401 injection?

[Jeepadilly]

My plan is to build a nice 401 for Bear (an "88) and fuel inject it to pass Nazi CA Smog. Please tell me which Holley kit would be best in a 401 with a Summit 8600 cam (otherwise well built stock) Will I get better performance with a new manifold as well or just use the boat anchor?

[dnixon]

Well putting fuel injection on a Ca car isn't impossible but it does take a lot work.. and might not work out.

But I am pretty sure your plan WON'T work out.. Mainly because to get the injection passed you must keep all the factory smog devices and original equipment. The 401 wasn't an option in 88 so that right there is going to be a big problem.. I guess you can disguise it but you are going to have to have all the smog stuff to pass a referee station before you can even test for the smog...

And also all the fuel injection smog stuff has to work.. this means your O2 sensor as well.. but the thing is the O2 sensor and the smog pump are both trying to solve the same problem so you end up having two systems combating each other..

the key is having the Smog pump dump out after the O2 sensor.. I have heard that you can get the smog pump to dump out at the Cat.. i haven't actually taken a look to verify but who knows..

I have done a fair amount of research and if you would like to discuss this more i would really like to help out on this project if you decide to carry this out. Eventually I am planning on going this route.. but it does cost money.. and TIME.. passing all the different smog referees and such cost money and takes a while for apoinments (so i have heard)..

I think the best option would be to go with a complete kit from www.customefis.com (http://www.customefis.com) he will help you out and also provide all the necassary items to pass a smog test in cali...

Good luck!

[Ralph]

Depending on what you can get away with in CA, you'd have major problems with the visual inspection!

First, the 401 wasn't available in your model year. Your vehicle was originally equipped with a 360 cid V8, a 2-bbl altitude-comensating carburetor, a mechanical fuel pump, an EGR valve, a smog pump and AIR system, a catalytic converter, CTO's to route vacuum depending on engine coolant temperature, and vacuum operated flaps in the air cleaner to regulate inlet air temperature.

To get any kind of fuel injection system past your Smog Nazis, you'd have to build it yourself, certify it's emissions, and apply for an exemption in California.

Then you could license it and sell it to all of us!

[ May 27, 2003, 10:09 AM: Message edited by: Ralph ]

[Jeepadilly]

I have never had any one crawl under the car to check what block I had during smog insp...The 401 and 360 are identical in appearance...Holley kits are CARB approved...The smog pump does dump into the cat...Any other probs?...Which kit?

[dnixon]

Originally posted by Jeepadilly:
I have never had any one crawl under the car to check what block I had during smog insp...The 401 and 360 are identical in appearance...Holley kits are CARB approved...The smog pump does dump into the cat...Any other probs?...Which kit?You can do it if you Pump dumps into the Cat... you just need to put the O2 in before the smog dumps out....

Here is pretty good link of what all you will have to go through-- for more links PM or email me..

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Chevrolet_S-10_V-8_Smog.html

[ May 27, 2003, 07:28 PM: Message edited by: SLOwag ]

[AMX factor]

Do as SLOwag sez go with the custimefis or Howell FI. Don't use the Holley. The Holley maybe CARB certified but they are a pain in the *** to tune and I don't know of anybody that has bought one and been satisfied with the performance. However I know many who use the customefis or Howell and will stand by those systems. My experience with CATS and smog pumps is run the smog pump directly into the cat. If your about to go through inspection install the new cat and your d**ed near guaranteed to go through. Passing the visual might be fun in CA. Pretty easy to pass visual here in CO.

[Ralph]

Don't mean to be disrespectful, but I think you're incorrect to state that Holley has a CARB-exempt EFI system for the AMC 360. We would've been all over it on this board if that were true.

I know that Mopar, Howell, and Electromotive have received CARB exemptions for their systems that fit the 258 I6 engine. But I don't think Holley has gotten even their 1-bbl ProJection system CARB exempt.

Once in a while someone will state that carburetors such as the Edelbrock Performer 1406 or Carter AFB-9635 are smog legal 4-bbl carbs. They are, in fact, only legal for Chevy engines of particular model years.

It's possible to use one of these carbs and keep all of the other emissions equipment intact, as I've done with previous rigs, but that doesn't make the use of that carb strictly legal on an AMC 360 V8 originally equipped with a 2-bbl carb in a model year for which there was no 4-bbl carb available as an option.

I think my previous post was correct to the letter. That's not to say one can't creatively maneuver around the smog laws. However, strict compliance means sticking to original equipment or getting your modifications certified and exempted from the laws.

[ May 27, 2003, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: Ralph ]

[rockjeep44]

I love my holley fuel injection.

[Jeepadilly]

Thanks Ralph...no disrespect taken...I may be wrong about the Holley as I have no first hand info on it...just the word of a few boneheads like myself! I have also gotten som more feedback from slowag and I feel at this point that a 360 build with the stock carb and mild cam might be the extent to which I can legally proceed (or get away with)..Please don't ever feel that information sent in my direction is taken with any resentment what so ever... smile.gif