factory FI vs aftermarket FI

[lmtpop]

Looking for feed back on fuel injection for my 75 302. i am looking either at a donor Explorer/Mountaineer 5.0 factory fuel injected engine or using an aftermarket FI on my existing motor after i rebuild it. Also any recommendation on the later engines with the serpentine belt vs the OEM engine. I am just starting the restoration after18 yrs in storage.

 

[fordguy]

OEM has support and ford spent a lot of money to get it right. Where are they building the FI stuff?

 

[Sporto]

I recommend the 86-93 Mustang EFI Setup. Either Speed Density or Mass Air depending on your engine.

Parts and information are easily accessible, and like Fordguy said they're tried and true, no surprises.

Just my .02

Rich

 

[POPPAWS BRONCO]

I've been happy so far with FAST EZ EFI 2.0 system I installed.


Hey!!! Let me hold a dollar I'm in the middle of a restore here!

 

[bigmuddy]

I have had the FORD SEFI system on my last three trucks, installed by me.
The first was the original ford harness.
the Second was a stripped out and stripped down harness I pulled from a wrecked mustang.
The last one used a harness from Fuelinjection,com or a Ryans harness which I am not sure is around anymore?
All worked really well and I haven't had any issues with the fuel injection since installed which has been about 7 years ago.
If I was to do a 5.8 engine I might consider the FItech stuff, however what has always made me nervous about aftermarket fuel injection is parts availability on the trail/road. To that end will the aftermarket continue to supply parts and support for their system 5-10 years out?
With that being said, my biggest concern with the Factory ford fuel injection isn't the hardware or the harness as you can by that stuff most everywhere. Its really the ECM/computer availability that worries me. Mine still works good and I have a spare in the garage.

If I was to do it over on my 5.0 and may in the future if I don't make a switch to the 5.8, I would look at using the Explorer harness and computer which are everywhere readily plentiful for cheap.

 

[bigmuddy]

Additionally, Look at Holley different fuel injection through the years. a lot of it didnt' work and they don't support the older generation fuel injection.

Most of the aftermarket stuff is really rehashed single point/throttle body injection systems. The advantage with some of these is the ability to adjust on the fly and in the cab. However the factory fuel injection does a lot of the same things automatically IMO.

 

[KyleQ]

I've run speed density EFI off a car on a 5.0, I've run 89 GT mass air on a 351W (that ran insanely good with help from EFI Guy) and now I'm currently running FiTech on a gnarly 351W.

I use the same fuel pump with all 3 setups - I went FiTech to get rid of 95% of the wiring under the hood that you get with the MPFI setups and the tall EFI style intakes.

If I have trouble with the FiTech I can swap inline fuel pumps and toss a carb on in under a half hour.

Time will tell how the FiTech runs as I have no drive time on it -

 

[blubuckaroo]

I've been kicking around the options between Ford and aftermarket FI too.
I just have to look at the Ford system and know it isn't for me. It's enormous! That's what has kept me from doing a FI retrofit. Now with Fitech and several other companies making a more compact throttle body system, I'm reconsidering. I like the retro look too.

 

[sykanr0ng]

The trouble with the aftermarket fuel injection set-ups is support years down the road.

Holley does not support their older versions, you need to buy a new one to replace it, and they are the biggest and oldest manufacturer.

The FITech uses an O-ring which you can only get from them.

If the small company making the aftermarket fuel injection goes out of business what chance do you have of finding replacement parts in a junkyard?

The other trouble I see is that the aftermarket are throttle body injection, which has the same gasoline cylinder wall oil wash down problem as carburetors do.

 

[73azbronco]

Look at Edelbrocks Profflo 3 setup. Multiport injection using a throttle body type carb to measure metering.

 

[blubuckaroo]

The trouble with the aftermarket fuel injection set-ups is support years down the road.

Holley does not support their older versions, you need to buy a new one to replace it, and they are the biggest and oldest manufacturer.

The FITech uses an O-ring which you can only get from them.

If the small company making the aftermarket fuel injection goes out of business what chance do you have of finding replacement parts in a junkyard?

The other trouble I see is that the aftermarket are throttle body injection, which has the same gasoline cylinder wall oil wash down problem as carburetors do.

All good points.
I wasn't aware TBI systems had a cylinder wash down problem.

 

[bigmuddy]

I understand the sleeper carb look and how the factory ford injection departs from that. However for reliability and the ability to pickup most every part at your local dealer or parts house its really hard to beat.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I have a friend who bought a motorhome that has an old aftermarket EFI on it. We can tell most of the parts are GM based. but there is zero support for it. It runs but has issues. There is no way to service it even though it was built out of lots of off the shelf parts.

I had a Holley 4Di that was state of the art when I got it. When I sold it the only way to get into the computer to adjust anything was after I found a very old and out of date computer that could still run the old software. Any newer computer was not compatible with the older interface.

What do those stories tell you? The modern aftermarket EFI at be great today but a decade later it will probably have to be taken off and thrown away when anything goes wrong. But that 30 year old Ford EFI, well documented and you can get parts at any parts store to keep it going.

 

[Galt72]

grab everything from a 5.0 explorer. Have Efiguy work your harness and ecm. It's a pretty straight forward swap

 

[Broncobowsher]

grab everything from a 5.0 explorer. Have Efiguy work your harness and ecm. It's a pretty straight forward swap

And 20 years from now it can still be repaired.

 

[whmoorejr]

Beyond longevity (future availability of parts), what is the initial cost factor consideration (adding in harness, computer, any any other extras needed to fire up your rig and get down the road)?

86-93 Mustang 5.0 EFI: $?
5.0 Explorer EFI: $?
FITech: $?
Edelbrock: $?
Holley: $?

 

[BRONCOchild]

Beyond longevity (future availability of parts), what is the initial cost factor consideration (adding in harness, computer, any any other extras needed to fire up your rig and get down the road)?

86-93 Mustang 5.0 EFI: $?
5.0 Explorer EFI: $?
FITech: $?
Edelbrock: $?
Holley: $?

I'd like to know, too! I'm at a crossroads. In one hand the FI systems can take a day to install, but can be pricey. However, if for some reason I want to go back to carb, then I can. But, an EFI engine would have more parts readily available. And, it can be just about the same price point as a bolt on FI.

Chime in, please.

 

[garberz]

Most of the guys on our trips run the factory Mustang based EFI system. It works great, and everybody carries the spare parts that are crucial. ECU, distributor, TFI, coil, fuel pump. It's great when several people run the same stuff, more chances of getting the problem solved. Heat is the biggest killer of these electronic systems, that's why it's best to keep the sensitive stuff out of the engine compartment. This was what made the Explorer OBDII system superior to the older Mustang EFI.
The aftermarket EFI's are integrated systems and the ECU is part of the throttle body. If and when the ECU quits, I guess your choices would be to carry a carb with you, or buy a second EFI kit to carry at all times. For street vehicles, it's not a big deal. Just tow it home, but if you venture 1/2 day out from civilization, you better be prepared.

Mark

 

[sykanr0ng]

Most of the guys on our trips run the factory Mustang based EFI system. It works great, and everybody carries the spare parts that are crucial. ECU, distributor, TFI, coil, fuel pump. It's great when several people run the same stuff, more chances of getting the problem solved. Heat is the biggest killer of these electronic systems, that's why it's best to keep the sensitive stuff out of the engine compartment. This was what made the Explorer OBDII system superior to the older Mustang EFI.
The aftermarket EFI's are integrated systems and the ECU is part of the throttle body. If and when the ECU quits, I guess your choices would be to carry a carb with you, or buy a second EFI kit to carry at all times. For street vehicles, it's not a big deal. Just tow it home, but if you venture 1/2 day out from civilization, you better be prepared.

Mark

Since EFI runs at around ten times the fuel pressure that a carb does, that isn't going to be an easy switch either.

Also I would suggest grabbing any Mustang parts you see for spares if you go that way.
There is a 1993 Mustang ECU on Denver CL for $400, they are getting rarer and that makes them expensive.

 

[Timmy390]

Beyond longevity (future availability of parts), what is the initial cost factor consideration (adding in harness, computer, any any other extras needed to fire up your rig and get down the road)?

86-93 Mustang 5.0 EFI: $?
5.0 Explorer EFI: $?
FITech: $?
Edelbrock: $?
Holley: $?

It's hard to put a price on the mustang and Explorer stuff due to the different sources of parts and what one person is willing to do him/her self vs. another.

If you buy an explorer for say $800 you get the engine, harness, intakes, ECM, front dress the whole shooting match. Just need a fuel system but that goes for the aftermarkets systems too.

Stang ECM's getting hard to fine.

Or you could get crafty like I did. I bought a 96 speed density van (after part out and scrap, it cost me $65) with a 351W and converted it to SN95 Mustang mass air EFI myself. The harnesses are VERY close. Just add a few wires and move a few pins. Got my explorer complete upper intake from a salvage yard for $35. The T4MO ECU cost me a couple hondos and EFI guys did his thing for a couple more.

Runs like a top....

Tim