We've been talking about electronic fuel injection (EFI) quite a bit lately, and for good reason. Out-of-the-box EFI conversion systems are only getting easier to install, providing the end user with an infinite level of tuning flexibility that carburetor tuners of yesteryear could only have wished for.
Keep in mind that these so-called exotic engine-management systems aren't simply reserved for the wild high-horsepower supercharged applications but can be installed on a wide range of configurations, including mild naturally aspirated powerplants. The biggest advantage to EFI is the ability to manipulate vital engine tuning parameters of spark and fuel. This means you can plot the spark and fuel curve at any given point for maximum horsepower, or given the price of fuel these days, you can just as easily tune the engine for peak gas mileage.
More interestingly, depending on how savvy you are, EFI can also help you assemble an induction combination that is beyond the mainstream. Meet Roger Conley from Racepak Data Systems in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. What initially began as a quest to stand out from the crowd at local cruise nights has grown into a perfect example of what can be accomplished with EFI and a little ingenuity.
Roger always had a thing for the Offenhauser cross-ram manifold for a small-block Chevy, but since the cross-ram was engineered as more of a competition piece that operates at higher rpm, it also meant that adapting driveable carburetors with adequate street manners was probably not going to be successful. Roger's solution came in the form of a Throttle Body Injection system utilizing a pair of 650-cfm four-barrel Holley TBI units controlled by a Holley Commander 950 computer. Although it may appear outwardly complicated, Roger revealed that it was simple to install and that he was able to complete the entire system with Holley components. But just how easy is it? Read on to find out.
TBI Parts List Part Number Cost Holley Commander 950 HLY-950-23S $1,349.95 Holley high-flow inline pump HLY-512-105 140.99 Holley 650-cfm TBI HLY-534-171 824.39 Auxiliary injector driver kit HLY-534-122 512.39 Total $2,827.72 All prices sourced from {{{Summit}}} Racing on 3/30/04