Electronic fuel injection (EFI) really has been a great innovation. For well over 20 years, OEM offerings have benefited from the improved fuel mileage, throttle response, and all-around driveability offered by injection. And since its inception, a good-sized cadre of technologically challenged street rodders (myself in particular) have been wary of its complexity (while lots of others have embraced it). Yes, fuel injection is more complex and expensive than natural aspiration, but EFI provides lots of benefits over the rather antiquated controlled fuel leak mechanism called the carburetor-and we old-school rodders should really consider becoming more receptive to it. Heck, like the iPod, the PC, and email, it's a technology folks like us are going to have to embrace eventually, whether we're intimidated by it or not.
That said, I recently had the opportunity to hang out with the professionals at Westech Performance Group one afternoon and observe while they converted (on one of their engine dynos) a 392-cube small-block Ford from carburetion to electronic fuel injection. I have to say, these guys have forgotten more about performance engine building than I'll ever know, and they were happy to try and show me just how quickly and easily they were able to perform the upgrade using one of the best ready-to-run EFI systems there is-the turn-key FAST XFI Fuel Injection Kit.
The kit Westech chose was the FAST #3035351-05 which includes the XFI Fuel Injection ECU, an aluminum intake manifold, a throttle body, a fuel injector set, fuel rails, a fuel pump kit, a Dual-Sync Distributor, all needed sensors and wiring harnesses, an installation & tuning DVD, and C-Com XFI software for your laptop. The #3035351-05 is specifically designed to support the Windsor up to 550hp and really is a turn-key kit. (note: For those that are other than Ford fans, FAST offers a wide array of XFI systems for both small and big-block Chevrolets and Chrysler products, as well.) While I was there, I was able to fire off a few images of the conversion process, and here I'll do my best to convey the little bit of the education I was able, as an EFI novice, to absorb. One thing I can say with certainty is that the crew at Westech loves the FAST XFI system-and if there's anybody out there that knows quality performance products, it's those guys. So, take a look at the following and then check out FAST's Website for an in-depth look at what's available for your street rod-you'll be glad you did.
