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83 k5 carb vs fuel inj
- Thread starter pmhelena
- Start date
might wanna be a bit more descriptive in your question....
carbs have no benefit over EFI, other than ease of install....
carbs have no benefit over EFI, other than ease of install....
yes, usually... yes and yes.....
it's a bit of work to convert, but if you have a donor vehicle, it's not bad...... you'll usually pick up at least a couple mpg, sometimes as much as 5 or so depending on what the carb was..
no pedal pumping, no more stalling, better drivability...
it's a bit of work to convert, but if you have a donor vehicle, it's not bad...... you'll usually pick up at least a couple mpg, sometimes as much as 5 or so depending on what the carb was..
no pedal pumping, no more stalling, better drivability...
well, cheapest will be a donor TBI vehicle and some labor.... you'll understand EFI by the time your done.. 
easiest, trouble-free, most expensive, is a bolt-on set up like FAST, etc...
what is the motor, stock 83 SB?
one word of warning is, sometimes EFI doesn't like carb cam specs.. sometimes the lobe separation is too low on the older cams... but an 83 is pretty anemic, you'd probably be ok...
easiest, trouble-free, most expensive, is a bolt-on set up like FAST, etc...
what is the motor, stock 83 SB?
one word of warning is, sometimes EFI doesn't like carb cam specs.. sometimes the lobe separation is too low on the older cams... but an 83 is pretty anemic, you'd probably be ok...
skubeedoo
Newbie
any suggestions for manufacturer and model on fuel injection? I also have an 83 K5 with quadrajet that isn't running well at all and to find someone worthy of the rebuild is rare.
As already mentioned, stock 1987-1991 C/K then R/V TBI is the easiest swap. Also the easiest to get parts for should something need replacement in the future.
vandelay industries
1/2 ton status
Pros: runs better, usually better mpg, FI (electronic OR mechanical) is superior to carbs.
Cons: Cheapest Fuel injection system i've seen (which is throttle body injection) is about $1000 for the holley and $1300 for a GM truck TBI from Howell.
i need a mechanical fuel pump, a Carter # M73002 which is $29 and i have a quadrajet sitting on the engine and one sitting on the shelf which is the one i'm going to be using. If i did need a new carb, i would go with a holley 4175 which is about $470. OR i can get a decent rebuilt quadrajet from JET or SMI for $350.
So basically for me it's $500 max vs. $1300. But really, since i already have the carbs, it's $29 vs. $1300 AND i'd need a new fuel line if i went with FI
This is the only thing keeping me from Fuel injection.
Cons: Cheapest Fuel injection system i've seen (which is throttle body injection) is about $1000 for the holley and $1300 for a GM truck TBI from Howell.
i need a mechanical fuel pump, a Carter # M73002 which is $29 and i have a quadrajet sitting on the engine and one sitting on the shelf which is the one i'm going to be using. If i did need a new carb, i would go with a holley 4175 which is about $470. OR i can get a decent rebuilt quadrajet from JET or SMI for $350.
So basically for me it's $500 max vs. $1300. But really, since i already have the carbs, it's $29 vs. $1300 AND i'd need a new fuel line if i went with FI
This is the only thing keeping me from Fuel injection.
vandelay industries
1/2 ton status
P.S.
Yes, you can build/"piece-together" a fuel injection system from scratch, but this takes time and you have to factor that in as a cost; How many hours would it take to finish it vs. time could be spent earning money.
Yes, you can build/"piece-together" a fuel injection system from scratch, but this takes time and you have to factor that in as a cost; How many hours would it take to finish it vs. time could be spent earning money.
vandelay industries
1/2 ton status
Ok, i just read some of the other responses and:
@pmhelena + @skubeedoo
This is just my opinion (and i'm pretty slow). i would personally go with the Howell TBI system because the GM TBI system is rock solid dependable (have one on one of my cars which has over 300,000 miles on it) and at least one of the Howell brothers worked for GM and designed this exact system while they/he were at GM.
http://howellefi.com/
@skubeedoo
i don't have firsthand experience, but i have heard nothing but good about Sean Murphy induction, JET performance and Cliff Ruggles as quadrajet rebuilders.
@pmhelena + @skubeedoo
This is just my opinion (and i'm pretty slow). i would personally go with the Howell TBI system because the GM TBI system is rock solid dependable (have one on one of my cars which has over 300,000 miles on it) and at least one of the Howell brothers worked for GM and designed this exact system while they/he were at GM.
http://howellefi.com/
@skubeedoo
i don't have firsthand experience, but i have heard nothing but good about Sean Murphy induction, JET performance and Cliff Ruggles as quadrajet rebuilders.
This depends on how much you're going to spend on it and the value you place on its advantages. You can convert to a stock TBI for the range of a few hundred dollars (maybe), and go up to high-end systems that cost like $6k. If you think of it only in terms of fuel economy, you'll never make your money back on the expensive systems. For a simple example, a $500 TBI conversion from a junkyard would pay off in 26,000 miles if you go from 12 to 13MPG (somebody should double-check my math). You have to figure out if that's enough or what the other pros are worth to you - like ease of starting in cold weather, ability to run at weird angles, etc.
When looking at spending money on upgrading your old SBC, look at the comparison for an engine swap. LS swaps are popular for a reason and a 5.3L would give you much better power, running, economy, etc. than even an upgraded, converted 1983 SBC. Just another avenue to look at.
Keep in mind that the easiest fuel injection conversion (for a mostly stock vehicle) is to sell it and find another that came injected from the factory. Could also be cheaper.
I just ordered my system from Howell today. They called within 10 minutes to get some more information, and burned my chip and sent out the system today, with an expected arrival date of Thursday. So far I've been impressed with their speed and thoroughness. Some will tell you that it's a lot of money to spend on a system based on the stock components, but when you figure what your time is worth, as well as the potential expenses you have in using used parts that may need to be reconditioned or replaced, and getting the computer to work with your application (mine has a mild cam and Vortec heads), it was worth it to me. Plus, Howell has a reputation for doing good work and offering excellent technical support. Hopefully the install will go smoothly, and having stock components makes servicing easier.
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