I am putting together a project for a college engineering class on the fuel management system of GM vehicles during the 1980s. While everyone else is researching Mars probes and hydrogen fuel, I decided to do something a little different... .

One aspect that I'd like to cover deals with the historical background of these systems. Aside from some general information on fuel injection and the "application" of certain ECMs, I can't find anything about this -- I'm not sure if there's even published material. Does anyone care about the history of this stuff?

Specifically, I'm looking for employee testimonials, experimental systems, breakdowns of the devices, and really anything else that doesn't have any "user" value, but kinda makes you curious when you read it. The truly fun stuff, such as the implications of altering certain settings, will come later in my project.

DIY-EFI didn't seem to have a whole lot, but I suspect it's either buried in the archives or was lost during the server crash.

I elected to post this in the DIY PROM forum, as opposed to the ECM forum, because things seem a little more active here.

 

I'm not sure how much good this will do you.

I'm sure you know the GM EFI ECM systems such as are used on the ThirdGens are based on the c3/c4 carbed ECM systems.

but you probably don't know this. back in the late 1970's there was an auto manufacturing company that was working on more than 1 electronic computer control system for their cars, they were hurting for money, GM had money to spare, the money got right & a deal was made, GM now had a very good ECM system for that time & this system had plenty of room to grow.
GM made this deal with a company called Mopar, yes i said that right, Mopar, as in Chrysler, Plymouth, & Dodge.

the first computer controlled carburetor system GM put on their cars around 1980 & 1/2 were first used by Mopar around 1977.
Mopar didn't use it on many of their cars, my understanding is it was mainly used on a limited number of cars that were originally designated for police use with some finding their way into the civilian market from the dealerships.
i no longer have my old factory repair manual, a courtesy of tropical storm Allison, if i did i would scan it & send it to you, it did look alot like what came from GM for their old carbed systems.

these c3/c4 Mopars are rather rare, i have worked on 2 of them, the first was back in 1979, which is why i bought a factory service manual, the second was around 1987 or 1988.
if you have access to some old Motor repair manuals from the late 70's on Chrysler products, it may have some more info on it such as trouble shooting & repair.
as far as i know, they only used it on the full size 4 door cars & only on the 318 & maybe on the 360.

 

Maybe try sending Grumpy or RBob a PM also, they seem to know a pretty good deal on the history side of things.