Fuel Injection - Early Bronco TBI

When speaking of four-wheeling, terms such as articulation, approach angle clearance, and suspension travel quickly become main points in the conversation. However, a vehicle's ability to conquer rough terrain is comprised of more than just suspension and tire size. Everyone understands the basic clearance issues, but what about the motor? Extreme angles can wreak havoc on a carburetor's ability to deliver fuel, and engine stumble isn't exactly desirable when you're in a sticky situation.

The answer is fuel injection, which is basically a computer-controlled, pressurized fuel delivery system that will not sputter and choke at elevation or at extreme angles. Pulling off that troublesome carburetor and converting to fuel injection will mean no more float bowls, better fuel economy, more low-end torque, better throttle response, and enhanced overall performance.

Early Bronco owners frequently have a difficult time trying to make the transition to fuel injection, so when we found out Turbo City has a universal TBI fuel injection system that works with the Bronco, we headed over to get the full story. Turbo City's fuel injection system is built around the GM '87-'95 throttle body setup and uses a coolant temp sensor, a Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor, and an O2 sensor to monitor the engine's vital signs and make any necessary adjustments to the fuel and timing for optimal performance.

The stand alone kit includes a new or refurbished throttle body, a wiring harness, all the necessary sensors, all the necessary modules, a computer, a custom programmed chip, and an intake manifold adapter for your application. The Turbo City universal TBI is available not only for the Bronco, but also for other Ford, Jeep, and Toyota applications. It is a true Speed Density system and uses all the beneficial parameters of open and closed loop fuel injection.

The GM TBI system has a long-standing reputation for being nearly bulletproof in terms of reliability and construction, and coupled with Turbo City's 20-plus years of experience with retro-fitting it to work with other vehicles, this is a fuel injection conversion that is easily installed and one that will make your vehicle run better than ever. After a couple of modifications were made to the computer program to make up for the performance cam, headers, and aftermarket intake in our 351 Windsor, the Bronco fired right up. Cold starts are now no problem, and the throttle response is excellent.

One word of caution, though. If you and your Bronco (or Jeep, Toyota, and so on) are in any way subject to the kind of smog laws we have here in California, this kit will not pass inspection. You will almost certainly have no trouble passing the tailpipe test, but when the official pops the hood to perform the visual inspection, he's going to say the TBI is not original equipment and therefore not legal. Never mind that the vehicle runs better and produces cleaner emissions than the stock vehicle ever did. If your rig was built before 1974, you are fully exempt. Otherwise, check your state laws.

On a final note, we want to acknowledge the Ford purists out there for whom the idea of GM parts on a Bronco is anathema. We understand. However, four-wheeling can be a demanding pastime, and it makes no allowances for faulty vehicle performance. Throttle-body injection adapts readily to any four-barrel intake, it's easy to find parts for, and most any shop that knows GM TBI fuel injection can tune it. So while bolting that GM throttle body to your pony may raise some hackles, take solace in the fact that your rig will run better than ever, no matter how steep the incline or how high the elevation.