True bolt on FI system for a Buick 215, 300, 340, 350

Ford 5.0 stuff is a dime a dozen these days. The Thruster throttle body (1200 CFM) is $500. Used Ford $20. Even after buying an intake elbow, TPS and IAC for the Thruster EFI. I saved about $150 using the Ford 5.0 stuff. I thought everyone wanted cheap. I know I do, but I also want something worth while.
GM TPI stuff is easier to use with the thruster but, there is no intake elbow to adapt it to the T/A intake. The LS stuff can be adapted just as easy, but it is still a little pricey for my tastes. I prefer the cheap Ford 5.0 stuff, plus I have a stash of used Ford parts since I have a Ford T-Bird race car (and hot Skylark). Hence the screen name.

 

OK as promised. All the FI parts and pieces to build your own Dual Wide Band Sequential Fuel Injection System for a Small Block Buick. This thing will handle 41 lbs of boost while running any type of fuel you can pour in the tank.
If anyone would like a description of parts needed for a Thruster system tailored to your engine application, just let me know as some of you guys on here will only need a narrowband system for a virtually stock motor. That system would be just applicable and better than an EZ EFI/Profession Products System, but cost significantly cheaper than the system highlighted here.

Jegs Part #'s...If you want a Summit Part #, change (310) to ACC.

310-77010W DFI Thruster EFI
310-77301 Buick Dual Sync DFI Distributor(215 - 350)
310-74784 3 Bar Map Sensor Kit
310-77101 Dual Sync DFI Adapter Kit
310-75701 Accel External Fuel Pump (others can be used)
310-74567 Accel Fuel Pressure Regulator
310-74742 Manifold EFI Conversion Kit and Fuel Rails
310-74202S4 1200 CFM Throttle Body with IAC, TPS

I did not use the Manifold conversion kit to convert my intake. I went through Aaron at www.6061.com and he is converting the TA Intake for FI and building the Fuel Rails. This is what he does for a living and I suggest giving him a call for your Fuel Injection conversion needs.

But for you fellas with the 340's, since there is no aluminum intake available you can drill and add these bungs to your intake and viola...FI 340 intake.

Now all that is needed is some fuel lines, fittings, patience and tire smoke at 26 MPG.

I'll post some pics when I get the intake manifold.

 

Try posting in the parts wanted section,you may find a good used TA manifold for a fair price.I think that it will be wise to stick to the Stage 1 since it is still being sold and Poston is gone.Hope you find one to work with.

 

Agreed, I already ordered a TA and am having it sent to be FI'ed....injectors and fuel rails. It may only take a few weeks till done. I'll post more once I receive it and start assembling the pieces I have now.

 

cool, keep me updated

 

finally got the intake ordered today. It's enroute Aaron from 6061.com for some injector bungs and fuel rails, then off to me.!!!! MuH Ha Ha Ha, MuH Ha Ha....(Evil Laugh).

 

It's been a while since I updated.......Here is the intake manifold converted to EFI. Since air is the only thing traveling through the runners, I was considering opening the intake plenum way up and eliminating the divider.

 

Awesome!

 

X2! :kodak:

 

X3

Not trying to hijack the thread, just curious about a couple design element of a dual plane manifold. I asume the main reason for this design is so that the runners can be slighly longer to aid low end torque but keep the manifold as compact as possible. Is that true? What other reasons are there? What is the rational behind having a split plenum & what would happen if it was removed?

 

The idea behind dual-plane intakes is to increase lower rpm torque. In general single-plane intakes make better power at higher rpm with slight loss in lower rpm power. A properly designed single-plane intake may create gains over all rpms though, keep in mind.

Most dual-plane intakes can not be changed to a single-plane however some people have tried this using a poston intake so we will see how it works when they get them to the track.

 

The way a dual plane intake works is not exactly the way you are thinking. It primarily works with plenum volume dictating at what rpm band each side of the intake manifold will be most efficient.

If you look at the top pic, the left hand side of the plenum is higher than the right side. The smaller volume feeds 4 cylinders (2 cylinders each bank) and in theory those 4 cylinders will create more torque and around town power.

The right side with the larger volume feeds the other 4 cylinders. These have a larger plenum volume allowing the cylinders to make top end power.
With the intake setup this way and in theory giving the engine a larger usable power band.

Single plane intakes with a very large plenum volume, do not move the air as quickly when idling or moving through town. This causes some serious tuning issues when using the carb cause the air with the fuel usually gets slowly suspended under the carb until the volume of air starts moving at a quicker rate. By that time some of the fuel has no longer been atomized and has pooled elsewhere in the intake.That is why they say a single plane should not be used on the street.

Plenum volume and runner design has alot to do with an engines operations and powerbands. In case of this EFI intake fuel would not pool in a a slow moving air situation since fuel is added to the air at it's highest point of velocity in an intake manifold, the runner.

 

Thanks lightnigbird, thats the best explination I've heard.

 

Man that manifold looks sweet.In reference to milling the divider off,I would suggest to try using some carb spacers first(open,4 holes,1"-2",etc.).If you decide to start milling on it,try a little at the time and check if it enhances performance.Taking too much may be(or not) detrimental,you may end up having to weld another divider if it doesn't work.Good luck.


Put your name in your signature.:beer

 

Sure, gain some extra air volume and flow.

Dont. It will really hurt the performance, dad played around with it years ago when he was still racing 350's and he found that using spacers (he has two 1 inch spacers on his old 350 race engine) gave the greatest benefit and that by milling down the center divider it hurt performance. Its there for a reason.

 

The difference is that only air is flowing through the runners only vs air and fuel when your dad was running a 350. Back then a 1000 cfm Thermoquad was the hot ticket......that has changed drastically. The divider separates the two plenums. Running a total of 2" of divider essentially does the same, especially if they are open, by creating a larger plenum volume and decreasing air velocity.

I see it as just creating a larger plenum volume and altering the functionality of a dual plane intake into a 1.5 plane intake manifold. If it pukes with efi, I will be really surprised. With a carb, it would most definately kill the velocity of the air/fuel mixture and stagnate the mixture causing some serious drivability issues and fuel puddling. On an EFI setup.....I don't know. Air velocity would be down which means flow potential would be up. Besides if it sold TA intakes and decreased the need for a single plane to make more power, it would be good for you guys.

Maybe a dyno comparison is in order cause it sounds intreresting and would definately be an interesting thread.

 

I guess in your case it may not matter as much like you stated but still - its because it causes air turbulence when you mill the divider down. Fuel or not you want the air to flow smoothly and if its rolling around into each other its not going to perform as well. Try running the intake how it is and see how it runs then mill it down and see what happens? The divider is to separate the 2 plenums from each other ans they are both working separately and are not "compatible" with each other as one is bigger than the other, not a problem with a single plane. Each side draws air differently and that divider acts as a guide for the air on each side. When its not there the intake trys to draw air from the entire "open" plenum like a single plane would, but it still has 2 different plenums with different characteristics. So where the air used to have a guide to flow smoothly by itself into its respective plenum, it now does not and air from one side may be pulled to the opposite plenum, or air going towards one of the plenums is then pulled towards the other. Removing the divider removes the organization of the induction of the air and disturbs the air flow creating turbulence especially because one plenum is deeper than the other so there will then be a step. Not to mention it screws with the pressure distribution in the intake as each plenum will feel the others fluctuations as valves open and air is sucked in. Instead of those fluctuations being distributed out above the intake, they are now happening within the intake itself. I dont know if this made any sense :idea2:

 

This is what is so great about this form; many smart people sharing their knowledge and experience so everyone can learn. Mike what you said made sense. Did your Dad use 4 hole or open spacers or both?

Hector my name is in my signature.

 

You made sense and explained it well enough for me to understand....that means alot since I am by no means a rocket scientist. I would still like to see if any power differences can be gained by modifying the intake, be it small or large, since just air is circulating throughout the intake verses what it was designed for......fuel and air mixture. I'll go slow and do what I know work and that is trimming the divider down by 1/4". The guys that ran carjunkie.com already conducted these tests via Westechs dyno using a SBC Edelbrock Performer manifold. 15 hp increase was the standard using a carb. That's a big difference on a 300 hp motor since it's a 5% increase in power just milling the divider a 1/4" down.

 

Several years ago, I had my SP1 modified for fuel injection by an outfit called Force Fuel Injection. If you look at their site, they actually refuse to do conversions on dual-plane intakes. http://www.force-efi.com/machefi.htm

I never got into a detailed discussion as to why - I could only speculate.

I will also say that with FI, I have always had more low-end torque than I could handle (even with my 2.56 gears) and good MPG too. (Granted mine is a 455, but I never noticed any loss of low-end torque when switching from my dual-plane to my single-plane)

-Bob C.