Pro's & Con's

[RITTER]

I would also have to dissagree that the LSx swap is a lot more expensive. I have seen plenty of complete, ready to drop in, LS engines for sale. They will range from $1,500 - $3,000 and that includes the transmission, computer and harness. The only other thing you would HAVE to buy would be motor mounts and a transmission crossmember. To build a Gen I SBC that puts out the same numbers as even an LS1, you are going to spend $3,000 on just the engine build. Then you still have stuff like the carburetor, intake, ignition ... and so on, to buy.

I would venture to say that the LSx swap would be much more time consuming (seeing that there is quite a bit of wiring)

 

[crazydavez28]

lemme just snip out them wires and slap a carb on 'er. is kinda like saying let me dial-up to the internet.

if you just want something to run and care about little else then the carb is the way to go. go find a wrecked truck or camaro and buy the whole thing so you have ALL the parts. Swapping in an LS yourself will force you to learn all the wiring stuff and you will like the results. you can do all sorts of data logging fuel mapping, spark mapping etc. without even popping the hood.

When was it that they stopped producing cars with carbs on them?? 25 years ago?

but I'm biased and have swapped out all my carbed engines for EFI

 

[-83MONTESS-]

lemme just snip out them wires and slap a carb on 'er. is kinda like saying let me dial-up to the internet.

x2! One step forward and two steps back.

 

[drogg1]

I'm not really sure you can say that it's always a bad thing to use a carburetor. Just because a technology is available doesn't make it superior in every situation. Especially considering you can make the same power with both setups.

Also, whats so wrong with doing things the less advanced way? You can buy furniture but some people still make their own. They may not equate exactly but my point is I don't see the concrete reasons to negatively consider using a carburetor as a step back.

Many people who know how to setup, wire, program, and tweak a fuel injection system wouldn't know the first thing about how a carburetor works or how to tune one. I like to view them as separate technologies with each having its own positives and negatives.

 

[RITTER]

The great thing about getting an entire engine, transmission, computer and harness package ... there is no tweaking or fine tuning (until you start mod'ing the engine) Just plug and go

 

[GBODYLS3]

i based my decision to go with a carbed ls3 on several things. 1 liked the sound of 515hp as apposed to 430hp. i also was trying to avoid drive by wire. i really wanted to run the 200 4r which wouldn't work with drive by wire. i couldn't find any way to adapt the tv cable to a drive by wire system. i have had a couple 6l80 a6 transmissions which i really didn't like and would prefer not to use. i guess if the carb doesn't live up to my expectations i will have to go to injection. i have a feeling it won't be a problem. i wasn't building this car for gas mileledge.

I'm not really sure you can say that it's always a bad thing to use a carburetor. Just because a technology is available doesn't make it superior in every situation. Especially considering you can make the same power with both setups.

Also, whats so wrong with doing things the less advanced way? You can buy furniture but some people still make their own. They may not equate exactly but my point is I don't see the concrete reasons to negatively consider using a carburetor as a step back.

Many people who know how to setup, wire, program, and tweak a fuel injection system wouldn't know the first thing about how a carburetor works or how to tune one. I like to view them as separate technologies with each having its own positives and negatives.

x2

 

[dogsht]

Great post Gbodyls3. Good info that makes a ton of sense. Don't get me wrong I like fuel injection especially with my turbo car but my built, custom tuned, electric choke, 800 cfm Q-jet doesn't leave as much on the table in regards to performance, mileage, responsiveness, or even transient response, as one might think. No you can't fine tune each cylinder but if the heads were ported & flowed to flow the same there is not a lot left on the table for a naturally aspirated car. Not to mention the cost & time consumption difference. I have had great luck BTW with my 200-4Rs which were built by www.extremeautomatics.com.

 

[jking78]

I would also have to dissagree that the LSx swap is a lot more expensive. I have seen plenty of complete, ready to drop in, LS engines for sale. They will range from $1,500 - $3,000 and that includes the transmission, computer and harness. The only other thing you would HAVE to buy would be motor mounts and a transmission crossmember. To build a Gen I SBC that puts out the same numbers as even an LS1, you are going to spend $3,000 on just the engine build. Then you still have stuff like the carburetor, intake, ignition ... and so on, to buy.

I would venture to say that the LSx swap would be much more time consuming (seeing that there is quite a bit of wiring)

I agree for the price of the engine alone gets me. Im in az and just a bare block alone is like $900 on craiglist. The chances of findin a lq4 complete are slim to none. I can run to any local junk yard here a get a ls motor for $800-$900 easy but the wire harness is way to far gone and thats another $400-$1500 to get one made. Thats not inculding what ever else I need to make this work.

 

[motorholmes]

I like to view them as separate technologies with each having its own positives and negatives.

I like to view them as a blonde and a redhead. Once you've had one for a few years, it's time to switch it up! Or maybe have both at the same time!

 

[melman109]

I would also have to dissagree that the LSx swap is a lot more expensive. I have seen plenty of complete, ready to drop in, LS engines for sale. They will range from $1,500 - $3,000 and that includes the transmission, computer and harness. The only other thing you would HAVE to buy would be motor mounts and a transmission crossmember. To build a Gen I SBC that puts out the same numbers as even an LS1, you are going to spend $3,000 on just the engine build. Then you still have stuff like the carburetor, intake, ignition ... and so on, to buy.

I would venture to say that the LSx swap would be much more time consuming (seeing that there is quite a bit of wiring)

I agree for the price of the engine alone gets me. Im in az and just a bare block alone is like $900 on craiglist. The chances of findin a lq4 complete are slim to none. I can run to any local junk yard here a get a ls motor for $800-$900 easy but the wire harness is way to far gone and thats another $400-$1500 to get one made. Thats not inculding what ever else I need to make this work.

I'll get you some phone numbers to some guys out here that have complete engines for under 2 grand