I've never seen or heard of an LB3. The 8UA was the 88 Turbo Coupe Auto ECU.
Not to say the LB3 does not exist, just that I have never personally seen or heard of it.
(That link above has some other misinformation in it, too FWIW)
I can take a pic of the LB3 if you would like. I personally pulled 2 out of 2 88 TC autos and one is now installed in my 85 XR.
What's some of the misinformation in that link? Reason I ask is that I have referred to that information quite a few times and don't want to be passing on said misinformation.
The LB3 is the early 1988 Turbocoupe computer and the 8UA is the later 1988 Turbocoupe computer.
The Turbocoupe with a LB3 was only rated 155hp from the factory and Turbocoupe with a LA3 was rated 190hp.
I did play with these computers when I had my 1987 Turbostang and I do know that you can run with a little more base timing advance with a Turbocoupe LB3 computer compared to the SVO PE computer and the LA3 computer, and with 18psi of boost you can get easily get to 225hp. Compare this to the factory rated SVO Mustang PE computer at 205hp.
I also like this computer because it responds so well to simple and easy engine tweaks without a programmer and for anyone that has the LB3 computer I'll give you a few tips & tricks. Some of these tricks with work with other turbo Ford computers so use at your own risk......
1. Don't use any platimum type plugs no matter what. I have melted the ends off an incredible amount of the plugs using the LB3 when setting up a car with these modifications. With the automatic transmission it produces so much heat that the plug ends melt and the engine runs rough and begins to miss. Standard Motorcraft plugs or Delco plugs.
2. Do this at your own risk. Adjust the TPS to .85 to .9 volts with the throttle body closed. I think the factory setting for this to 1 volt. What this does is it leans out the air/fuel mixture at all throttle positions. This computer runs rich all over the place so this is ok for the LB3 computer other turbo computer I don't know. If you don't have enough adjustment on the sensor slot the holes. This modification alone will pickup 5 to 10hp by itself.
3. Make sure that the throttle body opens all the way up when you floor it from inside the car. I have seen so many of these cars where the throttle body doesn't open all the way.
4. Get and install a 3 inch down pipe and a full 3 inch exhaust.
5. If you don't have an intercooler. Get one.
6. Replace your O2 sensor. New ones work better and respond faster then old ones.
7. Get rid of the factory BCS (boost control solenold). Add a manual boost control valve or better yet get an electronic boost controller. Set your boost no higher then 18psi after and I'll repeat this AFTER! the intercooler. Any more and you lose horsepower. The reason for 18psi is that above 18psi the stock turbocharger becomes a turbo air heater. 19psi to 20psi before the intercooler is ok if the intercooler can keep up with the heat. 20psi to 23psi and the pre-intercooled air is about 200 to 260 degrees and it becomes a lot harder for the intercooler to cool the air. If you want to run more boost upgrade your turbocharger to a bigger/better and more efficient one.
8. Get an adjustable wastegate actuator and preload it correctly. You want it to open at the boost level you set and not bleed off too much boost before that point.
9. Disconnect the knock sensor. When the computer gets a signal from the knock sensor it retards the timing. The problem with a retarded engine is that the computer retards it too much and it doesn't produce the peak horsepower. If you don't know what engine ping/knock is leave this plugged in. Blowing up a engine cost more that a retarded engine not making peak horsepower.
10. Don't set your base timing to the factory 10 degrees. Warm up the car by driving it around normally and then drive down a road that the cops won't bother you then FLOOR IT to full boost, while at full boost listen to see if you hear any knocking or pinging (kinda sounds like 2 hollow steel pipes banging together) if you don't hear any knocking or pinging bump up your timing a degree or two and repeat. What you want to do is advance the base timing to the point where the timing is just under the point where it pings at full boost pressure. This works great with the LB3 computer and not at all with the PE computer.
1988 Merkur Xr4ti
1985 SVO Mustang
1985.5 SVO Mustang
divinez wrote:
What's some of the misinformation in that link?
There were quite a few things, I'll go back and look. I know they had 1985 XRs listed as green top, 30# injectors - which is wrong. Some other things, too...I'll go back and look.