Best EFI Choice? (GM, EECIV, Mopar)

[ECMnut at aol.com]

As Steve has suggested, you will get many GM recommendations from 
a list such as this, but as Dave said, you may want to let your engine 
hardware determine which system to use.  Well, at least let it shape your 
decision in part.  For example, a system that is plug compatible with a 
Ford electronic distributor would be much easier to adapt to your 302.
 You simply need to go to the junkyard and buy the correct distributor.
  Acquiring ignition or timing signals from an *enemy* distributor for use
 in your ECM can sometimes be very tricky..  If you have the ability to
 produce the parts,such as trigger wheels and other electronics, that
 are needed to provide input to the ECM, you then need come up with
 a way to control the ignition timing as an output.....   Given the correct
 input, any system can squirt fuel on time.  That leads us to another
 issue regarding the correct impedance injectors for your ECM 
 application..  Getting back to the original idea of using the same 
manufacturer for your computer has the engine, you can readily use
 other features such as knock retard & accurate timing controls, and
 you will probably save a great deal of tuning time if the size is close to 
something that was produced from the factory.  Plugging your invention 
together together will certainly be easier if it is from one manufacturer..  
If you are like most of us, time is the most costly component of your project.
Anything you do to conserve it will probably be best.  As Fred suggested, the
Mopar systems are still pretty much non-hacked as of yet..
To get a good footing on the GM slopes, check out the "programming 101"
stuff in the archives..  Lots of good reading..
Sorry for run-on sentences..HTH
Mike V
<< > Group,
 > I am just starting out to convert some older motors (Ford 302, 460 for
 > now, but have 454 Chev and 390 AMC planned later, all in various states
 > of street/strip tune) and am looking for choosing a system to
 > "standardize"  my investment of hardware, software and "education".
 > Would anyone offer pros and cons for the major systems in wrecking yard
 > availability.
 > Is there any internet sources that consider the merits of one system
 > over another for a hot rodder?  Some items I believe important in
 > choosing are (order may vary):  1. loop processing speeds, 2.
 > "tunability" (should include backyard build it yourself kits or modules
 > for processors), 3. Software decoding, the understanding of control
 > locations for many years of availability. 4. Costs of external tuning,
 > software and adapters for making processor modifications.
 > Any suggestions welcome,
 > Jay
  >>