Need advice/help: Engine management system suggestions

[Rudder]

Alright, need some help picking an engine management system for my car. Long story short is I’m restoring my 65 Mustang restomod style and my original intention was to go with a nitrous sniffing carb’d 408. However, I came across a smokin’ deal on a Procharger D1 that i couldn’t pass up so out with the N2O and in with the boost. Going a step further, I want to add fuel injection to the car but I don’t really want to fool with an A9L and associated wiring and the Fox–style intake. I think it’ll look like I swapped in a 5.0 like every other dude with a restomod. I saw this on Ebay and thought it’d fit the bill
SBF Ford 351W Intake & Throttle Body Package 1000CFM | eBay
I’d like to go with something modern, functional (as in ease to tune by any tuner or myself), and something that’s reliable. I’ve looked at the Holley EFI but it appears that the system supports N2O/Turbo applications over blowers for some reason. Also, I’d like the system that incorporates a wideband instead of getting something that’s a piggyback system. Anyone have any suggestions and if so, what’s your opinion of the system you’re suggesting?
Thanks!

[Mach1]

Megasquirt 3 FTW

http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/megasquirtiii-ems-system-with-ms3x-expansion-v357-assembled-p-435.html

This system will do just about anything you can think of

[Andy@PrimeTuning]

Big Stuff 3
FAST XFI 2.0
Holley HP

In that order, of course that is also the price of the most expensive to least expensive.

[CJ]

Megasquirt. It works, it's cheap.

[turbostang]

The 3 listed above are the most plug-n-play and easiest to tune.

Megasquirt is by far the cheapest, and has a lot stuff that the big 3 don't have.

However, if you aren't a tuner, or don't understand tuning, megasquirt is not for you. Also, if you aren't somewhat electronically inclined, that's somethign else to consider. It's not REAL easy, but do-able.

That's what's on my carb'd car fwiw. I use MS3 for ignition control, datalogging etc

[Rudder]

All-
Thanks for the replies! I’ve looked at a couple of the systems mentioned and now I came across this: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/e...tem-p-157.html

Looks to be from the makers of Megasquirt…anyone use this system? Features galore!
The reality of this though is I’m nowhere near a tuner. If I went the Megasquirt (MS) direction it would be my initial foray into something like this. I’m willing to learn and if MS gives you a base tune to work with, I’d be more swayed that direction. How many dyno tuners are familiar and adept with MS systems? Does it require a lot of weekly fiddling or once you have an ideal tune you can lock it in and mess with it only if you alter your engine combo?
The Holley HP system looks good too but it’s the lack of me seeing any features that relate to blown applications. The ease of installation/auto-learn features is a good selling point to me as well. Anyone using (or knows of someone) using this system with a blower?
The FAST/Big Stuff look like all-out racing applications. This is a street car that will see the occasional trip to the track or a street brawl with some uppity import. LOL
Engine combo:
408W stroker
Dart heads
Edelbrock intake
Custom cam (yet to be chosen)
Procharger D1 blower W/intercooler

Again, thanks for the tips and your time!

[turbostang]

All-
Thanks for the replies! I’ve looked at a couple of the systems mentioned and now I came across this: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/e...tem-p-157.html

Looks to be from the makers of Megasquirt…anyone use this system? Features galore!
The reality of this though is I’m nowhere near a tuner. If I went the Megasquirt (MS) direction it would be my initial foray into something like this. I’m willing to learn and if MS gives you a base tune to work with, I’d be more swayed that direction. How many dyno tuners are familiar and adept with MS systems? Does it require a lot of weekly fiddling or once you have an ideal tune you can lock it in and mess with it only if you alter your engine combo?
The Holley HP system looks good too but it’s the lack of me seeing any features that relate to blown applications. The ease of installation/auto-learn features is a good selling point to me as well. Anyone using (or knows of someone) using this system with a blower?
The FAST/Big Stuff look like all-out racing applications. This is a street car that will see the occasional trip to the track or a street brawl with some uppity import. LOL
Engine combo:
408W stroker
Dart heads
Edelbrock intake
Custom cam (yet to be chosen)
Procharger D1 blower W/intercooler

Again, thanks for the tips and your time!

The post right above yours, my post, outlines that stuff - but may have been a bit unclear. MY car has megasquirt on it to control spark (right now does not have injectors on it, it's carb'd - but the injector harnesses are there.)

I don't know what you've read or been told, but it's not as easy as you make it out to be, I can assure you of that. If you're mechanically and electronically savvy, then you'll have minimal problems. Be prepare to do a LOT of reading. There's TONS of information all across the 'net.

ALL out race doesn't mean anything for FAST, BS3 etc. You buy the kit for your car and tune it. The 'race' options, you simply don't buy.

ANY of the EFI systems made in this thread are tuneable to the point where you don't have to jack with it constantly, but you have to spend some time making it that way.

I don't know of any tuners around here that mess with Megasquirt, but it's relatively easy to tune once you KNOW all the parameters are set right. It tunes much like any of the other EFI systems. The problem is, if you get lost tuning it, be prepared to spend some time figuring it out (and paying your tuner to figure it out).

[majorownage]

MS is a lot of work.

A lot.

[Rudder]

TurboStang,
Thanks for the info...looks like i'm headed the Holley direction. You scared the S#@t out of me with the Megasquirt system--in a good way. I'd end up smoking a piston knowing my luck then i'd burn the car to the ground out of frustration. lol I need something that's somewhat idiot proof.

[turbostang]

TurboStang,
Thanks for the info...looks like i'm headed the Holley direction. You scared the S#@t out of me with the Megasquirt system--in a good way. I'd end up smoking a piston knowing my luck then i'd burn the car to the ground out of frustration. lol I need something that's somewhat idiot proof.

That wasn't my intent, without knowing you or your abilities - I try to suggest realistic ideas. I tune a lot of stuff, help a lot of people out and there's no way in hell I'd install this for someone who wanted a 'hands off' type of car. (it can be made like that, it's just real time consuming and tough to charge appropriately - $$)

FAST and BS3 are EASY to tune, and about as plug and play as you can get. The Holley system I can not speak for, never used it - maybe Andy can comment?

FWIW, this is megasquirt. The large bundle of wires at the back of the plate are for the injectors that aren't installed yet.

[shumpertdavid]

Can't speak for the BS3, but I've wired a couple of Fast xfi systems for a friend, it's a lot of man hours, and fairly challenging when incorporating it factory wiring for a street car. Again as turbostang stated, depending on your ability and knowledge in mechanics and electrical it's doable. Fast has poor customer service and there are no real instructions for the wiring. It takes a lot of reading, digging, studying in order to make it all come together. The second one I did went a lot smoother after the first learning curve.

[Andy@PrimeTuning]

The Holley system works pretty well. I don't like how new it is and some of their features are not quite ironed out. I would rather use the FAST XFI 2.0 because the company has been around for a long time and have ironed out a lot of the bugs that these systems use.

Here is a video of a Procharged BBC Boat that I tuned last month.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpYQ2DD1fi8[/ame]

Also it has knock sensor support which is pretty nice, but I don't like how it comes with a standard bosch wideband sensor.

[CJ]

The Holley system works pretty well. I don't like how new it is and some of their features are not quite ironed out. I would rather use the FAST XFI 2.0 because the company has been around for a long time and have ironed out a lot of the bugs that these systems use.

Here is a video of a Procharged BBC Boat that I tuned last month.



The Holley system did work pretty well once it was all mechanically dialed in. Also it has knock sensor support which is pretty nice. I don't like how it comes with a standard bosch wideband sensor.

What's wrong with bosch widebands?

[Andy@PrimeTuning]

When using a standalone system that depends on a long lasting high quality wideband sensor that reacts quickly and doesn't go bad slowly.

You choose a NTK sensor.

They are more money, but are more dependable in the long run. All high end EMS systems use them.

[CJ]

When using a standalone system that depends on a long lasting high quality wideband sensor that reacts quickly and doesn't go bad slowly.

You choose a NTK sensor.

They are more money, but are more dependable in the long run. All high end EMS systems use them.

Is this a post or a script for a NTK commercial?