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Best aftermarket EFI in "TBI" style(Holley, FItech, or???)

Lil'John

Lil'John

Former #278
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Title basically states it.

Normally I'd go complete stock factory EFI engine swap.

I'm looking for an aftermarket "TBI" or carb style EFI setup. FITech and Holley Sniper have come up as being reliable/easy.

Anyone have any recommendation or experience with the two mentioned? Or a better option? Does the intake manifold make a big difference for the EFI?

Do any of them allow easy and eventual timing integration?

In my case, I'm going to drop it on a Ford 289 in a Mustang. But I though the topic might be helpful in 4wd.
 
Lil'John said:
Title basically states it.

Normally I'd go complete stock factory EFI engine swap.

I'm looking for an aftermarket "TBI" or carb style EFI setup. FITech and Holley Sniper have come up as being reliable/easy.

Anyone have any recommendation or experience with the two mentioned? Or a better option? Does the intake manifold make a big difference for the EFI?

Do any of them allow easy and eventual timing integration?

In my case, I'm going to drop it on a Ford 289 in a Mustang. But I though the topic might be helpful in 4wd.
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The timing integration issue was what pushed me to the land of Megasquirt (Microsquirt first in my case) because what else I could find wanted either to be injection and no ignition control (use a stock vacuum/weight distributor), or a total-package buy it all upfront ($$$) and it won't work halfway. And I couldn't find something off-the-shelf that would work on a smallblock Ford at the time (might have changed by now).

I did, years ago, drop on a complete GM TBI/distributor setup and used a GM computer with a piggyback tuner, on that smallblock Ford, it worked OK until the computer/tuner combo failed, then it turned into a mess of harvesting the tuner, trying to get another tuner board when harvesting it failed... I threw up my hands, put 8 injectors back in, and a Microsquirt on. Distributorless ignition is cool. But it doesn't look right if you're after the vintage/retro/original look on an early Mustang.

You could reasonably use the '84-85ish (I think in some cars later) Ford TBI and Mustang 302 intake that went with it, just drop on that whole engine management and roll from there. I'd much rather control that with something better than a almost-40-year-old OEM computer, but it'd be a start if you want TBI and don't want to try and adapt cross-brand. But it still runs into the whole "use it complete from day one or don't use it at all" issue, though I'm not actually sure what Ford did in those years for ignition control, if the TBI was injection-only or if the computer managed ignition at some level.
 
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I have run FiTech (Go Street version) and a few people in my group also run them. I haven't checked the market lately, but when I got mine it was by far the best value for bolt-on EFI. It was incredibly easy to install and my big block ford never had an issue starting/running even at -20 degrees. The people in my group share a similar experience. I don't think FiTechs have as many tuning options as some of the other brands (I could be wrong) but overall I am very satisfied with it. Their support was also helpful when I had some questions.
 
ScottRS You have hit on the issue I have by going the "easy" route of just buying a "new" 5.0L and installing it. High tech runners and such just wouldn't look right in the engine bay.

I am actually going with the retrofit Chevy TBI on a 472 Cady. Some what hard to find the 2" TBI cheap and no comment on the 368 distributor:homer: In my case, I was going to run the stock 454 ECM as is. The rule of thumb I've heard with the old TBI was they work fine with ~10% difference in power/cubes.

Holley Sniper claims "easy" to install spark control addition. In fact, their recommendation was to start with just the fuel, get it squared away, and then add the spark control. Their 2B is claimed to be bolt on and good to 350hp... beyond my eventual goals.

I'm still looking at the FiTech but it looks like 4 barrel at the get go. Not a deal breaker since I was going to do a new intake.
 
I'm using a basic FiTech unit on a warmed over caddy 472. Was headed down the 454 TBI path but ended up leaving all that shit on the shelf and bought the fitech. No ignition control yet. Runs great as is. I did mess with the centrifugal advance in the HEI to optimize the advance curve which really wakes these old engines up. I my only problems with the Fitech were my own fault - one was having a weak battery, and a poor fuel delivery system. As long as the fitech has 12+ volts and 58 psi at all times, it works like a charm.

Edit to mention that I have a new stand alone TBI harness, 454 throttle body, TBI ECU, a new chip with a custom tune for a cammed 472, and some other bits I'd be happy to sell. Located in DFW TX. :grinpimp:
 
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I am using a Sniper with timing control on a '69 Mustang with a 521 in it. I have been super happy with it. While it is self learning, I spent a day on the dyno getting it tuned. It was pretty cool adjusting the timing a half degree at a time and making a run. He also did a lot of smoothing out the maps and addressing driveability.
From what I understand, a single plane intake is better with the EFI.
 
Did a Sniper two barrel on my shit box Montero. It runs well and has been easy to tune. Ran Holy Cross with it this summer and don't think I would of made it if I still had the Weber. Any tuning problems I've had is more to do with low compression and it burning oil.
P1020632.JPG
 
I run the Summit EFI on my SBC in my crawler. Haven’t had any issues with it and was super simple to hook up, make a few baseline settings and let it learn.
 
Lil'John said:
Summit has an EFI?

Any ideas who's they repackaged?
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The hard parts are their own, it uses FiTech sensors. It was the cheapest option and I wasn’t completely sold on the whole “self learning, no hassle EFI” thing just yet. Basically I didn’t believe the hype so I bought the cheapest option in case I had issues.
 
I'm running a FiTech on my AMC 360 in my trail truck.
Install was simple and the self learning/wide band O2 works as expected.
I'm not using timing control yet but plan to in the future when I get it all figured out... (budget constraints)
I've heard good things about the sniper as well.

I am using a surge tank/swirl pot to provide fuel to the HP pump fuel for off camber/steep stuff but that is likely not needed for a street car.

All in all I would do it again in a second. 100 times better than the carb it replaced...
 
I have installed the Holley sniper on customer’s cars and been pretty impressed with it overall
 
Running sniper on my 466 Ford. Bolted on, broke in cam. haven't done much else and it runs good. Some small issues to work out when I get time. Throttle response is extremely crisp. Support for nitrous.
 
I am a fan boy of the ford EEC systems, but I do understand if you don't want the look.
When I sold them al,l, the FiTech seemed to have the most issues, the MSD unit was quiet popular but I never ran either one.
 
welndmn said:
I am a fan boy of the ford EEC systems, but I do understand if you don't want the look.
When I sold them al,l, the FiTech seemed to have the most issues, the MSD unit was quiet popular but I never ran either one.
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I may be way off base here, but it seems like you could use and EEC-IV system with an Edelbrock Victor Jr. EFI manifold to keep that vintage look and still use factory Ford EFI

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https://www.edelbrock.com/victor-jr-...old-29215.html

Of course you would need to buy a 4 barrel 4150-style throttle body as well, and I am not sure how you could make it work with a MAF system without ditching the vintage style round air cleaner, so you would probably be stuck running a speed density system.

Personally, I don't understand why everyone has such a hard-on to convert vintage street-driven vehicles to fuel injection. I daily drove my carbureted Bronco II for years in temperatures ranging from -5ºF to 110ºF and elevations from 3,600' to 11'000' with no tuning in between (Motorcraft 2100). The only issue I ever had was vapor lock while crawling at high elevation in the heat, but that was solved with an electric fuel pump and a fuel pressure regulator.
 
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As mentioned, the Summit one is the cheapest, but it has limited options and no timing control.

Helped a friend install a Sniper on his 302. It runs good. He is using the Holley dizzy for full timing control. As someone mentioned, I suggest installing the EFI without the timing and then installing the dizzy. He has had some issues with EMI, so make sure you have the power and signal wires shielded or ran in different directions.

Id love to figure out how to install LSx EFI on my 351. Given that there is so much support for it, and can be tuned easily.
 
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