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what do you guys think of this efi kit?

Mastiff said:
I'll be curious how it works for you. What's your thinking not going with a factory replacement system like Howell sells? Does the fitech use factory sensors?
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I currently have a entire tbi setup that I havent installed. I ended up going through my engine and some of the mild modifications I made are outside of the realm of the computer.

I could get way deeper then I want and megasquirt yada yada yada but its not something Im super interested in that this point.

The fitech unit imo is a superior unit to howell in that I dont need to rechip anything and I have a much larger hand in how it runs. I dont have to mount a computer which is kinda nice too and it only needs 4 wires to run, which means my carb wiring harness will do the trick.

Fitech uses tps, iac, o2 and coolant temp to run.

It should do everything I want and more. Ships on the 18th!
 
Ned Kelly said:
Any install progress to report? :-)
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Ned!

Yes, well maybe not install but it has arrived! Ill snap some pics as soon as i pick it up. Long wait but fitech was super cool about it all. They said they dyno test them all and it should smell like race gas when i open the box...perfect!

As of right now ive got a bunch of work to do to fire it up but im working like a mad man to get it going. Ill definitely update as soon as i fire it up!
 
This thread has been pretty funny to read through. On one hand you have a bunch of guys who see the benefit and simplicity of a system like this, for a relatively good price compared to other options, especially for how easy it is to install. And on the other hand you have some real engine/tuner guys who think anything other than factory setups or big power motors that you get every little HP out of it, then you shouldn't even bother having a truck (and yes I'm exaggerating quite a bit on that one :D).

No matter your position on it, you have to look at who they are making these kits for....essentially somelike like my dad (@ktmoutfront has met him so could probably attest to all this), not saying this is an old man kit whatsoever, but hear me out. He's older and anytime I start talking to him about wiring, he gets this confused look on his face and wants to start talking about 2 barrels again so he can feel comfortable. He knows that modern FI is the way to go in almost any circumstance, but is so far away from understanding how to get it on his older trucks. This kit, IMHO, has a place and there will be multiple people who will want it. I did a TBI swap on my K5 crawler, and an currently doing an LS swap (well it's an 8.1 so not technically an LS, but as far as wiring and fueling goes, its the same as LS). And all I can say is no matter what you think, it's always going to take you more money then you think to swap to either TBI or LS. So eventhough this kit is "maybe" going to be the same price in the end as a TBI swap, the simplicity of install is going to be huge for someone like my dad, or anyone else who really just wants to not loose fuel on a sidehill while wheeling.

All I can say is if a kit like this was around when I was doing my TBI swap, I probably wouldn't have done TBI and would have done this, cause on my crawler, I really don't care too much about HP...it's all about the rig still running no matter the angle. In fact, my dad just purchased a real nice 84 3/4 ton burban that we are making into a nice hunting rig, and this kit is right up the alley for my dad to get fuel injection an a carb'd 350 that we are not looking to get any horsepower out of. Just remember people, just cause you think it should be done a certain way, doesn't mean it's the only way to get it done. If it meets the needs of the individual, let them run it. @wetoolowdingbangow, please post up your findings with this kit so we all can learn more about it.

That is all :sign3: (and I'm sure all of you reading this long post just want to tell me to :sign4:......:D)
 
I would seriously look at going this route if I had it to do over. I went through hell getting my initial TBI to work because I was on my own with no real support. That alone is huge in my book. Plus, the factory systems are very old at this point. I learned that around here, you can forget about finding a TBI rig at a pick-a-part, especially one with an engine still inside. I'm very curious to see how this all comes together.
 
Mastiff said:
I would seriously look at going this route if I had it to do over. I went through hell getting my initial TBI to work because I was on my own with no real support. That alone is huge in my book. Plus, the factory systems are very old at this point. I learned that around here, you can forget about finding a TBI rig at a pick-a-part, especially one with an engine still inside. I'm very curious to see how this all comes together.
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I agree with you. It took me multiple months to get my TBI swap running correctly, and more $ thrown into that as well. It was a really good learning experience, but still, like I said if this kit was around when I was doing it, I would have just go this kit. I think I did it about as cheap as you possible can (I purchased a wrecked 89 K5 and stole everything off it from tank, fuel lines, motor, harness and everything and reworked harness into my 86 K5, then even sold items I didn't need off the wrecked truck and took the rest to the scrap yard) and I still think I spent $1500 by the time it was all said and done. And it took me multiple months instead of a weekend like this kit would be after getting all the fuel deliver items. Kinda hard to beat that for someone just looking to get reliability out of their fine running 350....:whistle:

ktmoutfront said:
Yep. Always been my point. Buy what you need, not what the other guys tell you is the cool thing.
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That's some good advice there Wade :thumb:
 
ktmoutfront said:
I would really like to add some HP enhancers to th Jimmy. But the TBI tuning issues has held me back. This would fix that.
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Thats exactly why I bought it. Between the cam and a bit more airflow Tbi would be all sorts of confused. I heard a ton of bad reviews on chip burning so I went with this. I'm glad I did so far.

I have entire Tbi setup and the difference in the amount of wires is worth it alone.
 
Now that my son Steve (Kay86K5) has made me look like an old fool that cannot comprehend EFI, tuning, etc., I thought I would defend myself. Just remember I taught you kids how to work on those cars and trucks. I will admit that a lot of the computer controls and sensors passed me by, but Steve and Wade are right. Anyone who knows anything about engines (not electric motors Wade) can appreciate the vast improvements of EFI and ECM. Since I like old trucks and cars, the only way to go is to up grade them to the current technology whenever possible. Will the after market stuff be as good as GM or Ford designed? Of course not. Will it be better than 1984 carburation and HEI? By a long shot. So the question then comes down to price, ease of installation and how much better than stock performance you get. Sure there are trade offs in everything you do with cars and trucks, that is what makes it so much fun to mess with them and see what you can get. At 62 years old do I understand all of the 10x12 tuning parameters and how to get the best tune out of LS motor? No way. Those computer screens with 500 little boxes on them and those little numbers in each box make my head hurt. Will self tuning (or self learning) be as good as a guy with a laptop and a dyno can do? Of course not. But for me and most guys trying to bring their old vehicles into the 21st century of performance, FiTech and Holley Sniper are going to be exactly what we need, even if it is not the absolutely best solution possible (trade offs again). And since I remember when the original Holley EFI unit came out and it was $2000 (in 1990's dollars), these new options look pretty good, especially for the price. The fuel pump situation concerns me as well as not having computer controlled timing. I look forward to more information about those issues from you guys before I make my purchase and do the installation. Thanks to listening to an old fart who "gets this confused look on his face and wants to start talking about 2 barrels again so he can feel comfortable."
 
greggkay said:
Now that my son Steve (Kay86K5) has made me look like an old fool that cannot comprehend EFI, tuning, etc., I thought I would defend myself. Just remember I taught you kids how to work on those cars and trucks. I will admit that a lot of the computer controls and sensors passed me by, but Steve and Wade are right. Anyone who knows anything about engines (not electric motors Wade) can appreciate the vast improvements of EFI and ECM. Since I like old trucks and cars, the only way to go is to up grade them to the current technology whenever possible. Will the after market stuff be as good as GM or Ford designed? Of course not. Will it be better than 1984 carburation and HEI? By a long shot. So the question then comes down to price, ease of installation and how much better than stock performance you get. Sure there are trade offs in everything you do with cars and trucks, that is what makes it so much fun to mess with them and see what you can get. At 62 years old do I understand all of the 10x12 tuning parameters and how to get the best tune out of LS motor? No way. Those computer screens with 500 little boxes on them and those little numbers in each box make my head hurt. Will self tuning (or self learning) be as good as a guy with a laptop and a dyno can do? Of course not. But for me and most guys trying to bring their old vehicles into the 21st century of performance, FiTech and Holley Sniper are going to be exactly what we need, even if it is not the absolutely best solution possible (trade offs again). And since I remember when the original Holley EFI unit came out and it was $2000 (in 1990's dollars), these new options look pretty good, especially for the price. The fuel pump situation concerns me as well as not having computer controlled timing. I look forward to more information about those issues from you guys before I make my purchase and do the installation. Thanks to listening to an old fart who "gets this confused look on his face and wants to start talking about 2 barrels again so he can feel comfortable."
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:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Good first post ever dad :thumb:
 
ktmoutfront said:
So, you have to insult the old man to get him to sign up. Nice.
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Hey, if you look at his join date you will notice he joined CK5 a week after me....just gotta poke a little to get him to post. I know he looks at CK5 every once in a while
 
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