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EFII vs SDS

They are actually different

Hello Stoney,

I spent time talking with both companies before going with SDS.

EFii specializes in a turnkey version of the SDS computer. EFii installs the magnets in the flywheel and welds the injectors in the intakes and does the complete wiring harness for you. However, all capabilities of the computer are not available. I choose not to list the capability differences because my information is a year old. Do not assume Robert merely purchases a computer from Ross and the systems are identical. Robert has chosen many sensors, mounts, and fuel pump designs to meet his requirements.

SDSefi sells you all the components to include a jig to install the magnets, a wiring harness to your specifications and no need to weld in the injectors because they developed injectors that use the ports above the intake valves.
There are very useful computer features that were not available on EFii a year ago, but I can't guarantee they are still unavailable. Ross did offer to install the magnets for me, but I decided to use his supplied jig and it is very easy to do. He supplies the instructions, jig, drill bit, tap, allen plug and magnets. The only thing you add is a small bit of epoxy. When I say the components are very complete I mean VERY complete. I had to cut down a socket to install one component then later found that Ross had included the cut down socket in the box. Everything you need is included.

Customer service - both companies are very active. Robert answered every email and phone call rapidly. Ross or Barry would return emails I was merely putting in the que for normal business hour response. Both companies understand homebuilders work on weekends.

With that said, I went with SDSefi and am very glad I did. I suspect many EFii owners are equally happy. It is a tremendous amount of information to comprehend with variable fuel input and variable timing, but the factory support is amazing.

The first time you push the start button it is all worth the learning. It starts instantly and purrs.
 
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I'm sure everyone has their favorite, but is there a reason one is better than the other?

There are certainly differences between the offerings, but how that translates to "better" is for you to decide. Define your requirements, do your homework and make the choice.

The primary absolute "better" is that as SDS created the "magic" that makes it all work. While Robert's customer service is top notch, he's still a middleman with regards to the brains of the system so I see an advantage to having a direct link to Ross and Barry (and with unparalleled customer service, to boot).
 
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EFII for me

I picked the EFII system for two reasons:

1) Someone much more knowledgeable than me did his homework (Robert) and made all the hard choices for me.

2) The fuel rail on a normal SDS system ends at the injector. The EFII system is a full loop. So the chances of vapor lock with the EFII system is very low (I would say zero, but this is VAF).

If you are building and can put in return lines, make the effort up front, and you will have a turn key system that just works, and works well.
 
2) The fuel rail on a normal SDS system ends at the injector. The EFII system is a full loop. So the chances of vapor lock with the EFII system is very low (I would say zero, but this is VAF).

Vapor lock is a failure to pump fuel. Here both systems use dual electric pumps, preferably in the cool zone behind the firewall, so the chance of vapor lock is essentially zero with either choice.
 
2) The fuel rail on a normal SDS system ends at the injector. The EFII system is a full loop. So the chances of vapor lock with the EFII system is very low (I would say zero, but this is VAF)....

And just to clarify, both systems are full loop, recirculating systems, but the typical SDS kit features "deadhead" injector feeds off a central manifold.

I was concerned about the heat build up of deadhead injectors too, so I had Ross make me a set of dual port injector bodies to accommodate a "full loop". As it turns out it was a concern without merit... the SDS direct mount injectors run cooler than the intake tube versions, and with 50 PSI sitting in those lines running or at rest, there's no vapor concern. Bottom line is that I'm going to run my fancy dual port bodies deadhead - just the way Ross designed them.
 
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