FITECH EFI 600 Basic and Command center intall with pics, factory tank

[AnotherWs6]

OK. So 3000kpa is what, a vacuum type reading? And if so does that mean that that you can set 3 different vacuum parameters to dial in AFR?

Maybe this should be taken into a PM but I think that you have some good information and experience and it may help others as well.

[steveo3318]

No no no. I have a seperate vacuum gauge on my truck. Vacuum is the easiest way to tell how much fuel you are using. Your vacuum reacts instantly to your throttle. The more vacuum your pulling the less fuel your burning and more fuel you are saving. It's an old school way to know how your engine is performing and fuel consumption. Go here and it will explain their afr
http://fitechefi.com/faq/afr-targets/

[steveo3318]

The vacuum I speak of has no corrilation with the fitech afr parameters guys. It's a visual tool I use to see how my truck is running

[Orange Crate]

I see now that Fitech is saying 3000rpm@45kpa, 3000rpm@95kpa, 6000rpm@95kpa.....ect. That makes more sense. Steveo must have been typing an answer to my question at the same time I was asking it...look at the time of the posts. Ok, all good now. Is it Friday yet?

[AnotherWs6]

I checked the link out too, makes more sense. I know what vacuum is, I just didn't understand what the 3,000 figure meant. I googled kpa and saw it was related to pressure so.....

[steveo3318]

Yeah my bad on putting the kpa behind 3000. But y'all got it now lol

[Orange Crate]

Steveo. Thanks again for the great install write up. Ya gotta love the tune-ability of FI. Yes, vacuum is a great measure of efficiency. The FI that I play with uses the MAP and the RATE that the throttle is applied to add fuel for acceleration enrichment and also for de-richment. Sometimes a MAP sensor doesn't react as quickly as desired so the added extra parameter helps keep the acceleration from going lean (depending on how fast you are mashing the throttle) and also from staying too rich during deceleration. The Fitech seems to be a very nice system for the price point they are in.

[88Stanger]

Steveo Thanks for all your time and effort to report all this great data. i was playing with going to FiTech and well now i am for sure. Again thanks for your help. Wife is going to love this. lol

[88Stanger]

Steveo, thanks for the write up. FiTech should pay you some money, im sure i am not the only one that has bought their system until reading this. lol I just bought the 600hp power adder with FCC. i excited to get it and install it, I have a question that i am not completely understanding. You mention that you had to run a vent line back to the tank? I have an aftermarket tank under the bed. I obviously have a carb now and am converting to this new FiTech EFI, but im concerned with what or why you needed to run a vent line. Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

Steveo, thanks for the write up. FiTech should pay you some money, im sure i am not the only one that has bought their system until reading this. lol I just bought the 600hp power adder with FCC. i excited to get it and install it, I have a question that i am not completely understanding. You mention that you had to run a vent line back to the tank? I have an aftermarket tank under the bed. I obviously have a carb now and am converting to this new FiTech EFI, but im concerned with what or why you needed to run a vent line. Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

You do have to run a return line if you run the command center. If the float sticks in the command center it will overflow fuel from the cc tank and out the vent (to wherever you have that going). If you have it going to the ground instead of back to the tank, on a long enough drive you could theoretically pump your entire fuel tank out on the street (and that is if it doesn't catch on fire under the hood).

That pissed me off immensely when I did mine because of how they advertise it as a "returnless" system.

[GR8-68]

Awesome information here guys, thank you. I have been thinking of going to efi just was not sure of which system was best to use, I was actually leaning towards the holley system but you all may have just convinced me it would be best to go to fi tech.

John, are you using yours on the ls swap ?

[GR8-68]

I was thinking of this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BXH3RVM...=IWCXJWHYPJRXY

Along with this

https://www.amazon.com/Holley-825011...R03QF12SZCDTC1

Or would I be better with this ? I see the FCC is sold separate from the kit, so do you have to run the FCC ? What is pro's and con's of running and not running it ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1FYSV4?psc=1

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

I was thinking of this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BXH3RVM...=IWCXJWHYPJRXY

Along with this

https://www.amazon.com/Holley-825011...R03QF12SZCDTC1

Or would I be better with this ? I see the FCC is sold separate from the kit, so do you have to run the FCC ? What is pro's and con's of running and not running it ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1FYSV4?psc=1

I don't know anything about the Holley stuff (except its considerably more expensive, or at least was).

The FCC lets you run the EFI with your factory mechanical fuel pump. Its an easy way to run EFI without messing with your existing fuel system much. If you already have an EFI fuel pump (I think it needs around 50 psi IIRC), then you don't need it. I was still using my in-cab tank so used the command center.

It would better and less expensive to not use it if you don't have to. Much cleaner installation as well.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

John, are you using yours on the ls swap ?

I am not. I am going to keep the factory EFI and controls. They work really well.

One nice thing about the FiTech setup was how clean it could look. This is how my engine looked when I was running it (I spent a lot of time sanitizing it).



Nobody knew it was EFI unless they saw the command center in the corner (can't really hide it under the hood) and started asking questions.

My FiTech used to struggle a bit on mine but I think that was mostly due to the rumpity-rump cam. It used to idle inconsistently - sometimes high, sometimes low. It would probably "self-tune" a lot better on a milder build. Overall though, the truck ran worlds better with it. The throttle response alone felt like it added another 100 hp- it was that big a difference.

[AnotherWs6]

Originally Posted by NC_John

You do have to run a return line if you run the command center. If the float sticks in the command center it will overflow fuel from the cc tank and out the vent (to wherever you have that going). If you have it going to the ground instead of back to the tank, on a long enough drive you could theoretically pump your entire fuel tank out on the street (and that is if it doesn't catch on fire under the hood).

That pissed me off immensely when I did mine because of how they advertise it as a "returnless" system.

This. I get the need for it now thinking about it, but it really does a lot to defeat the "simpleness" of the FCC and system in general.

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by AnotherWs6

This. I get the need for it now thinking about it, but it really does a lot to defeat the "simpleness" of the FCC and system in general.

Thats what turned me off the FCC and somewhat soured me on FiTech when I started researching. I want to keep the in cab tank, and with my 1970 I don't have a return or a vent on the tank, its vented through the cap.

When I discussed with Fi Tech they were less than helpful and downright rude at one point, telling me I should just "get the bomb out of the cab anyways".

From my conversations with them the vent back to the tank needs to be above the fuel level. When my tank is full, even a later factory return style sender has the return below the fuel level. To do it the way they want it done, the only good way is to swap in a later EEC tank, which defeats the purpose of an easy install all over again.

So thus far I have done nothing.

[steveo3318]

Originally Posted by Lattimer

Thats what turned me off the FCC and somewhat soured me on FiTech when I started researching. I want to keep the in cab tank, and with my 1970 I don't have a return or a vent on the tank, its vented through the cap.

When I discussed with Fi Tech they were less than helpful and downright rude at one point, telling me I should just "get the bomb out of the cab anyways".

From my conversations with them the vent back to the tank needs to be above the fuel level. When my tank is full, even a later factory return style sender has the return below the fuel level. To do it the way they want it done, the only good way is to swap in a later EEC tank, which defeats the purpose of an easy install all over again.

So thus far I have done nothing.

I have the EEC 72 tank in my 72 which was only vented one way. But it does have the return up high on the passenger side. This is where I ran my return from my FCC. I did end up venting my tank right above the filler neck. Works like a charm.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by NC_John

You do have to run a return line if you run the command center. If the float sticks in the command center it will overflow fuel from the cc tank and out the vent (to wherever you have that going). If you have it going to the ground instead of back to the tank, on a long enough drive you could theoretically pump your entire fuel tank out on the street (and that is if it doesn't catch on fire under the hood).

That pissed me off immensely when I did mine because of how they advertise it as a "returnless" system.

Damn, that is why i was asking, it says "returnless" so .... oh well. Thanks for the clarification.

[steveo3318]

What nc John said the vent line is really a return line in case of emergency. Just make sure you have a two way vented fuel cap. IT WILL BUILD PRESSURE IF NOT!!!

[GR8-68]

So as of right now I really have not invested anything so I can go either way with what I want / need to do. I had planned to go with a Boyd rear tank and a electric pump, by the sounds of what I am reading though it would be best to use the FCC just for the return line aspect of it.

[steveo3318]

That's 6 one way half a Dozen the other. I used the fuel command center because I have the factory behind the seat and don't care to replace it. It is brand new. Now that being said if I had thevrear tank I would of went with either an inline pump or in tank pump. Yes they are louder but don't clutter up the engine bay. In reality with the FCC I now have two points of failure instead of one. Either my mechanical pump or electric pump could die. With an in line or tank you drop the mechainical which I am all about one less item to worry about. I don't see any issues in my near future but if I HAVE to put a rear tank in I will most likely ditch the FCC and go in tank. The FCC has never given me any issues other than overheating one time and that was my fault for not lowering the idle flow parameter. Once it cooled down and I set the parameters never another issue what so ever. This info is really only based on engine bay appearance!!! I might of been saying go FCC if I had the inline pump after hearing in whine forever. I will say in tank or FCC now that I think about how loud a in line is. All three have to have the return in the end.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by steveo3318

That's 6 one way half a Dozen the other. I used the fuel command center because I have the factory behind the seat and don't care to replace it. It is brand new. Now that being said if I had thevrear tank I would of went with either an inline pump or in tank pump. Yes they are louder but don't clutter up the engine bay. In reality with the FCC I now have two points of failure instead of one. Either my mechanical pump or electric pump could die. With an in line or tank you drop the mechainical which I am all about one less item to worry about. I don't see any issues in my near future but if I HAVE to put a rear tank in I will most likely ditch the FCC and go in tank. The FCC has never given me any issues other than overheating one time and that was my fault for not lowering the idle flow parameter. Once it cooled down and I set the parameters never another issue what so ever. This info is really only based on engine bay appearance!!! I might of been saying go FCC if I had the inline pump after hearing in whine forever. I will say in tank or FCC now that I think about how loud a in line is. All three have to have the return in the end.

But if you run an in-tank pump your return line can be a lot closer to the tank (assuming you would use the corvette style filter/regulator). Isn't the FiTech truly returnless if you don't have the command center or is there a return line coming back off the EFI unit itself? Its been a while already and can't remember.

The command center is just too darn big to hide under the hood and adds a lot of extra lines running up there (fuel supply to CC, fuel line from CC to EFI, vent/return line).

[steveo3318]

Fitech body has a return line on the rear for use with either intank or in line

[Lancialonnie]

I was all set to order the FCC to get started putting an FITech system together, that way I could run the vent tubing and wiring and have the fuel system ready to go. But then I read about needing to have a vented fuel cap and now I'm not sure what to do. I have an under bed tank with a rollover valve that I am planning on tying the return line to but, I have the boat type fuel cap that threads in (comes with a fork like key to open) and it is not vented. Do they make these in vented caps or would I need to go with a different fuel cap?

[steveo3318]

Originally Posted by Lancialonnie

I was all set to order the FCC to get started putting an FITech system together, that way I could run the vent tubing and wiring and have the fuel system ready to go. But then I read about needing to have a vented fuel cap and now I'm not sure what to do. I have an under bed tank with a rollover valve that I am planning on tying the return line to but, I have the boat type fuel cap that threads in (comes with a fork like key to open) and it is not vented. Do they make these in vented caps or would I need to go with a different fuel cap?

Drill and tap a hole in the top use a sealant or reflow tape