Joined
·
7,198 Posts
People have been clamoring to hear about my Powerjection III install, so I figured I'd go ahead and start a thread on it. Today's post will relate entirely to preparations I'm making for the transition to EFI, since I haven't actually received the system yet 
First off, I'm going with the PIII system for three reasons:
1) The simplicity. I'm a novice mechanic at best, and I know when I've bitten off more than I can chew (constantly :lol. This project will kick my ***, but I'm trying to keep the ***-kicking to a minimum.
2) The looks. I dig the look of a 4-barrel carb, plain and simple. I don't like the teeny tiny little square bore throttle bodies (like the Holley Avenger, Fast EZefi, etc.), and I want to keep a more vintage look.
3) Function. I want cold starting, no vapor lock, and no excessive tinkering on my daily driver. I wouldn't mind babying her, but if I need to be at work in 15 minutes and the carb has decided it's not going to cooperate, that's not cool. The PIII system will add reliability, but not too much complexity - in effect, it's sort of a 'smart carb'.
So, on to what I've done so far... nothing :lol: I have, however, made a large list of things that need to be done. I intend to do this install in steps, so Jane is driveable for most of the install - if I've learned anything during my past year with her, it's that not being able to drive kills my motivation. I really slow down about 1/4 of the way into a project because everything seems to pile up, but being able to hop in and drive makes everything better and reminds me why I'm putting up with all of this :lol: As such, this is how I'm doing my install:
1) Make a mount for the electric pump near the gas tank, and install said electric pump (Mallory 4060FI)
2) Run a return line one size larger than the stock line. I haven't decided how I'm going to do this yet - the line needs to come out on the passenger side of the firewall, so it can go right up to the regulator near the back of the intake. I'm either going to rebend a prebent fuel line to be a mirror image of the stock line, or partially rebend a prebent fuel line so it follows the driver’s side up, then ends up on the passenger’s side. Not sure on that one yet.
3) Mod the intake. The PIII requires a water temp sender bung, so I’m going to have my body guy weld an aluminum one in on my intake. I could use the stock one, but then I’d have none going to the gauge! I figure I can plug up the bung until I’m ready to use it.
4) Prepare and install modded gas tank filler neck. The taillight panel is getting pulled when Jane goes to bodywork (long story short, easier to pull than fix), so it’ll be a perfect time to get a new one ready. The PIII system requires a larger vent than the one that a vented gas cap provides, so I want to add a little tube on top of the filler neck that goes out to one of the filler neck mounting holes. It’ll allow the tank to vent more from under the cap, but will keep it simple. No exhaust in the trunk, no crazy mechanisms going everywhere waiting to get ripped out.
5) Prepare new sending unit. Ron Morris makes one, but it’s $100 and that’s way expensive for me. I’m going to order a brand new one, then drill a hole in the plate and weld up an extra elbow so it looks just like the Ron Morris unit, but for $60 less. The extra elbow will be for the return line – rest will be stock.
6) Go for the gold! Pull the carb and install new PIII throttle body. Drill 5/8” hole in header to install O2 sensor; connect vacuum line to back of intake; connect water temp sender to new bung; drain gas tank, pull old sender, and install new sender; connect fuel lines in the new locations.
7) Drive the tar out of Jane, tweak system if I feel confident enough to mess with it. Leave it if not
So, that’s my game plan. I’ve already fudged it by ordering the wrong pump, which I hope to remedy shortly. Lucky for me, my body guy is really great and doesn’t mind me piling on a couple of extra projects, so he’s going to do my welding work (sender, filler neck, intake). Everything else I should be able to do myself with a lot of luck and cooperation from Jane!
First off, I'm going with the PIII system for three reasons:
1) The simplicity. I'm a novice mechanic at best, and I know when I've bitten off more than I can chew (constantly :lol
. This project will kick my ***, but I'm trying to keep the ***-kicking to a minimum.2) The looks. I dig the look of a 4-barrel carb, plain and simple. I don't like the teeny tiny little square bore throttle bodies (like the Holley Avenger, Fast EZefi, etc.), and I want to keep a more vintage look.
3) Function. I want cold starting, no vapor lock, and no excessive tinkering on my daily driver. I wouldn't mind babying her, but if I need to be at work in 15 minutes and the carb has decided it's not going to cooperate, that's not cool. The PIII system will add reliability, but not too much complexity - in effect, it's sort of a 'smart carb'.
So, on to what I've done so far... nothing :lol: I have, however, made a large list of things that need to be done. I intend to do this install in steps, so Jane is driveable for most of the install - if I've learned anything during my past year with her, it's that not being able to drive kills my motivation. I really slow down about 1/4 of the way into a project because everything seems to pile up, but being able to hop in and drive makes everything better and reminds me why I'm putting up with all of this :lol: As such, this is how I'm doing my install:
1) Make a mount for the electric pump near the gas tank, and install said electric pump (Mallory 4060FI)
2) Run a return line one size larger than the stock line. I haven't decided how I'm going to do this yet - the line needs to come out on the passenger side of the firewall, so it can go right up to the regulator near the back of the intake. I'm either going to rebend a prebent fuel line to be a mirror image of the stock line, or partially rebend a prebent fuel line so it follows the driver’s side up, then ends up on the passenger’s side. Not sure on that one yet.
3) Mod the intake. The PIII requires a water temp sender bung, so I’m going to have my body guy weld an aluminum one in on my intake. I could use the stock one, but then I’d have none going to the gauge! I figure I can plug up the bung until I’m ready to use it.
4) Prepare and install modded gas tank filler neck. The taillight panel is getting pulled when Jane goes to bodywork (long story short, easier to pull than fix), so it’ll be a perfect time to get a new one ready. The PIII system requires a larger vent than the one that a vented gas cap provides, so I want to add a little tube on top of the filler neck that goes out to one of the filler neck mounting holes. It’ll allow the tank to vent more from under the cap, but will keep it simple. No exhaust in the trunk, no crazy mechanisms going everywhere waiting to get ripped out.
5) Prepare new sending unit. Ron Morris makes one, but it’s $100 and that’s way expensive for me. I’m going to order a brand new one, then drill a hole in the plate and weld up an extra elbow so it looks just like the Ron Morris unit, but for $60 less. The extra elbow will be for the return line – rest will be stock.
6) Go for the gold! Pull the carb and install new PIII throttle body. Drill 5/8” hole in header to install O2 sensor; connect vacuum line to back of intake; connect water temp sender to new bung; drain gas tank, pull old sender, and install new sender; connect fuel lines in the new locations.
7) Drive the tar out of Jane, tweak system if I feel confident enough to mess with it. Leave it if not
So, that’s my game plan. I’ve already fudged it by ordering the wrong pump, which I hope to remedy shortly. Lucky for me, my body guy is really great and doesn’t mind me piling on a couple of extra projects, so he’s going to do my welding work (sender, filler neck, intake). Everything else I should be able to do myself with a lot of luck and cooperation from Jane!
