How To Set Base Ignition Timing in an EA EB ED EL XG XH Falcon

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This is a basic guide on how to set your base ignition timing. It is recommend you set the base timing before installing a J3 Chip to ensure there is no advance or retard wound in to the distributor.

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MkII Zephyr AU 5.0L Windsor EFI conversion with T.I. Performance J3 Chip

MAFless EB-EL Windsor V8 With Transmission Control – How To Guide

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Article & Research by Jamie Mattson, with edits by Jason Bolger.

Introduction

In the quest to be able to adjust parameters in the EB ED EF EL V8 BTR 4 Speed auto transmission, and to simplify engine conversions in 6 cylinder E-Series and XG/XH vehicles to V8 EFI Windsors without pulling the vehicle into a million pieces to fit a V8 loom, our friend Jamie has devised an ingenious way to run the Windsor V8 using a 6 Cylinder ECU in “MAFless” speed density mode to control both the engine and transmission, allowing full control over engine and trans via a J3 Chip.

Jamie spent a considerable amount of time finding the parameters in the code, and this How To guide has been written to explain how it’s done.

Benefits

  • Full control of the Auto transmission via J3 Chip
  • Removal of the MAF sensor
  • Retain factory A/C & dash wiring (when doing V8 Conversions)
  • Passenger side HEGO spot can be used for a Wideband sensor
  • Thermofan control (EL ECU Only)

Pros/Cons/Gotchas

This conversion works pretty smoothly, but you should keep the following in mind if you want to give it a go.

  • This conversion requires a 60pin 6 Cylinder ECU such as that from an EBII, ED or EL Falcon (eg. 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 6xxx). EF 6 Cylinder ECUs are not suitable due to being coilpack.
  • You will need the following parts from a 6 cylinder vehicle to suit the donor loom:
  • You will need a J3 Chip to remap the PCM for the V8 engine
  • You will also need a V8 cluster, or the tacho will read incorrectly (higher than actual).
  • Only the drivers (R/H) side HEGO is used so the passengers side is redundant.
  • EL donor vehicles may have a large Square plug instead of the round and 4 pin plugs. As long as your donor engine loom matches the ECU loom, this will be fine. EL ECUs will also work on an EB-ED loom.

Wiring loom changes

There are a number of changes required to get the 6 Cylinder engine loom working on the V8 engine.

First up the injector wiring needs 2 extra injector plugs added (one to each bank).

Several wires need modifying:

  • Extend coil red/green wire
  • Shorten coil pink wire on resistor to firewall side
  • Extend tacho pink/blue wire
  • Extend oil pressure switch wire
  • Extend intake air sensor wire
  • Extend Starter pilot wire
  • On body loom, extend coolant sensor wires (add approximately 350mm)

List of wire lengths from round engine loom plug on 6 cyl donor loom:

  • Strip covering tape and corrugated tube from the donor loom until about 100mm from round plug .
  • Starter red wire plug to plug 850mm.
  • Injector wires from 1 to 4 are feed to new right hand side ( brown = odd number green = even number cylinders) (inj8=400mm. inj7=500mm. inj6=600mm. inj5=700mm.)
  • Injectors 6 and 5 should reach also add extensions or pig tails for new injectors one from each bank remembering brown = new injector 1. Green = new injector 2. Red power. (inj4=330mm. inj3=430mm. inj2=550mm. inj1=650mm.)
  • Idle speed control loops back or is 550mm.
  • TPS existing wires should be about 600mm.
  • Intake air sensor wires 650mm.
  • Oil pressure switch wire 1050mm.
  • Coil plug and resistor extend red/green and pink/blue to resistor(tacho wire) 750mm.
  • Shorten pink on resistor that has the single white plug (can just loop it in the loom but better to shorten it so it reaches the matching plug on TFI/BODY loom)
  • Grey wire with ring terminal will be long enough and attach to intake bolt.
  • Coolant sensor will need extending on TFI/BODY loom by approx. 350mm.
  • Distributor may be required to be re positioned so the TFI plug points towards the left hand head lamp.

When happy with the fitment, tape and fit corrugated split tube to protect the loom from damage.

If you would prefer to buy a completed loom ready to plug in to convert a 6 cylinder Falcon to V8, see EA EB ED EL XG XH Falcon Windsor V8 6 Cylinder ECU Conversion Loom.

Other Changes

Add the MAP Sensor (retain the 6 cylinder one in original position, and tee a vacuum supply from the fuel pressure regulator).

Set distributor timing as per 6 cylinder spec (10 degrees or 0 degrees depending on model).

Tune changes

To get the 6 cylinder tune set up to run the V8 engine, you will need to make the following changes:

  • Numcyls 8
  • Injectors per bank (injout 3=6cyl 4=8cyl)
  • Pips between output (1=6cyl. 2=8cyl)
  • Degrees per pip (120=6 cyl. 90=8 cyl)
  • MHPFD (signature pip duty cycle 0.24=6cyl. 20=8cyl)
  • Base measured displacement (basemd or CID)
  • Spark upper clip  (50=6cyl. 43=8cyl)

Starting VE & spark tables will need some tweaking. A base start up tune for the V8 engine can be installed on a J3 Chip via a Stage 3 J3 Chip, or ordered directly from Jamie.

Other options

If you are running an aftermarket ECU and wish to get full control of the BTR using a J3 Chip, Nathan has written up this excellent guide on how to wire in an ED ECU for standalone BTR Control only.

Conclusion

That’s it! If you’ve followed the guide correctly, your engine should be running off the 6 Cylinder ECU. You now have full control of the transmission, the ability to wire in thermofans (EL ECU Only), and full MAFless operation on a Windsor.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this guide please reach out.

A big Thank You to Jamie for his work in making this possible.

Windsor Parts

T.I. Performance stock a large range of Windsor parts on our shelves. From camshafts through timing sets, sensors and gaskets, we have you sorted. Browse our full range of Windsor parts here.