Why everyone carb swapping?

[TonyM]

The only reason people carb swap is lack of computer tuning knowledge and skill. Besides being easier to "tune", there is no advantage at all to running a carb over a proper efi set up for the application. None.

 

[Dropped88]

A great many of our trucks are carb swapped because the vast majority of people can't troubleshoot their way out of a wet paper bag. Either they take their truck to a clueless parts-changer of a mechanic that charges $$$$ to fire the parts cannon on the customer's dime, or the owner does it themself and hits nothing but their wallet. The blame for these failures is placed, inevitably, on "this fuel injection junk", and good money is thrown after bad while they source a new intake manifold, carb, and ignition system. Then the questions about fuel pressure regulators, sensors, transmission control, and the like flow onto places like this forum. How many of these projects end in a smooth driving truck with good power, fuel economy, and reliability is hard to say, as most vanish after the deed is done.

It is true that stock TBI and Vortec engines can pick up some power with carb swaps. I'm sure it's a combination of better air/fuel flow, a more aggressive timing curve, and a complete lack of the electronic nannies that keep our engines out of detonation and our transmissions from gaining extra neutrals. The increased power and relative ease of tuning is attractive to many, though I'm not sure of the power difference between a tuned factory Vortec and a carb swapped engine. What I AM sure of is that there are about as many people that can competently tune a carb as there are people that can competently tune an ECM; that is to say, not many at all. Lots of folks THINK that they can screwdriver a carb into submission, but it just ain't so. Most that I have seen just bolt on a parts store Edelbrock, twist the distributor until it sounds OK, and send it. The butt-dyno says it FEELS faster, so it must be! Right! Right? RIGHT?!?

I have seen this so much that i thought you was reading a real life story of mine. lol

100% agreed

 

[Busters]

In my opinion, the stock vortec intake with the internal poppet valves is a failed development pathway. It's a good performing intake for the application but it's also the last gasp of trying to shoehorn the sbc into the modern emissions era. It is also ugly. But I'd take it all day compared to a carb.

I prefer 8 full size fuel injectors on external rails. Cheap and plentiful to replace, o-rings on the performance wall at the parts store. There's a lot of induction options for the sbc still, you can pretty much have it however you want to tune it.

It is ugly in opinion as well, and when I did more research to find out that it’s the only thing for it I was like that’s dumb. But I feel it’s better than carb with what it can do especially since I live in a state that has the worst weather.

 

[Busters]

The only reason people carb swap is lack of computer tuning knowledge and skill. Besides being easier to "tune", there is no advantage at all to running a carb over a proper efi set up for the application. None.

After my research for what I wanted to do I found out it’s like that, and a bunch of old heads that are use to it so they run them still cause they think it’s all that. And I’m going to say it is still a lot more power with those intakes but still it’s crappy.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Edit: Actually pretty reasonable to do!

Flow Testing

Select this service if you just want to see if the injector is working properly. Our test service includes to following: Leak inspection: injectors are inspected for leaks both on the injector body and at the output nozzle. An injector that is leaking from the nozzle will require reconditioning...

www.fiveomotorsport.com

Then again maybe NOT.

• Price shown is per injector running gasoline and/or oxygenated fuels

Mr Injector used to do it cheap but, I see now his website is for sale

 

[Caman96]

Mr Injector used to do it cheap but, I see now his website is for sale

Apparently wasn’t charging enough.

 

[Cadillacmak]

The only reason people carb swap is lack of computer tuning knowledge and skill. Besides being easier to "tune", there is no advantage at all to running a carb over a proper efi set up for the application. None.

There are other reasons, like off road rigs where you break everything all the time, its very nice to simplify. Daily drivers, street, and track, I agree with you.

 

[Scooterwrench]

or thermoquad

Tell me you're kidding. That was almost to biggest POS carb ever invented. The biggest POS carb was the Motorcraft 2150 VV that came out in the late 70's. The only carb I never could get to work right.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Apparently wasn’t charging enough.

Or screwing **** up.

 

[Caman96]

Or screwing **** up.

Then again, lots of businesses are getting screwed from external “sources”.