1952-59 Ford EFI conversion

No problem, I reviewed the postings after and realized that. Need to check my idle vac and get a little better understanding of this EFI before I talk to those who do know. Appreciate everyone's input. Hopefully this may help others, too.

Those are the lowest prices on Holley I've seen yet. Just not sure I can work this all out in time, but it is a good time to buy.

The wiring situation was a major factor, for the reason you illustrate. I'm so far from wiring, I only superficially looked at that. Didn't realize that aftermarket harnesses had a code reader connection, but glad to hear it. Can't wait for that can of worms.

 

I'm knee deep in that can of worms right now!

 

Yeah-- I knew that was beyond my wiring capabilities. If you can put that together you have my admiration.
I believe I can handle a whole new aftermarket install with some Tech help. Enjoying watching your build.

 

I know most of you guys probably think I'm beating a dead horse, but most of the wiring issues ("beyond my wiring capabilities") comes from "universal" kits. If you buy a high-end kit made for YOUR car/application, from Ron Francis, you can get it done yourself. Expensive? yes, but top quality components with excellent instructions and tech support if you even need it. The price of their kit, if available, is way LESS than what you're going to have to pay someone to install a universal kit, with the added huge bonus of you ending up knowing and understanding your car's systems.
I'm not talking about aftermarket efis like Holley and Fi-Tech, but doing a drivetrain installation from a late model car like a 5.0 or 4.6

 

I switched from a single Edelbrock to "Dual" Fitechs over a year ago and have never had a single problem. I Love it. I did plenty of research before hand and you will hear the same complaints about Holley or Fitech issues and I believe most issues have to deal with the installers. I took the advise of others and avoided the Fitech under hood fuel system and just put a good EFI pump in the tank, which seems to avoid a lot of the issues. I can start my car at 30 degrees or 95 degrees with a turn of the key. I've traveled over 1000 miles since the install and no more vapor lock, hard starts, sitting waiting for it to warm up, etc.. I highly recommend Fitech. btw I also drove the car to the Dragstrip without doing any changes and made 3 consecutive passes with absolutely no trouble. The computer learned full throttle after each pass and it picked up et and mph every single pass.

 

Absolutely has to be a quality product. I wouldn't have someone else do it, I need to understand it, and know it was wired using good grounding, wire sizes, etc. I believe a lot of wiring failures, like EFI, can be traced to something in the install. I do like Ron Francis, good to know his instructions/tech are helpful. I'm not worried about installing a complete new system, the way they are organized, but sorting out all the wires you need or dont need on an old harness,etc--I'd rather start from scratch. I heard most companies set their kits up to use Chevvy switches, but Ron Francis uses or can provide for Ford switches. Again, a lot of research beforehand, but Ron Francis will probably be my choice.

 

My 4.6 dohc is substantially more complicated than a 5.0. I had never wired a car before and was doing the chassis harness with pwr windows, A/C, late model steering column, etc., at the same time as the Televork/Detail Zone/Ron Francis engine harness. Their Express chassis harness was custom made for MY car and has a serial number. They have charts to identify which connectors are involved, such as the Mustang ignition switch and multi-function switch (both on the steering column). Their panel is not prewired externally, the connectors are. imho, that's a huge benefit.
The 4.6 engine harness has about 97 wires to be connected to the patch panel, but the 5.0 has about 1/2 that and is priced accordingly.. As said, all connectors are prewired. Just plug into where they go and run the wires back to the patch panel. The patch panel is prewired for the CPU with about 18" of lead, so the panel has to be close to the CPU.
Anyway, my point, never wired a car before, but only had to make one 5 minute call to them to clarify what I saw as a conflict between what the chassis harness instructions said about one terminal connection, and what the engine harness said about the same terminal. Very tedious, but as they advertise, if you can read, you can and should wire your car.
BTW, I also took their advice and wired my car as if it was fiberglass. Nothing is grounded to the body. All components are wired grounds. Going on 5 years, I've never had an electrical problem.

 

Texas 57 you are spot on with the ground comment. I have worked on wiring on cars since I landed a job at 16 working in a car stereo shop installing Muntz 4 and 8 track stereos. (long time ago) If a car (new or old) has been haunted by electrical gremlins that caused really weird issues it is a ground issue 98% of the time. If the voltage can't find a path to ground where it is supposed to it will find another path through something else if it can! Steel is a poor conductor compared to copper, aluminum, tin, and is not always reliable. You take a copper electrical eyelet plated with tin, bolt it to a steel fender with a zinc plated steel bolt, run current through it and expose it to rain, mud, and who knows what you will usually not have a reliable ground in a couple of years. Ask anybody who has been around car wiring about electrolysis, that green fuzzy stuff growing in that connector isn't cheese!