What is the best, most reliable FI system to install on a 350 that will eventually be going into a 50 Chevy 2dr. sedan? Holley Stealth Ram MPFI? Edelbrock Pro Flow EFI? Stock TBI? Stock TPI? etc... etc...??
If you had traditional fuel injection, you would only be able to race it in reality....not for the street in a normal sense... so screw that. I have installed several Edelbrock Pro Flow sets and I believe they are serious performers and once set up correctly are as trouble free as your late model driver... They are a little tricky to get calibrated but once ya do you have several settings you vcan switch to and from easily in 20 seconds with the programmer at the shifter location... They have a selection of 5 chips and a more potent than they include- is available for 50 bucks.... I did one once that would net about 450 HP on pump gas with a 406 long rod engine.... I will say this- a minimm of 2-1/2" exhaust is required as they say. and their tech department consists of one guy who never answers his tech calls... I will say that they are not good looking at all, so keep the hood shut and tell em you have a Hilborn when they ask why you spanked their *** on the road...
it depends on what your looking for, i have set up a "tpi" and a "tbi" just stock systems in 2 on my own cars. the tpi produces a lot of torque rus great starts every time. the tbi is reliable but i wouldn't say its performance oriented at all. i think stock systems are cheaper, usually you can buy the whole car. the tpi i have i bought a 91 z28 camero wrecked from a friend for 800$ motor and ****** still run great and tha was about 7 years ago. i picked up a tbi motor complete out of a cop car for 300$ bought a painless harness for 350$ it plug and play easy as pie
If you are very frugal and like to tinker and solder, I'd say Megasquirt by Bowling and Grippo. http://www.megasquirt.info/
The TBI used on pickups throughout the 90's is pretty hard to beat for reliability and cold starting.
Stock TPI ,or Megasquirt. Depends how much work you want to do. If you like programming and electronic fabrication, go with Megasquirt. Stock EFI you can get replacement parts anywhere, and there is aftermarket support.
I got to agree on that statement. I guess it depends on how you are going to use your car. I got a TPI 350 in a S10 Blazer and it scoots real well and gets over 21mpg. If I was gonna due a cruiser type car I think I would go for a V8 TBI. Just because they are easy and cheap to find. It could be made to look more traditional then the TPI also. Just look around a see what you can come up with.
The factory TPI factory systems work well but the intakes are very restrictive. The runners are the biggest problem as they allow little room for porting. The base is the next largest bottleneck. The plenums can be ported to be suitable for the average street application. Aftermarket intakes such as the Super Ram and Mini Ram work well but are pricey. A cheaper alternative is a factory LT1 intake modified to work on a TPI engine. These can be bought modified and ready to go for around $500. Or you can buy a used LT1 intake for probably $200 complete (including fuel rails, which are worth as much or more than the intake) and modify it yourself. This includes making a distributor hole, some water p***age work and some mods to the mounting bolt holes as well as a few other minor adaptations. The TPI engines are very torquey as are. But big gains are there with just induction and exhaust improvements. Much more so than on the average V8.
another vote for tpi.. I a tpi on my 48 olds wagon.. the car SITS ALOT because its still not finished.. but it starts every time.. and idles out quickly.. I am planning to do a tpi on another of my cars soon.. (currently collecting parts) I had planned a tbi for a former project.. but it seemed as though it was just as much work to do a tpi.. I've read alot about the mega squirt.. and have a friend who is trying to talk me into it.. I think this is the best idea IF you want to retain some of the historical "look" of an engine bay.. my plan is to just keep the hoods shut..
I was set on a tpi for the car I mentioned above...we wanted the good looks of a polished unit. Upon repeated questioning we finally got a response from street and perf in Ark.....
here is would i would do get and after market throttle body Get edelbrock intake .. have it drilled welde and install fuel rails and injectors .... USE a stock GM ecm .. 1227747 or something from a newer say 93 chevy truck... ( much faster ecm ) or you could use a speed density TPI computer Batch fire the injectors( just like the TPI system does) this will be cheaper beause on a mild engine you can use stock gm injectors.... you can use any GM TBI distributor.... you will need a speedo sensor probably get the best of all worlds at a cheaper price than TPI with more top end ... better than TBI for performance and cheaper than accel etc ...
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