My Megasquirt project 440 Cuda

[GreenFish]

So after posting a few other pics and after a couple requests I figured I'd start a thread on my Megasquirt (MS) project. I had been wanting to convert to EFI for a few years now. Not knowing what exactly I wanted to do and how much money to spend I never pulled the trigger on anything until I read the thread over at dodgecharger.com started by user "Redmist" a year or two ago. He started a similar build. He and a few other guys over there are just as cool as the folks over here at c-c.com (just wanted to give credit where it was due)

Anyhow here is what I have going on.

I've got a 70 cuda that I've owned damn near 19 years now. Its about a 20 year old body restoration so its showing its wear with chips and scratches but its still in great shape with almost no rust at all. My point in saying all that was that this is no show car. It is an original 383 "S" code limelight Cuda but it had a 440 when I bought it. it was painted with the AAR scheme (actually done very well) I've since swapped in a tremec years ago and a few other minor upgrades. Definitely not a a high dollar car. Its not original, I don't even have a fender tag, although I do have a partial broadcast sheet. It will never go back to an original car, thus making it a perfect candidate for whatever I want to do to it.

So I decided EFI was the way to go, and lets make it as cool as possible. I'd love to do a Gen 3 swap but that's not in the budget right now, maybe in a few years, we'll see.

I decided to go with the Megasquirt. I thought of a TB EFI kit like a fast EZ EFI or Edelbrock E Street but they have a lot of limitations. The biggest IMO being that you need a significant amount of vacuum for them to work right. Most of our cars with big cams lack in this area. There is also the 600hp limitation of most of these. While I dont think ill ever exceed that mark, I'm close to it, and I don't want to worry about that limitation.  FAST XFI is sweet, but its Really expensive and it actually has more limitations than MS does.

So I bought the assembled MSIII with the MS3X card. You can get all of this stuff on DIYautotune.com the deal with MS, if you dont know already, is there are no real instructions, there is no direct factory support, its all on you to figure out. Luckily for you and I, there are guys out there willing to help and the MS community is all about helping each other out. It's really pretty cool.

[GreenFish]

Here are a few pics of my past progress and where I got some things.

Here is what the box looks like. It comes pre assembled. Now you can save a few bucks and buy the unassembled box and solder it together yourself. I actually tried and failed. I sold my attempt on Ebay and started over with the assembled box. I have no soldering experience at all so take it for what its worth.

I am doing a Coil on Plug or Coil near plug, ignition and will do full sequential EFI. In order to do that you have to get a cam and crank signal. One of the issues us Mopar guys face with that is the cam signal. Luckily you can use a 4.0 Jeep cam sensor and then make or buy an adapter to make it fit. Here is a pic from the other thread (thanks redmist)

I got the spacer from SDConcept Engineering http://www.sd-concepts.com/

[GreenFish]

Next you need a crank sensor. There are many options you can use but a 36-1 wheel is the most popular. I used a wheel I bought from another guy doing a similar build who was making them. I also think Ross Machine Racing will make you one as well. http://www.rossmachineracing.com/, they are also developing a really sweet intake for RB engines. There are a few options here for the wheel and sensor. I used a regular Hall sensor from DIYautotune to work with my bracket. Also, this wheel because it sits up against the damper, I think you will need to use a damper with an aluminum outer like the ATI damper I have. The sensor may not pick up the signal if it is so close to a steel damper. The picture below is my set up. You can also weld on a wheel to your pulley like the one below that.

[GreenFish]

the coils i'm using are off of an LS type GM truck. The are known as the D585 coils and are liked by hot rodders because they have that little heat sink on the back. I picked up my set off ebay but you can probably grab a set from a junk yard. I mounted them directly to a set of valve covers but mounting coils is a personal preference I've seen it done a few different ways.

Here's how I did mine.

[GreenFish]

I got the car running on just ignition first. My thought was to give myself as little to trouble shoot at once as possible. Knowing the fuel and air is good I just needed to worry about spark. I pretty much fired the car up revved it a few times and shut it off after knowing it idled well.

Then I took off the intake manifold and began the fuel system swap.

I'm going to use the Tanks Inc, tank, sending unit, and pump. I thought about the Aeromotive set up but this just seemed like a better option. You get a new tank, pump and sending unit. and it just goes in your car. Not cutting or hacking or hoping you don't mess anything up. I already bought the stuff. Here is a pic from their website. You can see its the same tank we have in our car but it has provisions for an in-tank pump. by the way if you buy this stuff, buy from Summit, you'll save money. Don't buy direct from Tanks Inc

[GreenFish]

Intake manifold is an Edelbrock Pro Flo, You can get it in black on bare aluminum. I also used their fuel rails. Injectors are another challenge. They are expensive and you need to use what will work with your HP output. The best option I found were factory stock, Ford Racing injectors from a Shelby GT500 Mustang. MOTORCRAFT Part # CM5216, you can get them from Rock Auto or I got mine off Ebay.

[GreenFish]

Here is a pic of where I am now. This is a mock up, nothing is bolted down. I still need to pull my headers out and put the O2 sensor bungs in. The throttle body is $100 ebay special. Other folks have used it with a lot of success. They are the cheapest option out there. Ill try to post more stuff as I go along. There is a ton more than just this, feel free to ask anything. I wouldnt have gotten to where this project is without help from others so I would love to pay it forward to someone else who wants to give it a go.

[shawge]

This is pure awsomeness!  Any chance we could get your MSQ files from before and after the fuel upgrade?  I'm also going down the spark first, fuel second path.  It's too bad the B-block doesn't have any non-custom EFI intake support, the LA and RB get all the fun.  I know the Ross intake will support both B and RB but that comes with a price 

[GreenFish]

This is pure awsomeness!  Any chance we could get your MSQ files from before and after the fuel upgrade?  I'm also going down the spark first, fuel second path.  It's too bad the B-block doesn't have any non-custom EFI intake support, the LA and RB get all the fun.  I know the Ross intake will support both B and RB but that comes with a price 

yeah sure no problem. I used an MSQ file that was sent to me from someone else. I ran in batch fire just to getting running. Once everything is running on fuel ill try to get fancy with it.

[moparmaniac59]

That's a great looking conversion job. I was at a car show and a guy showed up with a really rusted ratty looking '73 Dodge Dart that he had converted to an EFI setup. I was shocked when I looked under the hood. Your setup looks sharp! Keep us posted on the project. What type heads are you running? Any port work?


                                                                                                            Matt B.

[GreenFish]

Thanks,
The heads  are off the shelf eddy RPMs

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[mofish]

Looks awesome! Thanks for doing this. Does anybody know what the options are if using a B-block?   

[shawge]

I'm in that boat, have a 451 stoker.

SD has a B block spacer for the Jeep CPS.
Coils, trigger wheels, and sensors will work for either block.

B block EFI intake manifolds... uhhh, none to be found .  Options I see are either a take an existing manifold and machine it for injector bungs (cost ~$550 and usually comes with fuel rails, still need to buy injectors) OR use throttle body injection.  The TBI is the cheaper/quicker route and looks near stock when the air filter is on.

[GreenFish]

Looks awesome! Thanks for doing this. Does anybody know what the options are if using a B-block?   

Everything is there for a B block except the intake manifold. You'll have drill and install injector bungs (hu hu.. he said bung) into a non EFI manifold. then you will have to use a 4150 style TB. Not a real big deal just one more head ache you will have to deal with.

[shawge]

  Thanks GreenFish for the MSQ.  I've put it on my server

Right click, save as
http://www.fratzog.com/content/2015-09-01_20.08.24.msq