No offense, Pro70Golfer, as I hope you get your mpg resolved, but this, by Sangetsu03, was just priceless, IMO:

Maybe it's just my sense of humor, but that's funny.

And I'm not a technician, as some of these knowledgable guys obviously are, but I would not swap EFI for a carb. If it was a manual transmission, that would be easier, obviously, and I still wouldn't to it. I've pulled codes before, and made repairs based on that, and the EFI really isn't that mysterious, if you take it in small steps. Just my .02.

Think about it--if your problem is solved by a few dollars of vacuum lines, as mine was when my truck threw an EGR code, how happy will you be that you ran the diagnostics and worked the problem?

I saw a code reader at Wally World, for $99., and I'd bet someone here could recommend a better one, for less money. Mine was given to me, and did the job. I believe you can even dispense with the reader, and count the flashes of the "Check Engine" light, if you don't want to buy a code puller IIRC.

Best of luck.

 

Just go to the local Checker and they will let you use their code reader. No need to buy one.

A carb will not get better gas mileage than EFI.

 

You will need a distributor with weights, springs, and a vacuum advance to control your timing.


If you decide to get a new distributor, consider our custom curved Duraspark Distributor built with our new Full Length Oil Impregnated Bronze Bushing. The full length bushing improves timing stability and spark scatter. If stock appearance is not an issue, take a look at our one piece D.U.I. Distributor. Whether you choose the Duraspark or the D.U.I., we curve each on a distributor machine based on your engine combination. Please see them at:

http://www.performancedistributors.com/forddistributors.htm

Also, there is now an excellent installation article on the D.U.I. Distributor on the Ford-Trucks.com site at:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/0/358/article/DUI_Ignition_Installation_In_A_Ford_351W_V8.html

 

You did the swap, I have an 89 f150 5.0l I am swappin to carb

My question for you is where did you tie in the ballast resistor for the duraspark II module??

I am at that stage and dont want to fry the coil

Thanks

 

has anyone done a conversion with a late model truck with a 460. my truck is pretty much a toy now 100%. and i'm toying around with the idea of hopping up my motor but 460efi sucks when it comes to high performance. im not a rock crawler so i don't care that carbs dont run worth a damn on angles.

 

I just bought one for a 78 dodge truck because I knew they had one. Couldnt find one for a Ford.

 

I didn't hear you ask for help deciding, my bad. I'm sure you have your reasons as I have mine. When I get done I will help all I can. Not a great mechanic but pretty resourceful. My biggest objective is to make it clean and retain factory parts. If that doesn't work we will visit MSD

 

"...[carbs]don't even come close[to modern fuel injection]?" Now that is pretty POWERFUL statement, and one that I am going to have to disagree with.

I will agree with most people in here that say not to replace your EFI for a carb setup. It really is more trouble than its worth, not to mention more expensive. I can also agree that you will not really gain anything by throwing out a perfectly good EFI system in favor of a carburetor. But if the original poster's mind is made up, going to a carburetor is not as "ridiculous" as so many people here seem to think.

Why do so many people seem to think that a carbureted vehicle is such a bad thing? I have to admit, when I first got my carbureted 1985 F150, I thought that hard starts, running rich, cold driveability problems and poor gas mileage was normal with a carbureted vehicle. And a lot of that had to do with reading posts like this one. By reading posts in the older forums that exclusively run carburetors, I have learned that, properly setup and tuned with the right size carburetor and choke system, a carbureted vehicle can run just as well as any modern fuel-injected vehicle can. My own carbureted 302 F150 starts right up in any weather with a single pump, idles smooth and steady, doesn't stall, and I get around 20 mpg. I don't see modern EFI trucks getting much better than that. Plus there are no expensive sensors to replace and parts are much cheaper.

How is that for "coming close" to modern EFI?

 

I agree with this believe it or not, I have carbed and EFI vehicles that run very well and get great milage, but this also proves that in order to get good results with either system the owner has to take the initiative to learn about it. In my opinion EFI isn't any harder than carbs.. just requires a different knowledge set.

 

i cant believe this thread resurfaced. nd what do you know i have a carb on my truck today.

Thanks fte, i have learned alot through this sight.

But to update thr thread i guess, yes my truck has a carb and it is ten times the truck it was with fuel injection, milage and power wise.

 

What did you use for spark and did you wire in the tach?

 

i think it is pretty cool this thread keeps sticking around. I used duraspark 2.

I get 12 miles to the gallon with 35 inch tall tires and drivin like i stole it. It is a holley 4 barrel 600 cfm.

 

I changed mine over, used Holley 600, Performer intake & HEI distributor. Everything in working, just not sure of the tach. Did you wire yours back up?

 

No but aint it amazing how much the fuel injection was choking the truck down!! I wish every one could feel the difference.

 

Not really. An efi to carb swap for no reason is just dumb. But with a cracked plenum, missing parts and wires, bad ecm and a few carb ready parts laying around, it was just cheaper & easier for me. No way carb gives you more power or mpg. Especially if the cam wasn't changed.