The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 235 EFI Upgrade

I just don't see the benefit of chasing rainbows for no good reason.

Early GM thhottle body injection systems had their problems too, compounded by the fact that they were new and not well understood. When GM went to port injection they had heat soak problems with the injector pintles associated with wax content in the gasoline. GM finally told the oil companies that unless they cleaned up their act they would specifically dis-recommend their gasoline. There was also the problem of carbon buildup on the backs of the intake valves necessitating pulling the intake manifolds and blasting the valves with crushed walnut shells (seriously). Bosch also had this problem. Bosch used a mechanical system, K-jetronic, and these worked better and had way fewer problems than the earlier LE-Jetronic (mostly electronic controls) aside from dirty injectors and rusty warm-up regulators caused by bad fuel of the70s and 80s but they were a lot more expensive.

Adapting an FI system or even using a "bolt-on" kit from a known good source is a major undertaking and you'll still have the problems associated with bad fuel which ethanol has made worse unless you run them everyday.

Carburetor hassles can be eliminated by finding a good core for a Carter YF or Zenith 228 and carefully overhauling it with parts from a known good source (Zenith or Carb King). These are well-known systems and the problems have long since been worked out as discussed daily here on Stovebolt. The biggest carburetor problems are for the guys wanting 100% originality with Rochester carbs. The two 228s I run have not been touched in many years other than to adjust the main and idle jets for altitude and fuel quality. The throttle shafts are now worn but it doesn't seem to affect anything. Ethanol doesn't seem to affect them and the rig runs well throughout the RPM and load range. Any injector mods I do will be to my 98 Suburban.