Successful EFI conversions

[SCHNELE]

Please post your build and numbers, share your successful stories with the community and let us know about the shops that did the job, good bad or ugly.

[drmatera]

wow, lots of lookers but no replies.

I think it's because all us that have made the leap to the dark side have all posted our builds, I would be very surprised if anyone was not happy they did it. But I could imagine there are some horror stories along the way.

My 86 930 is Megasquirt 2
stock engine / S262 turbo / 16psi
384rwhp 388rwtq

[IMR-Merlin]

I will let you know once I get my engine in my car.

[JBL930]

There'll be a LOT of horror stories, there are a lot of dodgy workshops wherever you are in the world. And those who have done it themselves will have undoubtably made mistakes. I think there may be a scattering of guys who got it right first time, or used the right shop etc.... Most people don't like talking about making mistakes, but it would be great to get a mass of info all here in one thread for those thinking about doing it. Won't hold my breath though

[A930Rocket]

I read Lincolns post late last night and my first thought was, uh-oh, what's up...?

I'm still running CIS, so I have nothing to offer.

[gsmith660]

Ain't no dodgy workshops involved here did all the work myself couldn't be happier with the results even complicated it big time with adding the turbo and EDIS ignition upgradeing the firmware and modifing the ECU circuitry, dont have any numbers to tell you except the seat of my pants experience is thru the roof the theottle response is so crisp the timing is rock steady and the car revs like a banshee. Ah and the sweet noises that come from the back of the car now.

[drmatera]

my MS install went without any issues, well except for non-resistor spark plugs not being compatable with coil packs. Other than that it was a walk in the park for KMW Motorsports. They have done some EFI stuff but never a megasquirt, they had no problems.

[HelmetHead]

Work in progress....

[mppickett]

Pretty much the same here. Self-inflicted MS installation with no major problems and great control of mixture and spark at all rpm/boost levels. Would not go back to CIS.

[SCHNELE]

well Rocket it has been some time now but as was the case in the past build, I get about 1800 miles on it and kaboom, so I wanted to see if there was a match out there that had similar issues. I am tapped out financially and emotionally on this car and I lack the wrenching ability of most on this board so I am sure another rebuild is in my future. My car is in the garage and I see it every day and I just get sad when I look at it, it was a potent beast when I bought it with the Ruf BTR conversion but I got greedy and went for more power, sad to say gobs of money that was not well spent.

[wjfk32]

Sorry for your loss..
My mechanic kinda steers me to go efi...But my CIS is running well for now. The HP bug does hit me once in awhile and I start thinking,,then over thinking....Then I come back to earth and say to myself...RELAX and enjoy what you have.

My car plenty fast enough for now. I don't want to start breaking engine parts if I don't have to. I just plan to save my pennies and buy with either 996T or 3.8GT3--God knows what year from now...

It just sucks what happened to you...Any word or explanation from the builder..etc..etc..


Keep the faith.-----(Just read your engine build thread)

Walt

[jpnovak]

I first installed EFI on my stock 3.0NA. Wow what a huge improvement over Carbs.

Then there was the CIS replacement on another 3.0NA. Unbelievable the difference in drivability and throttle response.

Currently assisting in my first 3.3T application. I expect no different. Hopefully in the next month we will be close to having it on the road.

You get out of EFI what you put into it. As long as you know what to do and understand the relationship of rich/lean and how to use the laptop to fix the issues most people will have big success.

[Peter Guldan]

Howdy Lincoln,

That's a good question, not seen it posed before. In 32 years of 911/930 ownership I've only had one guy build a motor for me. Though it's hard to believe it was 7 years ago, PWR did a package motor for the very first EFI conversion to come out of his shop and I've driven (thrashed) it daily since.

As you can see in this video the power, driveability and reliability thing was conquered a while back on these conversions, mine has better driveability than my Mini Cooper S, so the newest pursuit is gas mileage/emissions. For those of us racking up miles every day, that's become important. But, I never thought I'd see the day where one could have over 500hp available yet get over 24mpg highway, and in the case of a stock motored EFI'd 965 that left their shop last week, 14 in town with one's foot on the mat.

There was 19 years of CIS motoring in this car and now 7 on EFI - absolutely no comparison - the agility of a cracking NA motor with the seemingly limitless headroom of a turbo, all in one.

[sundevil64]

I agree with Jamie, "As long as you know what to do and understand the relationship of rich/lean and how to use the laptop to fix the issues most people will have big success." That would be why Jamie is greatly assisting me. The learning curve is steep. At least for me since I was used to small block carburated Chevys all my life. There is some really good stuff on this forum to help you a long.

I would have jumped in like this if I wasn't a believer.

[MikeD930]

Lincoln,
Ouch! You need another rebuild again? Something is obviously not right here. I'd put a car cover over it and forget about it for 6 mo or a year. I'm not sure why, how or who to blame with your car's problems. Maybe turn down a boost?

I don't have much input about my 930 as it already had EFI when I bought it 4k miles ago (1 1/2 yr ago). It has Motronic DME system modified by Protomotive. Engine mods are 993 crank, JE pistons, Carrilo rods, ITS Garrett turbo, unknown cam specs, custom headers and IC among other mods I can't remember off my head. Dyno'd around 425 rwhp at .9 bar.

[911nut]

My greatest concern about EFI is it's effect on resale.
Comments?
Thanks.

[David]

Motec M600
M&W 4 channel CDI, 3 channels split to drive 6 M&W waste spark coils
Carrera intake with 930 heads opened to match.
Siemens injectors (I forget what size, but they're pretty big)
Stock Carrera throttle body
Bell intercooler core, 25x10x4.5 flowing back to front
KKK HF2 turbo
B&B headers
Custom Burns Stainless muffler
964 cams
Stock valves with EBS springs
J&E 98mm, 8:1 pistons with fully finned cyliners
Pauter rods
ARP head studs

I have a GM stepper motor for idle control but after my latest tune by Sam Shalala formerly of Protecknik I don't know if it actually does anything.

The car starts OK if you just crank the engine and don't touch the throttle. Then let it warm up for a couple minutes. If you touch the throttle within the first couple minutes it's not happy and will die.

After it warms up it has power everywhere. The tall first gear in a stock 930 is too short in my car.


The only thing I would do different is flame ring the heads, use a 3" intercooler core instead of 4.5", and use the new M&W 6 channel CDI. I'd also use RarlyL8's headers instead of the B&B and I'm one wild hair away from that

[drmatera]

Originally Posted by 911nut

My greatest concern about EFI is it's effect on resale.
Comments?
Thanks.

I don't buy cars based on resale value. Besides if you add up every dollar you spend on a vehicle (fuel, insurance, maintenance, wear and tear, oil, etc.....) over your ownership time it is a loosing proposition. If you buy a car, put no miles on it then sell it you are missing the whole point. I could die tomorrow, my car is being transformed into my dream not the next guys.

[A930Rocket]

Lincoln,

Sorry to hear about that. When I rebuilt my engine I wanted to go wilder and EFI, but in the end, I decided it was better to run all day than fast for awhile.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Jim

[TimT]

We have done a bunch of EFI conversions..