Hey all,
Soon as the weather warms up I'll be the new owner of my dad's 1979 F350 regular cab with a 460. I just started my research and came across this.- Ford 460 efi complete conversion kit So what are your thoughts on the kit? Do you think his MPG claims are true?
I'm new to the 460, so try not to flame me too much.
Thanks
Rick

 

I'm not averse to work but to me retrofitting a factory EFI system is simply a pain in the azz.

Plus at that cost there are better options, better value and significantly less of a headache include the MSD Atomic, FAST Ez-EFI 2.0, or Edelbrock's E-Street.

Mileage claims? A 2 to 3 mpg improvement over a carb would be plausible.

 

I have been researching this swap as well and saw that CL ad a while back. Looks to be a fairly complete kit and the guy seems to know what he is talking about. $1900 almost seems like a decent deal for all the stuff you get in that kit, but you could probably piece it together for less if you wanted to pinch every penny. He might be willing to sell key parts, like the stripped down ECM, separate as well.

There is no need to swap to the EFI style heads. It is well documented on BBF sites that the EFI intake will fit the stock 460 heads fine. It WILL NOT fit CJ or SCJ size port heads though.

Aftermarket efi is ok, but if you want minimal hassle, bolt-on and go efi, the factory stuff is the way to go. If you don't mind tinkering and have the time to fiddle and learn, by all means buy aftermarket and dive in.

I have done both (Ranger 5.0L swap - stock ECM and later a 545" BBF - Megasquirt ECM) and the 5.0L was a snap. In fact, I wish I still had that truck because it was a ball to drive.

Can't help you on the mileage part, but it stands to reason a modest gain in mpg could be expected. I want to eventually convert to gain the ability to crank up and go in all kinds of weather without issue.

 

x2...However

If the kit is as complete as is stated in the ad, and it is truly a plug and play system, the price doesn't sound too bad for all that is included. Any aftermarket EFI conversion will run at least as much and most likely 25-50% more.
The seller obviously has a great deal of time invested in putting a workable package together. No different than any of the aftermarket companies.

With that being said, from the beginning the Ford 460 EFI system was a known dog. Period. The design was a compromise to allow one system to be used on both the F-series and the Econoline.
It doesn't matter how much lipstick you smear on a pig, you still have a pig. Though I have to admit I have seen some fairly attractive pigs, as far as pigs go.

Is a port injection system with poor airflow characteristics better than a throttle body system with good airflow? The seller apparently thinks so.

As for the mileage claims...I tend to remember what my father always told me, "never believe what a man tells you about his politics, sex life or gas mileage."

If the work doesn't scare you away and you have the extra cash for this system, it might be worth while to install it, if for no other reason than to see how it really works.

Keep us posted.

Roger Carter

 

Well, they make it sound easy. So the kit is made from newer OEM parts and an aftermarket ECU?
I'll read up on the other kits that you have mentioned.
Been awhile since I've taken on a new project. Forgot how hard it is to find tested and proven upgrades when starting from scratch.
Thanks

 

I'll respectfully disagree with the above statements. There's a whole lot less tinkering with the aftermarket systems that are self-learning which are the ones I listed above.

... the Atomic is like eight wires, a coolant sensor, and an O2 sensor. Unlike that factory system, there is no need to even crack in intake manifold bolt if already equipped with a four-barrel intake. Two of the systems above can be installed with a returnless fuel system.

Lastly, FAST's Ez-EFI 2.0 accommodates power adders... try that without fiddling with a factory 460 EFI.

 

I'll look into that.
Thanks

 

Oh, I can justify spending the money if the kit performs as advertised, but my wife would kill me if it turned out to be snake oil.

 

Just asking, but have you installed an aftermarket system? The one's that bolt in place of a carb really offer no fuel distribution advantage over a well tuned carburetor IMO, so your fuel mileage is probably not going to get much if any better. Cold start and cold drive away will probably be better, but maybe not in really cold temps.

Factory systems requires zero fiddling. Been there done that. Wire it up, turn the key, never think about it again. Ford spent lots of money and lots of time calibrating ecms to do just that. Work every time.

Nobody said anything about power adders and honestly, 99% of the guys on here will never own anything with a power adder. Besides, is somebody going to seriously use one of those throttle body injection setups with a blow thru turbo or centrifigual blower? Nope. Nitrous would work well with either system provided it is a wet shot.

Rick, I hope to see more of your conversion whatever route you decide to take.

 

Rick,

I took a look at your EFI conversion kit and read your post. You claim that your EFI setup will double the fuel mileage on a 460. No disrespect, but this was a huge red flag for me and I'll explain why. I also have a few questions....

I have a 78 F150 Extended Cab (which weighs less than your 4 door truck, I assume; and has smaller tires) that originally had a 400 and I built a 460 (bored .030) for it that includes: 10:13 compression, Crane roller cam, roller lifters & rockers, Ford Motorsport Super Cobra Jet aluminum heads, Edelbrock Performer RPM 4 bbl manifold, headers, and a FAST EZ EFI throttle body system. The truck is running on 33" tires with 3:50 gears (for now) and a 4-speed. My mileage is about 8 mpg, even when towing a 30' trailer. My mileage did not increase whatsoever; however, to be fair my engine if FAR FROM STOCK!!! So I expected the mileage to be what it is, even with EFI.

Now here's my question.....Is your engine a stock rebuild or is it modified? Can you tell me exactly what the parameters of your 460 are (compression, what cam do you have, what heads are you running, headers or not, etc....)??? Also, what size tires and gears are you running? Automatic or Stick? What rpm are you running at 60?

A stock engine with lower compression, etc....will have better mileage than one that is modified; however, you're claiming you will get double the mileage. How did you achieve this? Was most of the mileage done by tweaking the ECM?

I know we're comparing apples to oranges, but I have never known even a stock, low compression EFI 460 to get as good of mileage as you claim your setup gets (again, no disrespect). Can you clarify how you're getting such good mileage? I have EFI on my truck and I'm not getting anywhere near the mileage you claim you get (again, I know we're comparing apples to oranges, which is why I'm asking what the parameters are of your engine build).

I do have a 79 Bronco that I'd like to put a 460 in and convert to EFI, so if your setup really does get that good of mileage, I need to know what the engine and chassis setup is.

Thanks....

 

I'm not the seller of the kit.

 

Ooops, sorry about that. I guess I didn't pay attention that closely as to who I was sending the message to. Thanks for the heads up...

 

Not a problem. Let us know if he answers your questions.

 

I really like EFI on the classics. I run FAST XFI on a hot rod and plan to EZ EFI to my dent. The main benefit is drivability, tunability and adaptability. With EFI you can (and I have) gone from 7,000 and freezing to sea level and 100 deg F in the same day without any problem or sacrifice in power and mileage. It adapts to different fuel blends also... ethanol or not no problem.

As far as mileage, EFI won't gain much or anything vs a perfectly tuned carb... but because conditions are always changing a carb is usually almost never perfectly tuned so EFI gains a little. Same comment on power.

A concern with a stock based kit would be adaptability. Did you add a little cam? how about compression and headers? If too much changes from stock, the stock style kit may not do so well. FAST and others are readily adaptable to changes.

 

Yes... yes I have. An Edelbrock E-Street. Really simple compared to that overly complicated 460 retrofit that is advertised on the OP's post. Let's take a look at it in detail cuz it's not just the EFI:

Compared to an self-learning aftermarket system, this is tons more work than necessary. OK if you're a glutton for punishment. Just know that there are other options that may make more sense.

And if the re-mapped ECU goes bad, there's no support, no tech line, and it's not like ya can pull an ECU from a donor vehicle.