Contemplating FI 4.6 into '12 V6 car - looking for input as to what ECU to use

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I'm collecting parts for a dream swap of mine, stroked 4.6 (to 289 cubes) with 4V heads and a compound boost roots supercharger/twin turbo set up.

My question is which ECU should I go with, the GT500 (07-11), or can I use a '07 4.6 ECU that I picked up used?
 

DiMora

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I'm no expert here but a 4.6 with 4V heads is apples and oranges...if you are going to go 3 valve heads on that 4.6 then the 07 4.6 ECU is fine. I would not go GT500 ECU unless you are dropping in a complete 5.4/4V GT500 setup.
 

tjm73

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2018-08-503224-500-Images-populum_uploadnic_503224_flush_20180820_918.jpg
 

skwerl

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As somebody who owned a 2009 supercharged 3v 4.6 as well as a 2014 4v 5.0, I can tell you a 5.0 will be much cheaper to reach the horsepower you desire. The 4.6 is such a bad choice that parts are virtually impossible to find any more because everybody abandoned the platform to focus on the 5.0.

My 2009 Bullitt put down 643 to the wheels on pump gas and ran 138 in the quarter mile. I had easily $70K-80K in that car and the only reason I got anything out of it was because I totaled it.

The 5.0 starts out 100hp ahead of the 4.6 before you do anything. Drop a TVS blower on it and you can easily make 750hp or more for less than $10K (including fuel mods). But since you're starting out with a v6 you'll need another $10K in suspension mods, new rear axle, brakes, etc.

The engine is the cheap part. The v6 running gear is not capable of handling that much power safely and will be a death trap. Honestly it would be cheaper to go buy a new car.

As far as compound boost with both a supercharger and turbos, that's a pipe dream and will never happen.
 
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Dino Dino Bambino

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I'm collecting parts for a dream swap of mine, stroked 4.6 (to 289 cubes) with 4V heads and a compound boost roots supercharger/twin turbo set up.

My question is which ECU should I go with, the GT500 (07-11), or can I use a '07 4.6 ECU that I picked up used?

Your nightmare has just begun. I agree with skwerl.
 

stkjock

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you'd be better off all around doing a 5.4L 4V swap from a GT500, more power, more reliability, less costly
 

tjm73

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Some dreams are better left just that, a dream.

You will only pull this off if you have cash. Lots of cash to burn. Hazard a guess as to why you don't see 4.6 DOHC based swaps in these cars? Or twin charged type builds? They have substantial engineering challenges and even if someone attempts the build, they run out of money, enthusiasm and/or talent.
 
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Thanks for all the input, guys. This wasn't meant as a troll post, I mostly wanted to get guys opinions on ECU choice, but the other points that were brought up are good ones.

I will post in this forum if and when I start my engine build. :)
 

1950StangJump$

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The anti-3V posts by Coyote owners on Facebook are tiresome. Everyone screams, "Coyote swap!" and bashes the 3V.

If you already have a 3V in the car, it makes more financial sense to forge and boost it than to swap to a Coyote, as long as your end goals don't exceed 700 at the wheels. Plus, it is relatively unique and sounds better.

But, in this case, you're starting from a V6 anyway. So, as others said, might as well go Coyote or a 5.4.
 

Juice

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A gen 1 coyote should be just about plug-n-play in that chassis. As it was available option for that year.
 

07gts197

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As someone who has 3v pride I have to admit that the coyote is a great motor and has a lot more potential. However when it comes to motor swaps to me its just another motor. Yes its cool to see one in a fox but wouldn’t a built 351w perform the same? And I feel like its a waste when people swap motors just to boost the new one. Why not just boost what you have. With the money you have into the swap itself then on top of that you get a blower kit you could’ve boosted what it already had for the same money if not less. And this isn’t aimed at anyone its just my opinion.


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JEWC_Motorsports

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As someone who has 3v pride I have to admit that the coyote is a great motor and has a lot more potential. However when it comes to motor swaps to me its just another motor. Yes its cool to see one in a fox but wouldn’t a built 351w perform the same? And I feel like its a waste when people swap motors just to boost the new one. Why not just boost what you have. With the money you have into the swap itself then on top of that you get a blower kit you could’ve boosted what it already had for the same money if not less. And this isn’t aimed at anyone its just my opinion.


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A bolt on coyote is much cheaper than a 351w at the same power level.
 

tjm73

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Do you have emissions inspections in Tuscon AZ? Will local emissions pass such a swap?
 

07gts197

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A bolt on coyote is much cheaper than a 351w at the same power level.
Perhaps in something other than a fox chassis that needs some changes to accomodate the coyote, control pack, brake booster and misc. things I’m missing.


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Yeah, we have emission checks here in Tucson, so I gotta work with that. I have the block, crank, rods (Manley Cobra) and pistons, and I even have a couple of different 4V heads to pick from, along with a Termi intake fitted with a GT500 blower. My goal is about 800 "hero" (water-meth injected, cool IAT, ect.)horsepower on 91 octane pump gas, with 600-650 available when not pushing full tilt (limited by how much water-meth injection being used). I figure I'd need about 25lbs of boost to make that kind of power, therefore the compound boost scenario (PD roots blower to give me some low-end until the turbos become a factor).

I'll probably spring for a T56 Magnum XL tranny (or TR6060), but I do have an extra TR3650 that I could use in a pinch (I'd want to update 1st gear with a G-force gearset, but I'd probably be better off spending the $ on the T56).

The V6 chassis already comes with a 31 spline 8.8, so I'll be okay with that. Front brakes (Brembos) seem to be abundant, so I'm not too worried about that.

My lingering question is what ECU to use. I have an '07 4.6 mt ECU, but I'd have to flash the correct VIN into it, turn off the variable cam timing, knock sensors, and whatever else to get it ready for the additional changes to account for the added displacement (only 8 cubes, so probably not an issue) and the boost.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that the '07 ECU is the way to go as it is the closest to working with the chassis (other than possibly getting a '12 GT500 ECU + wiring.

Speaking of which, any thoughts on where to get an '07 and '12 wiring diagrams?
 

tjm73

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Holley just released a ECU system.
 

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