Carb to EFI Convertion

[TVRTeen]

I have recently bought a Chimaera with a edelbrock/ weber 500 carb installed. I was thinking about converting to EFI as a winter project maybe this year or next but would like a second opinion if it would be worth doing or not. I would be doing as much of the work as possible myself/ with friends. The car has Lamba sensors left over but no ECU etc . How much do you think it would cost to convert back? Thanks

[ChilliWhizz]

Can't see the parts being too expensive if you take care over sourcing them, but with no ECU you do have the opportunity to put a fully mappable after market system on if budget allows...

[Barkychoc]

Don't know if this helps for a wiring loom - search for Land Rover then Range Rover

http://www.autosparks.co.uk/finder

[TVRTeen]

I was thinking of getting a new loom from TVR parts Ltd and modernizing the fuel injection. Whats a fair priced aftermarket ECU I could use?

[blitzracing]

Depends on how far you want to go- at its most basic would be a fuel only ECU like a basic megaquirt, but it depends on how much fiddling you want to do your self. This offering comes in very recommended if you want to do the ignition as well:

http://www.lloydspecialistdevelopments.co.uk/fully...

megasquirt fuel only:

http://www.v8developments.co.uk/products/injection...

You will still need the plenum chamber stepper, inlet manifold, fuel rail, regulator and injectors etc with any aftermarket ECU.

This shows you the hardware that would have been used:

http://www.britishv8.org/articles/rover-14cux-efi....

Edited by blitzracing on Wednesday 16th December 12:29

[ChimpOnGas]

TVRTeen said:

I was thinking of getting a new loom from TVR parts Ltd and modernizing the fuel injection. Whats a fair priced aftermarket ECU I could use?

I's highly likely someone was having issues with the Lucas 14CUX injection system that they failed to solve so as a crude (but effective) way to get the car up and running they slapped a carb on it.

You'll need to establish how much of the injection hardware & loom you've got left as something like the Canems system from Lloyd Specialist Developments has been specifically designed to convert a car running the Lucas system already.

You'll currently have an Edelbrock inlet manifold, so you'll need the Lucas injection manifold for starters, then there's the fuel rail, fuel pressure regulator and the injectors themselves. Basically you'll need everything the previous owner removed so why not contact them to see if they still have it all?

If not a Range Rover breaker is your best bet but you need to start the project by fully understanding what got removed and ripped out so you can make a shopping list.

The loom element need not be deal breaker but if it turns out what you have left is looking sketchy you'll almost certainly be better off starting with a new freshly made loom than trying to work with what's there currently.

All this sounds quite involved and expensive but actually if manage the project carefully and do the work yourself it needn't become excessively costly. Lloyd Specialist Developments are very skilled on the wiring side so I'm sure after you've established whats needed they could solve that problem for you very effectively.

I was on the old Lucas system with everything as it left the TVR factory so I just gave my car to the team at Lloyd Specialist Developments for a drive in drive out package, I was also fortunate to be one of their early customers just before they became VAT registered so my switch from Lucas to a full dual fuel Canems system only cost me £2k.

But that was over three years ago now, so with the additional parts you need, the VAT element and the inevitable increase in the Canems hardware and installation costs since mine was done you could easily be looking at a bill in excess of £3k if you want the same type of drive in drive out service.

What you'll end up with however is an excellent full (spark & fuel) mappable engine management system that knocks the old Lucas 14CUX (fuel only) set up into a cocked hat, and compared with your carb it'll be an even greater improvement still.

My recommendation would be to talk with the team at Lloyd Specialist Developments, get them to complete an appraisal of the car so you know whats really needed, and go from there. I'm sure they will support you if you want to tackle it as a part DIY project to keep costs down.

Hope all this helps?

Dave.

[phazed]

Whereabouts are you based.

Reason for asking is that there is a Landie Indy near me that breaks Landies and you could strip off a kit of parts.

[TVRTeen]

Thanks Chimpongas, I have had a look at the Lloyd specialist developments website and they look like a perfect solution. The previous owner went to V8 developments and got the original 4.0l engine stroked to 5.0l and I think the due to the re mapping needed to adjust for cam differences and to keep costs down a carb was installed (maybe other factors not sure).

I think this will be next winters project (Money depending) but I would like to be prepared and gather parts for the conversion. The chassis has been re sprayed, interior re carpeted, bushes changed etc etc its "just" the electrics to go

Im based in Bath, somerset.

[Graham]

there is a complete 3.9 engine with all the injection and the loom on the bay for 350

[blitzracing]

TVRTeen said:

Thanks Chimpongas, I have had a look at the Lloyd specialist developments website and they look like a perfect solution. The previous owner went to V8 developments and got the original 4.0l engine stroked to 5.0l and I think the due to the re mapping needed to adjust for cam differences and to keep costs down a carb was installed (maybe other factors not sure).

I think this will be next winters project (Money depending) but I would like to be prepared and gather parts for the conversion. The chassis has been re sprayed, interior re carpeted, bushes changed etc etc its "just" the electrics to go

Im based in Bath, somerset.

The plenum set up can be troublesome if the cam has a long duration for maximum power, and fitting a carb may have been a way to reduce the "shunting" issue seen on some cars. A carb' wont work with catalysts however, so I dont know how you will get an MOT on a post 1992 car that will need to be emission compliant. You will need a very friendly MOT man if you dont convert back.

Edited by blitzracing on Friday 18th December 12:09

[blaze_away]

TVRTeen said:

I have recently bought a Chimaera with a edelbrock/ weber 500 carb installed. I was thinking about converting to EFI as a winter project maybe this year or next but would like a second opinion if it would be worth doing or not. I would be doing as much of the work as possible myself/ with friends. The car has Lamba sensors left over but no ECU etc . How much do you think it would cost to convert back? Thanks

Hi TVRTeen, I might be able to help with a bit of history on the car if it helps. I think this might have been my car before they installed the 5ltr lump and Carb. Tried emailing you but your profile doesn't permit it. So if you email me via PH I can then give you reg number and we can see if it was my car.

[EggsBenedict]

http://www.fuelairspark.com/fas/efi-systems/ez-efi...

Might be a possibility - you already have an inlet manifold that would work.

UK agent is John Sleath [http://www.john-sleath.com/]

[semaj]

If only I knew it would get through the MOT I would happily chuck my efi in the bin and fit carbs!!

[ChimpOnGas]

semaj said:

If only I knew it would get through the MOT I would happily chuck my efi in the bin and fit carbs!!

Why would you do that