'73 454 quadrajet or EFI?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
'73 454 quadrajet or EFI?
Hey guys,
Here's the background:
I purchased my first Corvette this week; 1973 454 auto coupe. The motor has recently been rebuilt (not the heads) with a mild cam.
Upon purchasing the car, the owner advised me that the original Quadrajet had been replaced many years ago with a Holley. The Holley is in poor condition and needs to be replaced.
Seeing I need to spend the $$$ and buy a new carb, I tripped across a thread talking about the EZ-EFI and the Powerjection efi kits. It seems the only real drawback of the efi kits is the initial price (seem to be around $1650 on ebay) Seeing I am looking at around $800+ for a rebuilt Quadrajet to suit my '73 (if I can find one), I thought I would explore the EFI option.
Are these EFI kits really "set and forget". They almost seem too good to be true; better economy, more response, more power, no more rejetting, easy cold start..... am I missing something?
Appreciate your thoughts guys...
P.S. The issue of keeping the car original doenst bother me, there are several non original components to the car
P.S.S. I am a mechanical idiot
so try and use small words for me..Im not a guy that could rejet carbs etc..
Aussie Mark
Here's the background:
I purchased my first Corvette this week; 1973 454 auto coupe. The motor has recently been rebuilt (not the heads) with a mild cam.
Upon purchasing the car, the owner advised me that the original Quadrajet had been replaced many years ago with a Holley. The Holley is in poor condition and needs to be replaced.
Seeing I need to spend the $$$ and buy a new carb, I tripped across a thread talking about the EZ-EFI and the Powerjection efi kits. It seems the only real drawback of the efi kits is the initial price (seem to be around $1650 on ebay) Seeing I am looking at around $800+ for a rebuilt Quadrajet to suit my '73 (if I can find one), I thought I would explore the EFI option.
Are these EFI kits really "set and forget". They almost seem too good to be true; better economy, more response, more power, no more rejetting, easy cold start..... am I missing something?
Appreciate your thoughts guys...
P.S. The issue of keeping the car original doenst bother me, there are several non original components to the car
P.S.S. I am a mechanical idiot
so try and use small words for me..Im not a guy that could rejet carbs etc.. Aussie Mark
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I was a carb guy for years and tuned them and had fun with them. I now have fuel injection and would not go back to the carb. Yes it is expensive, but what on a Vette isn't. The cold start and driveability is far better than a carb. Some will argue that but a carb is just a comprimise of air to fuel ratio. The computer adjusts many times a second for precise fuel metering. You will not regret going to fuel injection.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
I was a carb guy for years and tuned them and had fun with them. I now have fuel injection and would not go back to the carb. Yes it is expensive, but what on a Vette isn't. The cold start and driveability is far better than a carb. Some will argue that but a carb is just a comprimise of air to fuel ratio. The computer adjusts many times a second for precise fuel metering. You will not regret going to fuel injection.
Thanks Gordonm,
The 2 systems I have seen are the EZ-EFI & Powerjection III
Any thoughts on these systems?
Are these systems as good as they say? The kits look so small, do they really include everything you need?
Stupid questions I know - mechanics isnt my strong point.. lol...
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
Thanks for the responses on the Carb - looks like it wont cost me $800!
Any other thoughts/comments on the EFI units? How much are the EFI kits? I saw the EZ-EFI on eBay for $1650 - does that include everything?
Cheers,
Any other thoughts/comments on the EFI units? How much are the EFI kits? I saw the EZ-EFI on eBay for $1650 - does that include everything?
Cheers,
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
Efi
The bottom line is the EFI is superior--but you will pay for it; plan to drop $2K+ to get it done properly and plumbed, etc. This is ALOT more expensive than rebuilding your carb.
BUT-better gas mileage, more responsive, more power and torque when you average over the entire powerband, more responsive, better in all weather.
I personally prefer the EFI but am not a hater on those that like to kick it old school.
Good Luck!
Paul
BUT-better gas mileage, more responsive, more power and torque when you average over the entire powerband, more responsive, better in all weather.
I personally prefer the EFI but am not a hater on those that like to kick it old school.
Good Luck!
Paul
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 435
Likes: 18
From: Florida
It really will come back to recuperative cost for you. How many miles you intend to drive it, how many gallons per mile it uses now vs how many with new carb/FI. It takes a big difference in mpg to recover the $1000 not spent in a short period of time. I could be wrong, but big blocks aren't efficient by design anyway. If you arent technically sound than a swap may not be good for you, and since you have a spreadbore carb and intake, that intake will need to be swapped or need an adapter. That could cause hood clearance issues.... Usually more to it than swap and forget it. Maybe in a dyno room , not in a vehicle.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
It really will come back to recuperative cost for you. How many miles you intend to drive it, how many gallons per mile it uses now vs how many with new carb/FI. It takes a big difference in mpg to recover the $1000 not spent in a short period of time. I could be wrong, but big blocks aren't efficient by design anyway. If you arent technically sound than a swap may not be good for you, and since you have a spreadbore carb and intake, that intake will need to be swapped or need an adapter. That could cause hood clearance issues.... Usually more to it than swap and forget it. Maybe in a dyno room , not in a vehicle.
I didnt realise that I'd need a new intake manifold or adapter plate. The cost starts to really add up I suppose...
Sounds like the Quadrajet may be the way to go..
Aussie Mark
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 435
Likes: 18
From: Florida
That wasn't meant to deter you, the adapters arent, much but then that can lead toa drop base air cleaner, or possibly a new hood. The test they spit out are fine and prove their point, but usually on a build they test, not an original..... meaning they can use a good intake and a cam thats more suited to a FI systems attributes not necessarily the carb. Like any mag article you read, take the claims with a grain of salt and examine what they had control of to favor their product in testing. If this is a daily driver, go for it, but if its just a weekend cruiser/boulevard bruiser can you justify the cost vs the performance? How many cold starts are you going to see, and if the quads got electric choke,, how much better will it be? Will you seriously start it and drive off before oil/water temps are up?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,795
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From: Aarhus, Denmark
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
That wasn't meant to deter you, the adapters arent, much but then that can lead toa drop base air cleaner, or possibly a new hood. The test they spit out are fine and prove their point, but usually on a build they test, not an original..... meaning they can use a good intake and a cam thats more suited to a FI systems attributes not necessarily the carb. Like any mag article you read, take the claims with a grain of salt and examine what they had control of to favor their product in testing. If this is a daily driver, go for it, but if its just a weekend cruiser/boulevard bruiser can you justify the cost vs the performance? How many cold starts are you going to see, and if the quads got electric choke,, how much better will it be? Will you seriously start it and drive off before oil/water temps are up?
A couple of forum member have suggested quadrajet carbs for me, so i think I'll go that route!
Thanks again for your time!!
Cheers. Aussie Mark
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
I was a carb guy for years and tuned them and had fun with them. I now have fuel injection and would not go back to the carb. Yes it is expensive, but what on a Vette isn't. The cold start and driveability is far better than a carb. Some will argue that but a carb is just a comprimise of air to fuel ratio. The computer adjusts many times a second for precise fuel metering. You will not regret going to fuel injection.
Buy an aftermarket Tuned Port EFI. No special intake manifold needed, easily tuned (not re-chipped) either automatically or by you on a lap top. The throttle response, power, gas mileage, and driveability is phenomenal. Drive a FI car, then decide. Iwas one of the biggest Q-jet fans. I tuned on my Q-jet for years. Got it running pretty damn good. But it never approached this antiquated, very basic fuel injection. Just wait till I upgrade to something more modern. Just like Gordon says, you will not regret it.
Bee Jay
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Have you looked at the F.A.S,T. website to find out what they offer for your 454?
http://www.fuelairspark.com/
The EZ EFI thread you mentioned is the one that got me started, currently installing one of their kits on my 68, hope to have it up and running by next weekend
http://www.fuelairspark.com/
The EZ EFI thread you mentioned is the one that got me started, currently installing one of their kits on my 68, hope to have it up and running by next weekend