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tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components

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jjohanski
James Johanski

(61 posts)

Registered:
11/15/2017 08:57AM

Main British Car:


Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: jjohanski
Date: July 16, 2021 09:05AM

Can members give me their opinions as to which efi is better sniper or atomic?


turbodave
dave cox

(181 posts)

Registered:
04/30/2018 03:00PM

Main British Car:
SD1

Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: turbodave
Date: July 16, 2021 05:49PM

Personally, I'd use EMU Black or Link. There are even more expensive options however.

But the best advice I could give you, is to pick a dyno operator you are going to use - or likely to use, and ask them what their preferred system is.

If you provide any tuner a system that they aren't 110% familiar with, they are learning that system on YOUR dime.


Just remember ALL ECUs will pretty much do the same thing; some have more bells and whistles than others.

Pretty much all good ones have closed loop fueling, and Link and EMU (as i recommended above) have knock inputs that work well (other ECUs do this, or claim to do this, but not so much).
But closed-loop still needs to be kind of close (but fuel is easy to get within 10% with a few hours on a dyno or road tuning) but the ignition tuning is where it all is at, and dyno time is the only way to do that right.

But a tuner who talks big but can't advance his way out of an open paper bag, is not going to make the best out of the most expensive ECU in the world. Conversely, a highly experienced tuner could get more out of a 20 yr old megasquirt ECU because he knows what he is doing.

Find yourself someone who you want to use, and maybe have a backup as well, and let that drive your decision.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2021 05:52PM by turbodave.


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 17, 2021 10:16AM

I believe James is asking about a full EFI kit that replaces a carb, Dave. Many of us wouldn't know where to start if you handed us one of those ECUs.

Mike Moor is using the MSD Atomic. Seems to be working out for him. Only one that I know of using it.

I know of several using the Holley Sniper. If I were to switch to EFI, I would probably go with the Sniper.


turbodave
dave cox

(181 posts)

Registered:
04/30/2018 03:00PM

Main British Car:
SD1

Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: turbodave
Date: July 17, 2021 01:53PM

yeah, you're probably right Carl... I don't understand why so many folks use these personally, but I guess it is an easy option and has a visual familiarity of something that looks like a carb.


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: 88v8
Date: July 19, 2021 06:23AM

Dave, I think your advice about tuning is good, some common sense that one rarely sees.

Too often, people fall for the nonsense that they can just run setups out of the box and there's no need for dialling in.
One sees that with Webers, side and downdraught, Holley, and all sorts of efi.

I remember someone put triple Webers on his TR6 and a forum member who'd been there done that described the purchase cost as a down-payment lol

I guess one reason people go with the Sniper... yes, the visuals... and keeping the inlet manifold... but also the hope that a big-name company like Holley will still be around in ten years to provide support and parts.

Ivor


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: July 20, 2021 10:15AM

Proven reliability never goes out of style. That is the entire reason I've gotten away from the Mega stuff as much as I can. Take your basic GM or Ford or Chrysler efi controllers, how often do they break? Yes sometimes but have you personally or anyone you know experienced that? I can count one definite and one possible in the last 20 years, both Ford. Chances are good that's fairly representative. Considering the number of drivers and cars that represents, it's a pretty low number. Then take Mega and the number of failures over time approaches 100% I kid you not. Actual hardware failures. More than that if you include the number of times these controllers have just lost their everlovin' minds and had to be reprogrammed. If you are into the tuning every week and love it that may not be so bad (it really is though) but if you expect to go for years without touching it the only way to really do that is to use proven reliable products and nobody does that better than the major manufacturers.

And they don't sell or use TBEFI. Not for decades now and when they did it wasn't usually suitable for a 4bbl intake. So even names like Holley and Edelbrock have a long way to go to prove that kind of reliability. In the meantime, they are probably the best you can do unless you go with port injection.

Jim


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: July 20, 2021 01:30PM

I'm right there with you Jim.
I enjoy the challenge of Mega squirt, Speeduino, Rusefi etc. And have successfully built and installed them all.
However the reliability issue is huge as you said.
For the past while I have been using GM ecu"s and modified factory wiring harnesses. If I'm in a rush (lazy) I'll use Howell wiring harnesses.
All the GM sensors, injectors, etc. are cheap and easy to source and are adaptable to just about any engine.
Remember that the engine doesn't care who made the EFI system.
Never had a failure with these setups. And I have a guy that tunes the ECU for me for $200.00 (I have all the tuning equipment, but for that kind of money I'll let him make some cash as well!)
Howell makes a TBI setup that uses all stock GM parts if that's what you really want. Not flashy, but rock solid and easy to install. And they have one custom made for the 215.
The only aftermarket EFI that has never given me trouble is the SDS systems. I have used many of them with 0 failures.
They don't look fancy but they have been around forever and they just plain work.

Live like you mean it.
Fred



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2021 01:33PM by DiDueColpi.



Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: July 26, 2021 12:11AM

I have a sniper setup. I like it, it's fairly simple. I like the handheld touch screen better than the one I have for my FAST XFI setup. Depends on what you are looking to spend or do really. They have come a long way over the last decade.


Prof
Paul May

(1 posts)

Registered:
07/15/2021 08:29PM

Main British Car:


Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: Prof
Date: August 03, 2021 11:09AM

First post…hello everyone! Been lurking awhile.

Holley Sniper with Sniper distributor for spark control is an absolutely A M A Z I N G set-up!

Keith Craft-built 302/stroked to 331. Removed a dyno-tuned Holley 670 (and MSD) and installed Holley Sniper, distributor, and efi fuel tank. Zero issues, incredible performance. Starts immediately, doesn’t stink up your clothes with exhaust fumes, hauls ass, and doesn’t care about altitude or winter/summer gas quality.

Disclaimer: I studied all of the forums for how-to tips and do’s n don’ts. Follow what others have learned along the way. This is IMPORTANT. If a pro tuner on a forum says “cut away 1” of the dual plane intake’s divider”, I grabbed for my tape measure and the grinder. (I guess one could question the logic and not grind inside the intake and have trouble and get on here and trash all after-market systems. It happens every day.)

In my opinion, my great success would not have been possible without www.efisystempro.com

Paul in Dallas
(where there’s a Summit Racing retail store nearby to help out)



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2021 10:29AM by MGBV8.


rficalora
Rob Ficalora
Willis, TX
(2764 posts)

Registered:
10/24/2007 02:46PM

Main British Car:
'76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: Looking for opinions on efi
Posted by: rficalora
Date: August 14, 2021 01:54PM

Not one of the ones you asked about, but I put the Edelbrock Pro Flo 4 (sequential port fuel injection) on my 302. I have about 2500 miles on it so far and it is excellent. Starts in a split second, throttle response is phenomenal, and their support has been WAY better than I expected - easy to talk to an experienced engineer and their support forum has very knowledgeable people on it too. Time will tell how reliable it is, but so far it's been great.


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