Raising Idle Speed with underdrive pulleys and Mezeire pump

[Donny Carlson]

If you've seen my gallery or posts, you'll know I have Nordskog's digital gauges instead of Autometers. My voltmeter is accurate to 1/10 volt, and displays as such (i.e. 13.6) When the volts are out of acceptable range (above 15 or below 12), the display calls attention to this condition by flashing the display.

With underdrives, the car in gear and foot on the brake, a/c on, sound system on, etc, etc, voltage drops below 12 (hovering around 11.8 or 11.9, though at night with all the lights on it drops to 11.6/11.7) and the display flashes. Not really a problem, because once you let off the brake (and tail lights go out) it jumps back over 12 volts and of course any throttle it jumps up to normal range.

But next week in goes the Mezeire pump, even more electrical load, and I decided to get my idle speed bumped up 200 rpm to compensate. I was concerned that in park, foot off the brake, the idle speed would be too high.
But Aric at Team came through for me, and reset the idle 200 rpms only when the car is in gear. Problem solved! At a stop light, foot on the brake, the volts now don't drop below 12.4, and additionally I noticed oil pressure, which would drop to 15 psi before, now only drops to 25 psi.

[BillyGman]

So you're saying that through the computer or even through a chip the idle RPM in drive can be adjusted up or down independently of the idle in park? I didn't know that. Then why don't any of the engine tuners do that w/their chips or SCT handheld tuner programs?

[Donny Carlson]

So you're saying that through the computer or even through a chip the idle RPM in drive can be adjusted up or down independently of the idle in park? I didn't know that. Then why don't any of the engine tuners do that w/their chips or SCT handheld tuner programs?
That's what I'm saying. My idle speed in park is the same as before. In gear, foot on the brake, it's now 200 rpm higher that it used to be.

I sat next to him and watched him do it on the Superchips laptop. I had just told him that if setting the idle speed 200 rpm higher would make the idle speed in park too high, to not do it. He asked "so, you want the idle speed higher only when it's in gear?" He made some file adjustments, then said "this should do it"

I will be happy to show you in person at MVII. Idle speed in gear, foot on the brake is 900 rpm when it used to be 700.

[TAF]

We are VERY lucky to have Aric, his tuning talents and the SCT Software available to us here in the A-T-L...:up:

[Donny Carlson]

We are VERY lucky to have Aric, his tuning talents and the SCT Software available to us here in the A-T-L...:up:
Todd can attest to the fact my gauge would drop below 12 volts at stop lights. He drove it today prior to the retune.

[TAF]

Yep...but, I'm glad to see it was such an easy fix for Aric. And I REALLY like the customization of the 200RPM only being there when you need it (the parameters described above: in gear, AC on, yada, yada, yada)

It redefines custom tuning....it's nice to have someone spend an hour and a half or more, multiple pulls, off the Dyno out on the roads, back on the Dyno...etc.

[MMSuperFan]

DR did my SCT program for my 9100 flasher. When in park it idles at 700 which is OK for volts and oil. Placing tranny in drive pulls idle speed up to about 900 and it compensates well for my UDP's. Talk to Dennis.

:rock:

[BillyGman]

Donny, I wasn't doubting you at all. I just didn't know they can do that, and I wonder why Dennis didn't do that w/the chip he sent to me in the past. Instead, he had evrything higher. It was idling at 1,100 RPM's in Park, and 900 RPM in gear. but that doesn't matter anymore since I'm not using his chip anymore anyway since it was for an N/A set up which my car isn't N/A anymore.

[Donny Carlson]

Donny, I wasn't doubting you at all. I just didn't know they can do that, and I wonder why Dennis didn't do that w/the chip he sent to me in the past. Instead, he had evrything higher. It was idling at 1,100 RPM's in Park, and 900 RPM in gear. but that doesn't matter anymore since I'm not using his chip anymore anyway since it was for an N/A set up which my car isn't N/A anymore.

I didn't know it could be done either, until about 7:00 PM today Eastern Time:up:

[V10_P70]

Try the 2003-2004 alternator from the Crown Victoria Police car, it produces 200 amps at idle. Check to see what the charge voltage requirement of your battery is to determine what your minimum voltage allowed is.

[BillyGman]

You guys in GA make me sick w/that great dealer you have over there!!!! I'm so jealous!!!! I can't trust any dealer around here. :mad: I need to bring my car for an alignment, and I haven't a clue as who to bring it to. The only mod friendly dealer in this entire homestate of mine that I'm aware of did terrible work to my car the one and only time that I brought it to them. And when I brought it back for them to fix what they did wrong, they didn't even care about their error. It seemed that it was simply another day and just another car to them. Business as usual. And that was in addition to the mechanic attempting to keep my original Torque converter hoping that I would forget about it (Long story).

[TAF]

Try the 2003-2004 alternator from the Crown Victoria Police car, it produces 200 amps at idle. Check to see what the charge voltage requirement of your battery is to determine what your minimum voltage allowed is.
It won't work...SOHC alternators are quite different...and Marauders have the alternator pulley with the "clutch" built into them...

[Dennis Reinhart]

So you're saying that through the computer or even through a chip the idle RPM in drive can be adjusted up or down independently of the idle in park? I didn't know that. Then why don't any of the engine tuners do that w/their chips or SCT handheld tuner programs?


Yes its easily done you can raise idle in neutral or in gear

[BillyGman]

Thanks for confirming that Dennis. :up:

[Logan]

It won't work...SOHC alternators are quite different...and Marauders have the alternator pulley with the "clutch" built into them...
Only early 300A's should have the clutched alternator's. The replacements are all non-clutched.

[MMSuperFan]

Only early 300A's should have the clutched alternator's. The replacements are all non-clutched.
Ok, neophyte question....how can I tell the difference between a clutched alternator and non-clutched?

[TAF]

Ok, neophyte question....how can I tell the difference between a clutched alternator and non-clutched?
It was news to me that there was a change in later models. If you take the cap off the alternator pulley and there is just a bolt...it does not have the clutch. If there are "teeth" like a gear...then it has a clutch.

[Logan]

Yep, what TAF said. Ford was getting the MM "clutched" alternator from a supplier in germany. Switched suppliers early into the 300B as part of the whole cost cutting thing.

[MMSuperFan]

Thanks, mine is the German version, with the clutch. Which is better.....or maybe the better question might be, what does this mean to a MM owner?

[TAF]

Thanks, mine is the German version, with the clutch. Which is better.....or maybe the better question might be, what does this mean to a MM owner?
It means if you want to go to an 8-rib pulley setup when SCing...you need to switch alternators. My suggestion is a '98 Cobra alternator.

[MMSuperFan]

It means if you want to go to an 8-rib pulley setup when SCing...you need to switch alternators. My suggestion is a '98 Cobra alternator.
Thanks, Todd!

Never ceases to amaze, how much you learn about your MM here that is not available else where in my part of the world.

:banana:

[V10_P70]

Need to verify what the Ford alternators (non-police) can produce for amp and voltage at idle (600-700 rpm).

We see 14.4 volts at idle with the car in gear, air conditioning on with a late model police alternator. Verified by Nordskog guages.

Different people have different solutions to resolve this problem, we just looked at updating the alternator to resolve the issue. Just one possible solution to this problem.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

Yep, what TAF said. Ford was getting the MM "clutched" alternator from a supplier in germany. Switched suppliers early into the 300B as part of the whole cost cutting thing.I just checked and boy did I luck out as I have the Clutch , but if you had to replace the Alternator through Ford they replace it with a Non-clutched Pulley system built into the alternator or can they switch the pulleys ??? :(

[martyo]

I know of a clutched alternator for sale if anyone is interested, let me know.

[Logan]

Why in god's name do you want the clutched one...

For the record, there's a special order tool to remove that pulley, no ford dealership mechanic will have one as again, the tool comes from the supplier.

The best bet to remove the clutched pulley is to find a Trilogy kit owner, they will have the tool as it's included in the kit.

[TAF]

no ford dealership mechanic will have one as again, the tool comes from the supplier.
How much you wanna bet on that statement?:D

[BillyGman]

Let's not forget that those spoiled people in GA have that super performance Ford dealer over there. :mad: