I have just got another 101 project - a big one, the engine is a naturally aspirated V8, factory recon job. Would putting an Efi setup on it benefit the fuel economy or output much ? I quite like the idea of Megasquirt-ing the thing.
..or is it a stupid idea....
Steve
IME (with non-Rover V8s) you'll get an improvement to both. >10% in economy and maybe 10% in power should be realistic along with a broader torque curve.
It's a great idea, especially if you set it up to run closed loop so you can thumb your nose at the tree huggers complaining about it's emissions.
Ayup matey, fancy a chat this week?
Aye. I'll be in touch.
Shove a 3.9 cam in it, that helps. If you get really bored, shove a turbo on it - won't help the economy, but it'll go well once it is set up properly...
If the current setup is good (with respect to carb needles etc) then the economy won't change much. BHP will depend what engine spec you are starting from as there are many variations, the biggest single factor being compression ratio closely followed by camshaft, there being 2 different standard 3.5 non-efi cams! Assuming the engine is low compression 8.13:1, then it'll have maybe 130bhp at the moment, efi will take it to around 140bhp but you have to fit the correct 3.5 efi cam due to the efi system requirements for short overlap and high vacuum. If it's a 9.35:1 engine then 145bhp carb, 155bhp efi are realistic figures. Remember to file the injector spray pattern clearance chamfers into each inlet port, use the inlet gasket as a template and pack the ports with greasy rags whilst filing the chamfers.
3.5 flapper efi system will not work properly with a 3.9 cam - it needs the correct 3.5 efi cam or the fuelling is just all wrong. The flapper is an open-loop system and cannot be retrofitted with lambdas. Early 3.5 efi discoveries had a version of the hotwire efi setup that will work closed-loop with the correct tune resistor, that will run any mild(ish) profile cam you wish with no probs.Badger.
Simon I has just put a 3.5 EFI into his 101.
If you use a Megasquirt the cam is far less important as you're not constrained by the shortcomings of Mr Lucas' less than optimal fuel injection setup.
Very true, but it does make things more complex to get up-and-running in some ways. Badger.
Steve, burrt has an EFi 3.5 in place now. I fitted a 3.9 cam and left it with carbs (SU's not Strombergs) and it goes better than the original, but I did treat the engine to a full rebuild.
I did look at EFi, but decided against it because of the extra wiring, pumps etc.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the EFi plenum chamber gets in the way of the gear linkage from the gear stick to the box, and the only way to run EFi would be to change the gearbox box to auto.
Having said that, my current setup is quite nice with the ZF 4 speed auto. I went with the BW transfer box to save engineering extra controls for difflock, as burrt doesn't go off road much!
I did have the advantage of getting the donor engine and box wrapped inside a Rangie.
-- "For those who are missing Blair - aim more carefully."
To reply direct rot13 me
bURRt the 101 Camper
Simon, Is this the engine that gives you that incredible fuel economy ?
Steve
That was the old engine, but I had ditched the strombergs for the SU's to get that economy. When I then sold that engine, I refitted the strombergs to it. I prefer SU carbs.
not really had this one on a run yet, and its only done about 100miles since rebuild so its still very tight, so not really checking economy yet.
-- "For those who are missing Blair - aim more carefully."
To reply direct rot13 me
bURRt the 101 Camper
I thought you had the same rig as Martyn then !
Keep us posted - I am hoping I can buy the EFi bits off Tom that he didn't fit when he redid his ambi.
Thanks for the comments Si.
Steve
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