KenneBell Boost-a-pump install - Focaljet

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 12:38 PM

As some of you know, I recently had my car retuned by Jerry at SCT. Though the A/F ratio looked good across the entire run, fuel pressure dropped to dangerous levels. Fortunately, the computer knows that fuel pressure was dropping, and automatically compensates by increasing injector pulse width to maintain the fueling needs. But you obviously do NOT want to rely on this.

Here's a log from data collected with the SCT Raptor from one dyno run.

Obviously, during the last 1000 RPM, fuel pressure dropped exponentially and ended at about 23 psi at redline.

After discussing and researching numerous options, we decided to go with a Boost-a-pump and give it a shot. The Boost-a-pump works by increasing the voltage from 12 volts up to as much as 17 volts when needed. This allows the pump to flow about 50% more than stock. Also, the BAP acts as a power cleaner to maintain the required voltage even when battery voltage drops to as low as 10v. Cleans both brown outs and spikes.

Here's the result after adding the BAP. Any guesses as to when it kicks in?

This was with the BAP set at 50% (100% would be 17 volts) and is boost referenced at 5 lbs of boost. As you can see, when it kicks in its rather abrupt, but then gets smoothed out. I wish it would ramp up the voltage instead of just kicking in... oh well.

What was surprising was that when the BAP kicked in, and pressure shot up, the air/fuel ratio actually leaned out about a full point. Seemed like it should of done the oppposite to me, but apparently there is an injector pulse width modifier that references fuel rail pressure. And when it got as high as it did, the multipler was wrong and was leaning out the mixture. After adjusting this multipler, things returned back to a much lower level. So make sure you retest your air/fuel when adding a BAP!!!

The plan is now for me to slowly turn down the BAP to remove the spike as much as possible, while still maintaining fuel pressure at the end of the run.

And here's how hard they are to install...

Remove rear seat and pull back carpeting to access fuel pump wiring. On the SVT Focus the wiring to splice into is the orange/green one. Cut this wiring and splice in the two red wires from the BAP, with the fused wire going towards the battery. Ground the black wire.

Though the power and ground wires can be extended, the boost/vaccuum reference wire and the controller wire cannot be cut or extended.

Mount the BAP somewhere (I still need to do this).

Using the components provided, tap into a vaccuum line for the boost reference switch and connect to the appropriate black cables.

The other black cable is connected to the controller box.

And that's it. If you already have the back seat out, it takes a total of about 10 minutes to install.

**BloxZX3** · 08-24-2004, 12:45 PM

Very nice write up and pictures of the install man. I have been wondering if this system would work for a long time, and I am glad that you finally took the chance and showed that it is more that capable of working on our cars.

Lox

**DisrupTer911** · 08-24-2004, 12:49 PM

Are you worried about sooner or later, burning the fuel pump out from those extra bursts of power? b/c isn't running a 12v item on 13 or 14 or even the max 17v dangerous for the life of the pump?

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Are you worried about sooner or later, burning the fuel pump out from those extra bursts of power? b/c isn't running a 12v item on 13 or 14 or even the max 17v dangerous for the life of the pump?

Yes, I was, but after looking for failures out there, the real world seems to support KenneBell's claims that running at the higher voltage will not hurt the stock pumps. Apparently Kenne Bell even discussed with with the Visteon engineers that built the pump and they said it won't cause any problems at all. The only reason OEM companies don't already do this is because they don't want to incur the cost of the step-up thingy to get the normal 12v to something higher.

And when not in boost and high rpm, it runs just like stock at stock voltages. So I don't expect there to be any serious long term problems.

**BloxZX3** · 08-24-2004, 01:59 PM

Quote:

And when not in boost and high rpm, it runs just like stock at stock voltages. So I don't expect there to be any serious long term problems.

When do you not drive in boost with your kind of power

**1turbofocus** · 08-24-2004, 05:45 PM

Have you checked your fuel filter or the sock on the fuel pump

"IF" you have a bad filter,sock,pump would it not be better to fix these problems instead of adding more voltage to an already over worked fuel system

There is a reason why my pump and a few others SVT and many ZX3 are doing these numbers with the stock pumps and yours wont

I am NOT trying to start anything and im glad it is working for you ,Just some questions i would like answered

Tom

**Welding Rod** · 08-24-2004, 06:38 PM

Slick would you mind posting the same graph but with the margin scaled to show final timing?

Thanks

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 06:39 PM

No, and I feel the same exact way. I would of much rather gone step by step and replaced one thing at a time to ensure I wasn't having some other problem going on. Unfortunately, I was running out of time before Jerry was leaving and wanted to make sure I got this addressed and retuned ASAP. I figured the Boost-a-pump was the the most radical thing to try and I could always work back from there as I went.

I'll be swapping out the fuel filter shortly here, and will cut the old one open. I'll post up pics of what I find.

Tom- Any chance of seeing what the logs look like on your SVTF? I'd just like to see what a "good pump" example looks like. You still maintain the stock 39-40 rail pressure right? Or do you have this increased?

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Slick would you mind posting the same graph but with the margin scaled to show final timing?

You got it....

Is this the part where everyone tells me that I'm going to blow my motor within 10 minutes of driving it?

For reference, the Predator tune was peaking at about 14.5 degrees I believe.

You'll notice the timing is definitely a bit more advanced down low than you turbo guys, but that's because I can take a more NA stance to it since there's no chance of virtually any boost being developed down there. This regained some pretty good low end torque which is always welcome.

I have seen the J&S pull 2 degrees (currently set at 20/all cyl so I REALLY fell it) a couple of times right around the 6k range under WOT, but I also have the sensitivity cranked almost to MAX. And at this setting, the J&S has retarded my timing a little when I hit the freeway reflectors, so I know this thing is super sensitive at the moment. I'm running this tank of gas out, and then will try to make it happen again with a tank of 100 or 104 race gas. If it goes away... so will a degree of timing.

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 10:53 PM

WTF?!?!?

Nobody's shooting down my timing? I was betting Belacyrf how long it would take before the first "YOU'RE GONNA BLOW UP!!!" post was made.

**Welding Rod** · 08-24-2004, 11:04 PM

Thanks Slick

Damn I can't believe you haven't shot all 4 rods yet.

Just kidding of course. At casual glance it doesn't look bad at all to me - but I should have asked you to include load on that graph as with RPM only it is kind of meaningless. Sorry, I wasn't thinking!

**SlickShoes** · 08-24-2004, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Damn I can't believe you haven't shot all 4 rods yet.

That's the kind of response I was expecting! hehee..

As for the load... here you go.

**Welding Rod** · 08-24-2004, 11:33 PM

That load graph doesn't look right, it seems it should be much higher.

Could your displacement number be off in "Scalars Misc"?

I will post my data it the other thread you just started.

EDIT: Maybe the load is right. I just looked at your dyno plot again. It is quite hard to follow though with HP and torque scaled differently on the same graph - agh! Making me go cross-eyed.

**SlickShoes** · 11-15-2004, 08:19 PM

Bumping for infraredSVT.

For some reason, those images aren't showing up now, yet the url's are perfectly fine. I'm wondering if something in the url is getting messed with in the word filter software... oh well. The pics can still be found here:
http://jabba.s4r.com/cg/tech/vortech/bap/

And yes, the BAP is still functioning 100% as expected. I still need to replace my fuel filter (yes, I'm that lazy) but either way, I'm still maintaining perfectly good FRP across multipe successive WOT pulls.

EDIT: NM.. now the images are coming up... weird.

**blownsvt** · 11-15-2004, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Bumping for infraredSVT.

For some reason, those images aren't showing up now, yet the url's are perfectly fine. I'm wondering if something in the url is getting messed with in the word filter software... oh well. The pics can still be found here:
http://jabba.s4r.com/cg/tech/vortech/bap/

And yes, the BAP is still functioning 100% as expected. I still need to replace my fuel filter (yes, I'm that lazy) but either way, I'm still maintaining perfectly good FRP across multipe successive WOT pulls.

EDIT: NM.. now the images are coming up... weird.

Thanks. I did read through this and sent you a pm.
You did mention that you had to tweak the pcm after install of this correct? I really dont want to have to go through that process. Im getting close to doing something about not being able to use my bigger jets.

**SlickShoes** · 11-15-2004, 08:44 PM

Yeah, the ECU has a set of modifiers for values above or below certain FRPs that affect the injector pulse width. The BAP would throw my pressure up enough that we discovered that the modifier value was narrowing down the pulse width too much. So by making the ECU "think" the injectors were just slightly smaller above a certain pressure (50 or 60 psi I believe), it brought my AF back in check.

These modifiers came from the original SCT tune, so I'm not sure if that were taken from the stock tune or what. Also, if its a different tune, your modifiers may work just fine and no tuning changes would be needed. You'd just need to check this with a wide band o2 and check your AF right around the BAP pressure spike.

**EggYolk** · 09-01-2005, 12:10 PM

Why are you only hitting 115% load on this graph?

**SlickShoes** · 09-01-2005, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Why are you only hitting 115% load on this graph?

Good questions, and no idea really.

At these power levels the load should be MUCH higher, but who knows.

**EggYolk** · 09-01-2005, 01:31 PM

Is this common with most Pro-M MAFs? I usually only see SCT data using OEM Ford MAFs, that's why it seems so out of place for me.

**w00w00** · 09-01-2005, 02:01 PM

your spark timing doesnt seem all that extreme, even down low. i do agree with some other posters in wondering why your load logs are barely passing 100%.

**Welding Rod** · 09-01-2005, 02:11 PM

That black box mounted to the floor in your first pic, is that the "FPDM"? And you have then spiced in prior to the FPDM?

**SlickShoes** · 09-01-2005, 02:29 PM

Quote:

your spark timing doesnt seem all that extreme, even down low. i do agree with some other posters in wondering why your load logs are barely passing 100%.

Unfortunately, for a CA 91 octane tune, it is pretty aggressive.

And yeah, not sure if the low represented load was because of the recalibrated Pro-M or what. Shouldn't be as it was tuned in properly. Could of also been that we were using a preproduction SCT Raptor logger, and maybe it was a bug that's since been fixed. Who knows...

Quote:

That black box mounted to the floor in your first pic, is that the "FPDM"? And you have then spiced in prior to the FPDM?

In this pic?

The fuel pump I believe is to the left in that pic, and I *believe* it was after the "FPDM", if that's what that black box is called. Unfortunately KB did not have any Focus specific instructions, but do have some good Mustang ones. So Vic from FocusSport and I busted out the big huge Ford schematics and this is what we used to track down the correct wires. Its a super simple install, once you find the right wire to splice that is.

**Welding Rod** · 09-01-2005, 02:45 PM

That's the one.

Over on Modular Depot the consensus seems to be that it is best to wire in prior to the FPDM (can't remember now WTF that stands for) in order to allow the ECU to control the pressure, and also some say best to omit the Hobbs and tie the wires together.

As far as my fuel pressure transitional response issue is concerned, the guy on the tech line at KB just now didn't think the BAP would help my problem since it wasn't one of running out of flow capability.... which I kind of expected to hear.

**EggYolk** · 09-01-2005, 03:07 PM

Meaning the responsivness on our econo-box fuel pump just isn't made for these conditions Rod?

**Welding Rod** · 09-02-2005, 09:13 PM

I don't know if it is that, or one of ECU processing speed, a combination, or something else. However I have been searching Ford boards for many hours and the best I can tell, those that have actually recognized the problem haven't found a firm proper solution, and most probably just aren't aware of it to begin with.

I have some more testing I will be trying. I tried raising and lowering the Proportional and Integral controller terms for the fuel pump with no noticeable benefit. Shortly I will be testing changes to the Derivative term, and also loading the base fuel pump voltage table with modified higher flow values for the KAM after a flash.

Got a BAP coming too. I figure if Slick was running out of pump at 290 with a SVT, I must be close to my limit anyhow, and I intend to up the power down the road provided I can overcome the transitional fuel pressure SNAFU.... if not I may just wash my hands of this MF and get a STI.

08-24-2004, 12:38 PM	#1
SlickShoes Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Posts: 7,682	KenneBell Boost-a-pump install As some of you know, I recently had my car retuned by Jerry at SCT. Though the A/F ratio looked good across the entire run, fuel pressure dropped to dangerous levels. Fortunately, the computer knows that fuel pressure was dropping, and automatically compensates by increasing injector pulse width to maintain the fueling needs. But you obviously do NOT want to rely on this. Here's a log from data collected with the SCT Raptor from one dyno run. Obviously, during the last 1000 RPM, fuel pressure dropped exponentially and ended at about 23 psi at redline. After discussing and researching numerous options, we decided to go with a Boost-a-pump and give it a shot. The Boost-a-pump works by increasing the voltage from 12 volts up to as much as 17 volts when needed. This allows the pump to flow about 50% more than stock. Also, the BAP acts as a power cleaner to maintain the required voltage even when battery voltage drops to as low as 10v. Cleans both brown outs and spikes. Here's the result after adding the BAP. Any guesses as to when it kicks in? This was with the BAP set at 50% (100% would be 17 volts) and is boost referenced at 5 lbs of boost. As you can see, when it kicks in its rather abrupt, but then gets smoothed out. I wish it would ramp up the voltage instead of just kicking in... oh well. What was surprising was that when the BAP kicked in, and pressure shot up, the air/fuel ratio actually leaned out about a full point. Seemed like it should of done the oppposite to me, but apparently there is an injector pulse width modifier that references fuel rail pressure. And when it got as high as it did, the multipler was wrong and was leaning out the mixture. After adjusting this multipler, things returned back to a much lower level. So make sure you retest your air/fuel when adding a BAP!!! The plan is now for me to slowly turn down the BAP to remove the spike as much as possible, while still maintaining fuel pressure at the end of the run. And here's how hard they are to install... Remove rear seat and pull back carpeting to access fuel pump wiring. On the SVT Focus the wiring to splice into is the orange/green one. Cut this wiring and splice in the two red wires from the BAP, with the fused wire going towards the battery. Ground the black wire. Though the power and ground wires can be extended, the boost/vaccuum reference wire and the controller wire cannot be cut or extended. Mount the BAP somewhere (I still need to do this). Using the components provided, tap into a vaccuum line for the boost reference switch and connect to the appropriate black cables. The other black cable is connected to the controller box. And that's it. If you already have the back seat out, it takes a total of about 10 minutes to install.

08-24-2004, 12:45 PM	#2
BloxZX3 Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Kansas City, 66205 Posts: 2,279	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Very nice write up and pictures of the install man. I have been wondering if this system would work for a long time, and I am glad that you finally took the chance and showed that it is more that capable of working on our cars. Lox

08-24-2004, 12:49 PM	#3
DisrupTer911 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bloomfield, New Jersey Posts: 14,960	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Are you worried about sooner or later, burning the fuel pump out from those extra bursts of power? b/c isn't running a 12v item on 13 or 14 or even the max 17v dangerous for the life of the pump?

08-24-2004, 05:45 PM	#6
1turbofocus [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: N. BELMONT NC, GASTON Posts: 5,389	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Have you checked your fuel filter or the sock on the fuel pump "IF" you have a bad filter,sock,pump would it not be better to fix these problems instead of adding more voltage to an already over worked fuel system There is a reason why my pump and a few others SVT and many ZX3 are doing these numbers with the stock pumps and yours wont I am NOT trying to start anything and im glad it is working for you ,Just some questions i would like answered Tom

08-24-2004, 06:38 PM	#7
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Slick would you mind posting the same graph but with the margin scaled to show final timing? Thanks

08-24-2004, 06:39 PM	#8
SlickShoes Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Posts: 7,682	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install No, and I feel the same exact way. I would of much rather gone step by step and replaced one thing at a time to ensure I wasn't having some other problem going on. Unfortunately, I was running out of time before Jerry was leaving and wanted to make sure I got this addressed and retuned ASAP. I figured the Boost-a-pump was the the most radical thing to try and I could always work back from there as I went. I'll be swapping out the fuel filter shortly here, and will cut the old one open. I'll post up pics of what I find. Tom- Any chance of seeing what the logs look like on your SVTF? I'd just like to see what a "good pump" example looks like. You still maintain the stock 39-40 rail pressure right? Or do you have this increased?

08-24-2004, 10:53 PM	#10
SlickShoes Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Posts: 7,682	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install WTF?!?!? Nobody's shooting down my timing? I was betting Belacyrf how long it would take before the first "YOU'RE GONNA BLOW UP!!!" post was made.

08-24-2004, 11:04 PM	#11
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Thanks Slick Damn I can't believe you haven't shot all 4 rods yet. Just kidding of course. At casual glance it doesn't look bad at all to me - but I should have asked you to include load on that graph as with RPM only it is kind of meaningless. Sorry, I wasn't thinking!

08-24-2004, 11:33 PM	#13
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install That load graph doesn't look right, it seems it should be much higher. Could your displacement number be off in "Scalars Misc"? I will post my data it the other thread you just started. EDIT: Maybe the load is right. I just looked at your dyno plot again. It is quite hard to follow though with HP and torque scaled differently on the same graph - agh! Making me go cross-eyed.

11-15-2004, 08:19 PM	#14
SlickShoes Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Posts: 7,682	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Bumping for infraredSVT. For some reason, those images aren't showing up now, yet the url's are perfectly fine. I'm wondering if something in the url is getting messed with in the word filter software... oh well. The pics can still be found here: http://jabba.s4r.com/cg/tech/vortech/bap/ And yes, the BAP is still functioning 100% as expected. I still need to replace my fuel filter (yes, I'm that lazy) but either way, I'm still maintaining perfectly good FRP across multipe successive WOT pulls. EDIT: NM.. now the images are coming up... weird.

11-15-2004, 08:44 PM	#16
SlickShoes Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Posts: 7,682	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Yeah, the ECU has a set of modifiers for values above or below certain FRPs that affect the injector pulse width. The BAP would throw my pressure up enough that we discovered that the modifier value was narrowing down the pulse width too much. So by making the ECU "think" the injectors were just slightly smaller above a certain pressure (50 or 60 psi I believe), it brought my AF back in check. These modifiers came from the original SCT tune, so I'm not sure if that were taken from the stock tune or what. Also, if its a different tune, your modifiers may work just fine and no tuning changes would be needed. You'd just need to check this with a wide band o2 and check your AF right around the BAP pressure spike.

09-01-2005, 12:10 PM	#17
EggYolk [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,611	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Why are you only hitting 115% load on this graph?

09-01-2005, 01:31 PM	#19
EggYolk [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,611	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Is this common with most Pro-M MAFs? I usually only see SCT data using OEM Ford MAFs, that's why it seems so out of place for me.

09-01-2005, 02:01 PM	#20
w00w00 Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: gainesville, fl Posts: 2,273	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install your spark timing doesnt seem all that extreme, even down low. i do agree with some other posters in wondering why your load logs are barely passing 100%.

09-01-2005, 02:11 PM	#21
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install That black box mounted to the floor in your first pic, is that the "FPDM"? And you have then spiced in prior to the FPDM?

09-01-2005, 02:45 PM	#23
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install That's the one. Over on Modular Depot the consensus seems to be that it is best to wire in prior to the FPDM (can't remember now WTF that stands for) in order to allow the ECU to control the pressure, and also some say best to omit the Hobbs and tie the wires together. As far as my fuel pressure transitional response issue is concerned, the guy on the tech line at KB just now didn't think the BAP would help my problem since it wasn't one of running out of flow capability.... which I kind of expected to hear.

09-01-2005, 03:07 PM	#24
EggYolk [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,611	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install Meaning the responsivness on our econo-box fuel pump just isn't made for these conditions Rod?

09-02-2005, 09:13 PM	#25
Welding Rod Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Northwest Posts: 3,421	Re: KenneBell Boost-a-pump install I don't know if it is that, or one of ECU processing speed, a combination, or something else. However I have been searching Ford boards for many hours and the best I can tell, those that have actually recognized the problem haven't found a firm proper solution, and most probably just aren't aware of it to begin with. I have some more testing I will be trying. I tried raising and lowering the Proportional and Integral controller terms for the fuel pump with no noticeable benefit. Shortly I will be testing changes to the Derivative term, and also loading the base fuel pump voltage table with modified higher flow values for the KAM after a flash. Got a BAP coming too. I figure if Slick was running out of pump at 290 with a SVT, I must be close to my limit anyhow, and I intend to up the power down the road provided I can overcome the transitional fuel pressure SNAFU.... if not I may just wash my hands of this MF and get a STI.