[Marv]

We have door handles, kids!

[Marv]

So i made (an expensive) decision. This thing is getting EFI and aluminium heads.

I'm coming to the USA for SEMA in October/Nov this year and so will pick up some Edelbrock goodies, namely #61579 heads and a P-65 dual-quad intake manifold. I'm going to buy a Joe Hunt distributor ($850USD OUCH!), Haltech Elite 750 computer, Deatschwerks low-height injectors, two "air-only" throttle bodies from FAST, and an in-tank fuel pump cradle from a VE Holden Commodore (Pontiac G8 GT) for a returnless/dead-head fuel system.

Rather than place the injectors at the throttle body (not ideal) I'm going to get the P-65 manifold drilled and have injector bosses welded into the runners, which means I'm going to need to look at how to make fuel lines appear vintage (ideally with a banjo-look top fitting) with some way of hiding the wiring, too.

I'm going to run the car over peak summer with the carburettor and iron heads, as it will give me a good base to work off. I think I'll aim to change the heads and chuck the EFI on in June next year when the weather is cold and there aren't many events on Down Under.

[Marv]

It has been an expensive few weeks. I ordered and paid for the 87cc Edelbrock aluminium D-port cylinder heads (#61579) and P-65 dual-quad Edelbrock intake manifold through OPGI as they were by far the cheapest place I could find online - I'll pick them up when I'm in LA in October and bring them back in my checked-in luggage to save the freight cost (quoted over $600!).

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/...r-d-port.shtml

I'm going to rob the Yella Terra 1.65-ratio rockers off my current engine, then will likely sell the #92 heads, near-new Edelbrock Performer intake, rebuilt Carter AFB 4BBL carb and HEI as a package unit. Unfortunately Pontiac parts like this are not in demand Down Under so I think it is going to take me ages to move them on, and they will sell for a song. Oh well, that's the issue having a rare car 10,000 miles away from its homeland!

As it turns out I've found out the Joe Hunt magneto-look HEIs are cheaply made junk and prone to complete failure. I'm now looking at a few different HEI options to fit behind the new intake manifold - I'm just 100% what is going to fit behind the P-65 intake manifold out of the FAST or Edelbrock:

Eddy - https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...3681/overview/

FAST - https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...5016/overview/


I've got my Haltech stand-alone ECU. While it may be tempting to go with a "bolt-on" kit they just don't have the functions I'm looking for and (once you ship them to Australia) they are no cheaper than buying a proper ECU set-up and getting someone to tune it. Plus, this Elite 750 will allow me to run flex-fuel (E85, E100, and regular premium unleaded) without retuning my car. Down the track if I want to adapt a 6-speed auto or the like to my car I can expand the Haltech with local support to include all these functions.




I'm also looking at custom fuel rails in a round style, similar to the stock LSX/LS1 format but will look into that more once I've got the intake manifold and injectors (40mm-tall Deatschwerks 50lb/hr units) in my hands.

[krisr]

87cc's??

[Marv]

That is what it says

[gtospieg]

Make sure the distributor has an iron distributor gear for compatibility with the HFT cam you are using

[Marv]

Definitely, Gtospieg. I have been chatting to KrisR (above) about gutting the stock dizzy my car came with (which I still have in a bucket somewhere) to use for cam sync, and running a 36-1 reluctor wheel on the front of the motor for my cam timing.

Then, I'd hide a pair of individual LS1 coil packs on the chassis rail for even better spark quality. It would certainly save the hassles of finding a new big-buck dizzy to hide behind the dual-quad intake.

[darbikrash]

Not hard to adapt digital ignition to the EFI setup you have- you're 80% of the way there with the Haltech. My setup is full sequential (Holley) EFI with no distributor. Suggest a 58 tooth reluctor mounted to the inside of the balancer, this wheel is a (modified) Holley, you have to open up the ID to fit the Pontiac balancer:


Here are some shots of the fuel rails, throttle body, and regulator:


If you run EFI in batch mode, you don't need a cam signal, if you want to go full sequential, you can pick up a 1X signal from the distributor. Many ways to do this, I started with the BOP oil pump drive and adapted a machined housing to pick up the cam signal:





The ignition is setup as wasted spark. You use 4 coils for a V8, each time it fires two cylinders receive spark, one makes power the other is unused. Coils mocked up for test fire, I hid them under the dash so you cant see anything in the car:

[Marv]

Awesome post, thanks Darbikrash - lots of helpful info in there. Is the 58-tooth wheel a better option because it gives better resolution than a 36-1 set-up?

I was thinking LS1 coils because they're easy to source down here and there's plenty of room in the Bonne's engine bay to hide them (particularly up near the headlights). Fitting a cam sync either to a cut-down dizzy or off the fuel pump is what I'm looking at now, probably preferring to hide it up the back of the engine as it'll be hidden by the air cleaner.

[krisr]

You don't need a functional cam sensor running wasted spark with batch fueling provided you use a 36-1 Or 60-2 wheel as the missing tooth offset tells the ECU where #1 TDC is. Don't stress too much about the dizzy.

60 tooth wheel gives better resolution to crank angle though. 26 tooth is down to every 10 degress.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[darbikrash]

Doesn't cost anymore for the 60 tooth and its nearly twice the crank angle resolution so may as well use it. Here is a link to the wheel I used, its $60 USD. They make several diameters, so check your balancer OD for the best fit.

https://www.holley.com/products/igni.../parts/556-108

If I had it to do over again, for ignition I would go COP (coil on plug) like the Ford Mod motor guys use. Clean and (I think) a better solution. Individual coils mounted right on the spark plug. Here is a Pontiac with COP ignition, you can see the coils right on the plug.



You can buy COP stuff here:

http://www.granatellimotorsports.com...d-2433-25.html

[krisr]

26 = 36. Fat fingers on this phone

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Marv]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I've played with COP on turbo Subaru engines I've modified before and agree they're simple, modern solutions that are neater. To be honest I'd forgotten all about that option - I'll have a look at what COP options are easy to source down here (I don't know if the Mustang coils are the same as our Ford Falcon 5.4-litre mod-motor and Miami 5.0-litre coils).

I got a price from BOP Engineering on their dizzy oil pump drive as it is no longer listed as an individual item on their site - $300USD for anyone following along

[Stuart]

This may be way out in left field as a source for coil on plug coils, but...a friend of mine built a Megasquirt system for his vintage BMW 2002. I noticed he used coil on plug coils and asked where he got them; they were from an e39 5 series BMW (1995-2004, but BMW used the same engine in 7 series cars of that era as well). It turns out that whenever one of those cars came into a dealership for service and the mechanic determined it had one or more bad coils, factory procedure was to replace all eight of them, whether they were bad or not. As a result, over time the mechanics would end up with a drawer full of good coils that they couldn't use.

So, he had a buddy who was a BMW dealer mechanic who gave him some coils for free. The moral of the story is if you know any BMW dealer mechanics, see if they have some spare coils sitting around they don't need. I don't know much about modern cars, but assume other makes and models may also have COP setups and the respective dealer mechanics may have spares for them as well.

[Marv]

Thanks for the tip, Stuart. I have had a sniff around and it looks like I have a short-list for potential coils that are locally available and not worth a huge amount.

We got a quad-cam 5.4L V8 in our Aussie Fords until the introduction of the new supercharged 5.0 Miami (Coyote in NA and Mustang form). Other options seems to include 2001-on STi Subaru coils and some Nissans. I'm now looking more at the physical height of the coils to find ones that don't stick too far out from the plug, or can be shortened to run closer to the end of the plug.

[HWYSTR455]

Subscribing! (Love big cars!)

.

[Marv]

Parts have been stacking up for my new engine combo.

- FAST #304154 throttle bodies
- Haltech Elite 750, wideband & flex fuel sensor
- VE Holden (aka Pontiac G8 GT) fuel pump cradle & fitting kit
- LS3 intake manifold, with injectors & rails
- Holley 60-2 crank signal wheel
- New head gaskets & ARP studs
- New intake manifold gaskets
- Edelbrock carb adapter plates for the FAST throttle bodies to suit the Edelbrock P-65 intake
- Vintage Smith's tacho that my dad bought new back in the '60s

I need to get the crank wheel machined, get a fuel pump block-off plate, buy some LS1 coilpacks, fit my electric fuel pump, and wire the whole shebang,

However, that won't happen 'til late Nov as I'm off to Los Angeles tomorrow, and then SEMA next week!

Ryan also recently powdercoated my dash in texture black. The car will likely come back to my parent's garage soon after I'm back from the USA, where I'll paint-strip it and get it ready for paint.

[Marv]

SEMA was, again, AMAZING. So, so many parts and good ideas on display even if there were precious few Pontiacs on show.



I DID spot Accuair's new ENDO-CVT, which mounts the compressor & valves inside the air tank. It has a humidity switch and an internal air-drier (with vent port) to get rid of moisture inside the tank, plus it is all easily pulled apart and serviced - the quality of the machine work is awesome.

I already have the ENDO-VT (valves in-tank) and it can be upgraded to have the compressor fitted inside the tank. The benefit to this is near-silent operation, and a much cleaner install, for the low, low price of $700USD (about $20USD more than my 2 external compressors cost me).



Coming home with my 72cc D-port heads and Edelbrock P-65 intake in my suitcase I didn't even rate a glance, but the cheap step drill bits and stubby ratcheting spanners got me in trouble with the TSA leaving LAX on Sunday. All was good - they just didn't know why someone would come to America to buy them, 'til I explained they cost 1/10th the price of what they would back home!



I have almost all my engine upgrade bits home now and am looking at carb adaptors as the Edelbrock intake uses Carter AFB flanges, which are a smaller bolt pattern than the Holley 4150 pattern my FAST throttle bodies use. I am happy to make one if need be, but we'll see.

Another upgrade will be coming as Haltech have now released an Elite 950 specifically for converting old carby V8s to injection, so I'll upgrade my Elite 750 to the new ECU, too.

[Marv]

I've got my throttle bodies mounted up after some fiddling.

I got a pair of bolt-on carb adapters from Summit Racing for $15 USD each which worked mint for bolting the TBs to the intake manifold. The next issue was protruding sensors.

Because I'm going full standalone EFI with a fixed Edelbrock linkage I can afford to remove one idle air control valve (also known as an IAC or IACV). I blocked one off and moved another sensor to the front of the forward TB as it fouled when it was on the rear TB.



Here are the TBs set-up with the linkage dummied up. I'm not sure if I should get the intake (and cylinder heads) painted/powdercoated to make it look a bit more vintage...?



Next step is to get the FAST injector bungs cut and welded into the intake to suit the EV6 (LS3 Chev) injectors. From that point, I can start making the wiring loom for the injectors and throttle bodies, which I'll terminate at the back of the intake to make servicing the engine easier.

I've also got 8 LS1 coilpacks here, which I'll start looking at a custom bracket to hide up the back of the motor, plus I've ordered the crank angle sensor, air cleaner housing, custom ignition leads and more.

[455HOGT37]

Marv-

Really like this thread and your car. Gives me a new appreciation for the hurdles you have to overcome. A few years ago I sold a very straight 67 B-ville coupe on Ebay and it went to England. It sold for far more money than it could pull here, and I always wondered why. Now I get it.

Anyway, I know you are far down the road with your EFI system, but I'd invite you to check out SDSEFI.com. Ive been using their stand alone ignition on my aircraft engines for a while now and I'm also converting to full EFI on another one. SDS started out with car stuff and their site may give you some ideas. Based on my experience with them, I'm considering EFI for my 63 Cat.

Hang in there!