I tried searching, but my terms must suck or something... I want a big block, but I also like fuel injection. I haven't decided on exactly which engine I'm going with yet, and available EFI manifolds will play a large factor in my decision. Can someone point me in the direction of some good information on the subject? My dad wants me to go 396. There's also the 427 and 454.

Would I have more options for EFI manifolds if I went small block? 327 or 400 would be my choices here. I like to have something different, which is why I'm not concerned with the 350(everyone and their dog has one). Massive amounts of power are not my concern. Something that sounds great, runs great, and can do it's fair share of whoopin butt is good enough for me. The car will be primarily a weekend street driver.

 

There are NUMEROUS FI options out there for a big block. Most of them are based one way or another on a regular 4-barrel manifold. The simplest ones are basically TBI; except instead of using piddler injector pods like stock TBI, they use port type injectors, mounted directly to the throttle body. Although, for that matter, you could do the junkyard thing, and stick a 454 TBI off of a truck onto any 4-bbl inatke, with an adapter. That'd be just about a no-brainer, although FAR from the BEST way to do it.

What kind of budget are you working with? Just for the FI, I mean; not the whole project. Be specific, not "as cheeep as possible".

 

For the entire engine, I'm not *entirely* sure yet. Parts get more expensive the more exotic you go, but lets say $2500-$3000 for the entire engine, which will be a rebuild. The budget can be flexed as it needs to be, but it's tough to budget without an idea of what FI systems will cost me. I'm willing to lay down cash as it's needed for something that will work.

 

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=ACC%2D77135
http://www.accel-dfi.com/pdf/Pages7_10.pdf

There's others... that'll give you an idea though.

There's even one that has the injectors mounted on the front and rear of the TB, and has covers that look JUST LIKE Holley carb fuel bowls. Looks at a glance just like a carb. It's a bit more spendy though.

 

Holy jeebus! That sucker is pricey. Looks nice though. I had no idea they got that expensive. Let's say... $500-$600 for an injection system? Will I be stuck with the modified TBI for that price or are there still other options?

 

Well, that price there, is NOT ONLY for the thing in the pic. It also includes a fuel pump; the DFI ECM; the wiring; every sensor; and the DFI software. It's a COMPLETE kit.

There's no reason you couldn't use a bunch of stock stuff like wiring and ECM, and only buy, say, the TB part. If you've got the brainpower for that, that'd be a way to get it done for A WHOLE LOT LESS than that package price.

 

Ahh, I see that now. The $2k price tag doesn't look so bad, considering the parts included.

What about stock replacements? For example, pulling an EFI system off a junkyard car and put it onto a motor? Are the mountings the same across SBC/BBC engines, or entirely different? Basically, is it a requirement to go aftermarket for FI on a BBC?

 

You could always build your own custom system.

http://www.msefi.com/

 

I was looking at that and am still confused about it all. I'll still need a manifold that will hold the injectors... MS takes the place of the stock PROM, from what I understand, allowing custom tuning. I'd still need the hardware to begin with.

 

Right... most of the "custom" EFI systems that people build, are based on single-plane 4-bbl intakes (Vic Jr and such as that).

The control electronics are totally irrelevant to the shape of the lump of metal. You need an ECM, which could be stock or aftermarket; you need certain sensors, which are easy to retrofit or purchase as a unitized part of a TB or other component; and some wiring. Beyond that, the computer does not need to know about and does not care about, what the chunk of aluminum looks like.

In other words, you have a WIDE range of options. This could include one of the packaged complete systems, such as those Accel ones, or competitive ones from Edelbrock or Holley among others; welding injector bungs into a Vic Jr or something, and fabbing fuel rails, and running a Megasquirt computer, or a FAST or a Big Stuff or whatever electronics; slapping a stock 454 TBI on a 4-bbl intake with an adapter, and using a stock 454 TBI computer and wiring; and so on. You could even use a crank trigger and sequential injection if you felt like it.

 

Alright... all of that only sort of makes sense, but you've given me enough information to start searching on specifics. Thanks.