FI or Carb?

[Shandman]

Hey guys-
Still VERY much in the planning (why does that look like "dreaming") stage here, and one big Q way up front centers around the lungs of the engine- FI or carburation. A doner car will most likely prescribe what its to be, but what if I choose a crate engine, and hence, have the choice of Fi or carb? Which is the most appropriate? Is the choice mitigated by cost? How about emissions? (I live outside the "dreaded 13" area, so that's not an issue (I don't think)...

Anyway, just lookin' for more words of wisdom and suggestions from all y'all luminaries.

[Mr.Fixit]

CARB. so much cheaper, so much eaisier to set up, so many fewer parts to go wrong, era-correct for a cobra, and you still make as much HP.

[427 S/O]

That's right.........

[Excaliber]

I love my EFI, rock solid application. No worries about fuel problems in hard cornering, under acelleration, better mileage, etc.

,,,,,,so why do I keep having these thoughts about a replacing it with a carb? A carb just feels more "natural" for a Cobra application. Plus I kinda miss not having a carb to "tinker" with ('cause you know it WILL need tinkering).

Ernie

[EarlsflyinCobra]

Whatever "FLOATS YOUR BOAT" is my vote.......................

[flipper35]

Ask BiB about tinkering with the FI system. Actually, once set up you don't have to tinker with either.

[Shandman]

Whatever "floats" your boat? Very good Earl!
Good fuel -er, food for thought. Thanks guys.

[petek]

I went with a Holley Projection 4Di unit. Somewhat looks like a carb as it's a throttle body injection unit. Fairly easy to tune and you can get all sorts of data back from the engine. Hook up a laptop computer and off you go!

(Disclaimer: I'm a real nerdy type and feel pretty comfortable dealing with a computer to talk to my Cobra's engine.)

[Sizzler]

you have to ask?

then that implies you'll have someone else set it up.

that means, it only affects you as far as the image you wish to project with your car.

what do you want your engine to say about you when you pop the hood? traditional? up-to-date?

just got done reading the latest Hot Rod. chock-full of stories about old big-blocks done up with efi...had a big-block Mopar running with a Ford EEC system taken straight off a 93 Mustang.

how old are you? do carbs mean anything to you? to your friends you'll be trying to impress?

it all comes down to you. what you want. both paths are well-trodden nowadays and will satisfy you performance-wise. it really really comes down to image I think.

[svobud]

I prefer EFI ... but that's because I know it. Gave up on Carbs back in the mid-80s and never looked back. Easier to tune and modify. Easier to keep it performing the same way - everyday. Allows you to tweak the last drop of performance from your application with minimal effort and expense.

Might not mean much to the "purists" in the crowd who prefer seeing a era correct motor sitting under the hood of a replica .. but there's always the STACK EFI set up. www.verycoolparts.com

[Shandman]

Great points, all.
What about fuel usage? Given two identically set up motors (to the extent they can be with different breathing apparati), does one typically provide greater economy that the other?

[CowtownCobra]

EFI will probably give better mileage.

I personally much prefer a carb though. No arguement that the computer can do it just as well if not better. But on a car like a Cobra, the fewer computers the better. Plus I have always been fascinated by the simplicity of a carb, yet how well they work!

[svobud]

Originally posted by Shandman


Great points, all.
What about fuel usage? Given two identically set up motors (to the extent they can be with different breathing apparati), does one typically provide greater economy that the other?

I checked my mileage once on the hwy. I got 23mpg. Running 2500 rpms (80mph) from here to Middle Tn. I don't bother with in town mpgs .. my foot is always in it

In comparison .. I had a 67 FB Mustang I use to drive back and forth from here to Mid-Tn .. it was an auto and I usually ran close to 3k rpms (70mph) .. had a 289ci ... it avged 15-17 mpg.

[Mr.Fixit]

EFI has the potential for better fuel economy (who cares about that in a mega HP street machine that gets very few miles) if it setup to do so. It can just as easily be setup with an over-rich fuel metering as well.

svobud...given the more rpm and less mph, your two examples seem to have almost exact fuel needs, once you do the rpm and mph correction.

[svobud]

svobud...given the more rpm and less mph, your two examples seem to have almost exact fuel needs, once you do the rpm and mph correction.

If you say so ..

let me guess, you have a carb?

Show me a Carbed small block getting my kind of mileage and making over 300rwhp. My car is tuned to run - not for mileage .. yet, I'm still getting that pesky 'side effects' of EFI. Darn, huh? Will an EFI set up impress you old skool guys? Nope .. but who cares, it's my Cobra .. I don't drive it to impress you guys.

And, then there'a always FORCED INDUCTION on a small block with EFI. So easy to set up .. so easy to maintain. So much for big HP and TQ numbers from a BB getting 8mpg.

[decobraman]

Sticking with the old muscle car theme....carbed. That and it's so much simplier without all the computers and systems.

Now if I took my cobra out in the winter (never) then I'd hate the cold starts and idle problems.....but oh well.