Headers with Track Key Cel question

[seca954]

Have any tuners figured out how to bypass the CEL with headers while still keeping all the Track Key features?
I haven't been on this forum much lately so I thought I would ask.

 

[BigTaco]

The trick with this is, the second you make changes, your throw out the baby with the bath water. This is challenging for a couple of reasons; the track key is additional programing "on top" of the original software. It utilizes the security features (that's the "dual pathway") of the PCM. This is similar to MyKey settings. If one key is put in, it adjusts the seats and other preferences (I know the Boss does not have these features, just an example) according to what key is being used at the time. It's not 2 separate "tunes", it's the PCM identifying which key is being used and operating the preferences associated with the identification of the key. Make sense?

Any "tune" is an over write that would not include the track key features.

The only way I know of to keep these features and run headers with Track key would be to utilize Kooks "green cats" but you would still have to work with them (Kooks) to run more than 2 "green cats" per bank (4 total) to mitigate a CEL. This has only been done once by Cooltech and was expensive and cumbersome. That being said, the "green" cats flow so much better than anything else on the market, a very substantial horsepower increase would still result.

Now that I've run my mouth (fingers?) about what I know, it should be noted that I did call Kooks customer service earlier in the year and was told that they use of their off the shelf green cat h-pipe for Boss 302s (with additional side pipe outlets) would not result in a CEL. Maybe they have fixed the issue since.If you are in California, you would not be officially Smog Legal. Your car would pass all tests except the visual.


Odalay,
BT

 

[seca954]

Thanks. That was a great explanation Taco. It seems I still won't be installing headers.

 

[06mach1]

Seca, do you have emissions inspections to worry about? If not, why not just run the headers and ignore the MIL? I run cat deletes and that's what I do.

 

[seca954]

I did the same thing as you. I ran cat deletes and dealt with the CEL. I ended up reinstalling the cats to get rid of the CEL. The motor runs better with the deletes but I just couldn't take the CEL any more. Every mustang I've owned had at least one CEL on. Some looked like a Christmas tree. This car is too nice to drive around with a CEL on. I'd hate to have the CEL come on for another reason and break the motor because I didn't know.