EFI in '77 Chrysler Newport

angus66

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Messages
89
Reaction score
163
Our family pet c-body Chrysler "Thelma" (named after Thelma Houston) was the recipient of a Holley Sniper EFI setup on top her 400ci engine last summer. I had been fighting with the Thermoquad (and even a rebuilt Thermoquad) for too many years - I'd had enough. Of course the upgrade led me to replace the starter, blast and paint the manifold and replace the rocker cover and pan seals. It was a fun little project and I recommend it. That omnipresent kick-down choke and cough are gone and now I don't fear pulling out into traffic and feathering the accelerator from a light or muggy days are no longer anxieties. Life for Thelma is better and I driver her more. She's sleeping for the winter but in the season my wife even takes her to work and the kids enjoy rides in her. The EFI install saved our relationship.

IMG_0109.jpg

IMG_0171.jpg

IMG_0181.jpg

IMG_0184.jpg

IMG_0258.jpg

43788155_10215195603975884_2097708967063977984_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Our family pet c-boy Chrysler "Thelma" (named after Thelma Houston) was the recipient of a Holley Sniper EFI setup on top her 400ci engine last summer. I had been fighting with the Thermoquad (and even a rebuilt Thermoquad) for too many years - I'd had enough. Of course the upgrade led me to replace the starter, blast and paint the manifold and replace the rocker cover and pan seals. It was a fun little project and I recommend it. That omnipresent kick-down choke and cough are gone and now I don't fear pulling out into traffic and feathering the accelerator from a light or muggy days are no longer anxieties. Life for Thelma is better and I driver her more. She's sleeping for the winter but in the season my wife even takes her to work and the kids enjoy rides in her. The EFI install saved our relationship.

View attachment 254769
View attachment 254770
View attachment 254771
View attachment 254772
View attachment 254773
View attachment 254774

Any problems with the setup, tune or drivability?
 
This is so what I need to do to the RMB....

I was thinking about it when I did my NYB. I didn't want to mess with the fuel system. Have to have a high pressure fuel pump somewhere and a return line to the tank. Plus the tune problems others posted about EFI. I decided on the Holley 750 Quick Fuel SS carb.
 
I was thinking about it when I did my NYB. I didn't want to mess with the fuel system. Have to have a high pressure fuel pump somewhere and a return line to the tank. Plus the tune problems others posted about EFI. I decided on the Holley 750 Quick Fuel SS carb.
Bob, you had too much going without adding EFI to the mix. It could have been a Pandoras Box doing the new engine and converting to EFI at the same time.
 
I did the Atomic TBI on my 67 440. It was a nice upgrade and has worked flawlessly.

I noticed you had the lean burn in there a sometime. Did you change out the distributor for one with weights and advance?? You probably did.

Steve
 
I was thinking about it when I did my NYB. I didn't want to mess with the fuel system. Have to have a high pressure fuel pump somewhere and a return line to the tank. Plus the tune problems others posted about EFI. I decided on the Holley 750 Quick Fuel SS carb.
My fuel pump and high pressure filter live up next to the tank and the return line was a bit of a fight but not the end of the world. The exhaust pipe is about six inches below the pump so I put a piece of tin in between to block heat and keep water off.

I just emptied the tank, filled it water then drilled the hole for the return while the hole was under the waterline, then drain. I welded a bung for the O2 sensor in the exhaust too. The kit includes a weld-free collar if welding isn't an option. Tune-wise I set a tune through the wired interface (i keep it in the glovebox) and forget it. It learns as it goes and is getting better and better (please don't ask me to define better). I want to handle the ignition side this year with distributer and coil that are modular with the EFI (money dependent). It's only been one season but the whole system has been pretty set-and-forget so far - but I've heard nightmares in the holley forums too. If I did I major trip I'd probably throw a spare pump in the trunk but for around town I'm pretty confident.

IMG_0230.jpg

IMG_0241.jpg
IMG_0246.jpg
IMG_0247.jpg
 
I did the Atomic TBI on my 67 440. It was a nice upgrade and has worked flawlessly.

I noticed you had the lean burn in there a sometime. Did you change out the distributor for one with weights and advance?? You probably did.

Steve
Ya she had a lean burn "delete" done before my ownership. She has a regular distributor in it. I think that was some of the problem of her never running well. I don't think the thermoquad without vacuum advance with a distributor pulling vacuum of the manifold was a good setup. That being said I'm probably going to replace the distrib and coil with Holley Sniper spec replacements so the module can manage the ignition side. I've done nothing to the ignition side other the PO doing the LB "delete".
 
Bob, you had too much going without adding EFI to the mix. It could have been a Pandoras Box doing the new engine and converting to EFI at the same time.

Yep, I decided to follow KISS. With everything else, total revamp of the entire cooling system including dual cooling fans, serpentine system, Sanden compressor, MSD ignition it was just an easy choice to go with a carb I've used before.
 
I congratulate you on getting that EFI installed and working for you!

:thumbsup:
 
From what I've seen, so many of the "ELB Delete" operations seldom run as well as they should, which is a shame. But then again, some really nice cars were sold for "very affordable" prices, if that matters. Be that as it may.

I'm glad everything is working well for you, on this upgrade. Although everything is supposed to be self-learning (which will include "getting better with run time"), I've read the horror stories in several places/forums where things didn't work very well at all, even when seeming to do everything "by the book".

When you get the ignition components all dialed-in, please load up and take a 100 mile round trip highway cruise and let us know how the performance and mileage goes.

CBODY67
 
Throwing the dice on seeing if the EFI system, you spent upwards to 2 grand for, will work well for you, is just too high stakes for me.
 
Thank you Mr. Angus66 for this thread. I’ve been considering this or the like for my Newly acquired 77 NYB.. as Stan mentioned! What was the cost associated with your set up? If specific cost is asking too much, then ballpark will work. And please! Keep us updated as you rack up miles and data on this system. Inquiring minds want to know.. lol.. thx
 
Back
Top