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  View original topic: fuel injection conversion
vwb5t Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:33 am

Looking to convert to fuel injection, what are the good kits out there? engine is a 1641 with dual carbs but i want to go fuel injection, but one that is tunable cause i will be upgrading the motor later on. its going in a 64 baja.

The Noof Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:49 am

Megasquirt is a good ecu format, if you're handy.Stock efi can work well on a 1641, depending on your combo.If it was a biiger engine, I would recommend cb's quick-tune efi:I have it on my car, and I love the adjustability.

Stripped66 Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:00 am

1) MegaSquirt: not a bolt-on kit, but the least expensive option. It requires that you design the intake, whether using IDF throttle-bodies, or adapting a single throttle-body to be used with CB Performance-style fuel injector end-castings. In the end, you will know the fuel-injection and its hardware inside and out. Despite its low cost (and high investment of time), MegaSquirt has the same features as many of its overpriced competitors, and more! Who else has in-car touch-screen tuning capabilities? The user- and knowledge-base for MegaSquirt is unreal and more features are developed by these users day by day.

2) CB Performance Quick Tune EFI: bolt on and go. Press a button or two on your laptop and it supposedly programs itself. Several people have been very pleased with this system, from Mike Lawless on his wife's 1776, to Don Pauter on his 3.5L Pauter powered Ghia. [edit: oh yeah, and Noof is happy, too :wink: ]

3) DRD Racing: Darren is currently marketing an EFI kit. I can't recall if he is using the Microtech ECU out of Australia or another brand (so don't quote me on it). Drop him an e-mail and he can probably quote you a price and timeline on a complete kit to bolt in and go.

4) Marty Staggs: IIRC, a distributor for Haltech ECUs. He can fabricate a complete intake set-up to accompany the ECU so it can be a bolt-in affair.

5) Weber/Redline EFI: IIRC, a complete kit is offered by the vendors who distribute this ECU (VW Paradise is among them). The person who designed this EFI is a regular contributor to the EFI forum at the shoptalkforums.com.

6) Electromotive: not a complete kit so, like MegaSquirt, you are responsible for procuring/fabricating the throttle-bodies, intake, etc. Recommended only if you have more money than brains. I'm currently running their Tec-GT ecu and the AutoTune feature has never worked. The previous 2 versions of the software commonly crashed during tuning, and the functionality of playback on the datalogger has been spotty (add that headache to the dysfunctional AutoTune feature). Maybe the 3rd release of the software they recently sent me will finally work properly. But hey...I can tell people I'm running Electromotive and they always seem impressed :?

There's other ECUs on the market that vary in price and features, but few are available as "kits" outside of what CB Performance and other VW vendors offer for the VW engine.

miniman82 Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:58 am

I'm partial to MS because I'm a tightwad, but I was really impressed by how much it does. I bought one of the first kits that came out way back before it could do ignition control; I have that same ECU in my car today, but it's now running the injectors, distributorless ignition, and will soon be handling alcohol injection duties as well. It turned out to be a decent investment at the time costing me only $175 if I remember correctly, and it's capabilities have done nothing but grown. Like Stripped said, you will know your hardware and software from the inside out when you're done, because you have to do everything yourself. Not to say that you're alone in your efforts though- MS has one of the biggest support forums out there, I've never seen a bigger group of guys (and gals) that go out of their way each day to further the MS movement. If you need help, you can always ask.

Eaallred Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:01 pm

Megasquirt rocks.

You just can't beat the price, and has more features than you can shake a stick at.

I really don't know of any features avaliable on other EFI systems that aren't avaliable on MS. I'm sure there may be, but none that I apparently need. There's a lot more than I need in mine as it is. haha

greggearhead Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:54 am

I have used SDS and it is a solid standalone with good adjustment and price, but without the need for a laptop for mapping.

I have Megasquirt I need to build for the current project, but I know it is a great value and very capable, especially thanks to all the people sharing info and supporting it.

Don't overlook the factory EFI setups. Wasserboxer, Porsche 914, Type 3 and 75+ Type 1. It might be hard to get a complete, excellent condition setup, but the cost might be more attractive than a custom build. Depends a lot more on you and your engine setup and wallet.

The Noof Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:21 am

Stock hardware witha megasquirt ecu would be fine for a 1641.

joescoolcustoms Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:29 am

Quote: 1) MegaSquirt: not a bolt-on kit, but the least expensive option. It requires that you design the intake, whether using IDF throttle-bodies, or adapting a single throttle-body to be used with CB Performance-style fuel injector end-castings. In the end, you will know the fuel-injection and its hardware inside and out. Despite its low cost (and high investment of time), MegaSquirt has the same features as many of its overpriced competitors, and more! Who else has in-car touch-screen tuning capabilities? The user- and knowledge-base for MegaSquirt is unreal and more features are developed by these users day by day.

Not trying to Hijack, but I guess I am.

Who sells MegaSquirt? Can you take a set of IDF's and gut them to be just throttle bodies for this application or am I missing something already produced? Will the throttle bodies need to be modified to accept a TPS?

Shouldn't there be a FI Sticky for this?

Matt Cramer Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:39 am

joescoolcustoms wrote: Not trying to Hijack, but I guess I am.

Who sells MegaSquirt? Can you take a set of IDF's and gut them to be just throttle bodies for this application or am I missing something already produced? Will the throttle bodies need to be modified to accept a TPS?

Shouldn't there be a FI Sticky for this?

Hi, I work for one of the sponsors who happens to be a MegaSquirt seller. :) Yes, you can gut carbs to use them as throttle bodies. We've even had one customer who put injectors in a set of SU carbs; it may work for other carbs too:

http://www.mgexperience.net/journal/scotabbott/2284

The MegaSquirt can use the MAP sensor reading instead of a TPS for acceleration enrichment. One of our shop cars never had a real TPS from the factory and so it's running around without one.

miniman82 Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:49 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: Shouldn't there be a FI Sticky for this?



Have you looked in the sticky section?
My build thread is up there, and in my sigline.

joescoolcustoms Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:33 pm

miniman82 wrote: joescoolcustoms wrote: Shouldn't there be a FI Sticky for this?



Have you looked in the sticky section?
My build thread is up there, and in my sigline.

I knew about your build and have looked at your sig line thread, but with all the threads on ignitions and cranktriggers lately, I thought it may be good to start a Sticky on FI. I am reading more and more about it in the last year or so.

miniman82 Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:23 pm

If you like, there's a pretty good primer at STF: http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=114309

Smallsc111 Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:59 am

Might be the biggest bump in samba history....

I'm looking at the CB performance set up, does it have the capability of running a turbo with it?

mcmscott Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:23 am

Smallsc111 wrote: Might be the biggest bump in samba history....

I'm looking at the CB performance set up, does it have the capability of running a turbo with it?

Yes, however they are out of ecu's currently. Waiting on one myself.

andy198712 Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:26 am

Look at thedubshop, Mario there will help you out and give great advice, an won't rob you blind! He's a good guy.


I'm running my 1200's ignition on a basic MS1 2.2. Doing that to learn a little before I make that same ecu run gsxr throttle bodies on a 2110 :)

Smallsc111 Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:27 am

mcmscott wrote: Smallsc111 wrote: Might be the biggest bump in samba history....

I'm looking at the CB performance set up, does it have the capability of running a turbo with it?

Yes, however they are out of ecu's currently. Waiting on one myself.

Eh can't afford it yet so just as well. Post some pictures when you get it done



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