Hello from Saskatchewan, Canada

[66GP]

Hey there! Mark here from Sask, Canada! Recently got an interest in EFI instead of the carbs I am normally used to, so coming over here to gather some info! I have a 1966 Pontiac Grande Parisienne that came with a lethargic 283 that I have recently acquired a 7.4L Vortec engine and am looking to swap it into the 283's place. Will probably be on the lookout for a 4L80E in place of the powerglide that came with the car as well for this swap. Any information and help is definitely appreciated, am pretty new to fuel injection that's not an injection pump! Thanks for having me aboard!

[dave w]

Most GM Pickups / Suburbans from 1993 to 95 with the TBI 7.4 liter had the 4L80E option, which would make a your swap a "mostly" factory conversion. The computer (PCM) used from 93 to 95 to control both the 7.4L TBI and 4L80E is part number 16197427 (aka '7427). There is the option of "converting" the '7427 to run the Vortec 7.4L in MPFI mode.


dave w

[66GP]

Oh? Didn't know that! Still new to this efi stuff so lots to learn. Guy I bought the engine off of had another truck he had converted himself and had talked about repinning a newer PCM to work with the older vortec. He used one out of an '02 Escalade if I remember correctly and claimed it was the way to go. Either way I just want something that is going to run well and move my 19 foot long land yacht haha.

[dave w]

It's a choice of low cost OBD1 vs. high cost OBD2. The original 7.4L Vortec was OBD2, and the '02 Escalade is also OBD2. In my humble opinion, the performance difference between OBD1 vs. OBD2 is OBD2 worth the added $$$. The downside to OBD1 is the steep learning curve to achieve near OBD2 performance. OBD2 tuning software is more user friendly with a less steep learning curve compared to OBD1 tuning software. Learn a lot, save a lot of $$$!

dave w

[66GP]

At this point it's mostly just weighing my options and seeing what route will give me the best expandabity. I want to go efi to have the ability to tweak it without having to rejet a carb or swap out a cam just to change a variable. Not horribly worried about learning tho, always up for a challenge!