MSD Atomic F/I

mark dupont

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Location
Mooresville, NC
Anyone have any experience with the MSD Atomic F/I kits? I'm building a Scrambler and installing an LS 5.3l that KT Engine built for me. I shared the engine specs with a buddy (Chuck Mallett, LS transplant guru) and he advised going with the kit because it would be too expensive to build a program
 
I'm not understanding. Are you saying that you want to use a self-learning efi system so you dont have to pay someone to modify/scale the OEM ECU program and then get a dyno tune?
 
Fabrik8 said:
I'm not understanding. Are you saying that you want to use a self-learning efi system so you dont have to pay someone to modify/scale the OEM ECU program and then get a dyno tune?
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That's what I was gathering also. A tune is going to be cheaper than an EFI system
 
You'll be looking at $2000-2500 for the atomic efi, and then a carb manifold because the atomic efi is a 4150 flange TBI unit, plus whatever other minor costs and parts for the install.
If you do want self-learning and have all of the OEM manifold, injectors, harness, etc, there may be better choices out there for an aftermarket ECU. You can do a lot of tuning with the OEM ECU before approaching the cost of an aftermarket efi system.

You might want to go talk to the guys at PCM (Mooresville) to get a tuning quote before making you decision. They specialize in LS tuning.
PCM Tuning, GM Performance

Else there's some self-learning aftermarket ECUs (Holley Terminator,etc.) that can be used with the stock manifold, injectors, etc.

I'm just puzzled about why retrofitting a TBI system was suggested..?
 
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Response to all:
the MSD kit is the one with the ECU built into the fuel rails.
Yes I do have a harness & ECU from an 06 Silverado however... as I've been told the cam I've chosen presents a challenge to the OEM ECU, apparently I'll be on the fringes of the units "expandable range". Engine builder predicts the motor will produce 450hp, 475ftlb.
I'll have to run premium fuel and he suggested I dump 2 quarts of race gas in the tank while in playing in the rocks.
I'm not a go fast junkie however my build criteria is this: grocery getter, rock crawler, drive back and forth to New Hampshire (wheeling) have plenty of power to move 37's/40's Scrambler on steroids. I'd also like to consider doing the "Every Mans Race" at the Hammers. I have a few New England buddies that race the Hammers (Lucas Murphy) and one of my oldest friends (Curt LeDuc) lives close to Johnson Valley and runs KOH occasionally.
 
I have played with the MSD atomic systems, the F/I and the trans controllers and have had nothing but issues (and their technical service dept sucks). If you are running an LS platform you should be able to run a factory style harness and ECM on any motor from mild to wild with a dyno tune and have MUUUCH better results than the MSD setup. As long as you get someone good to tune the ECM (PCM of NC in Mooresville can do it) you will be better off. I have run and used many different aftermarket fuel injection systems and not one of them performs as smoothly or reliably as the factory setups. The aftermarkets are usually easier for the end user to modify and change, but a good dyno/street tune on a factory ecm will leave the end user with nothing to mess with. Until you start getting into the 1000+hp range you don't have to worry about the factory setups, there is more adjustability and accuracy in the factory ecm then any of the common aftermarket systems.
 
mark dupont said:
Response to all:
the MSD kit is the one with the ECU built into the fuel rails.
Yes I do have a harness & ECU from an 06 Silverado however... as I've been told the cam I've chosen presents a challenge to the OEM ECU, apparently I'll be on the fringes of the units "expandable range". Engine builder predicts the motor will produce 450hp, 475ftlb.
I'll have to run premium fuel and he suggested I dump 2 quarts of race gas in the tank while in playing in the rocks.
I'm not a go fast junkie however my build criteria is this: grocery getter, rock crawler, drive back and forth to New Hampshire (wheeling) have plenty of power to move 37's/40's Scrambler on steroids. I'd also like to consider doing the "Every Mans Race" at the Hammers. I have a few New England buddies that race the Hammers (Lucas Murphy) and one of my oldest friends (Curt LeDuc) lives close to Johnson Valley and runs KOH occasionally.
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There are lsx motors making far more power running stock style components. A wideband O2 sensor will tell a tuner all they need.
NC-V said:
I have played with the MSD atomic systems, the F/I and the trans controllers and have had nothing but issues (and their technical service dept sucks). If you are running an LS platform you should be able to run a factory style harness and ECM on any motor from mild to wild with a dyno tune and have MUUUCH better results than the MSD setup. As long as you get someone good to tune the ECM (PCM of NC in Mooresville can do it) you will be better off. I have run and used many different aftermarket fuel injection systems and not one of them performs as smoothly or reliably as the factory setups. The aftermarkets are usually easier for the end user to modify and change, but a good dyno/street tune on a factory ecm will leave the end user with nothing to mess with. Until you start getting into the 1000+hp range you don't have to worry about the factory setups, there is more adjustability and accuracy in the factory ecm then any of the common aftermarket systems.
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X2. Tru Dyno Sports in Conover can also program & tune it on a wheel dyno for you also.
 
Guys, I appreciate your input.... looks like OEM is the no-brainer, I was always under the impression that tuners, programming and dyno time was far more spendy then an aftermarket solution. Thanks!
 
mark dupont said:
Guys, I appreciate your input.... looks like OEM is the no-brainer, I was always under the impression that tuners, programming and dyno time was far more spendy then an aftermarket solution. Thanks!
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Just talk to some tuners and tell them your mods, they'll tell you if there are any problems with that and what you might expect for tuning cost. It never hurts to explore options instead of writing them off because of an assumption; you might get a pleasant surprise.
 
An aggressive cam/heads tune will run no more than $5-550 at a reputable shop (some places less, but PCMofNC will be about that and you won't have to worry about anything unless you make changes the the motor). Start dealing with lots of boost or N2O and it will go up from there.
 
NC-V said:
An aggressive cam/heads tune will run no more than $5-550 at a reputable shop (some places less, but PCMofNC will be about that and you won't have to worry about anything unless you make changes the the motor). Start dealing with lots of boost or N2O and it will go up from there.
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Find a good tuner and the cost is worth every penny.
 
Again, thanks for all your input. Been building and crawlin' for about 40 years... TBI was simple enough to figure out, but these newfangled internal combustion gizmos take a bit more thought. After 40 years of desert racing my good buddy Curt LeDuc is finally leaving carbs in the dust. Guess if that old Yankee fawker can do it why can't I?
 
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