***carb-or-fi***
06-06-2007, 07:56 PM
#12
many guys get by and do well with carbs but it would have to be easier and more reliable running fuel injection especialy for driveability stuff. tuning for idle, part throttle and wot along with tuning for diferent boost levels is just a few clicks away. once it is tuned you can get rid of the lap top and the ecu takes care of changing elevations, weather and boost levels. thats prety hard to beat.
some people just love their carbs. the only reason to go with a carb is if your a hard core carb guy and just really want to run a carb. the cost diferece between a carb and fuel injection is minimal when compared to the cost of the rest of your set up.
some people just love their carbs. the only reason to go with a carb is if your a hard core carb guy and just really want to run a carb. the cost diferece between a carb and fuel injection is minimal when compared to the cost of the rest of your set up.
06-06-2007, 08:32 PM
#13
It is about $2000.00 cheeper to go with the carb. I have alot of experience with carbs, and very little with EFI. But it is probably time I learn how to tune EFI. Would the carb have some cooling affect on the IAT? This will be my first experience with Forced induction. Everything I have done has been NA. I appreciate the feedback. 
06-06-2007, 10:20 PM
#14
Originally Posted by stock48
It is about $2000.00 cheeper to go with the carb. I have alot of experience with carbs, and very little with EFI. But it is probably time I learn how to tune EFI. Would the carb have some cooling affect on the IAT? This will be my first experience with Forced induction. Everything I have done has been NA. I appreciate the feedback.
either set up will need
fuel lines
fuel pump
fuel regulator
fuel filters
intake
air filter
charge pipes
wont need a carb and i thought those things were around $800 but you will need to add
injectors $400
computer with harness $400
rails and a few fittings $300?
throttle body, something used like a 78mm off of a truck would be fine for $50?
adapter plate for the tb to intake, have to make one or buy a more expensive tb that will bolt to the intake. figure $50 for that. i would just make one out of a piece of 3/8" aluminum.
a few sensors, pigtails, $50
figure a day to wire it all up but save a ton of time when it comes to tuning it.
the way i see it the cost would be less than $500 more but that is asuming you are starting from scratch with both set ups.
the old carb vs fi debate is kind of a hot topic. kinda like a motor oil thread. very strong feelings for both camps. i never did learn how to properly tune a carb and the day fuel injection became easy for the masses to fiddle with was when i starting having hotrods that actualy ran good all the time.
06-06-2007, 11:48 PM
#15
Originally Posted by parish8
how much is that carb you are buying? if you are geting it real cheap then i could see $2k but if you have to buy a new one aren't those things expensive?
either set up will need
fuel lines
fuel pump
fuel regulator
fuel filters
intake
air filter
charge pipes
wont need a carb and i thought those things were around $800 but you will need to add
injectors $400
computer with harness $400
rails and a few fittings $300?
throttle body, something used like a 78mm off of a truck would be fine for $50?
adapter plate for the tb to intake, have to make one or buy a more expensive tb that will bolt to the intake. figure $50 for that. i would just make one out of a piece of 3/8" aluminum.
a few sensors, pigtails, $50
figure a day to wire it all up but save a ton of time when it comes to tuning it.
the way i see it the cost would be less than $500 more but that is asuming you are starting from scratch with both set ups.
the old carb vs fi debate is kind of a hot topic. kinda like a motor oil thread. very strong feelings for both camps. i never did learn how to properly tune a carb and the day fuel injection became easy for the masses to fiddle with was when i starting having hotrods that actualy ran good all the time.
either set up will need
fuel lines
fuel pump
fuel regulator
fuel filters
intake
air filter
charge pipes
wont need a carb and i thought those things were around $800 but you will need to add
injectors $400
computer with harness $400
rails and a few fittings $300?
throttle body, something used like a 78mm off of a truck would be fine for $50?
adapter plate for the tb to intake, have to make one or buy a more expensive tb that will bolt to the intake. figure $50 for that. i would just make one out of a piece of 3/8" aluminum.
a few sensors, pigtails, $50
figure a day to wire it all up but save a ton of time when it comes to tuning it.
the way i see it the cost would be less than $500 more but that is asuming you are starting from scratch with both set ups.
the old carb vs fi debate is kind of a hot topic. kinda like a motor oil thread. very strong feelings for both camps. i never did learn how to properly tune a carb and the day fuel injection became easy for the masses to fiddle with was when i starting having hotrods that actualy ran good all the time.
06-07-2007, 06:20 AM
#16
no point in trying to use a stock ls1 computer on something that isn't an ls1. nothing to gain there.
i was refering to a megasquirt wich is a budget computer. it is what i run on my truck and on our fairmont project. fast and bs3 would work good as well but cost more. there is also the computer from spectre that is kind of a copy of megasquirt but with all the features soldered in for you and in a nice prety case. seems like it is around $700.
do you have any local help if you go with fuel injection? it isn't too tuff but if your on your own and dont know much about it you might have a hard time, kind of a steep learning curve if you dont have any help.
i was refering to a megasquirt wich is a budget computer. it is what i run on my truck and on our fairmont project. fast and bs3 would work good as well but cost more. there is also the computer from spectre that is kind of a copy of megasquirt but with all the features soldered in for you and in a nice prety case. seems like it is around $700.
do you have any local help if you go with fuel injection? it isn't too tuff but if your on your own and dont know much about it you might have a hard time, kind of a steep learning curve if you dont have any help.
06-07-2007, 07:58 AM
#17
Originally Posted by parish8
no point in trying to use a stock ls1 computer on something that isn't an ls1. nothing to gain there.
i was refering to a megasquirt wich is a budget computer. it is what i run on my truck and on our fairmont project. fast and bs3 would work good as well but cost more. there is also the computer from spectre that is kind of a copy of megasquirt but with all the features soldered in for you and in a nice prety case. seems like it is around $700.
do you have any local help if you go with fuel injection? it isn't too tuff but if your on your own and dont know much about it you might have a hard time, kind of a steep learning curve if you dont have any help.
i was refering to a megasquirt wich is a budget computer. it is what i run on my truck and on our fairmont project. fast and bs3 would work good as well but cost more. there is also the computer from spectre that is kind of a copy of megasquirt but with all the features soldered in for you and in a nice prety case. seems like it is around $700.
do you have any local help if you go with fuel injection? it isn't too tuff but if your on your own and dont know much about it you might have a hard time, kind of a steep learning curve if you dont have any help.
I fugure I'll have to have someone get me close, and I'll screw it up from there.
06-07-2007, 09:43 AM
#19
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If you can properly tune a carb, then EFI should be a walk in the park for you. All the cocepts are the same, but instead of changing air bleeds, jets and adjusting screws and springs, your changing numbers in cells. I have an HP carb on my Camaro and they leave much to be desired in factory form. I've had mine worked over by a guy here in town that helped develop the HP and it's still not as good as EFI IMO.
In my experience with tuning my carb, it'll either run great on the street, and make ok power. Or it will run ok on the street and make great power. With EFI you can get great drivability with great power. Don't even get me started on double pumpers and gas mileage.
Carbs and FI is nothing new, but it's going to cost you more than $50 to properly convert that carb to live with FI. A good flowing carb hat that doesn't starve the secondaries is at least 150-200. A fully enclosed carb is even better and they cost even more.
You're still going to need a wideband to properly tune a carb too, so it's not like you'll save anything on an 02 sensor.
I vote EFI.
In my experience with tuning my carb, it'll either run great on the street, and make ok power. Or it will run ok on the street and make great power. With EFI you can get great drivability with great power. Don't even get me started on double pumpers and gas mileage.
Carbs and FI is nothing new, but it's going to cost you more than $50 to properly convert that carb to live with FI. A good flowing carb hat that doesn't starve the secondaries is at least 150-200. A fully enclosed carb is even better and they cost even more. You're still going to need a wideband to properly tune a carb too, so it's not like you'll save anything on an 02 sensor.
I vote EFI.
06-07-2007, 10:03 AM
#20
Originally Posted by vanillagorilla
If you can properly tune a carb, then EFI should be a walk in the park for you. All the cocepts are the same, but instead of changing air bleeds, jets and adjusting screws and springs, your changing numbers in cells. I have an HP carb on my Camaro and they leave much to be desired in factory form. I've had mine worked over by a guy here in town that helped develop the HP and it's still not as good as EFI IMO.
In my experience with tuning my carb, it'll either run great on the street, and make ok power. Or it will run ok on the street and make great power. With EFI you can get great drivability with great power. Don't even get me started on double pumpers and gas mileage. Carbs and FI is nothing new, but it's going to cost you more than $50 to properly convert that carb to live with FI. A good flowing carb hat that doesn't starve the secondaries is at least 150-200. A fully enclosed carb is even better and they cost even more.
You're still going to need a wideband to properly tune a carb too, so it's not like you'll save anything on an 02 sensor.
I vote EFI.
In my experience with tuning my carb, it'll either run great on the street, and make ok power. Or it will run ok on the street and make great power. With EFI you can get great drivability with great power. Don't even get me started on double pumpers and gas mileage.
Carbs and FI is nothing new, but it's going to cost you more than $50 to properly convert that carb to live with FI. A good flowing carb hat that doesn't starve the secondaries is at least 150-200. A fully enclosed carb is even better and they cost even more. You're still going to need a wideband to properly tune a carb too, so it's not like you'll save anything on an 02 sensor.
I vote EFI.
I forgot about that. Thanks again guys for the input!