Ima noob, parts for FI! list.

Six Alexander · 2010-12-16

I have my harness and my little black box, but I want to put the FI back on my 78 280z.. I am alittle overwhelmed, is there a kit I can purchace? or can I get a list of what I need past the harness and the brain? >.> if at all possible.

vigman

· #2 · Dec 16, 2010

Six,
Megasquirt makes a full aftermarket kit
http://www.megamanual.com/index.html

http://www.megamanual.com/index.html

BUT you need all the factory hardware ( manifold etc etc ) so looks like a wrecking yard run for you ( or the for sale board here )

Mike

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cozye

· #3 · Dec 16, 2010

If I were starting from scratch, I'd definitely go with them megasquirt setup. You will probably spend less in the long run and it will be a much more modern and tuneable setup. If not, you will have to source the AFM, the right intake, temp sensor, etc.. and you could still end up with EFI that isn't working well. on your car I would suspect that ECU may be degraded anyway which is why the PO converted it to carbs.

Get you an megasquirt kit, an IAT sensor, a throttle body, a pallnet fuel rail or similar, some injectors, fuel pump, FPR, o2 sensor, and go. No AFM needed.

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pdx280

· #4 · Dec 16, 2010

How much of the original EFI equipment is gone? Or, in other words, still left? Many people just leave the old if they put carbs on.

Most of the necessary parts and how they work together are described in the Engine Fuel section of the FSM.

If you are feeling overwhelmed just figuring out what you need to go back to original, let alone how to hook it all back up, then Megasquirt will not be much easier. You'll still have a "black box" and a bunch of sensors and wiring to connect. And the guys here won't be able to help you out much, you'll have to go over to Hybridz where there is more experience with Megasquirt.

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vigman

· #5 · Dec 16, 2010

SIX...
When we last spoke all you had was the box & harness correct?

( Carb changeout )

Six posted pix's earlier

Mike

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cooprdog

· #6 · Dec 17, 2010

Re: Megasquirt parts list and basic advice

If you are installing an FI setup.. there's absolutely reason to go back to stock. Wiring the car is wiring the car and you can put a lot more trust in a new wiring harness and connectors than the original equipment...and the difference in performance will be day and night since the megasquirt is programmable and all the equip will be new.

Your major decision is do you want to run it fuel only...or control fuel and spark. This has implications for which dizzy you run. If you want to control spark I'd go EDIS 6 or turbo dizzy.. EDIS is easier to source, but you have to mount the trigger wheel to your damper...you should have a firm understanding of PIP and SAW if you want to go EDIS...cause there will be debugging at some point.

You need:

ECU (megasquirt)

Stim (little box that verifies that your megasquirt is working - for diagnosing wiring/communication issues)

IAT

Coolant temp

MAP is inside the megasquirt

wideband O2 sensor if you want to run an AFR gauge, narrow band if you just want it to run

relay box (cause you don't want to wire your megasquirt directly to the sensors and you need to centrally house your relays)

FPR (get an adjustable one if you got the funds)

fuel filter

elec fuel pump (you probably still have one bolted to the underside of your Z)

injectors

Throttle body (60MM is nice is you are buying it new)

Intake manifold

vacuum lines

fuel hose (which is different than just plain rubber hoses)

DB37/wiring harness

can't remember if you do or don't need dropping resistors...I think one of the firmware updates eliminates the need for it but don't quote me.

ZX dizzy/turbo dizzy/EDIS 6/coil on plug

shrink wrap tubing and a heat gun (hair dryer kinda doesn't work well)

...thing to consider:

1) where you are going to mount your IAT - has to be after the air filter but before the throttle body...you no longer have a need for the AFM...so you'll be making custom pipe/elbow...you need to have the bung welded into the pipe (same for the O2 sensor...if you have headers you need to plan ahead...cause they are coming off (O2 sensor goes on the collector on your header or the downpipe if you have an stock exhaust manifold). You are going to pay a little for the elbow and for the welding.

2) where you are going to mount your AFR gauge if you want to run one. The A-Pillar is the location of choice...but you'll need to fab a gauge pod.

3) get a multimeter and learn how to use it. You'll need to know if a wire has a poor connection or if a component is malfunctioning.

4) eliminating your fuseable links and converting to a maxifuse set-up (you'll be spending a lot of time near that part of the elec. system and standalone ECU's hate signal noise). It's much cleaner and very easy to diagnose if there is a power issue and it looks cool.

5) installing an aftermarket fuel rail with a fuel pressure gauge. Will make debugging of the fuel system rather easy and custom fuel rails are really easy to remove...the stock rail is a bit of biotch to remove repeatedly.

6) get a noid light to verify that your injectors are receiving a signal from the ECU.

7) Get good injectors...one bad injector can cause a heap of problems not to mention crazy reading on your AFR.

Lastly...buy your megasquirt from a reputable dealer...every once in a while there is an issue and you want to be able to call someone/eliminate loose ends. I'd be wary of ebay megasquirts cause you have no idea what you are getting. The megasquirt I is fine for your application, though if you want to control spark I'd go megasquirt II and not modify the board on a megasquirt I. It's not that bad, you just have to develop a technical understanding of what fuel injection is.

oh.. and learn the basics of FI... like how much fuel pressure you should have, which direction the fuel flows in the lines, what happens if the vacuum line to the FPR is disconnected, which side of the fuel filter faces up, that there is a positive and negative side on the injector connectors and you need not get them confused...will remove a lot of the guessing...otherwise, it quickly becomes a crap shoot.

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pdx280

· #7 · Dec 17, 2010

My initial point was based on simplicity. If he puts all of the original parts back correctly, then it is already tuned and ready to run.

cozye has already been through every component on his engine, trying to get rid of a lean condition. He's probably ready to install Megasquirt.

If someone does not feel comfortable putting the stock system back to stock specification, they will quickly get bogged down in Megasquirt land. I don't see how you guys can recommend it to Sir Alexander.

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Arubabill

· #8 · Dec 17, 2010

PDX280 said:
My initial point was based on simplicity. If he puts all of the original parts back correctly, then it is already tuned and ready to run.

cozye has already been through every component on his engine, trying to get rid of a lean condition. He's probably ready to install Megasquirt.

If someone does not feel comfortable putting the stock system back to stock specification, they will quickly get bogged down in Megasquirt land. I don't see how you guys can recommend it to Sir Alexander.

X2

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skittle

· #9 · Dec 17, 2010

Megasquirt is actually really simple to install, the hard part is learning how to tune it correctly. Once you learn how though your well on your way to a better efi system.

I'd be happy to help any one with any questions regarding the MS install / setup.

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vigman

· #10 · Dec 17, 2010

Either way......Six will still need the bone basics from manifold back... and a good starting place would be someone who went carb and pulled their FI!

Mike

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cozye

· #11 · Dec 17, 2010

PDX280 said:
My initial point was based on simplicity. If he puts all of the original parts back correctly, then it is already tuned and ready to run.

cozye has already been through every component on his engine, trying to get rid of a lean condition. He's probably ready to install Megasquirt.

FWIW, I got rid of the lean condition. Car is running good now. Apparently its a known issue that the factory ECU's lean out due to component drift over time. The fix was to put a potentiometer in water temp circuit to richen the mixture back up. I knew this was a method to adjust fuel ratio for a long time, but I didn't want to go down that road until I had thoroughly been through the car and made sure there was no other reason for the lean condition. This issue was in the archives but hard to find unless you know what to search on. There have been others, including some Z experts who mention this on the 280. I may not go to MS personally. It depends on the outcome of dyno testing my current tune and seeing if I can get the A/F ratio within acceptable readings across the rpm range under load. If I can, stock setup will remain in my car. Seat of the pants, and plug readings say its close, so it's a good possibility I'm done with it.

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