Am I too late for DIY TBI

[Thomas792]

My life is constant debate about which way to go.
I’ve debated EFI for years but the knowledge was not there. Now there is a wealth but the world seems to have moved to drivetrain from early 2000 GMC (too expensive for me).
I’ve checked my local auto salvage yards and there seems to be a number of donors available for the TBI, harness, and other bits necessary.
The part that concerns me is the tuning. I recently researched the software and hardware and Moates went out of business about a year ago. What alternatives are available and will they go soon too?

TLDR - did I wait too long?

[Stuka]

One of the things that has killed the market for older OEM TBI is off the shelf, self learning EFI.

Edelbrock and Holley both have systems you just plug in and go driving.

It’s a bit more money than the older TBI route. But you also get warranty and support.

[Yeller]

The other issue is using a 30 year old harness. They just aren’t as reliable as they were when they were newer. I used to build my own TBi harnesses but the connectors and wires just got old and too hard to work with.

I’ve bought a lot of parts and complete systems from AFI over the years. https://affordable-fuel-injection.com/p ... g-harness/ I will probably be using them on my next LS swap for the same reasons stated above.

[Theodore]

A hybrid approach may be worth considering; get a harness & tune from Bill @ Hamilton Fuel Injection http://hamiltonfuelinjection.com/ & could DIY the rest from the junkyard. I got a harness from Hamilton 18 months ago & it’s high quality; everything’s labeled & also had him burn chips for the tune, based on logs I pulled with TunerPro. I didn’t want to climb the tuning learning curve, given everything GW-wise that I was having to deal with at the time.

Also, he hangs out over on Binderplanet & is the fuel injection forum moderator.

[tgreese]

Megasquirt is still around. You can scrounge the hardware and build or buy a computer that you can program directly with a laptop. https://www.diyautotune.com/shop/megasq ... omponents/ This avoids the PROM-burning step that Moates supported (I presume).

[Thomas792]

Thank you all. I have spent the majority of the weekend reading all sorts of threads from here, the mothership, and especially Bill’s stuff on the binder planet. Feels like a game of Clue. From your input and elsewhere it sounds like I’m not too late. Internet searches say the local yards have a lot of donor vehicles. When I go there, are the fasteners metric or standard?

Just info but I put a Howell kit on my CJ in 96. It was truly amazing the difference it made. Doing the same to the GW would be great but this is a hobby vehicle, funds are limited but time is not.

[Srdayflyer]

my dime with the holly sniper and hyper spark system, tech support is fantastic, and i can adjust every thing from the drivers seat,idle, fuel air mix, timing, monitor rpm, coolant temp, adle air sensor position , alternator, and can custom map my own stuff i i want, was the best 2300.00 i have ever spent on a restoration, the jeep fires up and runs smooth right off the get go, no pumping the peddle, setting the choke, cold beast idle im all in on my next fsj

[WT91]

I did DIY TBI, by the time I got everything running + the tools for tuning + software I was almost to the cost of a sniper kit with 500x the aggravation.

I do not regret selling the DIY TBI stuff and going Edelbrock Pro-Flo MPFI one iota.

[will e]

I think the DIY was a great idea but now there are some great options.

[alex304]

Not at all! While more modern EFI systems have grown in popularity, TBI can still be a great option and has plenty of support. Many enthusiasts still rely on and prefer throttle body injection for engine swaps or upgrades. Especially for budget builds or classic vehicles.As for tuning - the Moates quarterhorse is still highly capable hardware that comes up used pretty often. A refurbished unit would serve you well. On the software side, Tony's TBI Guys and Howell EFI have quality packages available. And there are also open source projects working on TBI calibration tools.So both quality hardware and tuning solutions still exist without having to spend modern LS/LT money. Salvage yard parts are plentiful, and the tinkering community keeps older injection technology thriving. I say go for it!The key is realistic goals - understand a basic TBI setup may not match modern performance. But for driveability, mileage, and tinker factor, that route lets you dip into EFI and learn the systems without huge cost. And it can always be a stepping stone to more advanced systems later on.Let us know what route you decide on! TBI is still a rewarding project with enough community to avoid getting stuck. Your timing is just fine.A letter template is a pre-formatted guide used for writing letters. It serves as a framework, providing the basic structure and layout of a letter, including elements like the sender's address, date, recipient's address, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Templates can be specific to different types of letters, such as business, formal, informal, cover letters, etc.Immigration Letter Templates provide a structured and professional approach to addressing immigration-related matters. By using these templates, individuals, organizations, or legal representatives can ensure that their letters are consistent, accurate, and effective in conveying important information to the relevant immigration authorities or institutions.

[Thomas792]

Just to bring some closure to this thread. I have decided, for the moment, to go with the DIY TBI based on the comments here. I'm looking for keeping this as inexpensive as possible while allowing me to build it and learn the system, not just slap on parts. Come spring time I'll be hitting the local salvage yards which appear to have quite a few donor vehicle if they have not yet been picked over. Thanks all.

[Srdayflyer]

I hope all you look for, works as perceived, having gone several routes, the biggest issue was getting everything to work, the biggest issue was the mapping the ecu . i'm not a A. computer programmer. B. super gear head . thats why i went holley.

[sonoraed]

Wow I had no idea the above mentioned websites were out there, put TBI in my 79 J10 25 years ago way better than the alt comp motorcraft carb, started right up idled smooth not much power and went thru multiply external fuel pumps.
Installed 04 gen III LM7 with complete GM system about 10 years ago, more than twice the hp and sweet running engine, got slammed at SEMA last year for not running a mopar setup, progress I guess.

[Yeller]

Wow I had no idea the above mentioned websites were out there, put TBI in my 79 J10 25 years ago way better than the alt comp motorcraft carb, started right up idled smooth not much power and went thru multiply external fuel pumps.
Installed 04 gen III LM7 with complete GM system about 10 years ago, more than twice the hp and sweet running engine, got slammed at SEMA last year for not running a mopar setup, progress I guess.

Cost per end result, the mopar option is over rated. Getting better but still overpriced. My Ford even has an LS. It’s about upfront cost and long term serviceability. I ask the neigh sayers to poney up the dollars and I’ll put whatever they want in it. Or in the case of my Ford, I could have left it on the trailer headed to the crusher, instead I gave it a life, which would you prefer?

[will e]

Twice the horsepower.