be researched, tweeked, and fine tuned for YEARS. Basically, if I get it right, you're saying that you have more experience tuning a car with a hand held vs. someone that has been doing it for years?
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not at all, i am saying there is just too many varibles. for example, with a tune, you bring the afr closer to 13:1. but you might have a weak fuel pump, so a 13:1 tune on a car with a good pump is going to make you go very lean and blow your motor. along with MANY other things that could go wrong.
 
bryantaylor said:
not at all, i am saying there is just too many varibles. for example, with a tune, you bring the afr closer to 13:1. but you might have a weak fuel pump, so a 13:1 tune on a car with a good pump is going to make you go very lean and blow your motor. along with MANY other things that could go wrong.
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Most tuners operate under the assumption that you are maintaining your vehicle.
 
Of course there can be and are many unforseen variables when tuning or modifying any car. That being said, I think that the desire to improve ones vehicle is in no way going to be satiated by an overly cautious mind - set that won't allow one to make any changes from stock for fear of thermonuclear meltdown. I think that if you modify (or do anything in life) haphazardly and you get burned by the outcome, then you reap what you've sown. However, I think that if you do adequate research, ask appropriate questions of knowledgeable individuals (anyone on this site can attest with complete veracity to my having done that!;)), and act with knowledge of forethought, then you can proceed with a confidence in the result, and not be too upset with any unfortunate outcome, being assured that you did what you could to get where you wanted to go.
 
SolipcisticSmile said:
.. I think that if you do adequate research, ask appropriate questions of knowledgeable individuals (anyone on this site can attest with complete veracity to my having done that!;)), and act with knowledge of forethought, then you can proceed with a confidence in the result, and not be too upset with any unfortunate outcome, being assured that you did what you could to get where you wanted to go.
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That pretty much sums up what I have been able to do with my '93. ;)
 
I would recommend you get a dyno tune on your car from a local SCT tuner. I have seen way too many times, with my own two eye's, very respected, knowledgeable mod motor tuners programming run way lean on the dyno with canned tunes. Both boosted and non-boosted applications.

Just purchase your xcal and tune from one of the several Mark tuners, and get your transmission and all the Mark specific stuff the way you like it, and then take it to your local dyno tuner to set the A/F once you have your intake and engine mods done. It is the only way to be sure... :)
 
SolipcisticSmile said:
Of course there can be and are many unforseen variables when tuning or modifying any car. That being said, I think that the desire to improve ones vehicle is in no way going to be satiated by an overly cautious mind - set that won't allow one to make any changes from stock for fear of thermonuclear meltdown. I think that if you modify (or do anything in life) haphazardly and you get burned by the outcome, then you reap what you've sown. However, I think that if you do adequate research, ask appropriate questions of knowledgeable individuals (anyone on this site can attest with complete veracity to my having done that!;)), and act with knowledge of forethought, then you can proceed with a confidence in the result, and not be too upset with any unfortunate outcome, being assured that you did what you could to get where you wanted to go.
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Very poetic...I went into a trance visualizing "V" from "V for Vendetta" saying those words to me.

If you haven't seen the movie, it is a compliment.
 
No, I havn't sen the movie, but I will now make it a point to do so. That you for the compliment however. Writing is very possibly the only thing that I do well.:cool:
Yes, schultz, that basically is the game plan. I hope that my "canned tune", being from Lonnie, will be more than adequate to escort me safely to that "Day of the Dyno". Although I'm not totally broke, I certainly cannot afford hideously expensive dyno time and tune every time I clean the air filter for fear of being too lean. Lonnie assures me that I will be fine, and based (albeit solely) on everyones extremely high opinion of the man and his work, I tend to believe him. We will see.
 
SolipcisticSmile said:
Although I'm not totally broke, I certainly cannot afford hideously expensive dyno time and tune every time I clean the air filter for fear of being too lean.
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haha, thats what I thought too... I'm going to decide in a few months to go with a forged rotating assembly or used motor.. :eek:

Maybe you should get an A/F meter or fuel pressure gauge? Just a thought so you don't have to run to the dyno to see if your going to run to lean
 
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