Fuel Injection Conversion
Last time around ("Fuel Injection Conversions," Dec. '08 Modified Mustangs & Fords) we looked at some of the history and background of fuel injection in modern engines. There are many benefits versus carburetion, and these can include improved performance, both as higher horsepower and torque, better gas mileage, easier starting, and the potential for reduced emissions.
When dealing with an older Mustang, making the switch to fuel injection involves more than just swapping engines or adding aftermarket EFI induction parts. There's a variety of sensors to be changed, along with their associated wiring, and you'd better bring along the ECU (electronic control unit, aka "computer") or your new installation is going to be brain dead.
Beyond this, there are extra considerations if you are going to add a blower, change cams, or get into other performance enhancements. Some generations of ECU are not easy to reprogram, nor do they like adapting to the changes you want to make. Still, if you do your research, you will find the appropriate shopping list of parts to do the job. It is probably going to take time to get them all, shopping around the Internet and local swap meets.
A Better Way
However, if you want to get going right this minute, there are commercial fuel-injection kits that you can pick up and install. If you have to keep the "lefty-loosey, righty-tighty" thing in your mind while working on cars, you should probably enlist the help of a good shop to do the conversion for you.
The single biggest benefit of using a commercial kit, such as the FAST XFI Electronic Fuel Injection we're going to work with today, is that everything you need comes all in one package. There is no need to go looking for this little bit or that other piece. You get it all in a kit that is designed for your particular engine.
To get our education underway, we're going to hang with the guys at Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma, California. These guys know horsepower and they have the dyno facilities to back it up, whether the motor is in or out of the car. One of the more interesting things about using an engine dyno, like the Superflow 900-series units these guys have, is the extra information you can get. This includes airflow, air fuel ratio, exhaust gas temperatures, fuel flow, spark curves and BSFC (brake specific fuel consumption).
Remember what we talked about that last time? BSFC is a key piece of information to check for appropriate sizing of your fuel injectors. There are "rule of thumb" numbers and there are real numbers, if you can get them. This kind of engine dyno tells you exactly what the real number is.
For our hands-on work, we'll be using a 302ci small-block engine, but the XFI installation steps are just the same, whether it's a Windsor, an FE, or a Cleveland. Let's get started.
 Here is what you get when...  Here is what you get when you open the XFI Fuel Injection Kit. It is plenty to keep you busy for an afternoon. Aside from a new intake manifold, you get a new distributor, a properly sized set of fuel injectors, fuel rails, a new throttle body, the FAST XFI controller and tuning software, oxygen sensor, and professional-grade wiring harnesses that use OEM-level connectors for reliability and durability. |  Our small-block is sitting...  Our small-block is sitting on the dyno stand while being torn down. These guys are fast, so getting ready only takes a few minutes. Here, the old intake comes off to get ready for the shiny, new EFI-ready version. |  If your mama told you that...  If your mama told you that cleanliness was next to godliness, she surely had this job in mind. Getting rid of old gasket and sealer materials is important because the new parts have to fit and seal properly. If there is a vacuum leak, you'll have trouble with driveability. If there's a coolant leak . . . well, let's just say that you don't want to deal with coolant in the oil. |
 Silicone sealer has been used...  Silicone sealer has been used to help the gasket seal around this coolant passage, as well as across the valley to the other head. All of this needs to be removed, preferably without scratching or damaging those nicely machined surfaces or getting the old gasket bits into any of the engine's passages (crumpled up newspaper is a simple way to block off the ports). |  After applying some fresh...  After applying some fresh silicone sealant around the coolant passages and across the valley, we can start putting things back together. Here, the composite manifold gaskets are laid in place and lined up. |  You'll need to apply a good-sized...  You'll need to apply a good-sized bead of silicone sealer across the valley walls. Be sure to use an automotive grade that is safe for use with oxygen sensors. |
 With that prep work complete,...  With that prep work complete, it is time to drop the new intake in place. |  We have to run down the fasteners...  We have to run down the fasteners to finger tight first, then use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts. A patterned sequence of tightening is used to prevent any possibility of warping the sealing surfaces. You can also see the empty ports, waiting for the individual injectors to be installed. |  Next, the injectors and fuel...  Next, the injectors and fuel rails are installed. The rails are fastened to supports on the intake manifold. You don't want anything coming loose here! |