Thinking about fuel injection
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
Thank you Mathew for the EGR info. I’m still running EGR and wonder if the benefits of engine cooling makes it worth keeping. Or the possible benefit of deleting it worth the effort of re-tuning everything.
And i I suppose that’s really the promise of something like the Holly Sniper after market FI system, especially if you can also program the distributor advance curve. Freedom from all those crazy vacuum hoses everywhere, and the ability to change fuel trim and spark curve without having to disassemble everything to swap jets and springs.
But IMO that’s not what these old fords are about. The simple, primitive aspect is what I like about rhem and except for the duraspark box that costs maybe $50.00 at NAPA, I don’t need a computer to make it run... Lets say the pump quits on the boat ramp? Excuse me while I attach the portable boat gas can to the carb inlet and squeeze me up some fuel with the primer bulb. Try that with your modern fuel injection system!
I enjoy the game of starting a carbed motor. Like golf, you have to size up your shot. Most of the time on a warm motor it’s a simple no gas, flick of the key and away we go. Other times I’ll give it a pump or 4 if it’s cold out and it hasn’t run for a while. And if it fires up first try after sitting for a month, well that’s like the perfect shot, a hole in one! And if somehow it’s flooded, that’s like a double bogey and then you have to go to the “wood”.
And i I suppose that’s really the promise of something like the Holly Sniper after market FI system, especially if you can also program the distributor advance curve. Freedom from all those crazy vacuum hoses everywhere, and the ability to change fuel trim and spark curve without having to disassemble everything to swap jets and springs.
But IMO that’s not what these old fords are about. The simple, primitive aspect is what I like about rhem and except for the duraspark box that costs maybe $50.00 at NAPA, I don’t need a computer to make it run... Lets say the pump quits on the boat ramp? Excuse me while I attach the portable boat gas can to the carb inlet and squeeze me up some fuel with the primer bulb. Try that with your modern fuel injection system!
I enjoy the game of starting a carbed motor. Like golf, you have to size up your shot. Most of the time on a warm motor it’s a simple no gas, flick of the key and away we go. Other times I’ll give it a pump or 4 if it’s cold out and it hasn’t run for a while. And if it fires up first try after sitting for a month, well that’s like the perfect shot, a hole in one! And if somehow it’s flooded, that’s like a double bogey and then you have to go to the “wood”.
Adding EFI you are trading vacuum hose for wires. Once an engine is de-emissioned there is one vacuum line, carb to dist, possibly 2 if you keep the heat stove. And if you can put up with a little cold engine roughness for 5 mins you can dump that also. I would keep if you were in locale that see lots of humid weather in the winter. I'm lucky here as our winters are very dry and in the 30 odd years I have been here I have had carb icing issues twice. But the Autolites are fairly resistant to it and it is just matter of pulling over shutting the engine off and letting engine heat melt the ice out of the carb (takes like 2 mins) Here i have way more issues cause of the stove pipe than they have solved.
So I suggest try disconnecting the EGR and see what it does, or does not do. If you go to an aftermarket carb and intake the egr will be a non issue and it can go...
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 65
Here’s some cold weather trivia: -40 is the same in either Fahrenheit or Celsius.
When I was stationed in fairbanks Alaska in the 90’s I wouldn’t dream of leaving my carbureted 1978 305 V8 Chevy Malibu unplugged at those temperatures. It didn’t have a block heater, but rather a water heater installed into the lower radiator hose which worked great for keeping both the block and radiator from freezing. And it also had a little electric battery blanket that wrapped around the outside of the battery to keep it happy.
Another sour-dough trick is to plug the coolant heater and battery blanket into a three way adapter along with a little night light and attach to the grille. That way you can verify you got power when you plug in. Double-plus bonus if you can park in a spot where you can see the night-light on your grille from inside the warm and toasty barracks! Also, if you’re gonna be gone for a while camping in the arctic with your favorite Uncle Sam, pile some snow on the hood and make a berm around the front, up to the bumper, and cover the grille with cardboard (duh) so as to make like an igloo to insulate the engine compartment. Should start right up when you get back no matter the outside temperature.
During a particularly deep (and dark) cold snap I needed some oil so I grabbed a quart of cold weather motor oil from the trunk, removed the cap, and nothing would come out. It had gelled. I had to take it inside and run hot water on it before it would flow.
It’s a harsh environment but there’s something haunting and other-worldly about that level of cold. A certain stillness, as if sound was slowed down. The dark and starry skies, and of course the northern lights. Maybe I can get back up there in the winter time and feel and see it again someday.
Oh yeah, I can’t say for sure but I wonder if Fairbanks got some kind of special Arctic blend gasoline straight off the north slope that was compatable with the 1990’s mix of carburetors and early fuel injection systems of the day because I don’t remember a lot of fuel problems. After starting, warm up consisted of unplugging from shore power, putting the extension cord away, and clearing the windows.... good to go after that.
When I was stationed in fairbanks Alaska in the 90’s I wouldn’t dream of leaving my carbureted 1978 305 V8 Chevy Malibu unplugged at those temperatures. It didn’t have a block heater, but rather a water heater installed into the lower radiator hose which worked great for keeping both the block and radiator from freezing. And it also had a little electric battery blanket that wrapped around the outside of the battery to keep it happy.
Another sour-dough trick is to plug the coolant heater and battery blanket into a three way adapter along with a little night light and attach to the grille. That way you can verify you got power when you plug in. Double-plus bonus if you can park in a spot where you can see the night-light on your grille from inside the warm and toasty barracks! Also, if you’re gonna be gone for a while camping in the arctic with your favorite Uncle Sam, pile some snow on the hood and make a berm around the front, up to the bumper, and cover the grille with cardboard (duh) so as to make like an igloo to insulate the engine compartment. Should start right up when you get back no matter the outside temperature.
During a particularly deep (and dark) cold snap I needed some oil so I grabbed a quart of cold weather motor oil from the trunk, removed the cap, and nothing would come out. It had gelled. I had to take it inside and run hot water on it before it would flow.
It’s a harsh environment but there’s something haunting and other-worldly about that level of cold. A certain stillness, as if sound was slowed down. The dark and starry skies, and of course the northern lights. Maybe I can get back up there in the winter time and feel and see it again someday.
Oh yeah, I can’t say for sure but I wonder if Fairbanks got some kind of special Arctic blend gasoline straight off the north slope that was compatable with the 1990’s mix of carburetors and early fuel injection systems of the day because I don’t remember a lot of fuel problems. After starting, warm up consisted of unplugging from shore power, putting the extension cord away, and clearing the windows.... good to go after that.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
granny_rocket
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
12
Mar 30, 2013 08:14 AM
Kuskoal
Fuel Injection, Carburetion & Fuel System
5
Aug 18, 2008 07:35 PM
JRProaudio
Ford Inline Six, 200, 250, 4.9L / 300
5
Jan 31, 2005 07:04 AM
