Re: [FWDLK] 58 Dodge Bendix EFI

[jlsavard@xxxx]

In a message dated 12/22/2003 4:26:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
pontiac@xxxx writes:
This makes me curious - can someone explain how the Bendix EFI unit worked
(okay, given they were recalled, how it was intended to operate) without
writing a book on the subject? 
OK, here I go...... And please pardon the cross-post to C300 Club members.
For reference, see the excellent photos at the noted website.

http://www.chrysler300club.com/jhstuff/fuelie/fuelie.html

They were controlled by a "solid state" unit which was mounted in front of 
the radiator shell for cooling. This unit was in the direct airstream to 
receive maximum airflow. It also received rain, snow, sleet, salt and bugs! All 
sensor input (temperature, atmospheric pressure, engine speed, etc.) was fed 
into this unit which determined just how long each (Fixed orifice) injector unit 
had to stay open to achieve a proper fuel/air ratio. This information was 
then fed to a second distributor unit (see Photo, mounted beside the 
distributor.) which routed the pulses to the injector units. This unit was geared to the 
distributor drive.

Fuel was supplied by an electric pump mounted in the gas tank. It constantly 
recirculated at a pressure of 30 psi., and the left-overs were returned to 
the fuel tank. The fuel supply pipes mounted on the engine are a complete 
circle fed from both ends in order to not starve injectors at the "End of the 
line". Fuel was injected into the manifold at the intake valve, not into the 
combustion chamber.

Two large twin-valve throttle bodies controlled airflow much as the 
carburetors used to do.

At that time, Chrysler Engineering was organized into many separate "Labs". 
We (mechanics and technicians) were rigidly unionized and thus required a 
loose cooperation between the electronics and the fuel systems labs. We did all 
the hardware stuff and a technician from the electronics lab worked on the 
"Black Box". I had the great good fortune to be the mechanic assigned by the fuel 
systems lab to these units from the beginning, since I'd also built and 
tested the MECHANICAL system Chrysler built. (Didn't know about that one, did 
you?!) I even got to drive one to Colorado, then Texas and back.


Joe Savard
Lake Orion, MI USA


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]