Thread: Any one here got any hints for after market EFI

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I have been looking at EFI stuff for a while now. I was just wondering if anybody had any information good or bad about after market EFI systems. It will be fitted to a mild 350 chev with a muncie 4 speed in a Holden Torana similar to a Chevy Monza.
Cheers Manky

Manky, I'm looking at the EFI kits, too. My application is SBF, and the guys at the House of Boost http://www.houseofboost.com/ have schooled me a bit on some details. Below 600hp a batch fire system, such as found on many OEM systems, works fine. The 600hp break point is due to the size of the injectors needed to run full power, and the fact that they don't have enough turndown to provide a controllable idle and part throttle rpm - you are pushed to direct port injection, controlling each injector individually, even going to multiple injectors per cylinder for the big boys. Several companies are offering EFI kits which have everything needed in a coordinated package - Edelbrock, Hilborn, FAST, Holley and others all have offerings. Edelbrock & Hilborn both have systems using a FAST XFI ECU which is a windows based laptop tuning interface. One FAST system is made to replace an existing carb, and has a self tuning system made for the novice, and giving the appearance of a carb under an air cleaner. Others, like Inglese and Hilborn, give a race engine appearance with sexy velocity stacks. Inglese has a really nice look, but a really nice $$$$ price tag, too, a bit over $6k...and for cruising you have the need for filters hiding the sexy appearance.
There are some guys on here who have cracked the cases on OEM ECU's, and adapted them to their applications. I'm not that well schooled on that aspect, and am more aligned with plug & play. The ECU from Big Stuff 3 (BS3) seems to be the new system of choice from the shops building systems from scratch. BS3 is headed by the guy who directed much of the development of the FAST system, and the company is small - him and his two sons as the major players as I understand.
I will be either going with something like the Edelbrock kit, if they ever release the SBF version , or as a fallback may let the HOB guys build me a BS3 system, coordinating the components for a package approach. I like the FAST self learning system, too, but on a new car/engine application I'm not tied to converting from carb, and I'm not really looking for a "traditional" induction system look.
What are you finding in your part of our shrinking world??

i have used FAST alot . FAST is user friendly . easy to tune and easy to setup . BIG STUFF 3 is real hard to work with and tune . the fast we used it on a 555 ci bigblock and a 454 zl1 motor and other cars all of them fired right up and ran no problems . the BS3 we have it on a twin turbo 4.3 and wow we still dont have it running right !

hilborn sucks ! stay away from them . i have a 8 stack EFI and i have taken the controller and trashed it and installed fast on it .

Originally Posted by kennyd

i have used FAST alot . FAST is user friendly . easy to tune and easy to setup . BIG STUFF 3 is real hard to work with and tune . the fast we used it on a 555 ci bigblock and a 454 zl1 motor and other cars all of them fired right up and ran no problems . the BS3 we have it on a twin turbo 4.3 and wow we still dont have it running right !

hilborn sucks ! stay away from them . i have a 8 stack EFI and i have taken the controller and trashed it and installed fast on it .

KennyD,
Was your Hilborn one of their new kits with the FAST XFI controller, one with their Carabine "screwdriver tune" controllers, or something else entirely? Just curious.

I like the idea of the self learning system that looks kind of like a holley.I did start out with a holley EFI in mind but I've heard that they are not all that good.
Cheers Manky

Originally Posted by rspears

Manky, I'm looking at the EFI kits, too. My application is SBF, and the guys at the House of Boost http://www.houseofboost.com/ have schooled me a bit on some details. Below 600hp a batch fire system, such as found on many OEM systems, works fine. The 600hp break point is due to the size of the injectors needed to run full power, and the fact that they don't have enough turndown to provide a controllable idle and part throttle rpm - you are pushed to direct port injection, controlling each injector individually, even going to multiple injectors per cylinder for the big boys. Several companies are offering EFI kits which have everything needed in a coordinated package - Edelbrock, Hilborn, FAST, Holley and others all have offerings. Edelbrock & Hilborn both have systems using a FAST XFI ECU which is a windows based laptop tuning interface. One FAST system is made to replace an existing carb, and has a self tuning system made for the novice, and giving the appearance of a carb under an air cleaner. Others, like Inglese and Hilborn, give a race engine appearance with sexy velocity stacks. Inglese has a really nice look, but a really nice $$$$ price tag, too, a bit over $6k...and for cruising you have the need for filters hiding the sexy appearance.
There are some guys on here who have cracked the cases on OEM ECU's, and adapted them to their applications. I'm not that well schooled on that aspect, and am more aligned with plug & play. The ECU from Big Stuff 3 (BS3) seems to be the new system of choice from the shops building systems from scratch. BS3 is headed by the guy who directed much of the development of the FAST system, and the company is small - him and his two sons as the major players as I understand.
I will be either going with something like the Edelbrock kit, if they ever release the SBF version , or as a fallback may let the HOB guys build me a BS3 system, coordinating the components for a package approach. I like the FAST self learning system, too, but on a new car/engine application I'm not tied to converting from carb, and I'm not really looking for a "traditional" induction system look.
What are you finding in your part of our shrinking world??

Here's the one from FAST EZEFI - I don't have any direct experience with it, but it was recommended to me as being plug & play. http://www.fuelairspark.com/ezefi/default.asp

Thats the sort of thing that I'm after. Now I'll just have to save my penny's .

Originally Posted by rspears

Here's the one from FAST EZEFI - I don't have any direct experience with it, but it was recommended to me as being plug & play. http://www.fuelairspark.com/ezefi/default.asp

Originally Posted by rspears

Here's the one from FAST EZEFI - I don't have any direct experience with it, but it was recommended to me as being plug & play. http://www.fuelairspark.com/ezefi/default.asp

Nice kit there rspears, I have been looking at Retrotek's Powerjection III system, similar price range, and they are coming out with a model that does FOD (fuel on demand) and spark control - personally I don't care for the FOD feature, but spark control completes the package in my opinion

Good luck manky, keep us posted!