Carbuerator or Fuel Injected? Which is better and why?

[Kommando SS]

Well I am just wondering which is better and I want to know the reason why.
Does fuel injected just get more fuel or what? You choose.

 

[Jim Oaks]

The 302 in my Ranger does a really good job with the Holley Offroad Avenger Carburetor. Prior to that I had an Edelbrock carb and it gave me fits at extreme angles or on some hill climbs.

If I had the choice, I would definitely go fuel injected. I don't have it because of cost. My motor was originally a carbed motor. Fuel injection is far more forgiving and can maintain the proper fuel/air ratios at various angles than a carb.

 

[Bob Ayers]

Fuel injection is much better!!

 

[Mutant Pony]

As Jim said, fuel injection is better especailly off road.
Carburated costs less to buy and maintain. Also, easier to wire as in a swap situation.
Fuel injection does NOT give you better mileage or more horse power. 14.7 is 14.7 no matter how you look at it.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Fuel injectio is better. Its more costly up front, but in the longer run, less expensive to keep manitained. Also when off-roading, extreme angles upset the fuel mixture in a carb. While FI can be turned upside with little effect. Another plus is cold weather starting. FI will automatically adjust fuel mixture for colder air than a carb can. So FI has a much wider operating ranger in tempature, altitude, and angles. Carbs can only be set to an ideal setting for a spefic requirement.

 

[holyford86]

...Fuel injection does NOT give you better mileage or more horse power. 14.7 is 14.7 no matter how you look at it.

Wouldn't you notice a slight gain over a carb because the fuel injection system can better maintain that 14.7 air/fuel ratio? I wouldn't imagine that the gains would be really significant but wouldn't a gain be possible?

 

[Bob Ayers]

Wouldn't you notice a slight gain over a carb because the fuel injection system can better maintain that 14.7 air/fuel ratio? I wouldn't imagine that the gains would be really significant but wouldn't a gain be possible?

I agree! Depending on driving habits, EFI should give better MPG due to better A/F control.

 

[shadetree]

It depends on what circumstances you are using the devices, and which device you are using, and under what conditions.

All out power, the carb or mechanical fuel injection are deemed to be better. It also depends on the carb tuner. Properly tuning a carb is an art, and when properly done and managed, is hard to beat.

For fuel control and management, electronic fuel injection is the better choice.

Usually, however, the choice is determined by the cost factor, not the operational features. shady

 

[MAKG]

Wouldn't you notice a slight gain over a carb because the fuel injection system can better maintain that 14.7 air/fuel ratio? I wouldn't imagine that the gains would be really significant but wouldn't a gain be possible?

Yes.

A perfectly tuned carburetor (for every condition encountered) will be equivalent to a fuel injection system in good repair. But carburetors don't stay perfectly tuned, and with the exception of Rube Goldberg feedback carburetors, don't adapt to arbitrary altitude or angle.

On doesn't need to rejet a fuel injected system for a drive to western Colorado.

It isn't necessarily slight. Compare 2.8L to 2.9L EPA mileage for an example.

 

[Evan]

One thing that's nice about a carb engine is that you can run propane through it. Propane runs just as well as EFI on steep angles (no bogging) but has the advantage of being much simpler and more reliable than an EFI engine.

The 302 that will be going into my Explorer is a carb engine and it will be run on propane.

But given the choice between gasoline EFI vs. carb, EFI wins hands down for a number of reasons.

 

[Kommando SS]

Well, my courier has a caburerator in it and I am trying to get it back going and use it for offroad (and I know it will get through tough terrian)/onroad and I just don't know what to choose. The carburerator is hard to set.

 

[freebird]

personally im a fan of carburetors. But then again, i work at a machine shop and build motors for modifides, pro stocks, pure stocks, and other types of circle and drag type race cars. Im not a fan of electronics controlling motors, and i still cannot be convinced, I like manual everything. If a carb is tuned right you can get the same fuel milage and performance as EFI. A buddy of mine has a 81 F150 Jacked 8" lift, dually, 38" TSL super swampers and a limited slip differential. Also has a 351C with a Barry grant speed demon carb on it, During ideal conditions he gets 15-17 MPG. and the thing has soo much horsepower it has no problem breaking those SS tires loose on pavement.

 

[Mutant Pony]

Holyford86 and Makg, If you take a properly tuned carburator off of an engine and replace it with fuel injection you will lose fuel mileage. It has been proven many times. An engine can be built for fuel injection that will get better mileage than a carburated one and make the same or better performance(possibly). Comparing the difference between a 2.8 and a 2.9 has nothing to do with fuel injection. They have a different port design, and a different stroke which makes most of that difference.
We have had this discussion before but, I'll say it again. Carburators do not come out of adjustment on there own! They do get dirty but, so do fuel injectors. There is no possible way a carb could ever cost more to maintain than any EFI system.
The biggest problem with carbs is that they have to be tuned properly to the engine, you can't just take them out of a box and bolt them on and expect them to run properly.
Kommando SS, What engine is in the courier?

 

[Evan]

personally im a fan of carburetors. But then again, i work at a machine shop and build motors for modifides, pro stocks, pure stocks, and other types of circle and drag type race cars. Im not a fan of electronics controlling motors, and i still cannot be convinced, I like manual everything. If a carb is tuned right you can get the same fuel milage and performance as EFI. A buddy of mine has a 81 F150 Jacked 8" lift, dually, 38" TSL super swampers and a limited slip differential. Also has a 351C with a Barry grant speed demon carb on it, During ideal conditions he gets 15-17 MPG. and the thing has soo much horsepower it has no problem breaking those SS tires loose on pavement.

What happens when he's on the trail and gets the truck at a 70+ degree angle?

Mutant Pony, sure, you might get a perfectly tuned carb to hang with EFI (mpg and power-wise), but as soon as the elevation, pressure, or temperature changes the carb is no longer perfectly tuned and EFI wins.

And a carb will never compare to EFI when it comes to extreme operating angles and emissions.

 

[Bob Ayers]

EFI was the only choice vehicle manufacturers had to meet emissions requirements, carbs didn't have a chance!