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?

carbs are more reliable, they make the same hp as efi, just make a little less tq... and are an azz load of cash less costly

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.

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

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.

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

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 .

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

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.

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