K10 8.1L brain transplant MEFI-4 to P59 ECM

[DirtyLarry]

As many of you know I swapped in a 2002 Vortec 8.1L into a 1978 K10 over a year ago and have been running it on a marine style speed density Delphi MEFI-4 engine controller that batch fires the injectors similar to an old TPI 350 but with big block fuel and spark calibrations. While the MEFI-4 controller has served me fine, I was never really able to get the calibrations nailed down to a science where the engine would run perfectly in every heat, load, and altitude variance. We took it on a 2,000 mile desert off-roading trip this past summer where it pinged and jerked like crazy when pulling steep grades in the hot temperatures. If I lived in Phoenix or Cali where there are a lot of experienced MEFI tuners with access to wide band oxygen sensors and dynos that would be a different story but doing the calibrations on my own…it is obvious I needed to look at alternatives as I will never get this thing programmed correctly on my own. Outside of driving it to Phoenix for AZ Speed and Marine to tune I decided to ditch the MEFI-4 operating system all together.

That all said, I am converting it over to an automotive style mass air flow sequential injected Delphi P59 ECM like what is on 2001-2007 8.1L Silverado's. I mounted the ECM yesterday and once I took the desired trunk measurements I ordered a new harness from Howell Engine Development this morning. Howell can calibrate the ECM to accommodate the manual cable operated throttle body unlike the drive by wire system the stock 8.1L engines use and save me the hassle of retrofitting the drive by wire throttle pedal assembly, they can also turn off Torque Management and give it a mild hot tune. I can’t wait to get the harness and start ripping into this project again. Sound be fun!

A few buddys and I are making the last mountain run on this MEFI-4 controller to play in the snow this Friday. The next trip this thing should have an all new personality and a heck of a lot more power!

Yes, the engine is dirty...it never got a full on detail after we got back from Arizona. Had to move the Painless dual battery isolator forward to make room for the P59 controller.