carburator or fuel injection debate.

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Butch67

Butch67

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Port Hope, Ont,
It's been about 2 years along in the 71 dart build, but I have a budget issue now. This hasn't been a non-budget build but it has been a wait and save to get the parts I want project. I have moved springs in, mini-tubbed, built and shortened 8 3/4 rear, new ralley dash, replaced fire wall, rear disk brakes, new rims and tires, carpet and lots of other little things along the way.

SO the question is???
I bought a FAST fuel injection 2.0 system about 18 months ago. (approx 2700$ cdn)
FAST 30227-KIT - FAST EZ-EFI Self-Tuning Fuel Injection Systems

I finially got the motor finished 2 weeks ago and on the dyno last wednesday. The motor is completely new build, pistons, RPM heads, RPM intake, H-beam rods, Comp cam, solid lifters, roller rockers, balanced forged crank etc.
The break-in and dyno runs were done with a 830 cmf carb because we wanted to make sure the motor fired right away for the initial breakin of everything.
Best we could manage was 508hp @ 5800 and 551 tq @ 3750 all on the carb.

I now have a budget to finish the rest of the car, because of work changes and other life adjustments for lack of better words. It may take another year or 2 unless I change some of the idea's I was planning to do.

Do I sell the fuel injection system and buy a carb for this motor freeing up a good chunk of money? or just wait a little longer to complete the rest of the jobs left to get the car finished?

If selling the carb is the best way? What would you recommend and what would this fuel injection system still be worth? It's a complete package still in the box.

Thanks, :coffee2:
 
Nothing like a turd on some ice cream. Keep the efi.
 
Butch67 said:
Do I sell the fuel injection system and buy a carb for this motor freeing up a good chunk of money? or just wait a little longer to complete :
Click to expand...

New in the box or not you are gonna take a gigantic bath on that financially.

RustyRatRod said:
I like carburetors.
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I do / did too. Fighting with vapor lock has changed things. "We are never going back" to real gasoline, and from now on, carbs are going to be more and more scarce and harder to get parts for.


I say you have spent the money. I don't have experience with FAST but lots of guys seem to like the system.
 
I like carburetors too, but if I already had the EFI bought and sitting, that's what I would use. You WONT regret it.... like was said, gasoline will never be as good as it used to be, and its probally gonna get worse.
 
I'd stay with the efi also. You can't beat the difference in drivability. What some people don't realize is how much longer the engine will last also since it burns so much cleaner.
 
Thanks all,
Looks like I may not be driving this car until next year then!!!
It has come along very nicely, but as the drive train gets all finished up it is getting really hard not to button it up quick just to getting her on the road.

71swing. What are you running for a FAST EFI? Are you having any issues? Do you have any tips for when I install this system? Thanks,
 
KitCarlson said:
Once EFI, you will never go back to carbs.
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Not true. I've had EFI on three different hot rods. I still like carburetors better. With a good return system and the carburetor properly shielded from heat, you can approach the drivability of EFI. I want something that I can work on and understand without having to go back to school. I have more important things to spend time on.

A carburetor is a siphon. Period. How hard is that to understand?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Not true. I've had EFI on three different hot rods. I still like carburetors better. With a god return system and the carburetor properly shielded from heat, you can approach the drivability of EFI. I want something that I can work on and understand without having to go back to school. I have more important things to spend time on.

A carburetor is a siphon. Period. How hard is that to understand?
Click to expand...

Ive got a fast 2.0 on my 505" 68 fastback. its in a friends body shop now, I don't have much time on the engine yet. still need to align the front end and insure, and tag it. you woldnt believe how responsive the 505 is, I think I`m gonna like it !! well tuned holleys are hard to beat, but think this will--bob
 
cdavis said:
I'd stay with the efi also. You can't beat the difference in drivability. What some people don't realize is how much longer the engine will last also since it burns so much cleaner.
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Wideband tuned carb runs great too. You can really nail the idle transition and cruise circuits. I believe it comes down to preference, computer, or screwdriver.
 
67Dart273 said:
New in the box or not you are gonna take a gigantic bath on that financially.



I do / did too. Fighting with vapor lock has changed things. "We are never going back" to real gasoline, and from now on, carbs are going to be more and more scarce and harder to get parts for.


I say you have spent the money. I don't have experience with FAST but lots of guys seem to like the system.
Click to expand...


carbs aren't going anywhere, you will be able to get parts for a long time.
I have never had Vapor lock or fuel boiling issues. if the system is designed and set up properly it just plain works. Middle of winter or the hottest of days it starts and runs like it should.
 
For the type of money it takes to do the conversion ---- there are less costly alternatives such as --- the following Demon Carbs - Street Demon carb - looks like a Carter T-Quad - works great on the street:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRwlIC_pnpk"]street demon test and review part 1 - YouTube[/ame]
 
RustyRatRod said:
Not true. I've had EFI on three different hot rods. I still like carburetors better. With a god return system and the carburetor properly shielded from heat, you can approach the drivability of EFI. I want something that I can work on and understand without having to go back to school. I have more important things to spend time on.

A carburetor is a siphon. Period. How hard is that to understand?
Click to expand...

Our experiences differ. In the past 44 years I have had about a dozen carb and a dozen efi cars. I have done my own work on all of them. I typically keep my cars 10 or more years.

I have installed many carb kits, replaced several choke pull-offs, squirter pumps and diaphrams, vacuum advances, fuel pumps, and nitropyl floats (they last 6 months nowdays). I wore out carb throttle shafts, and have had carb body internal leaks.

My efi cars have been great, one tps, a map sensor, one fuel pump on all those cars. I also developed an efi/ignition system, with excellent results over a 12 yr period.

Don't get me wrong, I like carbs, and enjoy fixing things, but the fixing can be chronic, even if parked. I still have a carb on my 66 Barracuda. I wore out the bbd, went to Holley 2280 with nitrophyl float issue, and ended up with a 1971 yr Rochester 2b, got a brass float and made correct choke rod.

I love it, and thank you for the post long ago suggesting it as a good carb, I totally agree.
 
PoisonDart74 said:
Wideband tuned carb runs great too. You can really nail the idle transition and cruise circuits. I believe it comes down to preference, computer, or screwdriver.
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This. If I had the choice, I would go EFI. But EFI is not in my budget so I'm sticking with the Holley. Mileage/AFR is horrible at cruise which is why I'm going to do what PoisonDart said and start modifying the idle transition and cruise circuits. This is a much cheaper option than EFI and more involved. But if you already have the EFI, I'd stick with it.
 
67Dart273 said:
Sorry not even true
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Sorry, I should have qualified that statement with "for street use"

Of course, at Wot, they can be set equally.

Re: the op.... do you plan on driving the car year round? Mountains?
 
Sounds like we have about the same amount of time in.

....and I never said EFI sucked..........just that I do not prefer it. Probably comes as my many years as a dealership line mechanic almost always in alignment/suspension/sqeaks/rattles/anything else nobody wants department while seeing drivability guys struggle their butts off diagnosing EFI and computer problems. And they even had and still have sophisticated equipment supposedly "telling them" what's wrong and they still had trouble. Just not my cup of tea.

I have seen some big power and reliability with EFI, but I am going to be an old fart who likes carburetors. ......and I'm keepin my distributor too. Dammit all.




KitCarlson said:
Our experiences differ. In the past 44 years I have had about a dozen carb and a dozen efi cars. I have done my own work on all of them. I typically keep my cars 10 or more years.

I have installed many carb kits, replaced several choke pull-offs, squirter pumps and diaphrams, vacuum advances, fuel pumps, and nitropyl floats (they last 6 months nowdays). I wore out carb throttle shafts, and have had carb body internal leaks.

My efi cars have been great, one tps, a map sensor, one fuel pump on all those cars. I also developed an efi/ignition system, with excellent results over a 12 yr period.

Don't get me wrong, I like carbs, and enjoy fixing things, but the fixing can be chronic, even if parked. I still have a carb on my 66 Barracuda. I wore out the bbd, went to Holley 2280 with nitrophyl float issue, and ended up with a 1971 yr Rochester 2b, got a brass float and made correct choke rod.

I love it, and thank you for the post long ago suggesting it as a good carb, I totally agree.
Click to expand...
 
I am an old fart too. I like to fix things once. With the modern gas carbs need chronic care. Carb kit component suppliers have done a poor job of material compatibility with modern fuel, things like foam floats, gaskets, diaphrams, pump seals. EFI systems tolerate the modern fuel.

The efi on my daily drivers, gives me the time I need to keep up with all the small engine carbs.... I live on a farm and have way too much small engine equipment.
 
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