GregP

I'm finally to the point where I think it's time to try to fire the motor with the Accel DFI. Anyone gone through an initial fire with the EFI that has some tips on what procedures to use?

Thanks - Greg

wmf62

i don't mean to sound facetious, but if you've checked to see all the bolts are tight, the wires are properly connected and have run the fuel pump to see that you have no leaks; turn the key...
Bill

Sean Dunshee

Pop Chevy

I'm sure you know that you will have to have a baseline tune loaded in to the the ECM. You can probably find something close to your engine on the net to download a program. Then monitor and go from there. If Doug chimes in I'm sure he can better help, he just went through this with his 427 SB.

firstgear

I have the Accel DFI. Just recently got my car started. I started with the 383 EFI base line maps and adjusted from there. It just fired up, was a bit rich for what I needed, but you can adjust the A/F ratio map as needed. I am taking the car to a chassis dyno to do the high speed A/F ratio tuning.

Did you use the dual output distributor from Accel? That is what I used.

Show some photos of your motor.....

here is mine...




I put the computer behind the passenger kick panel, even put the coil on the inside of the passenger compartment on the transmission hump and then used MSD firewall pass through coil wire so that pretty much the engine compartment is very clean of "extra" things.

GregP

The base map was generated and loaded by the shop that did the EFI conversion of the Hilborn 8-stack intake. I need to get a USB to RS232 converter before I can hook my laptop to the computer since the Calmap hookup is for RS232 and my laptop doesn't have any of those ports, only USB. I'm planning to have it tuned on the chassis dyno, but that has to wait for a driveshaft.

There are pictures of the engine on my web pages, click the link in my signature.

-Greg

AZDoug

Turn the key.

if it starts, set the timing.

I am sure your program has a timing lock feature that won't allow any vacuum/MAP or centrifugal/RPM advance parameters to initialize. make sure you unlock the timing before attemting to optimize the fuel and spark curves.

Doug

AZDoug

You might conatct Accel about what serial port to USB converter they recomamnd, not all will work, or rather may not work..

I used a Keyspan mini port replicator for my Delphi MEFI 4b, which is what was recomemnded, as some others won't work.

Doug

GregP

I guess my real concern is that if it doesn't start I won't be able to leave it alone until I figure out what is wrong (been there before with the boat motors). I'm considering just trucking it to Tony's and tell them to put it on the chassis dyno and setup and tune it and call me when it's done since I planned all along to have them do the final tuning.

Accel's tech Q&A says the Keyspan UPR-112 seems to work best with their system, although they have since come out with a new direct to USB cable that they use with their latest systems. Of course, that is much more expensive than the port replicator.

I sent a note to the shop that did the original EFI conversion and programming to see if they think it is worth it to flash the ECM to the latest software and get the new interface cable or just go with what I have since most of the new features Accel lists I won't need anyway (like launch control and mult-stage NOS).

Have to wait for my fan belt to arrive and replace the leaking fitting on the remote thermostat housing so I have a few more days to think/worry about it

-Greg

Russ T Gate

Make sure that you have very good grounds to the frame and motor, EFI and fiberglass is not a good mix with out good grounds.
Good luck
Russ

GregP

The car is wired with dedicated grounds from every component/system going to a ground junction block, which has a 2 Ga cable to the battery. Nothing "expects" to use the chassis as the ground/return path. The EFI system has it's own ground all the way back to the battery.

-g

AZDoug

The UPR-112 is what I use.

if your distrib is correctly installed, it will start if you hooked up the wires right.

What do you ahve to lose? Nothing, except you may save a towing bill.

Doug

GregP

A major accomplishment. I was able to borrow a USB/COM adaptor from the electronics guys at work and connect to the ECM. I was able to see the MAP reading, verify the TPS change with throttle, and retrieve the base program from the ECM. I may actually have a shot at getting it to make noise.

-g

TopLess62

You guys are my heros!!!

GregP

Where did you find the base maps? I'd like to look at some and compare them to what is in my ECU.

-Greg

INMYBLOOD

Congratulations Greg!

Gordon and sons.

GregP

Gordon, you need to stop over and see it some time.

-Greg