Hands down, the electronic fuel injection system has become the fuel delivery system of choice for enthusiasts looking to make real power without a lot of hassle or adjustment headaches. Holley’s new “intelligent” EFI systems are without a doubt the most exciting thing to come out of Bowling Green, Kentucky in the past 20 years. The Holley Avenger, HP and Dominator EFI systems are doing to fuel delivery what the smart bomb did to warfare, make it surgically precise with a “fire and forget” type actuation. These won’t be available until the first quarter of 2010, but we got a preview look at these precision strike weapons at the 2009 SEMA show.
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What makes the Holley EFI systems different than the current crop of EFI controllers on the market?
Bill Tichenor, Marketing Director for Holley, briefed us on the differences in Holley’s new EFI systems and the predecessors by telling us, “All of the systems feature self-learning strategies, so users who are not EFI experts can be confident knowing their fuel curves will be very accurate. They come with wide band control to let the self-learning strategies continually adjust for current conditions. Our optional 5.7” touch screen is another feature that sets us apart. Once you get the initial set up done with a computer you don’t need it any longer. You can even do your set up on your desktop and then transfer the files to the touch screen through and SD card, so you don’t have to own a laptop. Best of all, we made sure the pricing on the systems were the best on the market for the features you get.”
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Granted, hand held controllers and touch screens are not new in EFI systems, but a hand held controller or touch screen controller that allows the user to manage sophisticated engine controls with “self learning” software is unique. Add in that the fuel base table is displayed in actual lbs/hr instead of co-efficient calculation value based throttle position and engine speed. The bonus in this is that you can change injector size and enter the desired lbs/hr. into the fuel map and your fuel rate will be pretty close. The actual vs rated flow is corrected in the System Setup for specific pressure and dead time response curves vs voltage for each injector tested. What this basically does is tighten the margin of error for the desired input lb/hr vs actual flow.
[3]Fuel Tuning Screen shot
The Avenger EFI Kit:
Holley has developed three EFI systems with specific user applications in mind. Although they are not available on the market right now, Tichenor assured us that the new systems would be worth the wait, “Holley has been working hard behind the scenes to make sure these new EFI systems are the best available systems in their competing markets. Street users will love the base Avenger system. It comes with a hand held tuner, so no laptop is required. Just answer a few basic questions and it will start tuning for you.” Tichenor explained that the Avenger system is a complete plug and play EFI system that was “ideal” for enthusiasts making the switch to electronic fuel injection. The Avenger has the same powerful self-tuning software technology that is featured in the other systems. This is a “Bolt on and Go” EFI system that is available in TBI, Four barrel MPFI or Stealth Ram systems.
[4]Holley's EFI Idle Setting Screen
AVENGER EFI FEATURES:
- Self-tuning fueling strategy tunes while you drive – Designed for the user that wants ease of use without having to be a “tuning expert”
- Requires no laptop computer to set up or tune – Included full color LED hand-held tuner offers simple setup and easy tuning of basic parameters such as engine idle speed. Still allows for users to change other parameters to further fine tune base calibrations
- Comes complete with all hardware to retrofit EFI on a non-EFI vehicle, including fuel pump
- Dedicated fuel and oil pressure inputs
- Allows for computer controlled ignition timing if desired
- System can be upgraded in the future to a Holley “HP EFI System” if desired
- Small Block Chevy multi port kits come with 36 lb/hr injectors and are designed for up to 500 HP
- Big Block Chevy multi port kits come with 48 lb/hr injectors and are designed for up to 600 HP
- Three versions of 4 bbl TBI kits available: 700 CFM with 65 lb/hr injectors (up to 400 HP), 900 CFM with 75 lb/hr injectors (up to 525 HP) or 900 CFM with 85 lb/hr injectors (up to 600 HP)
The “Avenger” kits are intended to not be laptop programmable. You can laptop tune them if you want though, but typically the user of this system wants nothing to do with a laptop. If you want the ability to laptop tune, the HP systems would be what you want to get.
[5]Coolant Temperature Enrichment Screen
The HP EFI Kit:
The HP EFI engine management system is a full feature system with laptop tunability and the self tuning capability and it’s user friendly software. The intuitive, easy to use software allows the user to dial in their fuel curve by controlling power adders and several other functions. Tichenor explained that the HP EFI was perfect for LSx engine swaps. The HP EFI system will be comfortable for Street, Drag Race, Road Racing, and is hardy enough to handle Off Road and Marine applications with ease. Available in TBI, 4bbl MPFI or Stealth Ram systems, or as a stand alone ECU and harness kit.
HP EFI FEATURES:
- Works with 4, 6, 8 cylinder engines
- Unique lb/hr based fueling strategy greatly simplify tuning
- Advanced idle, closed loop, and enrichment strategies allow for very stable operation
- ECU is fully potted and can be mounted in the engine compartment or interior
- Sealed automotive and marine grade connectors
- Allows for use of common OEM sensors as well as customer sensor calibration input
- Ignition Plug and Play with GM 24x and 58x LSx engines, GM HEI, Ford TFI, magnetic and hall effect trigger, and other ignition systems. New Plug and Play applications in process. Custom settings can be configured to allow many other applications.
- 1-5 Bar MAP sensor capability
- Two channel knock control sensor Inputs for both one or two wire knock sensors
- Dedicated fuel and oil pressure inputs
- Controls both stepper and PWM Idle Air Control (IAC) motors
- Speed density, Alpha-N, or combination fueling strategies
- 4 Programmable high or low Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) outputs and 4 fully configurable inputs can be configured for use with the following features:
- 4 Stage nitrous oxide control
- Fully featured nitrous control eliminates the need for a separate nitrous controller device
- Can be configured “Wet” or “Dry” with closed loop feedback
- Progressive control based on time, RPM, or boost, requires part # 554-111
- Lean or rich safety cutoff
- Full timing retard/control confi gurability per stage based on RPM or time
- Integrated Water/Methanol injection control
- Uses Holley Water/Meth solenoids specially designed and calibrated for use with this EFI system to allow the user to enter Water/Meth flow as a percentage of fuel injector flow for Water/Meth tuning precision unmatched in the industry
- Advanced idle, closed loop, and enrichment strategies
- Allows for two nozzles to be controlled
- Nozzles available from 400 to 1000 cc/min
- Complete control of pump activation and low system safety features
- Turbocharger boost control
- Fully featured boost control capability eliminates the need for a separate boost control device
- Can be configured to control boost based on time, gear, speed, and manual inputs
- Gear based boost control configurable by several different methods
- “Boost Builder” functions offer the ability to assist building boost on the starting line by altering ignition timing, fueling, as well as nitrous oxide activation. Also can be used as an anti-lag function
- User configurable input and output programming
- Outputs can be programmed as pulse width modulated or switched
- Unique circuitry allows inputs to be programmed as speed/frequency, 0-5V, 0-20V, thermistor, or switched high or low
- Configurable for: dual cooling fans, dual fuel pumps, AC inputs, basic TCC lockup, and multiple timing retard inputs and rev limiters
- Vehicle speed inputs
- User programmable caution and warning outputs for all sensors
[6]Fuel Learn Table Screen
The Dominator EFI Kit:
According to Tichenor “The Dominator is a feature rich system where users will only need one box instead of multiple boxes. Your imagination is the limit.” The top end of Holley’s new EFI systems which is usable across the board, from the bolt on and go mechanic to the hardcore laptop tuner. The Dominator EFI will handle any power adding device that you can throw at it and still allow the user to hone in the fuel curves with the user friendly but very sophisticated software programs. There are also enough inputs and outputs to allow the Dominator Vehicle Management System to serve as their own data acquisition and control module.
Dominator EFI Features include all the features of the HP EFI plus these additional features:
- Twelve sequentially driven 8:2 peak and hold injector drivers, capable of driving up to 24 low or high impedance injectors as a standard feature. Multiple staged injector strategies.
- Twelve channel Distributorless Ignition (DIS) outputs capable of directly driving “Smart” ignition coils or Holley DIS coils. Will drive 2 wire coils with the addition of PN 554-112 high current coil driver module
- Plug and Play control of factory GM 24x and 58x LSx engines
- Integrated electronic transmission control. Controls GM 4L60E and 4L80E transmissions with more to come in the future
- Integrated dual channel wide band oxygen sensor controls. Works with NTK or Bosch sensors. More channels can be added via CAN bus.
- Integrated drive by wire throttle body control. Can control two drive by wire throttle bodies
- 4 stage progressive nitrous control
- Turbo boost control
- Integrated water/methanol injection control
- Integrated “Data Acquisition and Control” allowed with massive amount of programmable inputs and outputs
- Internal data-logging standard with a huge 2GB of memory
- Self-tuning fuel table strategy makes for a simple tuning process
- Store and change between four calibrations
- Individual cylinder fuel and spark control allows you to unlock your engine’s potential
- Optional 5.7” full-color touchscreen LCD allows easy on-the-fly tuning, data-logging or can be used as an easy to see graphical gauge panel
[7]Fuel Acceleration Enrichment Screen
Final Word
The Holley EFI Avenger, HP and Dominator EFI systems will hit the market during the first quarter of 2010 so they should start showing up on the street and track by March. The guys at Holley are stressing that this system will be very reasonably priced, and based on what we have seen so far, these EFI kits will be on everyone’s “must have” list. The intelligent controller with the self learning capability makes this a tool for even the most novice EFI user.
We couldn’t have said it better than that. Looks like Holley has another award winning device to add to their long list of ground breaking fuel delivery components. We can’t wait to get our hands on these EFI systems and put them through a round of hammer down testing!
Additional Screen Shots are available below:
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