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Most people want to ditch their carb and go EFI so i must be crazy.
Here's my thought process. I have a stock LQ9 that runs fine, but I want to start modding the engine and transmission for drag racing. To do that I will need to spend $650 on HP tuners, but I don't even know how to use the software. From what I understand, it's very complex. I could pay someone to tune it but I plan on modding it incrementally.
Here's why I think I want to go back to a carb:
1) I'm bored with EFI
2) I know how to tune a carb
3) I don't want to spend $650 on software I don't even know how to use.
4) don't need a tuner
5) EFI is ugly.
6) Electronics are a PITA and I would rather not deal with them when a problem arises.
I'm thinking I could sell my PCM and new PSI harness to cover the cost of the carb swap.
Based on "I'm bored with efi, I don't want...software I don't know how to use, efi is ugly, electronics are a pain in the ***", I think you already have your answer. In this day and time - yes, you are crazy.
But you know what you want. No reason to even ask us.
It's 2019 and people still want to live in the fckn stone age
I wouldn't call running a carb stone age tech and they can perform as well and sometimes better than EFI depending on the ability of the tuner. I prefer MPFI over carb but I can tune both to perform nearly the same. EFI is certainly easier to make changes and offers infinite combinations of both fuel and timing but is also more complex. People are still getting the job done with a carb on street cars or carb/mechanical injection on race cars and they will probably be around for quite some time. I just installed a mild 355 small block in 1949 Sedan Delivery and the engine went from the stand to installed and driving in about three hours, Only wires on the whole engine were one plug to the HEI distributor and one plug running to the alternator, One for temperature and a couple wires to the starter.
On a daily driver I would go EFI, If it's weekend cruiser/street strip/ strip only then a carb can be made to work well.
Nothing wrong with a carburetor. From a power perspective efi isn't gonna gain you anything. I also like the simplicity. Probably the wrong site to ask about it. "******* stoneage." Lol. 147 pages of new carbs in the new summit catelog i got in the mail today. Lots of cabe men out there i guess.
Never really had an issue with one. Except with this shitty ethanol blend gas. My 396 Suburban sat for the better part of the year and doesn't want to idle, getting some pops here and there. But thats my fault for letting it sit without starting for so long.
I say goferit. Or a simple carb style efi. I've got an Fitch kit sitting on a shelf for 2 years now. Just not in a rush to run fuel lines, fuel pump, 02 sensor etc......
You are right. Carbs can be tuned to make as much power as EFI. BUT will use more fuel in the process. You are always fighting fuel distribution due to the central location of the carb (carb-style EFI too...). A carb can never be as efficient as EFI. There is a reason OEMs is it exclusively. Not just emissions but overall efficiency AND flexibility for varying conditions.
The challenge with EFI has always been understanding the software and the ECU design/concepts, what everything does. Systems like the new Terminator X bring in a much easier to use interface with a very good price point. I hated messing with HP tuners, and find the Holley setup much better for me. I would never go back to a factory ECU for my setups (swaps into older cars that don't need any other info from the ECU).
If you have an LS motor with typical OEM parts, it might be more expensive to go with a carb vs a base Terminator X setup. Intake, Carb, Spark box, carb tuning parts, etc. Cheaper if you already have carb parts.
IMO, tuning is the same, you have to figure out the same things whether its EFI or Carb. You need to tune Idle, cruise, WOT, pedal transitions, spark curves, etc. In the end, you have to understand what the car needs, and how to set it up.
With a carb, you test it, and change some parts (so you need a stock of assorted parts). And you need to figure out how you are getting data. Factoring in a wideband is more money. With a good EFI system, you already have the wideband and you also get datalogging that makes it much easier to tune. I would think this would be a benefit for drag racing also.
Nothing wrong with wanting to do things your way. If an electrically controlled trans is being used you will need a throttle position sensor. Holley offers the TPS kit HLY-534-202to put a TPS sensor on a carburetor.
Most people want to ditch their carb and go EFI so i must be crazy.
Here's my thought process. I have a stock LQ9 that runs fine, but I want to start modding the engine and transmission for drag racing. To do that I will need to spend $650 on HP tuners, but I don't even know how to use the software. From what I understand, it's very complex. I could pay someone to tune it but I plan on modding it incrementally.
Here's why I think I want to go back to a carb:
1) I'm bored with EFI
2) I know how to tune a carb
3) I don't want to spend $650 on software I don't even know how to use.
4) don't need a tuner
5) EFI is ugly.
6) Electronics are a PITA and I would rather not deal with them when a problem arises.
I'm thinking I could sell my PCM and new PSI harness to cover the cost of the carb swap.
Am I crazy or is this logical?
Going backwards for sure.
You will still have electronics controlling timing if you use a msd box.
Exactly.. and uses all them sensors all the carb guys bitch about can go wrong at any time with the EFI stuff... oh wait I can hook my laptop up to my car and it tells me what's going on....
That Sedan Delivery up there looks clean, something like that I would run the EFI Throttle Body systems that are out now, they look nice and would look clean.
The majority of people I have ran into who want to retain a carb because their screw driver is mightier than my laptop, are the ones who are currently in a middle of a domestic dispute in front of their trailer, PBR cans all over the ground, a 3rd gen Camaro on blocks in the front yard, wearing a wife beater screaming at their spouse who is some form of sibling in the family tree.
All stereotypes aside, there's a legitimate question about how you propose to go back to a carburetor. If you intend to stay with the coil-near-plug ignition system, you're still going to end up with some kind of computer that controls your ignition. If you're planning on switching to a distributor (they make distributor conversion timing covers for LS engines), you also might be looking at changing accessory drives to make space. If you are using one of the various newer GM automatic transmissions, you are going to need some kind of controller for that as well. It could very well be that buying HPTuners or EFILive is cheaper than all of the parts you're gong to need to convert to a carbureted system, and, depending on what you're doing for timing and transmission controls, may actually be easier to tune.
There is pretty good community support for HPTuners and EFILive, It's a more extensive (and expensive) conversion, but the Holley stuff is another EFI option that is pretty easy to use.
The majority of people I have ran into who want to retain a carb because their screw driver is mightier than my laptop, are the ones who are currently in a middle of a domestic dispute in front of their trailer, PBR cans all over the ground, a 3rd gen Camaro on blocks in the front yard, wearing a wife beater screaming at their spouse who is some form of sibling in the family tree.
Oh damn! I was hoping to find out how you really feel about this topic. I'll check back later.... LOL
Oh damn! I was hoping to find out how you really feel about this topic. I'll check back later.... LOL
We get them all the time in the FB groups, the die hard SBC guys who despise LS Engines because they have wires... the type who have never crawled out of the 1970s..
That Sedan Delivery up there looks clean, something like that I would run the EFI Throttle Body systems that are out now, they look nice and would look clean.
The majority of people I have ran into who want to retain a carb because their screw driver is mightier than my laptop, are the ones who are currently in a middle of a domestic dispute in front of their trailer, PBR cans all over the ground, a 3rd gen Camaro on blocks in the front yard, wearing a wife beater screaming at their spouse who is some form of sibling in the family tree.
Many people stick with carbs because it's what they know and they are bullet proof and if something does fail it's always easy to diagnose and fix in minutes.
EFI is great but there is a little difference in power if properly setup and tuned, Not everyone wants or needs EFI.
If the OP can tune his car with a carb and make it perform the way he wants and saves some money that can be used elsewhere then I don't see why he shouldn't do just that, It sure they hell doesn't make him trailer trash.
PS; The owner of the Sedan Delivery is running a carb because EFI isn't allowed in his trailer park. Besides he can't afford it plus buy the PBR and still have bail money when he beats his sister-wife and kids. How do you come up with stupid **** like that anyway? Must have been dropped on your head by your nanny when you were a baby or nearly choked to death on your ego.
We get them all the time in the FB groups, the die hard SBC guys who despise LS Engines because they have wires... the type who have never crawled out of the 1970s..
PS; The owner of the Sedan Delivery is running a carb because EFI isn't allowed in his trailer park. Besides he can't afford it plus buy the PBR and still have bail money when he beats his sister-wife and kids. How do you come up with stupid **** like that anyway? Must have been dropped on your head by your nanny when you were a baby or nearly choked to death on your ego.
It's called sarcasm, we are well trained with it in the military. Also trained to **** every feeling you have, at any time, any where. Cute attempt at an insult, you want to go down this road, hero?
This is a battle of wit, which you clearly are unarmed for.
You already seem to be offended at the light banter.. I haven't even started yet. You should learn to swap some thicker skin.
I'd hate to see the straight edge non-vulgar no fun garage you have.. are people allowed to drink stuff besides water?
Last edited by the_merv; Oct 14, 2019 at 09:32 PM.
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Thinking About Ditching EFI 
