EFI question

[Trizz]

Hi guys, Im a new bronco owner. Just bought 1970 Bronco (289), its a little rough. But i would like to have it as my everyday driver and do some four wheeling on the weekends. I have already replaced a few things and now im looking at getting a new carb.

My question is would i be better with just going with EFI now? If so does anyone know a good doner vechicle? Or Is there a good kit that is pretty reasonable? also Is there any "how to's" on how to set this up? How hard is it to convert? I know a little but is this something i should hire out?

Any Info would be great.

Thanks

 

[S_bolt19]

You should have a 302 in it and not a 289. As to what you should go with, EFI or stay carbed, well, that is a very hot topic right now. Personally, if you want the most consistent gas mileage, EFI. If you want the best offroad performance, EFI. Now, there are going to be a few others who will chime in and give their opinions on the argument, but I ran carbs for the first 12 years I owned an EB and the last 5 I have run EFI and I couldn't be happier right now.

If you can get ahold of an 87-93 Mustang 5.0, that will drop directly in and that is also the desirable fuel injection system (mass air). If you can't then go to a junk yard and pull the entire EFI system (plenum, heads, intake, dizzy, wiring harness, computer, sensors, etc.) off of any 5.0 vehicle (Mustang, Cougar, Grand Marquee, T-Bird). The two EFI systems are mass air and speed density. SD isn't as new nor is it the hi-po system. The SD came on vehicles pre 89 and the MA system was post 89. The hi-po systems were typically on Mustangs & Cougars. Personally, if you do go this route, take the time to find an entire MA EFI system. The 5.0 system will bolt directly onto your block and you do not need to cut a hole in your hood, replace it with a high rise or put a body lift on. It will fit directly in place of everything currently under the hood.

Hiring it out is gonna run you quite a bit to have it done. If you pull everything off of the donor vehicle, it is just a matter of putting it back on. The entire system shouldn't run you more than $200-500 from a junkyard (low end if you do the pulling or high if you have it pulled) and then if you pull it, you will also learn more about the system it's self.

 

[fbnwest]

As far as how to put an EFI system in I have no clue. But to answer your question about whether you should jump right to an EFI setup go back three or four posts to the one titled Holley Avenger Truck carb. Read that post. It started out as a question about whether they were good carbs or not, and morphed into a good discussion about cost effectiveness of EFI versus carbs. It should answer your question about whether you want to do an EFI swap now. Hopefully someone else will answer here about how to do one.

 

[Broncobill78]

I'm with S Bolt on this one. I think EFI is the way to go for both a daily driver (better milage & drivability) AND off-road (WAY better than a carb in off-camber situations and extra HP/Torque are always a bonus) Me, personally, I prefer F-trucks & Explorers as donors because they have a cam closer to an RV grind and it trades HP for Torque (I'll take torque over HP anyday). Now I WILL conceed that the carb'd setup is *much* easier to understand, diagnose & repair (only a fool would argue that one <grin&gt and if you're doing your own work it becaomes a toss-up because with EFI you commit yourself to a reasonably steep learning curve. If you're cool with learning the in's & out's of EFI OR you're haveing a shop do your work then it's a no-brainer. In the spirit of full-disclosure I admit that I'm rasslin' with this one myself. I have an 88' that I'm thinking about swapping a 460 into. The easy route will be to toss in a carb'd engine & be done with it. I can prolly find an EFI 460 easy enuf but then I'm comitted to learning about it & I'm not always that ambitious /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> . If you DO go with EFI then be sure to grab *everything* from the donor, sensors, harness, processor, all of it. It's an easy retro and if it's a daily driver you might want to give a LOT of thought to swapping an an AOD transmission at the same time. The overdrive will make a big difference in your milage and the AOD is a straight mechanical tranny. If you want you could also grab an E40d or AOD-E from a donor but you *have* to get it as a combo because the engine processor also controls the shift points on those transmissions & the tranny won't work without the proper processor OR an aftermarket stand-alone so if you have acess to a donor you may want to take the whole package. Just a thought on that one.

The 302 is definately the engine you want. Keep your 289 because it's also a great carb'd engine but don't be tempted to stuff in a 351W. The 302 has plenty of power for the chassis and there are a TON of parts available for it plus it's a simple drop-in w/no mods necessary

 

[Trizz]

hey S_bolt

I tried to send a message to you... I noticed that your profile said you were from colorado. I was wondering what junk yard you would recommend? I live in Fort Collins.

Thanks for your help

 

[Bully Bob]

Just to add..;

One can put a "new" carb on a sick/runout eng. & it's not going to run much better.., if at all.

Diagnosis first.....ignition, compression, etc. .... To be sure the eng. is in good shape..!! >

Same for injection... the best sys. out there won't help if the eng. is tired.

 

[S_bolt19]

Just to add..;
One can put a "new" carb on a sick/runout eng. & it's not going to run much better.., if at all.

Diagnosis first.....ignition, compression, etc. .... To be sure the eng. is in good shape..!! >

Same for injection... the best sys. out there won't help if the eng. is tired.

Amen to that!! When I put EFI on mine, the timing chain was lifted off the timing gears it was so streached out and the gears were worn down to the aluminum. My engine had almost 450k miles on her, both heads had hair line fractures and 4 pistons were cracked. How it ran, I have no idea. But when it was parked to get the work done, it didn't move again. I rebuilt my block, put a newer set of heads on and slapped the EFI on it and she runs like a stripped assed ape. Though, I built my engine for low end with pulling power, you can build em for the high end, but I have the NP tranny so it don't quite mix with gear jammin. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Bully Bob]

Ha..!

"......timing chain was lifted off the timing gears it was so streached out and the gears were worn down to the aluminum."

Same-same on my '72...went to credit union ...had to rope tow it home (1 mile) ... there was little, if any teeth left on cam gear.

I had just returned fr. a trip 3 hr. deep in the desert.........My lucky day @ quit after I got home... like that ever happens. ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Broncobill78]

Yup, Timing chains may not break like the belts do but they DO sure as **** stretch & jump. I bought a Lincoln 460 for one of my 78's and when tearing it down found the chain was so slack it was just hanging off the sprockets. If you pulled it tight you could turn the lower crank sprocket and it would easily skip tooth after tooth on the cam sprocket. I bought the thing for $150 because the ownder couldn't ever get it to run right no matter how many times he tuned it up, no surprise.

 

[Bully Bob]

Hi guys, Im a new bronco owner. Just bought 1970 Bronco (289), its a little rough. But i would like to have it as my everyday driver and do some four wheeling on the weekends. I have already replaced a few things and now im looking at getting a new carb.
My question is would i be better with just going with EFI now? If so does anyone know a good doner vechicle? Or Is there a good kit that is pretty reasonable? also Is there any "how to's" on how to set this up? How hard is it to convert? I know a little but is this something i should hire out?

Any Info would be great.

Thanks

Anyway.,..Trizz.,

Start with step 1 ....making sure the motor is a good base to improve on...then go to step 2,3,4,.....

Could save you a lot of time, $$, & heart/head-aches.... $-) :blink:

HTH

B