Hi folks
I purchased this unit from Wes, I had it in my 97 PI but now that it has been sold, this unit is awesome!!!! I am putting it in my 98 Continental now. I read thru the Continental manual and couldn't find the fuse for the fuel pump fuse to shut it off to install the programming either in the engine compartment or inside the vehicle . Could I just hit the emergency fuel pump switch and install the programming and hit it again after I install the Program, or could I just ibstall it without turning off the fuel pump

The service CD shows a mechanical fuel pump enabled when the crank sensor shows the crank is spinning and also another verison with an electrical fuel pump.

If it has an electrical fuel pump, the fuse needs to be located and removed so it does not run momentarily and cause a system transient. You could try the trunk fuel disable too. The key is that the car needs to be free of electrical transients while programing. Keep heater motors and other accessories quiet during download or upload also.

I edited my previous reply, I was looking at the CV data by mistake. It is a 20Amp fuse, circit 1 on 1999 CV.

Larry

IIRC, if you look for the Fuel Pump Relay in the Relay box under the hood, you can pop that out.

I can't find it in my manual, the closet thing would be the the PCM fuse. other than that there is nothing regarding the fuel pump relay or fuel system fuse. I am stump!!!!

Will the switch in the trunk let you turn it off? I thought it was sort of a ratcheting switch in that it could be used to reset but not turn off.

If it will turn off, it will certainly keep the fuel pump from coming on, allowing you to program. It should be fun on the DOHC My grandmother traded in her 95 with 35k miles on a Lexus 430. I'm sure it made someone a wonderful car.

If you smack it hard it will turn it off.
It's inertia activated, just like a seatbelt tensioner or an airbag sensor.

Give it a good whack with a hunk of 2x4. It'll trip.

do I hit the switch itself? it's on the b- Pillar near the seatbelts latches.

You can't program the computer if you pull its fuse. The schematic shows the Fuel relay and PCM relay are the same part. (I.E. pulling this relay will disable power input to the PCM)

The inertial fuel sensor, located on the right side B pillar can be unplugged and that will remove power from the fuel pump. Don't wack on safety devices with 2x4's.

Larry

If you pull the plug to the inertia switch, the fuel pump will not come on. I do this all the time when changing the fuel filter (to make sure the system is not pressurized)

Let us know how that DOHC likes the tuner.

While we are talking about the 1725 Microtuner, I would like to ask folks what settings they have found to be advantageous.

My goal is to have the transmission in the next lower gear instead of lugging the engine when the grade changes upwards. I have the 2.76 gearing. I'm not yet ready to change that and lose fuel economy. The computer upshifts suitably to my old fart driving style (or even when spirited moments) but the transmission is not in the right gear for higher loading on up-grades. For instance, slipping out of OD for a moment on the highway would be intuitive on a manual shift transmission but seems lost to the OEM Ford software.

I'm please with fuel economy with the stock setup (25.3 mpg mixed driving), but when the engine lugs on an upgrade the time to respond to accelerator input is inappropriate while software sorts things out.

So, I guess I am asking if others have tuned things with the 1725 to this sort of geezer driving to advantage. I'm interested in other settings too, but this is my prime complaint with stock. Since it's not a simple matter to tweak a setting, a good starting point would help. In the old Caprice, I used to touch the brake to disable the OD and that was just right.

Larry

Larry, I have mine tuned right now with all custom settings from the Tuner. Tomorrow I'll go find some hills and see if the car lugs or if it downshifts out of overdrive like it's supposed to. I don't think the car lugs, I would've noticed it doing that because one of the things I absolutely couldn't stand about my '91 was its inability to sense when to get out of overdrive. My experience with the '98, even before I got the Tuner, was that it came out of overdrive easily without excessive throttle input. Even with the cruise control on. But let me get out there and pay closer attention to what it's doing and I'll report back. FYI, I too have the slug highway gears so we'll be comparing apples to apples.

Slentzer, that would be great to hear you feedback. In Maryland, there are not lots of hills at least around here, just rides uphill. I'm talking about maybe 15% or 20% grades. I think the car figures the steeper ones out okay. I might be a bit anal about the gear it's in. These are just indecision points where the wrong gear is running stock. The gentle hills are the issue, not the steep ones. Slightly more throttle works, but it seems like going out of OD would be better than more throttle input. Maybe I'm just lazy. Probably pressing the OD diable button would work. I'm still learning my way around this sled.

Edelbrock IAD shocks and a factory 21 mm sway bar are waiting for my brother to visit. I've not warned him what awaits. ;o). Ron is too far away to visit or I would surely buy him a beer or six in exchange for a shock swap out in the parking lot of the Pink PussyCat. The ENS front sway bushings are unbelievable for under $20. They took about 70% of the bump steer out of the car and that was the only modification so far. Soon I will have the correct mix of geezing,comfort and control and performance out of this ride for my tastes. Thanks to all in the group for the help.

Slentzer, thanks in advance for your ideas.

My pleasure. I'll check in tomorrow.

If I recall, the literature that comes with the tuner says it affects only upshift points, not downshifts.

I would also bet that higher gears (like 3.23s) with less throttle would net better gas mileage than the 2.73s and more WOT driving. Only on open highway would the 2.73s consistantly deliver better mileage.

Hey Guys. Well, I had some time today to mess around with the Tuner, here's my impressions. I made three test runs, each run consisted of a loop about twelve miles long (I love drivin' my car). Each loop has everything from crap Pennsylvania two-lanes with no shoulder and monster potholes (River Road) to brand new, smooth concrete, limited access highway (Route 222 North). First loop settings: 1-2 2-3 shift max rpm, 3-4 shift Superchips, 1-2 2-3 3-4 shift firmness max. Car made the 4-3 shift easily with light accelerator input. Using cruise, the car maintained 70 mph on the highway with only one mph loss of speed regardless of terrain. Second loop settings: Deleted Tuner settings returning car to stock configuration. It took noticeably greater accelerator input to trigger a 4-3 shift on all roads traveled during the loop. Maintained 70 mph on highway with three to four mph loss of speed on hillier terrain. Third loop settings: 1-2 2-3 3-4 shift max rpm, 1-2 2-3 3-4 shift firmness max. Same results as the stock setting for the 4-3 downshift.
Tomorrow I want to set the 3-4 shift point to the minimum rpm setting and see how that affects the 4-3 shift. I'll bet it comes out of fourth gear easier, we'll see.
So my opinion is that, when certain Tuner program configurations are applied, the car makes the 4-3 shift more readily than when stock. However, at least with my car, that tranny comes out of fourth gear damn easy to begin with when you give it gas, regardless of whether you're going 40 mph or 90 mph. So if you're looking to the Tuner to cure your car's tendency to not come out of fourth gear to your liking, it may not make as much of a difference as you're looking for. Reminder folks, the above is purely my opinion, nothing more. YMMV.
I will tell you one thing, even though it's off topic here. When I reinstalled the performance tuning from the Tuner and went out on that third loop, the difference in the low and mid rpm throttle response was BIG. I had forgotten how much difference that Tuner makes compared to the stock programming because I've been running the performance tune uninterrupted for a few months now. In lieu of the MAF/air box/chip route, that thing WORKS. Money well spent.
If there's something anyone would like me to try with that Tuner tommorrow, as far as settings go, let me know and I'll do it.