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'Mater - '77 Cherokee S 4-door

bigwalton

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Bump for a great morning pumpkin picking and driving backroads in Mater with the family.

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bigwalton

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I put a FAST EZ-EFI system on Mater and used it as an excuse to finally dump the stock fuel tank that I was no longer using and all of the dual-tank hoses/wiring/vent stuff. While AeroTank did a good job putting all of that in (and Mater got all new rubber fuel lines as a benefit) I was never going to go back to the dual tank setup and simply have no need for more than the rear AeroTank holds.

The EZ-EFI system came with a Walbro external pump (no in-tank pump option with the AeroTank) and taking out the stock tank gave me that whole framerail to mount things to. With a stock tank only, it would have been interesting to make this work and probably would have required figuring out an in-tank pump setup. Plus is now having AN fittings for everything from the prefilter forward.

Putting it all together was really easy, planning where to mount everything and how to route the wiring/fuel lines really took as much time as the install itself. It's a breeze to set up the system on the control unit and it fired right up and ran great the first time (you have to start the programming with it off and then start it up when instructed to get the engine up to temp before you continue programming).

I'm not going to have MPG numbers as Mater's speedo cable took a dump last year. This was all about drivability. Throttle response and power are incredible. Overall drivability is fantastic. I'd been fighting a tip-in hesitation ever since rebuilding Mater's Edelbrock and it was pissing me off. I'm sure it was user error, but I was sick of diddling with the carb to figure it out. Mater's reason for existence is to JUST WORK and let me drive it without issue whenever I like. I also like knowing the EFI will always keep the fuel consumption as optimized as possible (and I can further tweak the A/F targets if I want) to maximize MPG, even though I know it's always going to be relative with a 360.

Very, very happy with this upgrade. Pump is a little loud, but I knew that going in, more reason to turn up the stereo. Having the ability to play with the display for all the running data and RPM is really sweet.

Fuel pump on the driver's frame rail opposite the exhaust.
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installed, computer right by the battery for minimal power wire length and the cool air intake connector is right there basically pointing right at it (not using the duct obviously)
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Running screen, note that I have a one-wire alternator on Mater (came with it new in the box) and I haven't "goosed" the engine yet in this photo to excite it, hence the low voltage number, it's 13.6 when "on". Having that displayed on the unit up at eye level is nice.
IMG_5633.jpg
 

jammer1

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Maple Hts.
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Oh
That's a small computer. What made you pick that system over the other systems (fittech, snipper, holley, etc)? Any problems with hesitation, idle, or cold temp operations.
 

bigwalton

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That's a small computer. What made you pick that system over the other systems (fittech, snipper, holley, etc)? Any problems with hesitation, idle, or cold temp operations.

Because they sent it to me for review in JPFreek Adventure Magazine :headbang:

It is a small computer, made it really easy to mount but also made for more options to consider for mounting, so it took longer to sort out.

No problems at all with anything as far as performance, quite the opposite -- it's been fantastic. It idled as good or better than the Edelbrock on the first start (and fired up quicker too). I'd had a hesitation on acceleration with the Edelbrock that was driving me insane and there's none of that with this. You can tweak all kinds of settings including hot start and cold start cranking fuel but I haven't seen a need to play with them yet.

Keep in mind all of this was done in Michigan in winter, so a cold start is really a COLD start.
IMG_5636.jpg

I did have to drop the aux tank to clean it out after a blob of RTV (from a PO/shop WAY overdoing things when trying to reseal the fuel sender) choked off the pickup tube. Then the way I mounted the pressure regulator made me dig out a 90° fitting to get the pressure gauge upright so the gauge's fluid wouldn't leak out the vent hole, but those have been the only issues and aren't the kit's fault.
 

Randyzzz

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Awesome stuff! Can't wait to hear an estimate of MPG.
 

bigwalton

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Awesome stuff! Can't wait to hear an estimate of MPG.

You may be waiting a while. I don't have anything "before" because of the speedo cable and the replacement gas tank that I can't just fill slam full (reference the gas overflow "patina" on the rear quarter under the filler) makes it almost impossible to get a volume to use in the calculation. It would take some laborious draining/filling and running until empty with a gas can along for the ride.

Truly this is all about the drivability and simply knowing that MPG will be maximized as much as it reasonably can be for this engine (supposed to have a mild cam, was part of an abandoned project second-hand so I didn't get specs) and how I drive.
 

Belizeit

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BW I might have missed,but that's the original tank that the pump on the rail is pulling out of ?
 

Randyzzz

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You may be waiting a while. I don't have anything "before" because of the speedo cable and the replacement gas tank that I can't just fill slam full (reference the gas overflow "patina" on the rear quarter under the filler) makes it almost impossible to get a volume to use in the calculation. It would take some laborious draining/filling and running until empty with a gas can along for the ride.

Truly this is all about the drivability and simply knowing that MPG will be maximized as much as it reasonably can be for this engine (supposed to have a mild cam, was part of an abandoned project second-hand so I didn't get specs) and how I drive.

Fair enough. I'm guessing you will probably have a gut feeling after a few fill-ups if it is better or worse. Just curious.
 

jammer1

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Maple Hts.
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I didn't catch, did you run a return line to the tank? I have the holley terminator setup. Two winters ago I installed on the cj7 (mocked up for when the cj8 is done). Started and ran (cj was on jack stands). Seemed ok. How do you feel about using all rubber hose. Does it hold up long term? Looking forward to how well it runs and self learn.
 

bigwalton

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BW I might have missed,but that's the original tank that the pump on the rail is pulling out of ?

No, this had a dual tank setup a P.O. installed from Aerotank. It is a bad design IMO and led to the overflow rust on the side. I separated the two tanks and had been using the rear tank (where the spare is stock) as the main and only tank. I went ahead and removed the stock tank entirely as a part of this.
 

bigwalton

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I didn't catch, did you run a return line to the tank? I have the holley terminator setup. Two winters ago I installed on the cj7 (mocked up for when the cj8 is done). Started and ran (cj was on jack stands). Seemed ok. How do you feel about using all rubber hose. Does it hold up long term? Looking forward to how well it runs and self learn.

Yes, return line to the tank. The hose that came with this is the beefiest I’ve ever seen and given that this is a street rig, I’m not horribly worried about the rubber lines. We’ll just have to see about how well it lasts.

FWIW, the dual tank rubber fuel lines that were installed by whomever put in the tank looked fantastic when I pulled them off. They’d been on there at least 10 years based on what I know of the history.
 

bigwalton

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Uh oh... I went and done it now... lookie what I found:

“1977 Cherokee Chief drivetrain For Sale : ONLY DRIVETRAIN for sale.

All original 401 / Turbo 400 / Q-Trac with a part time kit. Runs and drives. 65k miles. I believe the engine to be original with the exception of a Holly carb and Doug Thorley headers. Instant start when fuel hits the carb! Trans shifts and works great. Ignition upgrades included [TFI/Cap/wires}. New belts / alt / fuel pump/ PS pump. All hoses newer and included. [New stock radiator for sale separately]

Engine is still installed. Being removed in about 4 to 6 weeks. [Lock down dependent]”

Guess what I found :eek:

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Last edited:

Kim Dawson

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Molalla
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I just read the recent post and thought you were selling the 401 which seems like the ultimate AMC motor, so whatever else you found had to be more modern. You found the ideal AMC swap.
 

designerRob

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Allen Park
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MI
I just read the recent post and thought you were selling the 401 which seems like the ultimate AMC motor, so whatever else you found had to be more modern. You found the ideal AMC swap.
That's what I thought at first.

Sounds like a great combo BW. Gotta keep the old FI though.
 

bigwalton

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I just read the recent post and thought you were selling the 401 which seems like the ultimate AMC motor, so whatever else you found had to be more modern. You found the ideal AMC swap.

What’s funny is that the 401 is actually a bonus. He’s including a very low mile radiator (mine weeps in multiple places and I JB welded a crack in the tip tank already), his transmission is perfect (mine works but clearly needs a rebuild) and my qtrac hasn’t been touched in who knows how long where his is less than 65k miles. I’m getting his exhaust (mine is a hacked-together joke someone did to make the Aerotank work in the spare tire hole) and all of his hoses and spare parts he won’t need any longer :smokin:

so once I sell my 360 and the carb off his motor (I have my EZ-EFI system in place that I LOVE and will bolt right on), this is basically a no brainer and the 401 is a bonus.
 
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