There's a new EFI system on the scene that combines the dead-solid reliability of the Ford Mustang 5.0 electronic engine controller (EEC), a lightly modified carburetor intake manifold, and a twist of LS1 to deliver excellent driveability, extreme horsepower potential and improved fuel economy. And it hides in plain sight under the carburetor-type air cleaner of your choice. It's called the MASS-Flo EFI system by Quality Roadsters.
As the manufacturer's name suggests, the MASS-Flo system was designed for use on fiberglass Cobra replicas whose owners want the hassle-free reliability of 5.0 Mustang power but don't want the buzz-killing looks of the Mustang's EFI intake plenum when the front-hinged bonnet is raised.
QR founder, Chris Richards, figured out what it would take to stuff all the benefits of the Ford-based EFI system into a low profile package that fits beneath the popular cast aluminum Cobra air filter housing and came up with the MASS-Flo system. But Richards is a hot rodder so appearances are only half of the MASS-Flo story. By replacing the stock Mustang induction (which Ford designed for torque production, not high rpm horsepower) with a free flowing single plane manifold and 1,000-cfm throttle-body, the system easily supports 2 horsepower per cubic inch.
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Look close and you can see the fuel rails that give away the fact there's EFI in this Cobra, but it's still more "correct" than a 5.0-style long-runner intake manifold.<BR>
We drove it and it's a winner. Thanks to a full complement of box-stock Ford electronics, sensors and wiring harness (all included in the MASS-Flo kit), you turn the key and hit the road without any laptop fiddling or dial twisting. Our 347-cube Cobra demonstrator started instantly, idled smoothly in traffic, and cruised without hiccups. But when the throttle hit the floor, the greatly enhanced breathing put us back in the seat and allowed 6,500-rpm powershifts like no stock Mustang intake can deliver.
So, do you have to be on the Quality Roadsters Cobra replica 3-year waiting list to get a MASS-Flo system? No way. Richards packages and sells complete stand-alone systems starting at $2,870, or you can buy a changeover system for cars with existing Ford EFI for as little as $1,575.
At present, the MASS-Flo EFI system is available for Ford 302, 351W, 429, and 460 applications. Systems for Ford FE engines should be available soon. The changeover system can be installed on any 5.0 Mustang or EFI Ford for extra power (it plugs right into the stock wiring harness). You could also install the system on a vintage Mustang, Torino, Cougar, Fairlane, Falcon, Deuce, F-150, or whatever, and enjoy EFI driveability without the laptop tuning headaches common to many aftermarket systems.
The biggest news is that Richards is tooling up for Chevy small- and big-block applications, so it's pretty apparent that you'll start seeing these things hitting the street rod market. The Chevy systems will use GM mass air engine management controls, and should also be available about the time you read this.
Mass Airflow vs. Speed Density
Speed density (SD) and mass airflow (MAF) fuel-management systems are alternate methods of gathering information about the quantity of air inducted into an engine equipped with electronic fuel injection. This airflow information is a vital ingredient in computations made by the onboard computer that manage the engine's fuel delivery and spark timing functions to suit operating conditions.
The big difference between SD and MAF is that SD calculates airflow data while MAF measures it. The SD calculation process compares real-time data gathered by an array of sensors against preprogrammed reference maps stored in the vehicle computer. The result is a series of if/then calculations that prompt appropriate fuel-injector pulse width and ignition timing.
In contrast, MAF informs fuel delivery and ignition events by physically measuring the quantity of air moving through the intake tract. It's done with an airflow meter containing a heated wire. Increased airflow cools the wire so more voltage is needed to maintain the specified temperature level. By measuring the voltage increase, MAF is able to calculate airflow.
The primary drawback to the MAF strategy is that the airflow meter containing the heated wire must be positioned directly in the path of the intake tract. Depending on the design, this can restrict airflow and reduce engine efficiency. The primary drawback to the SD system is its dependence on preprogrammed reference maps. When aftermarket parts that increase airflow capacity are installed (cam, intake, heads, etc.), many times the computer's data tables lack sufficient range to compensate and poor performance results. In cases where the computer is user-programmable, the operating parameters can be changed with a laptop computer, but that's time consuming and risky. On the contrary, the feedback of an MAF system can respond to increased intake airflow and "learn" to adapt by tweaking the fuel and ignition spark delivery to optimize output with no programming needed. You simply install the system and go.
QR weighed the options and wisely decided that MAF was the way to go with its MASS-Flo system. And by utilizing the modified GM MAF unit, the flowpath restriction argument is nullified.
