We talked with Chris Richards of Mass-Flo EFI and checked out his latest advancements in fuel injection, which promise to finally bring simplicity intothe mix. He claims to have developed the world's only true plug-and-play fuel-injection system, and having raised our curiosities, he further claims the system requires no tuning or programming and that its installation can be done without any unnecessary hassles.
Unlike most aftermarket speed-density systems currently available, Mass-Flo is based on a mass-air engine-management system, which has proven to be both durable and reliable while offering ample performance. The heart of the Mass-Flo system is the revolutionary mass airflow meter (MAF) which resides atop the Mass-Flo 1,000-cfm throttle body. The MAF accurately measures the amount of air entering the engine, and the air/fuel ratio is adjusted accordingly to compensate for the load and variances in engine temperature, air temperature, and atmospheric pressure by reading values from the sensors included in the system. When you decide to upgrade your engine, drop in a new set of performance heads, change the bumpstick, or install a larger exhaust, Mass-Flo adapts to those changes by simply measuring the air required by the engine. That means no hassle or having to use a laptop. How cool is that?
For this particular piece, we watched over the shoulder of veteran racer and car builder Jack Rosen as he swapped over to the newfangled technology. The install is the same for any conventional Chevy small-block, and it's a breeze, only requiring a few afternoons to complete. And if you get yourself into a bind or prefer to have it installed by a pro, Mass-Flo has a list of authorized installers throughout the country.
During the installation there were no noted problems, and getting the system up and running was pretty smooth. If you're still hesitant about EFI, follow along as we detail the install from start to finish. Trust us, Mass-Flo will turn you into a convert, and you'll be glad it did.
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Everything you'll need to convert your small-block over to the new Mass-Flo fuel-injection system is included in the full kit, eliminating any unnecessary trips to the parts store for even the smallest hardware. |
Included in the small-block system is an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold that's been machined to accept injectors by having bungs welded into place. Mass-Flo will have a line of custom intake manifolds for the small-block, most likely by the time you read this. |
The first step is to install the fuel-rail mounting brackets, two per fuel rail. They come anodized in silver and include a complete set of socket-head stainless capscrews. |
It's a good idea to use high-quality petroleum jelly to coat the O-ring seal, to help ease seating them into the rail. Using a solid base to steady the fuel rail, Rosen worked the injector into the rail until he felt it become seated, then repeated the process for the remaining seven injectors. |
Here's what it looks like before mounting the final assembly onto the intake manifold. |
Again, Rosen used a healthy coating of petroleum jelly on the base of each injector and pressed firmly on the top of the rail to seat the assembly onto the manifold. From there, Rosen snugged the fuel rail to the mounting brackets with the supplied cap. |
Next, the throttle-body gasket was put in place before mounting the Mass-Flo 1,000-cfm throttle body onto the intake manifold. What you don't see here is the trick progressive linkage on the throttle body. |
The heart and soul of the system is the ultracompact high-flow MAF meter that rests on top of the throttle body. Incidentally, it's easily concealed underneath the air cleaner for an old-school look. |
To install the air-charge temperature sensor, Rosen started by wrapping it with Teflon tape. It was then placed into the front of intake, on top of the runner, and tightened down with a 1-inch wrench. |
For the coolant temperature sensor, the threads were again wrapped with a little Teflon tape then placed onto the coolant passage, which is right next to where the thermostat housing mounts. |
That's it for prepping the intake manifold, and with everything completed on the workbench, the system is looking killer and just needs to be bolted onto the engine. |
Controlling the idle speed is a pre-installed idle-air bypass solenoid that mounts on the rear of the Mass-Flo throttle body. |
Mallory custom-builds the electronic distributor for Mass-Flo applications with electronic components that can be had at any local auto-parts store, making it easy to replace should the need ever arise. |
Up close and personal, you can see how the final wiring and sensors are plugged into the Mass-Flo harness. Everything comes labeled, so it's nearly impossible to incorrectly attach the system. |
The system also comes with a pair of O2 sensors and bungs, which Rosen installed into the headers and wired up so they're ready to go. |
The nerve center of the system was mounted to the inside of the firewall and consists of the ECM, the relay and fuse boxes, the diagnostic connector, the MAF frequency-to-voltage converter, the inertia switch, and the barometric pressure sensor. |