Fuel Injection - Pure-Pontiac EFI Buyer's Guide

Wilson Manifolds
Wilson Manifolds is most noted for its stellar reputation, providing intake manifolds to some of the top teams in NASCAR, NHRA, and a host of other professional racing series. With this racing heritage and the custom services it provides for intake manifolds, the company has expanded its focus and now offers custom-made EFI conversion kits for classic Pontiacs starting at $2,300. Pricing includes custom-machined high-flow fuel rails, stanchions, injector bosses, billet throttle body, and conversion labor. The ports are polished underneath the injector bosses for maximum flow. In kit format, the system is setup to utilize speed-density tuning via the F.A.S.T. XFI computers Windows-based software.

ECU: F.A.S.T. XFI ECU with O2 sensor provisions. Includes fuel-injection and ignition harnesses, a wide-band O2 sensor, water and air temperature sensors, and a 1-bar MAP sensor. The base kit contains provisions to hook up the ignition harness to a standard GM HEI distributor or a magnetic pickup distributor such as MSD's Pro-Billet.

Fuel Rails/Throttle Body: Custom-made Wilson Manifolds extruded aluminum fuel rails with 111/416-inch-id fuel passage and accessories to support the customer's choice of fuel injectors. The supplied billet-aluminum throttle body is a Wilson Manifolds four-barrel unit designed for a standard 4150-flange that is rated at 1,136 cfm. It includes a GM-based throttle position sensor (TPS) and idle air control valve (IAC).

Operating Modes: F.A.S.T.'s XFI microprocessor-controlled ECU unit employs the company's C-COM XFI software, which is Windows-based and field-flashable with tuning done via laptop. The ECU is sequential fuel-injection or bank-to-bank mode capable. Multiple ignition strategies such as HEI or IPU (inductive pickup) are available; 1-3-bar MAP capabilities are built in; and data logging of fuel pressure, EGT, and a host of other critical engine elements can be performed. Auxiliary components can be controlled, and up to four custom ECU tunes can be stored with switching capability.

Not Included: Manifold, fuel injectors, fuel pump, fuel lines, distributor.

Options: Fuel injectors run between $300 to $400 depending on horsepower application. For higher horsepower, throttle bodies that flow up to 2,008 cfm are available in Dominator flanges. A full race setup with a 90-degree elbow and a 90mm billet single-port throttle body are popular options for supercharged and turbocharged applications. Additional labor to perform manifold conversions that include custom nitrous port injection (one, two, or three stage) is also available at an added cost, along with intake porting for $600. Wilson sells MagnaFuel brand fuel systems, and a popular choice is the Pro-Star 600 EFI pump that flows 325 lph and supports up to 2,000 hp (retails for $440.99). MagnaFuel regulators and fuel filters are also available.

System Availability: Systems are custom-designed and available 2-3 weeks after Wilson receives the customer's manifold. Additional custom work takes longer and is quoted to the customer at the time of the order. All supply parts are available through Wilson Manifolds or the original manufacturer.

Edelbrock Corporation
Edelbrock has been developing a line of EFI conversion kits for classic-Pontiac engines for the last couple of years. Release of the Pro-Tuner small- and big-block Chevrolet EFI package is scheduled for late Fall 2006, with classic Pontiacs available in early 2007. Anticipated retail is under $3,000 for the Victor series Pontiac kit, with pricing to be determined on the Super Victor kit. The basis of the package is a Motorola ECM that operates with Edelbrock's own Pro-Tuner Windows-based software.

ECM: Motorola ECMs are used, which can be configured to run in Alpha-N, speed-density, or modeled airflow speed density. The Pro-Tuner EFI kit includes a complete engine, ignition, and fuel-pump wiring harness.

Sensors: All necessary sensors are included in the kit; water and air temperature sensor, a 1-bar MAP sensor, and a narrow-band oxygen sensor (a wide-band sensor is optional). The base kit also contains an MSD Pro-Billet distributor and ignition module.

Injectors: Edelbrock's 60 lb/hr injectors can support from 300 hp at 30 psi to over 1,000 hp at 100 psi. Edelbrock Pico injectors are also compatible with the Pro-Tuner for those with limited room for fuel rails.

Operating Modes: Edelbrock's Pro-Tuner series EFI systems can be software-configured to run in any one of three tuning methods:

1. Alpha-N-This method uses engine rpm versus throttle position to determine fuel and spark requirement and is ideal for those engines with big cams that don't create much manifold vacuum.
2. MAP-N-This method uses engine rpm versus manifold pressure (MAP); commonly referred to as speed density.
3. Modeled Speed Density-This method uses both a MAF (mass airflow) and MAP sensor for tuning. Both the Victor and Super Victor kits use Edelbrock's Pro-Tuner software to make changes to the ECM via a laptop or PC. Pro-Tuner software is included with each kit: the Basic version with the Victor series and Pro version with the Super Victor series. The Victor series can be upgraded to Pro with the optional USB software key.

Not included: Manifold, fuel rails, throttle body, fuel pressure regulator, or plumbing.

Options: Edlebrock offers upgrades to the Pro-Tuner kits, including a Pro-version software key that opens advanced tuning features (standard with the Super Victor series), 0-100-psi sensors for fuel and oil pressures, 2-bar MAP sensors for boosted applications, and a second narrow-band oxygen sensor for monitoring each bank of the engine.

Available separately are Edelbrock square-bore throttle bodies flowing 1,000 cfm and Dominator flange units flowing 1,600 or 2,000 cfm. The Pro-Tuner can support any throttle body with a PWM-type (pulse width modulated, such as a Ford two-wire) idle motor.

Intakes can be ordered separately, and a user can choose from the Edelbrock Victor EFI (based on the Torker II intake) or Super Victor EFI. Super Victor EFIs are available to fit standard 4150 and Dominator flanges. Also available separately are the Edelbrock aluminum fuel rails with 91/416-inch-id fuel passage and accessories to support eight standard or Pico-style injectors (1.50-inch O-ring spacing).

Edelbrock fuel pumps and regulators can be ordered and are sized appropriate to the horsepower requirements.

System Availability: Systems are scheduled to be available in early 2007.

Universal Systems And Auxiliary Components

Some companies listed below provide universal EFI kits with myriad choices for components, therefore, what is listed here is not all-inclusive of the products they offer.

ACCEL DFI
ACCEL offers its latest revision of the ACCEL/DFI ECU and engine-control software; the Generation 7.0+ programmable ECU and CalMap engine-control software. The Gen-7.0+ generation of ECU operates in speed-density mode and is capable of batch and sequential fuel-injection strategies. Carried under part number ACC-77046P at Scoggin Dickey (SDPC), it retails for $1,298.99 and includes the CalMap software and interface cable.

According to ACCEL, the Gen 7.0+ system not only provides precise control of all aspects of fuel delivery and ignition timing, but also offers features and benefits that have never been available from a programmable engine-management control system before. This system provides enhanced idle air control, including preset control values for most engine combinations and improved fueling control for street and race applications. The Gen 7.0+ system offers crisper or heightened throttle response for single and multiple throttle-body induction systems, improved cold-weather startup, and enhanced communications for faster program file uploads and downloads.

Also, its water-resistant enclosure and main harness connections allow the Gen 7.0+ electronic control unit to be mounted in the passenger compartment or under the hood. Other features include enhanced knock control, enhanced acceleration enrichment management, and improved O2 control for wide-band and standard feedback systems.