Carbs V injection?

Carbs V injection?

Author
Discussion

ZR1427

Original Poster:

17,999 posts

256 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
It it possible to get as much performance,reliability,MPG etc from a Carb motor as an injection motor.
I find electronics,ECM's such a bind as you really have got to specialise in that field to understand it where as a carb motor is pretty straight forward in comparison.

malc350

1,035 posts

253 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Doubt it Cliff, there's just no contest in the efficiency between the two - how could a 4 barrel carb on a manifold competer with multiport or direct fuel injection for each cylinder?

IMHO (set up correctly) fuel injection = more power + more efficiency + better economy.

It's also capable of adapting to some extent to different atmospheric conditions.

Carbs are actually much more complicated than they appear. I know the temptation is to think they're simple because they're mechanical but so much is dependant on primary and secondary jet sizes, vacuum operated parts, the weather (!)

Have you heard of racers that change the jets according to temperature and humidity to get the best quarter mile.

IMHO there's just no place for technology as old as that any more. And to get back to the old musclecar discussion slightly, just look at the performance of say, an LS1 c5 VS a 1970 LT1, and the modern car is much more drivable and probably uses half the fuel.

And technology just gets better all the time. I wish I could change my fuel injection for s more modern setup as TPI (85-96) is so dated now, although that underwent significant changes, especially on the LT1 when it became true multiport in 1994.

Occasionally you see a C4, usually an 84, that has been converted to a carb setup. Personally I'd still rather have an 84 using the old crap crossfire injection than a carb, or convert it to TPI. People only do it as a cop out, no other reason. (Think of all the digital dash readouts that won't work anymore!)

No contest. P.S. If you were thinking of doing that to your vette you should pay a forfeit - i.e. donate your car to me, chairman of the fuel injection appreciation society.

anonymous-user

61 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Esprit 2.2 turbos were carburetted in the UK market until relatively recently (in terms of 1976 to 2004!) although fuel injected for USA. The carbs gave razor sharp throttle response as they weren't shy about dumping large quantities of fuel into the engine for acceleration. Emissions suffered as a result. I think that the latest generation of FI systems is pretty darn good although it p**ses me off that so many cars, even those with big engines, have poor throttle response and/or won't let go of the rev's when you lift off. I think this has more to do with the emissions set-up than any fundamental limitation of FI systems.

malc350

1,035 posts

253 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
2004!!! I didn't think there were any carburetted cars since about 93. That's a real shock.

I haven't seen a Vauxhall with a carb since about 1990!

ZR1427

Original Poster:

17,999 posts

256 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Nothing like a set of Down Draught webbers on a V8,got to win on looks alone.
In the past if you had a problem ,it would be a look inside the Dizzy or a carb stripdown,these days with electronics ,ive even heard of cars becoming scrap cos of the the cost of a ecm unit.

malc350

1,035 posts

253 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
We Corvette owners are so lucky. Either Ecklers or Mid America has them for less than you get one for an Escort! (I think they're about $150, check their site, you need to send your old core).

Mind you if you have an old Nissan worth about 100 quid and you need an ECU costing a grand you'd be happy to scrap the thing!

boosted ls1

21,198 posts

267 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Carbs can be made spot on for power etc but they lack in the overall settings. I'd be happy with a 4 barrell or two just for the simplicity but there are a few cheap retrofit efi systems on the market. Take a look at the holley stuff, tweak it with a screwdriver just like on a carb.

86turbo

209 posts

262 months

Friday 5th March 2004
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I think the last carburetted Esprit was made in the early nineties... My US 86 model has Bosch mechanical fuel injection, though from what I've heard carburetted cars are more reliable and have better throttle response. I might upgrade to the later GM EFI system (used in US cars after 1988)
Dan