Carburetor or EFI?

[USAFEXPLORER]

I'm getting ready to start my conversion and can't decide if the EFI is worth all the hassle. I spoke with the AZ Emissions office and was told that to pass I need a charcole canister and legal exhaust to pass. Obviously the pollution amount needs to not exceed the '94 Explorer V6, I was told by the mechanic that is helping me I should be able to get a freshly rebuilt 5.0 with a carb to pass if its tuned properly. Any comments?? Please feel free to to put your 2 cents worth in.

 

[JDraper]

Carbs are definitely easier to tune (no computer hookup required), more parts availability, and cheaper than efi systems, plus the advantage of no computer control. The advantage of the efi is better efficiency and less maintenance. Personally, if money is not a problem, and you're good with electronics, I'd go with the efi, but if you are on a budget or technologically imparied , go with the carb.

 

[RFR2212]

I've been debating this as well.... Here's what I've found. There are a few good carbs out there fer wheeling. I'm only saying this, after reading the fourwheeler tests... But, from all the people that I've heard who have carbs, would much rather have EFI. Wiring is a SOB... The only median between the two, would be a unit, like Holley Projection.. It's a stand alone EFI unit... expensive though.... This may have helped, throw out any more questions, and maybe I can answer em
Pete

 

[JDraper]

Oh yeah, forgot. Another advantage of EFI (especially in off roading) is the lack of a fuel bowl. When you are off camber for extended periods of time, you can have fuel problems due to fuel slosh, leakage or float problems. That problem doesn't exist with EFI since the fuel is injected directly without having to sit in a resivoir.

 

[yob_yeknom]

If you're gonna use the truck for four wheeling, I suggest doing whatever it takes to have fuel injection. That way you don't have to worry about stalling in some hairy, off camber situation. The hassle of installing it all now will be much better than the hassle of stalling out when you're about to roll down a mountainside.

 

[Sandy]

I vote for SEFI



Think about it !

The computer adjusts all of the parameters to get the best fuel mileage based on current modifications to the engine. You can change a lot and still have the engine run right without doing any manual adjusting yourself.

EFI is the best off road for off camber but it does not have the throttle responce of the carb, minus one for EFI.

EFI is a better all around system for emissions and should help you get through inspection easier.

Good Luck on your choice but I vote for SEFI.

 

[Speedfreak]

The EFI wiring is the most difficult part of the conversion. With the conv I did I took the Explorer harness and graphed it in to an '89 Mustang harness. It took me 10 hours but the results are plug in and go. Other than some clean-up left all the factory plugs and hook-ups are used and the EFI wiring is integrated perfectly to the Explorer harness. I will do the same thing on my conversion but will use the '93 Cougar harness I got with the engine.

I think EFI is the way to go, the only advantage with carbueration is its ease of install and better HP. An EFI system well give you better fuel economy, better throttle response, better driveablity, better adaptability and better emissions. An EFI system will adapt to elevation changes, allow for extreme off camber driving and produce more torque.(depending on the style of intake used.) A carb has to be re-adjusted for most of this.

 

[RFR2212]

Speedfreak--- Got any diagrams of yer wiring setup... or know the color code swapping from the 91 to the 5.0... this is the step im ans well as asp is hung up on i believe... plug and go doesn't matter... cause I could care less about hard wiring between the units... I've got most of the gauges taken care of... my problem is the computer and all that other crap
Pete

 

[Speedfreak]

What diagrams are you looking for? I maybe able to help you out.

 

[RFR2212]

Well, I pretty much got the gauges.... so all the other crap... and what not.. maybe ya got some good diagrams... I've got a 91 X and a 90 stang harness
Pete

 

[Speedfreak]

Ok I will have something for you tomorrow afternoon. I need to get the right Mustang diagram from work.

 

[james t]

summit sells a kit that uses the GM throttle body and an adapter to fit any 4-barrel intake for $700. this is the cheapest FI setup i have found. i am runnin a carb on a rock crawler bronco, and it has only stalled the 3 times it went upside down. edelbrock carb+off road kit+fuel pressure regulator=no stalling.