It would be fairly simple to put in an OBD2 system from a Mustang 3.8 and use an SCT tuner. Basically the same as putting the t-bird engine in my Mustang. You don't even need a tuner for OBD2, any competent dyno tuner can tune OBD2. I believe that you should retain the factory system because there are plenty of people on this site making gobs of power with it. There are all kinds of options with emailed custom tunes and rechipped EEC's.
You guys aren't really understanding the situation. OBDII is not better, or really even any different. Ford uses the same basic strategy to operate all engines, over most all years, up until the new stuff which gets much more complicated. The EEC IV system is just a baby brother of the EEC V, or OBDII. The SC was the test platform and the template for all later versions of Ford engine management. So if anyone can tune a Ford OBDII processor, then tuning an SC is even easier. The only difference is that slightly different software is used, but the actual program is the same (only simpler). The principles are the same, the strategies are the same. The biggest difference is that the EEC IV can be tuned live rather than requiring the "shut down and reflash" process. From a tuning stand point, EEC IV is actually better than OBDII. Furthermore, Tedor already has a top notch mail order tune. He wants more.
Bottom line is, if someone can tune an OBDII Ford, then using a QH is simple. Tuners tend to be a-holes though and won't even open it up to look at it. Either that or they just aren't smart enough to handle the minor GUI differences between SCT and BE. I run into this all the time.
The real issue that Tedor is referring to is people (tuners) who aren't familiar with any Ford systems. They are used to speed density systems and don't want to learn Ford's MAF system. I do understand this because Ford's system is quite different from standard speed density. It's easier, but different. Many tuners just can't seem to wrap their minds around how a system could possibly be simpler than speed density. I guess parts of the above paragraph still apply.
I tune with both systems (MAF and Speed Density) so I'm not speaking out my left ear. I know the challenges of both. But my ability to help Tedor is limited since I can't be there in person. Someone like myself can remote in on his laptop which I have done before, but that is still a bit of a pain compared to having a tuner being hands on with the car.
I fully understand the urge to swap out for a different system, and I've worked with people to do just that. Having been through the process I can pretty much sum up how it is likely to go:
- You'll pay a healthy sum for an aftermarket system that can mostly be adapted to work.
- You'll spend more time than you thought, and a lot more time than you'd like, installing the system or else you'll pay someone else a lot of money to hack up your factory wiring.
- After it's installed some things won't work. You'll spend a lot of time figuring out why they don't work. If you hired someone to make it all work for you, most likely they will give up trying to make it work, or they will tell you that "you don't need that". You'll end up with things that don't work.
- You will have to verify that sensors are giving accurate data - like did the crank sensor pickup result in a time shift of the ignition signal? Is it running on falling edge or rising? Why does it not respond to commands like the instruction manual said it would? Why is it not compatible with the Ford hall-effect pickup like the instructions said? What do I do about the computer controlled dwell system that is part of the DIS? What, do I now have to convert to coil on plug and add on another ignition control system that wasn't included with the EMS package I paid a lot of money for?
- How do I verify that commanded spark and ignition timing are actually correct?
- Wait, the original installer screwed up one of his wires. I can't find the wire now and what is this red/green stripe wire supposed to go to?
- I've now spent 6mo trying to get this to work and my car runs worse.
- My tuner/installer took my money and now won't return my calls.
- I took the car somewhere else and they said the other installed screwed everything up and they have to start over again.
- My towing bill now exceeds my gas and insurance bill.
- Everything seems like it might be working but the tuner needs a base map to start tuning from. No one else has ever done this before so they need to know where to start.
- They got the base map working but the car stalls all the time and won't hold an idle. If I two foot it I can drive it around. It seems to run pretty good except it backfires occasionally.
- I raced some dude in a Peugeot and boy was he surprised!
- Now my engine is knocking and I think I just want to get rid of this thing. Everybody around here told me in the beginning that I was crazy to mod an SC. I should have just learned how to use the QH in the first place.
This is mostly a true story except the names and places have been changed to protect the innocent.