Carb or fuel injection (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Dec 15, 2021
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North Tustin, Ca
looking for some input. I have a SBC 350 in my 74 and it starts right up if I use it regularly but if I go a week or two without driving it, it can take a long time to actually start. There is also a large amount of exhaust that comes out when I start it up. My question is should I switch to fuel injection or just get a new carburetor? Ideally I would like less exhaust and it to start up easier. Thanks!

I’m a bit of a newbie so I appreciate all advice.
 
I'm a newbie to this forum, but not to vehicles of all kinds. Just my 2 cents... fuel injection is obviously far superior. If it's set up and working right, it's a no-brainer. BUT... I've seen a whole bunch of people who switched and just couldn't ever get it to run just right. They all regretted the swap. As for me, if I do some kind of swap, it's going to be to a diesel. I would love to do a 12HT swap into an FJ.
 
For all of the reasons you stated and 2 or 3 more, I ordered the Holley sniper for my 2F and it arrived yesterday. I have read so many inspiring stories here that I decided I have to do it. My Weber starts the same way…after A week or so…. Crank and crank
 
looking for some input. I have a SBC 350 in my 74 and it starts right up if I use it regularly but if I go a week or two without driving it, it can take a long time to actually start. There is also a large amount of exhaust that comes out when I start it up. My question is should I switch to fuel injection or just get a new carburetor? Ideally I would like less exhaust and it to start up easier. Thanks!

I’m a bit of a newbie so I appreciate all advice.
What size sbc and what carb are you running? What color is the exhaust smoke when it starts? Blue or black?

Mine cranks for a while b4 starting if it sits for a while. I crank it over for a while b4 touching the pedal to get fuel in the bowl. Then I'll pump the pedal 4 or 5 times then crank it and it fires. I don't have a choke so I up the idle with the pedal for a bit until it idles.
 
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Are all of your components in good shape? Distributor, proper timing, working advance, no vacuum leaks, good compression, good fuel pump, valves adjusted correctly, on and on.

Fuel injection can be great but if your problem isn’t solely with your carb, it’ll still be there after you spend $2k+ on efi.
 
I'd prefer the advantages of fuel injection: managed fuel, better mpg, automatic elevation adjustment, automatic choke, no float bowl issues in steep/rough off road terrain, and GM TBI even has "limp home" capability should the EFI system fail. I believe most the time users having EFI problems is because they cut corners during their EFI purchase or installation, or they have programming problems with the systems that are not as self learning as claimed (ala Sniper)???
 
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It sounds like the gas in the float bowl has evaporated after sitting a week. Then you have to crank the engine over to make the manual pump get gas to the carb. At first there’s not enough getting to the cylinders from the carb to ignite… then an excessive amount from cranking finally ignites creating smoke.

I’ve got a pump similar to this one.
I shopped around to find one still made in the USA. My last one lasted 23 years before it got too much crud in it to keep pumping. I likely could have cleared out the debris to get it pumping, but it still would be 23 years old. I swapped it out for my spare and haven’t had any further problems. After sitting a week, a month, or a year, I turn the key till the ignition is on, wait 10 seconds, pump the throttle pedal once, turn the key, and it starts. Longest it sat was for two years in a carport… it needed a boost, but I then drove it 75 miles home after filling the tank down the block. The battery didn’t recover, but the 1.5 hour trip home was unexpected.
 
That is the exact reason my t-birds start so poorly after sitting and they do install an electric “assist” pump on a temporary o switch to help eliminate that problem.
i crank it until the oil light goes out, pump the pedal twice and ….vrooom ! My 47 knucklehead had a routine..kick once to prime, retard the spark, turn on the key and kick once to start…every time

this no gas issue never seemed to have happened back in the 70’s but, I may not have a full memory of those days
 
That is the exact reason my t-birds start so poorly after sitting and they do install an electric “assist” pump on a temporary o switch to help eliminate that problem.
i crank it until the oil light goes out, pump the pedal twice and ….vrooom ! My 47 knucklehead had a routine..kick once to prime, retard the spark, turn on the key and kick once to start…every time

this no gas issue never seemed to have happened back in the 70’s but, I may not have a full memory of those days
I was big into shovelhead and ironheads when I was a young man (like 5 years ago). Same thing, they had a procedure and they’d start right up. I’ve helped many a fella in a parking lot start his old Harley because they didn’t know that bikes routine. I miss/hate kickstarts.
 
@Skreddy youre funny…. You went from young man to old man in 5 years? Now you’ve got me running scared. I have discovered since getting my land cruiser that I have all of the old motivations again ….but man do I run outta steam quickly..
 
@Skreddy youre funny…. You went from young man to old man in 5 years? Now you’ve got me running scared. I have discovered since getting my land cruiser that I have all of the old motivations again ….but man do I run outta steam quickly..
I am a grumpy old man at the age of 38. I’m sure it’s purely coincidental, but I noticed it right about the time I had kids….
 
The only reasons to choose a carburetor over EFI are nostalgia, cost, or the need for absolutely crazy horsepower.
EFI means no more stuck floats, incorrect jet size for elevation, off-camber fuel starvation or dealing with a choke on cold days.
Why do modern engines go 200k miles and still burn little oil? Back in the 80s, an engine with 100k miles was shot. Because the fuel/air mixture was not accurately controlled. Rich mixtures lead to raw fuel in the cylinders washing the oil off and premature wear.
 

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