moparnutcase
Senior Member
Stan, just get one that was already factory converted to a carb, problem solved.
1981 Imperial with 1990 Dodge truck fuel injection
- Thread starter Big_John
- Start date
That was the visualization I got too.
But... It's a good solution that keeps the car injected and I gotta admire him for that.
Isn't there issues with the dash instruments working correctly with a carb conversion? Would this solve that issue?
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
Providing that I didn't already have a million projects, I'd just buy an old complete truck, remove everything I needed and sell the extra parts.
Boom. 100 more HP, better fuel economy, tons of support. The only unsupported function is the MPG calculator, and that only requires the flow meter from a carb conversion. Add the overdrive and improve the rear axle. Or don't. Tons of rusty trucks awaiting a classy date to prom.
I sure wouldn't waste time on that 3-year TBI system. I test drove an Imp with a Magnum swap about 12-15 years ago at a Mopar swap in Wooster, OH. Same as now... too many cars.
Boom. 100 more HP, better fuel economy, tons of support. The only unsupported function is the MPG calculator, and that only requires the flow meter from a carb conversion. Add the overdrive and improve the rear axle. Or don't. Tons of rusty trucks awaiting a classy date to prom.
I sure wouldn't waste time on that 3-year TBI system. I test drove an Imp with a Magnum swap about 12-15 years ago at a Mopar swap in Wooster, OH. Same as now... too many cars.
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
Below is what you need, a Fuel Flow Meter. It's a stand alone part that does the function of the meter integrated into the injector plate of the OEM design.
The '90 MPI swap doesn't solve the issue.
This part just needs to go in a low-pressure section of the fuel system. The FFM harness plugs into the OE harness. I used it with a 4bbl conversion 25 years ago.
Just a pinwheel that spins and (likely) uses a Hall-effect on/off signal to a chip in the dash. I wouldn't be surprised to see a unversal or GM/Furd version with the same output.
Every other dashboard gadget is self-contained and doesn't know if EFI, carb or a donkey is moving the car.
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traintech55
Senior Member
Glad this guy found a good solution to a problem that has plagued the Imperial owners. He would fit in so well on this site.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Because he does YouTube videos in a bathrobe and a Speedo outdoors infected with the Creeping Crud?
traintech55
Senior Member
That and the fact he came up with a fix to keep a nice Chrysler product on the road.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
I like to believe my reasoning... 
Main issue with those Imperials was that they were HEAVY, under-powered, and had something like a 2.41 axle ratio. Few people understood that there was a reason there was a clamp around the top of the air filter housing OR why when you took the top off of the air cleaner, the engine died. No need for an OD automatic with that "downhill" rear axle ratio.
The Chrysler Conversion Kit was putting a Mirada/Cordoba 318 4bbl fuel system into the Imperials, fuel tank included, front to back. PLUS deletion of the "Fuel Injected" emblems on the front fenders.
To me, the cars really need at least a 360 with self-learning EFI. A 2.75 low gear set in the TF will help off-line, a little (get back to the 2.45x2.76 orientation of earlier times).
CBODY67
The Chrysler Conversion Kit was putting a Mirada/Cordoba 318 4bbl fuel system into the Imperials, fuel tank included, front to back. PLUS deletion of the "Fuel Injected" emblems on the front fenders.
To me, the cars really need at least a 360 with self-learning EFI. A 2.75 low gear set in the TF will help off-line, a little (get back to the 2.45x2.76 orientation of earlier times).
CBODY67
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
2bbl fuel system. By the time the kits came out, Cordoba/Mirada were gone, so really M-body (5th Ave, DiploFury).
I've had three of these, homemade conversion, functional EFI and dealer conversion. They are not race cars, but they have no problems in ordinary traffic and will run 3 digits on the X-way without issue.
The reason I mentioned Cordoba/Mirada was due to the "coupe" orientation and that was what I was told by a friend that was in Chrysler parts (dealership). Be that as it may.
I had a car club friend who had bought one new. It was nearing 20K miles and she was anxious to get something else before the FI started to cause problems.
I happened upon a guy one year at Mopar Nats. That was when I learned more about the system. He bought it from the granddaughter of the original owner, who had traded it in at a dealership he had a connection at. It was at the back of the lot. Said to not run well. He spied the air cleaner top clamp on crooked and suspect that was the problem, so he bought it from a willing used car manager. He took it home, repositioned the clamp, and all was well. Had about 100K on it at the Nats that year. No problems.
It was quite a compact system that few (at that time) really understood. A system that probably took little extra assembly time on the assembly line, compared to a carb system.
Probably rushed into production somewhat, to keep the Imperial competitive with the simpler systems from Ford and GM, at that time. From what I read, done by Chrysler Aerospace. Definitely NOT your typical system!
CBODY67
I had a car club friend who had bought one new. It was nearing 20K miles and she was anxious to get something else before the FI started to cause problems.
I happened upon a guy one year at Mopar Nats. That was when I learned more about the system. He bought it from the granddaughter of the original owner, who had traded it in at a dealership he had a connection at. It was at the back of the lot. Said to not run well. He spied the air cleaner top clamp on crooked and suspect that was the problem, so he bought it from a willing used car manager. He took it home, repositioned the clamp, and all was well. Had about 100K on it at the Nats that year. No problems.
It was quite a compact system that few (at that time) really understood. A system that probably took little extra assembly time on the assembly line, compared to a carb system.
Probably rushed into production somewhat, to keep the Imperial competitive with the simpler systems from Ford and GM, at that time. From what I read, done by Chrysler Aerospace. Definitely NOT your typical system!
CBODY67
fury fan
Senior Member
I'm with Carmine, the Magnum stuff far outshines the Mopar TBI stuff - for the EFI, the shortblock, and heads. Or a conversion to GM TBI stuff would be a good 2nd choice, as those have lots of aftermarket support and upgrades available. The closed-chamber/pre-Magnum -302 heads of the TBI years would help a bit, too.
But whatever you do, as a 'plain' low-compression LA318 they are still heavy for the engine and gears. An A500 (which has deeper 1-2nd gears than 727s and most 904s) along with 3.55 or deeper gears in the axle would make up for lots of the LA's output of the early 80s. I have no evidence to support this, but I believe a mild performance rebuild on the A500 would make it robust enough for the Imp. (and changing axle ratios actually helps the transmisison also)
Ultimately, IMO, this is the performance benchmark for a car of this category. Except for sporty seats and console, everything needed to get the Imp to this level was available from the Mopar production line at some point.
But whatever you do, as a 'plain' low-compression LA318 they are still heavy for the engine and gears. An A500 (which has deeper 1-2nd gears than 727s and most 904s) along with 3.55 or deeper gears in the axle would make up for lots of the LA's output of the early 80s. I have no evidence to support this, but I believe a mild performance rebuild on the A500 would make it robust enough for the Imp. (and changing axle ratios actually helps the transmisison also)
Ultimately, IMO, this is the performance benchmark for a car of this category. Except for sporty seats and console, everything needed to get the Imp to this level was available from the Mopar production line at some point.
65sporty
Old Man with a Hat
I liked the LSC, would be really great with a 347 stroker
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
Heheh, that's funny 'cause I think the Mark VII is one of the few cars that would be worth banishment to the far-out parking spaces at Chrysler's Tech Center. A favorite since the first time I cruised Gratiot in a friend's-dad's FoMoCo lease in '91. The ideal Fox body for those who hate Mustangs.
fury fan
Senior Member
Absolutely. I've had 2 of them, and while not trouble-free, both were 20+ years old when I had them, with 125-150k miles (and not creampuffs, either). Easy to modify a little bit with Mustang parts, 20-23mpg depending on how you drive, and will run with a stockish 383 C-body give-or-take (a 4-barrel with 3.23 gears, that is, a 383-2 Newport with 2.76 gears is gonna get left behind).
And like the Imp, these would probably wake up a lot just with gearing work - a 4R70 trans (deeper gear ratios) from a 2WD 5.0 Explorer and a 3.73 axle. Could still be a granny car - just one that moves out in a big silent hurry.
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