Modern EFI systems

[Taily]

Man he's quick. I emailled him at about 9am and he's already come back to me with a suggested set-up (and what it can achieve) and where to source some of the required bits like a 2 Bar MAP and a knock sensor.... not giving anything away.... much, locally.

[Dylan]

Kalmaker is fully tuneable. But forget about it to old and hard.
Moates does great stuff, but the guys at www.delcohacking.net have developed our ecu's further. Go for a look. Ease of use cheap and fully defined.

You can fit the Delco onto any engine. Ford Chev Jag whatever.

[Dylan]

Also there is an app now for android. Full binary editing and integrates with tuner pro. It compatible with its XDF and ADX files. Blue tooth or WiFi connectivity to vehicle options. As well as usb. It's all good stuff. And so much cheaper than aftermarket equipment and in most cases more feature packed and user friendly.

[utevanwgn]

I have to agree.
I run delco stuff in all my v8 rides the folks at pcm hacking are on the ball and really helpful.
It cost me only a couple of hundred bucks to setup with the basic gear for reading and writing to memcals.
And there are dozens of tunes and variations to choose from. in the very least it is a starting point and if needed the rough edges can be knocked off by a tuner with a dino.
The tuner pro software is so easy to use the dino guy probably uses it already.
Im planning on a turbo 5l and 4L60e and there is a tune free to download on pcm hacking.
Cheers

[utevanwgn]

I forgot to add that a few years ago I purchased a holley avenger throttelbody self tuning fuel injection unit.
I ran it in my 253 Hq ute . At the time it cost around the 2k mark including freight. I found it easy to setup and reliable. But as you can appreciate there was no real improvement in fuel economy over the 465 holley it replaced.
Where it did shine was in its drive ability cold start and other features like being able to set the electronic kickdown to what ever % of throttle desired.
aircon shut of at a given rpm or throttle position. Thermo fan's triggering and engine load compensation etc.
All these features accept the auto tuning can be altered on the delco pcm .It is a little more fiddly with the basic tuner pro software but if you go the tuner pro real time tuning with a modified pcm
and a wide band oxygen sensor you'll get all the benefits of a good factory system .
There are also a number of similar systems if the desire is for a factory carby look some of which are hard to tell that they are not carbys. Ie no fuel rails and very little wiring with the computer mounted on the throttle body its self.
Before you decide do a search for retro fit efi . There are a bunch of them (FAST EFI) (PROFECIONAL PRODUCTS) (HOLLEY)(EDELBROCK) to name a few.
There is also the option of a crate motor direct from GM complete with a pcm and cat converter package specifically designed and tuned to conform to epa standards for the retro fit scene

[Big Rob]

Oooooooohhhhhhhh!

All you guys are talking a language that an old bloke like me does NOT understand!

Sounds impressive, but living in a remote area with no local knowledge available makes me constantly take the well-trodden familiar route of Edelbrock manifold/Holley 4-barrel. I know Holleys and am always happy with the results I achieve in my humble workshop.

I'm sure there are both performance and economy gains using EFI, but I still worry about being stuck on the side of the road with issues that I can't fix with a screwdriver.

[utevanwgn]

HI Big Rob.
A well sorted holley is hard to beat as far as performance and economy is concerned but I am 44years old and have worked on cars all my adult life and barely know the basics of holley tuning.
To me a burnt set of points or a blown fuel pump diaphragm is no better or worse than a fried ignition module or a failing water temp sender.
If you are comfortable doing what you know stick with it.
There are a lot of myths about modern efi systems but at the end of the day reliability of any system is a product of its builders skill and attention to detail.
A good example of this is when a friend of mine replaced the electronic ignition module on his 6cyl vb commodore without using heat sink grease and couldn't understand why it would shut down when it got hot.
I like efi but I also appreciate the simple elegance of a well sorted carby .

[Taily]

Appreciate the advice as it is now over 20 years since I was paid to spin a spanner in anger. Have settled on the final set up I'll be running as I needed to get the whole configuration locked-in so that we can spec cam/porting/valve springs/pistons etc as the engine will be force fed. Utevanwgn I also want the EFI Holden engine to look completely stock and unmolested if someone who doesn't know a huge amount about them (read: the plod) ever opens the bonnet. They wont see what is hidden inside the factory looking ducting and airbox.

Rob, they sound all techy and geeky but the EFI systems are fairly simple in concept, well the old Holden 304 injected V8 certainly is, it is just that it is now well past 15 years since the last one rolled of the line and there were a few computer and sensor revisions since I used to work on them new at Tony Packards and I wasn't too sure what is still around for them.

I now have a system that I can tailor specifically to suit how my engine will make power and I can keep a very close eye on how it is running. The whole idea is a good, strong KW per cubic inch - and I'll be running a stroker bottom end...

Anyway, I painted the ute last night, am busting a gut to get out to South Windsor to have a look at it!

Cheers.

[Monman71]

I have had the Holley projection on my Monaro for nearly 20 years, it's the first version with the control box with manual dials, they later did a digital version, I can't fault it, it gives me good fuel economy and starts great cold. I have to get it dynoed every couple of years . I payed $950 from the states in 94 when it retailed $1600 here.

[HK1837]

I've still got a McGee / Air Sensors system here.