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Fitech troubles (maybe)

Mastiff said:
The EBL system from Dynamic EFI is sort of a hybrid that uses stock GM stuff with interface and software upgrades to the factory computer. Much easier to tune and you have tech support to help. Mine has been working great.

The only thing that crosses my mind is that these computers are 30 years old. I worry about mine just taking a dump when I'm out in the boonies. Anyone have a sense of how common it is for the computers to croak from old age? I guess I really never thought about it until right now, but does GM still make the old TBI computers for repair parts, like a guy could pay for a new one if he was crazy enough? If they do make them, I imagine they are crazy expensive.
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I was interested in going with the EBL software for more tuneability on my 1991 V3500 Crew Cab with a 350/4L80E/205 combo. The only problem was that EBL sosftware does not work with an ECM that has a PCM for transmission control. I am stuck with the old fashoin way of tuning an OBD-I ECM by burning chips for it.
 
well it was not to cold this afternoon so i thought i would see if i cold get the Blazer to fire up.
it acts like a carb that needs a rebuild so bad that you have to pump the pedal very heavily just to get it to start.
the hand held will communicate to the ecu until it gets warm then stops. A few things right off the bat tell me hat the ecu is toast.

#1 iac steps are 3 at first start and stay there and they usually start at 255 and go down
#2 fr is 17 and hovers around it (changed o2 sensor and no difference)
#3 is as soon as it warms up no more communication from ecu

I dont think ill run it anymore and will call fitech in the morning
It has been freezing cold in the morning hours so i dont mess with it
 
1-ton said:
I was interested in going with the EBL software for more tuneability on my 1991 V3500 Crew Cab with a 350/4L80E/205 combo. The only problem was that EBL sosftware does not work with an ECM that has a PCM for transmission control. I am stuck with the old fashoin way of tuning an OBD-I ECM by burning chips for it.
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I ran the EBL flash with a 4l60e for a while, you need to email rbob on thirdgen.org to get the pin out guide, but basically your current PCM controls the trans and the EBL controls the engine with some shared sensors going to both. I regret selling my stuff off with my older truck truck. It worked and worked really really well.

After reading a bunch of these aftermarket EFI threads I'm debating on going back to that setup.
 
@Chevman88 dont let it scare you off . i had a real bad case with the holley sniper as you can read in the injection section .

but i did some more looking and a LOT of reading and talked with over 1/2 a dozen members here and other sites and i pulled the trigger today on a edelbrock pro flo 4 .

trust me i was ready to live with a generic basic carb if i had to but i want / love efi for the driving ease so i picked another kit that has a lot less weak points in the kit over the rest of them .
 
sweetk30 said:
@Chevman88 dont let it scare you off . i had a real bad case with the holley sniper as you can read in the injection section .

but i did some more looking and a LOT of reading and talked with over 1/2 a dozen members here and other sites and i pulled the trigger today on a edelbrock pro flo 4 .

trust me i was ready to live with a generic basic carb if i had to but i want / love efi for the driving ease so i picked another kit that has a lot less weak points in the kit over the rest of them .
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oof...a little pricey, that's a complete 5.3 (maybe even an lq4) swap, it's as if the tinkering gods keep giving me a sign and then beating me about the head with it. A stubborn man I am...

Thanks for the info @sweetk30
 
ls swap = pcm reflash 75-250 depending were you take and send it / modify the harnness to stand alone / motor mounts / all the other stuff .

yes its all a #'s game on what you want and or use what you have and just make it better .
 
Chevman88 said:
oof...a little pricey, that's a complete 5.3 (maybe even an lq4) swap, it's as if the tinkering gods keep giving me a sign and then beating me about the head with it. A stubborn man I am...

Thanks for the info @sweetk30
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Price and shop carefully before you do anything
Several of the 5.3 guys have been less than exuberant about overall power in stock trim

Obviously a control for an electric shift auto plays into that decision. But don’t be hasty

And, These trucks are heavy
 
Bent77 said:
Won’t lie. If I had to do it again, I’d probably go l29 short block, alum heads and a Pro-Flo
Probably have that much in this
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How much are you going to sell the current setup in your 77 for? Maybe I should put that in the 73.
 
Chevman88 said:
I ran the EBL flash with a 4l60e for a while, you need to email rbob on thirdgen.org to get the pin out guide, but basically your current PCM controls the trans and the EBL controls the engine with some shared sensors going to both. I regret selling my stuff off with my older truck truck. It worked and worked really really well.

After reading a bunch of these aftermarket EFI threads I'm debating on going back to that setup.
Click to expand...

When I first saw the EBL Flash software system for older OBD-I...I thought "this looks cool". But, after reading all the small print on running it with an electronic control transmission, I saw that it was a hassle to do. According to the Dynamic EFI web site...in order to run a PCM with EBL Flash software you have to piggy back an older ECM to run concurrently with the PCM. That is more work than just doing it the old fashion way of burning one chip at a time for the PCM.
 
1-ton said:
When I first saw the EBL Flash software system for older OBD-I...I thought "this looks cool". But, after reading all the small print on running it with an electronic control transmission, I saw that it was a hassle to do. According to the Dynamic EFI web site...in order to run a PCM with EBL Flash software you have to piggy back an older ECM to run concurrently with the PCM. That is more work than just doing it the old fashion way of burning one chip at a time for the PCM.
Click to expand...

To me it was worth it for the ease of tuning alone, the hassle of re-pinning to run a PCM and ECM was very worth it.
 
Bent77 said:
Price and shop carefully before you do anything
Several of the 5.3 guys have been less than exuberant about overall power in stock trim

Obviously a control for an electric shift auto plays into that decision. But don’t be hasty

And, These trucks are heavy
Click to expand...

After owning a 3.5 ecoboost F150 (I know I know :shame:) I was looking at the possibility of running a single small turbo that was in full boost by 2k RPM somewhere down the line. I already found the turbo I would use if I went that route, we'll see what I decide when the time actually comes.
 
Chevman88 said:
After owning a 3.5 ecoboost F150 (I know I know :shame:) I was looking at the possibility of running a single small turbo that was in full boost by 2k RPM somewhere down the line. I already found the turbo I would use if I went that route, we'll see what I decide when the time actually comes.
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Just remember they are a only awe inspiring with boost.

And that means another tune
 
I'm in the minority of the LS swaps that feel the 5.3 just don't have enough grunt down low to be effective for me and climbing mountain passes. So don't be quick to make the call to jump to an LS over aftermarket injection on a gen 1 small block. I think Bents small block proves that the old sbc can give good low end torque and good manners with a solid aftermarket EFI system. LS swaps can nickle and dime you to death. Cost of the doner engine, harness, ecm, swap brackets, exhaust, tuning, parts that may not have come with the engine itself and what trans to use.

So until you factor all the costs in for an LS swap you might find retrofitting efi to the old small block might be in line price wise. Plus, factor this in unless you have hptuners or efilive you will not be able to make tuning changes like an aftermarket system can. Which means you get to take your ride to the tuner or send the ecm or files back and forth to get it done. That's going to cost something too. If you had to pay someone for every little tweak these guys are doing to the aftermarket units you'd go broke.

If you don't want to tweak it yourself then it's not an issue. But it's a possible cost issue with an LS that often is overlooked.
 
i think the 5.3 ls swap i did in my 2wd sb lowered truck will be just right and still plenty of fun with 3.73 gear and posi yet the 4l60-e will get me good gearing and over drive .

but a stock 5.3 for a heavy square brick we drive better think long and hard or you will be doing power adders in short order .
 
sweetk30 said:
i think the 5.3 ls swap i did in my 2wd sb lowered truck will be just right and still plenty of fun with 3.73 gear and posi yet the 4l60-e will get me good gearing and over drive .

but a stock 5.3 for a heavy square brick we drive better think long and hard or you will be doing power adders in short order .
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Plus @Chevman88 is at some altitude as well, similar to @ZooMad75 and myself

Everything here is underpowered
 
Bent77 said:
Plus @Chevman88 is at some altitude as well, similar to @ZooMad75 and myself

Everything here is underpowered
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Yep, altitude is a sumbitch.

I think in the right ride a 5.3 is a sweet running setup. But even stock new 1/2 ton trucks with 5.3's leave a bit to be desired at our altitude. They are running overly obtrusive torque management strategies that effectively neuter the power before you put it down. The DI (direct injected) 5.3's are better, but still no match for a larger engine like the 6.2's. At a lower altitude, it's a different ballgame for sure. But for me, I'm a two hour run west to hitting a mountain pass that is 11,213 feet up and a max grade of 7.5%. That's one of dozens of passes I could hit within the state and I can tell you they all suck the big one if you are "that guy" holding up traffic going 40mph screaming in second gear.
 
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