Old Mustang Fuel Injection

[Cooper]

Hello guys,

I have a beat up 88 Mustang with the 5.0 engine and manual transmission; 88 used speed density for the fuel injection.
Years ago by brother converted it to mass air with a new computer plus the addition of a mass air sensor.
I believe he went up one size in fuel injectors but never did any other modifications.
Is it worth the work to move this set up to a carbed 351W that is currently in the bronco now?
Or given that the 5.0 is nearly 41 years old, there are better ways to get fuel injection now?
Or get a Q-jet to replace the Edelbrock 1406 and for less money and far less work keep it carbureted.
From the praises I see the Q-Jet given, that would pretty much give me better drivability as well as dependability, which is all that I am after.

 

[1969]

I am in the process of putting that same fuel injection in my Bronco. I made the decision to go for it because the system is relatively simple, reliable, and parts are still fairly easy to get.

You will need a lightning lower intake manifold and a GT40 style upper. Or you can use the 351w truck lower, BC broncos adapter and the Foxbody upper manifold.

 

[fordguy]

Hello guys,

I have a beat up 88 Mustang with the 5.0 engine and manual transmission; 88 used speed density for the fuel injection.
Years ago by brother converted it to mass air with a new computer plus the addition of a mass air sensor.
I believe he went up one size in fuel injectors but never did any other modifications.
Is it worth the work to move this set up to a carbed 351W that is currently in the bronco now?
Or given that the 5.0 is nearly 41 years old, there are better ways to get fuel injection now?
Or get a Q-jet to replace the Edelbrock 1406 and for less money and far less work keep it carbureted.
From the praises I see the Q-Jet given, that would pretty much give me better drivability as well as dependability, which is all that I am after.

Qjet

 

[Timmy390]

Those lightning lowers are $$$$ you can also use the marine version of the intake. It's cast-iron but can be found cheaper. I run the marine version.

Tim

 

[jamesroney]

No one can answer this question without knowing the configuration of your 351w.

In General, you cannot ask carburetor people about drive ability, because on their scale of 1-10, fuel injection is a 20.

And that's the whole problem in a nutshell. On the REAL scale of 1-10, a quadrajet is about a 5. Unfortunately, the Autolite 2100 is a 3, and the Edelbrock AFB clones are a 2. Holley 4160's are a 1.5. Sniper 2 is about an 8, Sniper 1 is about a 6. FI Tech sits at a 7 or so. GM TBI sits right at a 9. And Mustang GT is the benchmark at 10.

No one who actually runs EEC-4 Mass Air Mustang EFI in stock configuration on a stock engine has EVER found anything better. (and you Explorer guys can calm down. Explorer EFI is Mustang EFI with coil packs. They are the same enough.)

So this is where the world falls apart. As soon as you deviate WHATSOEVER on camshaft, performance, or modifications...you break it. EEC-4 demands a wider LSA, which means high ramp rates between valve events. Carburetors like tighter LSA and can handle higher RPM. The EEC-4 is governed to 5500 RPM, and that's the end. So the typical camshaft for EFI looks much more like a square wave. Which is fine at low RPM. As soon as you start moving to RV profiles, performance street profiles, and racing profiles, you break it.

There is no finer EFI system than the Mustang EEC-4 on top of a 351W with an Explorer roller cam. That configuration is legendary in the pleasure craft marine GT40 351W in the Ski Nautique. It is generally known as the most reliable, durable, drive able, 330 HP engine ever put in a boat. BUT, it has to be built right.

So if you have a 351W that somebody added a 4bbl, put in a "RV cam" and has some junk 351w van heads on it...then you are actually vastly better off with the 88 mass air 5.0.

If you have an F4TE 351W roller block, with an Explorer GT40 cam, and 3 bar GT-40 heads then you are vastly better off bolting on a lighting intake, (or the BC Broncos 351W intake adapter)

If you have no idea what you have...bolt on the Q-jet. It will run decent, and 10x better than the next carb.

 

[pcf_mark]

It really depends on how tech savvy you are. If you want it to just "work" like modern car you will be disappointed. If you like to work on it and get it set up and tuned it will take longer but you will be very happy. I used all stock Mustang / Explorer parts on my conversion because the aftermarket is very expensive and the units change or lose support then you are screwed. I can get parts for my set up in any parts store in America except the ECM. I happen to use MegaSquirt because I could get a wiring bundle and relay set up and then be able to tune it myself after basic set up got it running. Support is really good from the community. There are more modern systems available now but my MegaSquirt controls EFI and my 4R70W and I have not touched the tune in 16 years.

 

[ba123]

No one can answer this question without knowing the configuration of your 351w.

In General, you cannot ask carburetor people about drive ability, because on their scale of 1-10, fuel injection is a 20.

And that's the whole problem in a nutshell. On the REAL scale of 1-10, a quadrajet is about a 5. Unfortunately, the Autolite 2100 is a 3, and the Edelbrock AFB clones are a 2. Holley 4160's are a 1.5. Sniper 2 is about an 8, Sniper 1 is about a 6. FI Tech sits at a 7 or so. GM TBI sits right at a 9. And Mustang GT is the benchmark at 10.

No one who actually runs EEC-4 Mass Air Mustang EFI in stock configuration on a stock engine has EVER found anything better. (and you Explorer guys can calm down. Explorer EFI is Mustang EFI with coil packs. They are the same enough.)

So this is where the world falls apart. As soon as you deviate WHATSOEVER on camshaft, performance, or modifications...you break it. EEC-4 demands a wider LSA, which means high ramp rates between valve events. Carburetors like tighter LSA and can handle higher RPM. The EEC-4 is governed to 5500 RPM, and that's the end. So the typical camshaft for EFI looks much more like a square wave. Which is fine at low RPM. As soon as you start moving to RV profiles, performance street profiles, and racing profiles, you break it.

There is no finer EFI system than the Mustang EEC-4 on top of a 351W with an Explorer roller cam. That configuration is legendary in the pleasure craft marine GT40 351W in the Ski Nautique. It is generally known as the most reliable, durable, drive able, 330 HP engine ever put in a boat. BUT, it has to be built right.

So if you have a 351W that somebody added a 4bbl, put in a "RV cam" and has some junk 351w van heads on it...then you are actually vastly better off with the 88 mass air 5.0.

If you have an F4TE 351W roller block, with an Explorer GT40 cam, and 3 bar GT-40 heads then you are vastly better off bolting on a lighting intake, (or the BC Broncos 351W intake adapter)

If you have no idea what you have...bolt on the Q-jet. It will run decent, and 10x better than the next carb.

150%

Still can't believe that back in 1998 I threw a 1990 Mustang wrecker 5.0 HO in my Bronco and drove the thing back and forth to Tahoe many times and never one single issue. One morning woke up to -10° in Truckee, ran out to start the thing and it started right up. Came back inside for 15 minutes to just let it warm up. It was stock and flawless.