carbs vs. fuel injection
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New User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: texas
carbs vs. fuel injection
i'm just curious, i have an 1986 5.0 with fuel injection. i'm not a big fan of fuel injection in the older trucks. i was thinking about switching it over to a carb. i figured it would cost about 800 dollars to do so, then i could sell the fuel injection and make a lil profit. but can't make up my mind it would be better or not. wat are yall's opinions on this?and would it help on gas to switch it over?
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A lot of work and money for nothing. You will not get better mpg with a carb than with a properly working efi set up.
If it's not working, can't some fraction of $800 make it right?
And if it's not working, how could you sell it for more than $800 to make a profit???
Now, if you are rebuilding and beefing up the engine, and a carb set up makes more sense than dealing with the limits of the efi, that's another story.
If it's not working, can't some fraction of $800 make it right?
And if it's not working, how could you sell it for more than $800 to make a profit???
Now, if you are rebuilding and beefing up the engine, and a carb set up makes more sense than dealing with the limits of the efi, that's another story.
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New User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: texas
no no, the fuel injection is working just fine, this truck only has 41,000 miles on it original. i was thinking that a carb would give it more power, this model truck was the first year that came out with fuel injection. so there are allot of lil nicks that they didn't work out till the later models. and ya i'm wanting to beef up the engine a lil. so thats why i was thinking about carbs. i was wanting to put the eldebrock intake and either a eldebrock or holly 4 barrel carb
Lead Driver
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From: Kalispell, MT
IMHO, save the 800 bucks.
I've got an 86 5.0 EFI - just replaced the engine again - 313,500 miles. If your EFI is working you won't get better performance from a carb.
I've got 302's in trucks and an 82 mustang. 2 carbed and the one EFI. Give me the EFI any day. Less to screw up, nothing to fiddle with, etc. If there is a performance problem it is simply that the 302 is a better engine in a light car than in a heavy truck. It doesn't hit peak torque until about 2500 rpm. Gear it right and they're ok. But a carb swap won't overcome simple physics.
Besides, too many other guys are swapping out EFI's for carbs for the same reasons you gave - they THINK they'll get better performance from an oversized carb - thus, EFI setups are hanging around guy's garages waiting for someone who wants them. I have an extra myself. Forget making a lil profit
I've got an 86 5.0 EFI - just replaced the engine again - 313,500 miles. If your EFI is working you won't get better performance from a carb.
I've got 302's in trucks and an 82 mustang. 2 carbed and the one EFI. Give me the EFI any day. Less to screw up, nothing to fiddle with, etc. If there is a performance problem it is simply that the 302 is a better engine in a light car than in a heavy truck. It doesn't hit peak torque until about 2500 rpm. Gear it right and they're ok. But a carb swap won't overcome simple physics.
Besides, too many other guys are swapping out EFI's for carbs for the same reasons you gave - they THINK they'll get better performance from an oversized carb - thus, EFI setups are hanging around guy's garages waiting for someone who wants them. I have an extra myself. Forget making a lil profit
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From: Honkytonkville
I will take the carb'd side of the argument. How can you honestly say there is less to go wrong on these EFI trucks than on a carbed truck. It probably wouldn't even cost $800, unless you went all new and aftermarket, which i would recommend. All you'd need is the appropriate wiring harness, a dist, an intake and carb and you're g2g... I am in favor of the swap. I took the EFI of my 302 when I pulled it from my 87 and put a cam, intake and carb on when I put it in my 79 1/2 ton and it REALLY woke up!
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From: Honkytonkville
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: cape may county NJ
I had both the carbed 302 and the EFI that I have in my 86 150 and hands down that my efi out performs my ford truck that was carbed.I try to keep it in good tune.I have better throttle response at all rpm ranges starts easy in all weather and has better fuel mileage.I put a shift kit in my AOD and the motor in stock form she is still is fun to drive when you want to get on it.I really want to build the motor up some day but I will still keep the efi.If you check out the 302/351 forums you will find there is alot of stuff you can do to SD EFI or take it to MAS air if you need more out of it.Throwing a carb on it to me would be going backwards.Even the Dragster my mechanic is building has a 500 something 426 based hemi with a blower and that is fuel injected and he has been in to top fuel and nostalgia drag racing for all most 40yrs.
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From: fargo, nd
ill vote for the carb as well... im switching my 86 multiport grand marquis over to carb after the second fuel pump and third injector went on it, and rebuilding it into a 347 stroker to throw into my maverick. i figure ill get about 5 dollars for the scrap cast aluminum plenum... just enough to go get a double quarter pounder meal at mcdonalds after finishing the swap
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From: South-east Idaho
I got to put in a vote for EFI. I'm with the other guys on this. Better mpg, you can get the performance, better cold weather driving. If you want a daily driver which is about all that a 5.0 in a full size pu is good for, go with the EFI.
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From: Honkytonkville
ford_guy are you going w/ aftermarket carb stuff or off a stock motor? If you goin stock keep efi, if going a/m do that. I used a 302 in my hauler for a lot of years w/o problem, it did have the 4spd. A lot people don't give these motors the credit they deserve. I drove that truck to well over 200k and then pulled the motor for rebuild, there was NO ring ridge. I left the pistons alone redid bottom end that is now my tough truck motor and she's a scremer.
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From: Honkytonkville
yeah i know that but i didn't realize i double posted there i hit stop on the browser and finished typing and it still double posted. Plus it's just as easy(or easier) to come down the quick reply and type your thoughts
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From: Jackson, Tn
From my experience, if it's a daily driver that you use a lot, stick with EFI. If all you do is get on it once in a while, then it's your choice.
As an example, several years ago I had a TransAm I liked to drag race. Several times I squared off with a guy with a Camaro. Our cars were pretty much identical weight, same trans and rear gear. I would take him out of the hole and barely lose on the top end (less than a tenth). I had a EFI 305 and he had a four barrel 350. I did a little more tuning and wound up ahead by nearly 2 tenths later in the year.
For throttle response, driveablility in all weather and altitude conditions, and gas mileage; my vote goes for the injection.
Take it for what it's worth, there's a reason the factories got rid of carbs.
As an example, several years ago I had a TransAm I liked to drag race. Several times I squared off with a guy with a Camaro. Our cars were pretty much identical weight, same trans and rear gear. I would take him out of the hole and barely lose on the top end (less than a tenth). I had a EFI 305 and he had a four barrel 350. I did a little more tuning and wound up ahead by nearly 2 tenths later in the year.
For throttle response, driveablility in all weather and altitude conditions, and gas mileage; my vote goes for the injection.
Take it for what it's worth, there's a reason the factories got rid of carbs.