CAN'T DECIDE ON WHAT TO DO

lil l · Apr 15, 2011

I'm going to swap my 302HO and having a 347 stroker built. My problem is that I don't know if I should keep it fuel injected or go to carburator. I thinking that the carburator route will be less things I would have to worry about having problems with once everything is dialed in. The enginne builder seems to think that since it is fuel injected, I should keep it that way. I would like to hear from the people that have done this and the pros and cons of each. This car will be a weekend cruiser and see the track every once in a while.

GroverDill · Apr 15, 2011

My rule is simple.

converting carb to EFI is way cool.
converting EFI to carb is way lame.

CarMichael Angelo · Apr 15, 2011

GroverDill said:
My rule is simple.

converting carb to EFI is way cool.
converting EFI to carb is way lame.

Don't forget to add the "IMO" to your statements, so that people that don't agree w/ you won't take offense.

The carb/efi thing has been hashed out about a dozen times since I have been on this board (and that's only been about a year) I'll add my .02 as an avocate for the carb.

1. It'll require that you change over more than your injectors. Pump, regulator, and pick-up will have to be changed as well.
2. Trying to regulate your F/I pump down to carb pressure can be done, but on this forum, it will get frowned upon as a "flirt w/ disaster".
3. A carb will require that you "tune" it depending on where you live,(altitude) and how your engine demand and driving style require. EFI self tunes and doesn't need your intervention (for the most part)
4. A carb is alot cleaner (wiring-wise) and you'll be able to eliminate a bunch of junk cluttering up your engine compartment.
5. On a 5.0, you can get an intake manifold to accommodate 1,2,3, or 4 carburetors depending on your need for self punishment and your desire for "Oooooooohhhhh" factor when you lift the hood.

EFI is already on your car that = simple.

A carb will require all of the above, will get you shunned, if not stoned by the non-carb EFI huggers, (definitely considered "lame") and will cost you more to convert it. If you've never messed w/ one before, they (like a woman) require a certain amount of maintenance to remain "perfect" and that might not always be possible.
That = not simple.

I have one. It fits w/ what I'm trying to do, AND...I'm not lame (well except for my eye,...it's kinda lame).

Cobra912 · Apr 15, 2011

be prepared to spend some cash if you are staying EFI

IMO

RacEoHolic330 · Apr 15, 2011

If you do not have a lot of experience with carburetion and/or you are not building a race car, I would shy away from a carbed engine. If you know your way around a carb and you don't mind having to tinker based on the weather as well as other factors, then it's worth considering.

If you have a running EFI setup currently, why mess with it? An N/A 347 is easy to get running real smooth with the stock computer.

RacEoHolic330 · Apr 15, 2011

Cobra912 said:
be prepared to spend some cash

IMO

Fixed

lil l · Apr 15, 2011

Thanks guys, it sounds like i need to keep the fuel injection.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 16, 2011

It never gets old hearing people bash carb setups. Those are usually the guys at the track who can't believe my car is faster than theirs after they spent a grand on an intake/throttle body/injectors/CAI. People are so funny...in '86 the whole Ford world fell apart and said "OMG performance is dead! EFI killed it!" and now people are saying "oh stay away from carbs they don't work, they only work on race cars, they suck in inclement weather, they're hard to tune blah blah blah".

In '86 = nobody knew jack about EFI, so people bashed it.

In '11 = nobody knows jack about carbs anymore, so people bash them.

People fear what they don't understand.

1bad67sbf · Apr 16, 2011

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
It never gets old hearing people bash carb setups. Those are usually the guys at the track who can't believe my car is faster than theirs after they spent a grand on an intake/throttle body/injectors/CAI. People are so funny...in '86 the whole Ford world fell apart and said "OMG performance is dead! EFI killed it!" and now people are saying "oh stay away from carbs they don't work, they only work on race cars, they suck in inclement weather, they're hard to tune blah blah blah".

In '86 = nobody knew jack about EFI, so people bashed it.

In '11 = nobody knows jack about carbs anymore, so people bash them.

People fear what they don't understand.

+1 carbs are bad ass and easy to work on compaired to hunting down a efi issue but for some people they feel alot more at home with a wiring diagram and efi

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 16, 2011

Well, depending on what you know either one can be just as big of a headache, i was just pointing out how times have changed and general knowledge changes. I know personally i feel like i'm chasing my tail when i work on EFI issues, i'm sure some guys feel the same trying to figure out carb issues. Both require some dedication if you want to learn the ins and outs, but it's a shame that people are so quick to cut down carb setups.

I've gone out and fired up my chokeless, single plain intake, cammed out 347 in the middle of winter after sitting for a month without being started, and it fires up after pumping the gas twice. Granted, it doesn't idle so great until it's warmed up, but that's to be expected with a chokeless carb.

1991notchbackLX · Apr 16, 2011

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
It never gets old hearing people bash carb setups. Those are usually the guys at the track who can't believe my car is faster than theirs after they spent a grand on an intake/throttle body/injectors/CAI. People are so funny...in '86 the whole Ford world fell apart and said "OMG performance is dead! EFI killed it!" and now people are saying "oh stay away from carbs they don't work, they only work on race cars, they suck in inclement weather, they're hard to tune blah blah blah".

In '86 = nobody knew jack about EFI, so people bashed it.

In '11 = nobody knows jack about carbs anymore, so people bash them.

People fear what they don't understand.

I agree with you 100%. This post is perfect.

CarMichael Angelo · Apr 16, 2011

1991notchbackLX said:
I agree with you 100%. This post is perfect.

As do I, I tried to carry the torch for carburetors several threads back, but got poked in the eye so many times by an EFI guy, I threw in the towel and gave up trying.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 16, 2011

Well, i'm a carb guy but i have no problem saying that EFI is superior in every way, from a technical standpoint. That said, unless you DD your Mustang, or you have a crazy big cam, a properly tuned carb setup gives up nothing to EFI except a bit of mpg. People forget that before the '80s pretty much every car on the street had a carb under the hood and everyone drove them year around and you know people weren't out there changing jets in their big boat '70s cars, nobody did jack crap and they ran just fine.

If i were building a car from scratch, it would probably come down to what my intended use of the car was going to be. If it was already EFI and i just wanted a bolt on fun car, i'd probably leave it EFI. If i were building a street/strip car, if it's all motor it would probably be carbed, turbo/blower i'd probably stick with EFI because i like a computer tune when it comes to forced induction.

Carbs are also generally way less expensive...but also that depends on how serious you get. I have a $630 carb sitting in a box waiting to go on a $250 intake...which pretty much covers a big chunk of the top end of an EFI upgrade. I didn't NEED an expensive carb, i just wanted one, and i did get the intake used for $100.

In the end, they're both good, just different. Both have pros and cons, neither of which you should believe 100% unless you've ran one or both and see it first hand.

Oh, and a random tidbit....i have a Chevy buddy with an '85 S10, running a 750 Holley that has been on the engine over 5 years and has NEVER been rebuilt, taken off, or even so much as had carb cleaner sprayed on it and this truck runs balls out. It's filthy as sin on the outside but amazingly enough it runs fantastic so he just leaves it alone until that changes.

HotFox · Apr 16, 2011

I love my carb on my 92 street/strip car. The PO converted it and well I think that when he put it up for sale a lot of people turned their noses up at it. Which was good for me! As these cars age they are going to be harder to keep the OEM system in good working order especially on a high HP engine. Even if my car was still EFI today with over 400hp I would strongly consider an aftermarket EFI system such as Mega Squirt over dumping more $ in to the OEM system.

Just my opinion!
Scott

smokin joe · Apr 17, 2011

For my cars...

93 LX 5.0 will stay EFI

68 Caddy will stay Carb

Then again I am not as mechanically talented as others on this site.

FastDriver · Apr 17, 2011

I like what I can do with an aftermarket EFI system. Pretty amazing control over the entire RPM band, but then again, you could by 10 carbs for the price of my EFI system.

lil l · Apr 17, 2011

Man you guys are blowing my mind. I'm not so mechanically inclined either. I just want my car to be clean and fast. The engine will be a 347 stroker for sure but some engine builders in my area are telling me it's cheaper to stay efi and some are saying it's cheaper to carb it. My car will be a weekend and some weekday driver. I live in SC and i'm thinking a carb would do just fine and it will look alot cleaner and neater in the engine bay. I'm leaning more and more toward carb unless there is going to be a serious issue with expenses. Man this stuff is crazy.

LarsD · Apr 19, 2011

I'm building an EFI 347 right now and I doubt it is cheaper then a carb setup. Course I have a couple of rides with carbs, and they run great, but since I drive my 91 a lot I would prefer to have the EFI for mileage and ease of use once it is setup.

CAN'T DECIDE ON WHAT TO DO

lil l

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GroverDill

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CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Cobra912

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RacEoHolic330

I like to dress like a pretty girl

RacEoHolic330

I like to dress like a pretty girl

lil l

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85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

1bad67sbf

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85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

1991notchbackLX

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CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

HotFox

smokin joe

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

lil l

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LarsD

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