Carbs vs FI... Pros/cons
#1
Carbs vs FI... Pros/cons
Everyone has an opinion on this carbs or FI. So, any input would be great. What do you think? Pros/cons? In salt water environment. Use carb and higher HP lower price OR spend more get FI.... Which one is more reliable in your opinion?
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Carbs suck in rough water. Good fuel injection is absolutely the way to go IMHO
Not necessarily a HP advantage either way, however FI is more likely to be drive-able with easier shifting.
Not necessarily a HP advantage either way, however FI is more likely to be drive-able with easier shifting.
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if the carb is set up properly you will have no issue in rough water, it is like setting up a carb for a car that corners hard, jet extensions, overflow extensions and you will have zero issue is big water, trust me i know...rm
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My last 2 motors since 99 have been EFI. The latest re-do on a 509 was going to be EFI. My motor builder who always seems on top of current trends and is a performance boater, is now trying to talk me into a carb!?!! He promises I will be "so much happier". According to him, a boat is the perfect application for a carb (for most people); somewhat constant temps with similar humidity, as in summer sport, constant elevation as in same lake. I am promised same idle and smoothness, same max torque and a significant bump in horsepower. Put your hand on the intake, feel the cold, there is your answer. Of course this entails him building a custom carb/intake combo, but still the price is cheaper than just upgrading my current EFI. It sounds so simple: just pull the carb at the end of the season and store dry. Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I am VERY sure that a carb is more reliable than even a factory EFI. Almost everytime I have had issues in the past it has been EFI related.
#6
Liquid lounge/ratman...I am hearing the same from engine folks. The thinking seems backwards, that's why I threw this out to see what offshore people think.... Can't get a car w/o FI today, so why not same for boats? I'm most interested in the HP gain and price difference... But concern over a carb not being adjusted right and flooding or burning a piston.... All those things that used to happen to me when FI was a dream.... Thanks for feedback
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I have had two stage v racing carbs built by Dean Nickerson . You would swear my engines were fuel injected by the way they fire and run . Never a problem in rough water and both engines run very crisp . I run Marvel Mystery Oil through the carb at the end of the season and let it on the engine . I never drain it as I have seen too many problems caused by dried out shrunken gaskets and ruined accelerator pumps . Dean is pretty close to you , give him a call .
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M y next boat I want it FI. On the other hand, the one time I had a carb running rich, I fixed it myself, with a screwdriver! When FI goes south, you need a computer and usually a sensor to solve the problem, which I don't have... Tough call I guess
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i run carbs on my 8.3L whipplecharged engines,but i am thinking about going to efi.a good efi system compensates for humidity,altitude&temp.there is a reason all newer cars and almost all newer boats have efi.as far as power,i dont see any measureable difference from one to the other.imo,the determining factor in choosing is price.
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The blower engine in my Eliminator was FI, stock merc modified with a whipple side mount, no problems at all just cracked the block. I am building a new blower engine also whippled FI. My Baja was stock 454 mpi, no problems either. My Kachina got new carbed 650hp 540s this year, spent the summer dialing in & running it ragged, no problems with fuel system at all. The only difference I could see was having to pump the throttle a couple of times when first started. I would have to agree if the carb is set up correctly it will be fine. Randy