EFI

[dieselgeek]

Re: EFI

Its part of it, its a complication for those of us who want it that I find the most annoying to overcome. My solution is to use a B-body tank but I had to notch the frame rails in the back to fit it but I have heard of people putting the B-body tank into 67-72 A-bodies aswell. I hate external pumps and they are notoriously short lived, so I refuse to consider one that is not in a fuel bath. But if you haven't noticed I'm a fan of factory stuff so I lean very heavily to adapting OEM stuff to work.

Ford made an inline pump for EFI mounted to fuel rails that was used in their 3/4 ton vans through the 1990s. I know guys that have 50,000+ miles on these pumps. I am not so sure that "common knowledge" about inline, external pumps is all that cacurate - like so many other internet "facts"

-scott

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: EFI

I'm still trying to figure out/decide what to do about the Fuel System in my Skylark. My T-bird I'm not going to do anything but add an external electric pump sufficient for the TBI and run a return line then see how bad the fuel starvation issue is as the tank gets low before I take it any further. Low pressure systems are easier to work with (even converting a late model EFI to a carb just requires either a pressure regulator or just connecting the fuel line to a mechanical pump) and not as hard on parts.

[squirrel]

Re: EFI

I built a little surge tank for one of the EFI swaps I did, aside from my crappy welding skills it was relatively easy and worked well. I probably should have gas welded it instead of using the wire feed, now that I think about it.

also when going from efi to carb, if it's a return type system be sure to use a bypass type regulator, the pump would probably burn out quickly if you use a normal carb type deadhead regulator.

[shaun callaway]

Re: EFI

if you use a rail regulator GM#17107010 (which is cheap) it will work just fine. you run your return line to the tank and then hook up your vaccum source your good to go.

[shaun callaway]

Re: EFI

when choosing a external inline you want to choose an appropriate one not too big but definately not too small. i have seen some people will go out and buy an $800 because they think it should last forever then but thats not the case. like scott said you can get a $45 ford pump for most applications and it will work just fine aslong as you mount it correctly and it is sized appropriately for your application.

[shaun callaway]

Re: EFI

come on guys dont give up

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: EFI

Sorry Shaun that's all I got. I've got two EFI projects on my plate now. I just pulled the engine/trans out of the Skylark yesterday morning and will be getting the last of the engine and EFI parts together while I get the Fuel system lined out. Soon as I get the the engine I just pulled back into the Centurion (tomorrow?, Q-jet and all ;) It's getting new gaskets, paint and maybe bearings first) I'll start on the T-birds EFI system.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: EFI

I'm in the middle of my nailhead to L67 EFI controled V6 swap. Need to pick up some EFI rated 3/8in and 1/4in hose for the initial fuel system and a bunch of bolts. I'm also going to need to order my HPTuner VCM Pro next week and order a wideband O2.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: EFI

good deal

i cant really say much about a manufacturer choice of connectors but in my expirience there has to be a reason as to why it burned up not just because it did.

Jim pretty much covered it, but I see GM cars and trucks needing fuel pump replacement, way more than any other.

mostly the old ones with returns , they run too much

[Matt Cramer]

Re: EFI

I can't really weld and at one point considered trying to make a surge tank out of a tin can. But I heard about someone who was using a type of filter as a surge tank. I went to my local Tractor Supply, found a Goldenrod fuel filter that was meant for gas pump applications, and modified its spin-on mount a bit to make a surge tank and filter combined unit. I also went with that Ford fuel pump Scott mentioned.

Still, the surge tank and two pumps made for a lot of complicated plumbing. Next time I redo the fuel system (that fuel pump shouldn't have trouble keeping up with the turbo I had when I started, but that 82 mm turbo can support a lot more hp than my pump...) I will probably baffle and sump the tank and go for an in-tank pump.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: EFI

I can't really weld and at one point considered trying to make a surge tank out of a tin can. But I heard about someone who was using a type of filter as a surge tank. I went to my local Tractor Supply, found a Goldenrod fuel filter that was meant for gas pump applications, and modified its spin-on mount a bit to make a surge tank and filter combined unit. I also went with that Ford fuel pump Scott mentioned.

Still, the surge tank and two pumps made for a lot of complicated plumbing. Next time I redo the fuel system (that fuel pump shouldn't have trouble keeping up with the turbo I had when I started, but that 82 mm turbo can support a lot more hp than my pump...) I will probably baffle and sump the tank and go for an in-tank pump.

How much complication is added to the plumbing with the fuel filter/surge tank? I was thinking along this line versus sumping my Skylark's tank. With the return line after the high pressure pump how much more volume is needed to be low pressure pumped by the gas tank to surge tank? (if that makes sense....) I was thinking of either keeping my current 9psi 3/8th line electric pump to prime/fill the surge tank or perhaps a mechanical pump instead of my electric. But I wasn't sure about the volume issue.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: EFI

How long of a sustained corner are you planning? I'd take that and multiply it by 150% for a margin of safety and then multiple it by the pumps rating at 50psi for more safety and use that as a volume of the surge tank. That way it would take longer than you ever plan on holding in a corner to pump it down enough if the pickup got uncovered.
Disclaimer: theory and speculation based answer, recommend expert confirmation.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: EFI

How long of a sustained corner are you planning? I'd take that and multiply it by 150% for a margin of safety and then multiple it by the pumps rating at 50psi for more safety and use that as a volume of the surge tank. That way it would take longer than you ever plan on holding in a corner to pump it down enough if the pickup got uncovered.
Disclaimer: theory and speculation based answer, recommend expert confirmation.

Damn Physicist! I'm a Geologist, I look at rocks not crunch numbers! :P I guess what I really need to know is the volume consumption of the return line and ensure the feed line is sufficient or nearly so (time weighted?) to account for engine consumption and the return line. Does the high pressure pump move constant volume regardless of engine load? Then what the engine doesn't use the return line sends back.... Assuming even the mechanical pump at ~6-9psi is sufficient volume wise for sustained full throttle I think keeping the biggest loss to the surge tank would be the return line and not the engine consumption.

[dieselgeek]

Re: EFI

The surge tank is handy but like Matt says, a little more plumbing.

[427]

Re: EFI

The return from the engine goes back into the surge tank, the only fuel missing from the tank is what the engine burns. A factory clicker pump mounted on the block should support 700hp if its just feeding the surge tank.

Kurt