I'm replacing my busted 302 with Speed Density EFI. The engine I came across has been built up a bit and I was hoping for some more power. Now that I am finding out more about the SD EFI, I am fearing that I will gain nothing or even lose power and efficiency if I try to use it as is on this rebuilt engine.

Does anyone have any experience with this situation? Has anyone done the conversion from SD EFI to MAF EFI? I read a tech article on this that made it sound fairly siimple but I want to hear from real world folks who have tried it.

Would I just be better to scrap the EFI and go old school back to carb?

Thanks for the help.

PS. posting links to web sites and articles about this would be great help.

 

How much power are you looking to gain? The speed density is not as bad as some would try to make you believe and there are cams and performance parts available that are speed density friendly. The biggest drawback (if you want to call it that) is lobe separation with speed density. There is very little room to change that particular variable. Duration is still ok and there are many cams that perform quite well... RV cams being some of the best candidates for additional power with the SD setup. Did the truck have MAF before? You won't miss it if it didn't.

DON'T go BACKWARDS! Carburetors are notoriously "needy" when it comes to regular tuning and frequent adjustment. They are far less fuel efficient and there isn't a carburated system out there that will allow you to "ask" the computer what is wrong before you go replacing parts that "might" be causing the problem. Fault codes from the EEC-IV computer save time, money and aggravation.

 

I figure my original hp was a little below 200 with the tired engine. Maybe even less. The guy who rebuilt this engine said it should put out about 275 - 300 the way it was built. Now I am finding that with the SD EFI, everything is programed in stone and I won't neccessarily see any gains. I still haven't heard from him about the lobe seperation on the cam that is in the rebuild. This is getting very frustrating due to the time it's taking but I don't want to screw it up either.

 

No that's not how it works, people that say that don't understand EFI at all. The SD system will deliver all the power the engine is capable of making but if the cam has too much intake duration and/or overlap idle quality will fall somewhere between degraded(rough idle) to nonexistant(stalling) depending upon how radical the cam is.

 

go into the control panel on this site and fill out your signature with info on your rig. we need to know year, engine/tranny, mods, tire size etc.. otherwise we will have to keep asking you what you have.

your options: replace the cam in this 5.0 to a speed density friendly setup. upgrade to MAF and look at spending another $200-700. sell this motor and get a wrecking yard 5.0 or 5.8 complete to drop in and be done with it.

either way your going to spend money and time. can you give us a break down of what this engine has. the year of the 5.0, heads it has etc..

 

Having some trouble with the control panel and the slow computer I have at work. The things I know are this: 1988 full size Bronco with 5.0L V-8/AOD automatic OD transmission. I do not know the exact transfer case. I'm running 32 x 11.5 inch tires and the Bronco has a towing package with tranny cooler, ps cooler and 4.10/1 gears. Manual hubs with the half year "made by Warn for Ford" one piece wheel hubs that I will never be able to find parts for. I have been told by my local repair shop, when my Bronco got hit by lightning, that it has a California emissions computer in it. I don't know if that means anything to my swap but it has never meant anything good before.

I do not know the exact year of the engine I am getting and neither does the guy I bought it from other than it's pre 1980. I do not know how to properly identify the heads and or block and do not wish to pull things apart to find out if I don't have to. I know it does not have the A.I.R. ports in the heads but does have the plumbing for the EGR system.

The timing cover is an issue as well as the older style cast iron water pump which is a clockwise pump, unlike my serpentine belt counter clockwise pump system. I am currently looking for a bi directional water pump. This is an issue because my timing cover is not drilled for the oil dip stick and neither is the block.

That is pretty much all I know about this rebuilt engine and my busted one. For what it's worth guys, I have not given up on this project yet as I have been able to overcome most of the obstacles so far but this thing with the cam and fuel injection is proving how much I DON'T KNOW about engines.

Again, thanks for all the time you guys are spending, trying to help me understand how all this stuff works together so that I can keep my Bronco running. I will work on my profile at home tonight.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! I just talked to the guy I bought the engine from. After questioning the cam in the engine he sold me, he did some research of his own on the issue. He called me and said "That motor will not work in your (my) Bronco!" He is going to take it back and take my busted engine and rebuild it with all the correct specs and I will be able to drop it back in without any mods or problems. All it's going to cost me above what I've already spent is a $200 core charge because I won't be leaving him with a core to rebuild and resell.

Thanks a heap for all the help on this. It is greatly appreciated.

 

awesome. thats the best news you have posted for sure.

 

Lord knows I'll be able to sleep at night now.

 

As a final note, there were water pump issues and the flex plate and harmonic balancer weren't going to work either. It will be about three weeks but if I get it back in time for the 4th, it will give me 3 full days to try to get it in. One can only hope.

Meanwhile, it's time to get my daughters "82" Bronco II running. Needs new radiator, belts, hoses, battery, tune up and cabin heater fan and motor.

 

Both engines back to seller. He was starting on tearing down mine yesterday after I dropped it off. More good news. He's not charging me the core charge because there is no core. Now I wait. Oh yeah, and start working on the Bronco II.

 

New engine is in and running. I have realized no increase in power whatsoever but I'm still glad it's running again. At least I won't have to worry about it detonating any time soon. I am going to research the use of a power chip but I'm not sure this will work with a California Bronco. Anyone got any imput on this??

Thanks to all who helped me out and saved me alot of trouble down the road.

 

The chip won't make any big gains in power, if you want more power go for the exhaust first.

 

Yeah, I've already heard enough to know the performance chip is a big waste of time for the money. I'm not sure what I can do to the exhaust without spending a ton more money to go head to toe with an all new performance system but I'll look into it.