Most complete EFI kit to use-Need recomendation

[Sweet5ltr]

What is the most complete kit for EFI including the necessary set up for fuel pump. Anyone have any experience with installing them on a basically stock system? It is now a stock 383 but i am looking to upgrade the engine later (years away) so i want to make sure i won't do this again so i would like an EFI that is capable for 450hp to 600hp at the max. So my basic question is i see so many different brands but i can't choose and wanted to know everyone's experience with the current ones on the market.

How reliable are they and easy.
My car is having problem starting in cold weather. also other times i just have problems just getting the car started in any weather. I am tired of getting stuck and spraying starting fluid
in the Carb. Killing the battery...etc...
My set up so far:

1970 Plymouth Satellite
Stock gas tank
stock 383 6.3l
relocated battery to the trunk so i have room for a fuel system in the front if necessary.
I re-did the wiring so i have a one wire alternator.
Rewired with American autowire updated wiring for modern accessories.

Let me know also how easy it is to install. I have already done a lot to this car so far.

Just my honest advice, purchase a quality new carburetor with an electric choke - if you care about actual tuning, order a Wideband 02 sensor like the AEM UEGO or learn to be great at reading plugs [shut off immediately once up to operating temperature at idle / cruise / WOT if you want to tune that area]. If you're having trouble with a simple carburetor, you're not the individual that should adopt EFI. The only parameter aftermarket EFI will 'self learn' is the base map [think of jets & air bleeds], it does nothing to improve your starting ability or AE tables [think of accelerator pump]. With a four-speed car, it will require a dramatic amount of involvement [6-12 months of tuning] on your part to get the system working for you and not against you. An automatic is a little more forgiving, but you will still have at minimum [3-6 months of tuning] to get the base fuel map where you want it. That will require a dedicated laptop, data logging & a steep learning curve on your part.

If it's terrible having to work at starting a carbureted car [no choke] with a battery that's somewhat low on voltage due to the cold weather, EFI would leave you stranded in that identical scenario without a jump.

You or I cannot compare our abilities to someone like AndyF here on the board, that has installed twenty of these systems and literally built an MPFI setup from the ground up. I'm sure Andy would comment that there has been some issues, on not all, but some that even he cannot solve. When you have issues with EFI, they hit hard and it's not always a simple answer over the phone with tech support or a five minute resolution online. Some issues will make the car completely unreliable, and you must be able to diagnose these potential issues on the spot or wait for an individual who can for you.

This is not a factory installed OEM EFI [MPFI / DI etc]. Please do not compare what's currently in your daily driver that has worked for 200,000 miles to what you'll be receiving from Holley, FiTech, or Edelbrock.

I would not recommend EFI over a quality carburetor at this point for you.

 

[biomedtechguy]

if you care about actual tuning, order a Wideband 02 sensor like the AEM UEGO or learn to be great at reading plugs [shut off immediately once up to operating temperature at idle / cruise / WOT if you want to tune that area].

It's that process of what it takes to "read spark plugs" and the limited information that gives, along with the critical nature of tuning a 6bbl (when it's right, it's glorious, when it's wrong, it's hell) that led me to get the Innovate Motorsports dual wideband O2 system installed.
Now I get real time A/F ratio data, and I can data log with a laptop/tablet connection.
One eye opening piece of information I have witnessed because of the gauge on my dash is the lean spike upon tip in of the outboard carbs. It's brief, about 1 second, but the A/F ratio leans out to 19 or 20:1 for that second. One great example of how important knowing that is is I want to look at adding a nitrous spray plate setup to my 6bbl. Because of seeing the lean spike, I would delay the spray for 1 second after the outboard carbs close the WOT switch.
Another issue that I have to solve is a lean condition on hard braking. When I get on the brakes harder than normal, to come to a stop, the A/F ratio goes lean, directly proportional to the intensity of the braking effort. First thing I'm going to look at is the float levels, but I would appreciate any advice if someone knows what is causing this.

 

[andyf]

The engine goes lean because your foot is on the brake rather than on the gas. Stomp on the brakes with your left foot next time and keep the throttle open with your right foot and I bet the engine won't go lean. If that happens then it has nothing to do with the floats, it is just because you closed the throttle blades and the engine is still running at speed but isn't getting any fuel.

 

[biomedtechguy]

The engine goes lean because your foot is on the brake rather than on the gas. Stomp on the brakes with your left foot next time and keep the throttle open with your right foot and I bet the engine won't go lean. If that happens then it has nothing to do with the floats, it is just because you closed the throttle blades and the engine is still running at speed but isn't getting any fuel.

I appreciate the reply, but I'm talking about stalling sometimes it gets so bad.
Whether the clutch is still engaged or not, or in gear or neutral, the engine should not stall, and I figured it was because it was going lean/running out of fuel.

 

[andyf]

Sure, it can get so lean that it stalls but I doubt it has anything to do with the float level. On a six pack setup the fuel bowls are behind the throttle bores so hard braking would shove fuel up against the metering block. More often than not engines will flood from hard braking since fuel can splash out of the vent and into the throttle bores. That is why there is an extension whistle on the vent.

EFI engines can have the same problem but with EFI there are a lot more tools to work with. One trick with an EFI engine is to just slow down the speed at which the engine returns to idle. You can do that by keeping the IAC valve open while driving and then controlling the speed at which it closes. That gives you a nice little ramp down for engine speed rather than just slamming the door shut.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I doubt it has anything to do with the float level.

So given what I've described, what should I do for a solution or additional troubleshooting?
Thanks.