Thread: MSD Atomic EFI

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I just got the MSD Atomic EFI for my 50 Ply wagon. I will let everyone know how it works and if it as easy as they say to hook up.
I am just getting the final wiring done in the car and have not fired the motor. The motor is fresh and am planning on firing it with a Holley carb to break it in and then convert it over to the EFI.
It has been a long road and am finally seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

Anxious to hear how the new engine, and eventually the EFI works out!!! Just curious, any big reasons you chose the MSD unit over the FAST unit? Trying to figure out what (if any) the advantages/disadvantages of either unit!

X2! Can't wait for a real honest report, I think so many of the results I read are more like a sales pitch!!!

I saw this previewed at SEMA in 2011 when I was there with my business. I also talked to FAST and Holley. Their systems are very good but what I liked about MSD was the lack of wiring needed to be hooked up. The body of the EFI has the MAP & MAS along with the throttle position sensor built in.
MSD says you can run the system without running a return line for fuel. That was also a selling point. BUT!!! after reading up on the Atomic efi site, I found that you can have cavitation bubble occur in the line if you run with no return.
As I was building the car, I already knew I was going to go to FI down the road but didn't know which one at the time. So when I had the new gas tank made I had an extra bung welded in for a return and also welded brackets on the frame for a return.
I also went on youtube to watch Steve Maganante do the change from a carb to MSD to see what I will have to do.
Lastly..........I have had much good luck with MSD thru the years and have their starter, distributor and coil on the car now so I figured stick with a company that has been so good so far.

Mike (34_40) said it - most of what I've seen except for on their ATOMIC forum seems to be hype. Once I figure out my engine internal problem and if not too expensive and have $$ left, would like to go with the throttle body type EFI, with MSD being top of the list. I have and am happy with the full MSD ignition, the starter being the Ford hipo and the alt a Powermaster, being that MSD hadn't yet branched out when I built the car.

I'm curious if a bladder type or similar accumulator would dampen the pulsing and potential cavitation. MSD 'requires' you to run their neoprene line instead of a hard line and if you don't meet their number criteria, then you should run a return line. It's getting space limited under the '31 - trying to keep parts away from hanging, hot or rotating parts without going outside of the frame rails. Adding another line might be a routing problem. Within the next week or so I should know what will be happening money and work wise for the car.

Please let us know SOON, how that system works

I suspect if you saw it at the 2011 SEMA then you might have talked to my buddy Jim Shelton, he has the burgundy '32 roadster that was in their outside booth. His was one of the cars used for pre-production testing. He doesn't work for MSD, they just knew him. Why Jim's car? Cause he drives it. He put over 9k miles on it in a single (albeit long) trip last summer. I'd say he has close to 12k miles on the injection setup, maybe a bit more.................and he loves it! (As an aside, he's put almost 100k miles on it in the nearly ten years it's been on the road) He has had the return line since initial install. After MSD released it for general market they did do a small update for his unit, otherwise it's gone untouched. A couple other features that struck me positively is the minimal wiring harness that looks very clean, and the supplied tuning module that eliminates the need to link in a laptop.

As far as using flexible hose over hard line............after talking with MSD, they said as long as the hose is good for over 50 PSI you can use it. I saw a hemi a guy had plumbed with braided stainless line and it was not a problem.
I was told any line that is for fuel and can handle up to and over 70PSI will work. And you only need to have the higher pressure line from the fuel pump up to the EFI. From the tank to the filter, it can be a lower pressure. I already had Aeroquip line that will handle 400PSI so I guess I am ok.The master kit comes with Aeroquip line that you can use with the push lok fittings. The push loks do not come with it tho.