VinhZXT Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Thanks for all the positive responses guys. I am taking this as a small victory because I still have plenty of works to do with this car. It is nice to be able to start it up when my buddies come over to see what I've been working on. Thanks again all. Vinh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lason Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Very cool! I cant wait till I get my LS1 240 started. Just got done ordering a victor jr intake and some other stuff. i decided Im going with a carb on mine, and possibly a blow through turbo setup shortly after i get her going. Now if I could only manage to finish the rear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinhZXT Posted September 3, 2006 Author Share Posted September 3, 2006 Lason, Why carb? The computer for these motor is cheap. Only $100. EFI is a lot more reliable compare to carb and you can turbo it easier than carb. Easier to tune with EFI also. I had VRJoe stopped by my garage to day and we just had this discussion. Why do carburetors even exist now aday? But then again it is your project. Good luck.. Vinh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 A used computer is $100. Seems like a good price, must be for a used unit. Replacement O2 sensors about the same, each. IAC motor, what, $60? HPtuner is $500, per car. That is if you already have the laptop or an old computer handy. TPS, MAP sensor, replacement harness, FI tank, new guages, 140 amp alternator. Stuff adds up. There are a lot of advantages going with a carb on an old Z. Not the least of which GM somehow rates their carb'd LS2 as have 40 more HP than the same motor with FI. Something about the look of a clean engine bay and huge air cleaner that I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lason Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Lason' date='Why carb? The computer for these motor is cheap. Only $100. EFI is a lot more reliable compare to carb and you can turbo it easier than carb. Easier to tune with EFI also. I had VRJoe stopped by my garage to day and we just had this discussion. Why do carburetors even exist now aday? But then again it is your project. Good luck.. Vinh[/quote'] Yep like Pop N Wood said I can make the same exact power if not more for cheaper with a carb. I got my motor with the harness, computer and everything and its all sitting in my toolbox. Lets look at pricing on things..... re-wired harness - $400 through Speartech I can do this myself but just for simplicity sake EFILive/HPtuners - $5-900 Upgraded injectors - $3-500 Upgraded TB - $500 And that doesnt include any sensors that may need replacing. Now lets look at a carb'd setup....... Edelbrock Victor Jr Intake - $279 MSD Controller - $302 Carb - $5-800 (already have one but through price in there for comparison) Im the type of person that appreciates simple setups. Less electronics = less to go wrong. Not to mention Im a lot more comfortable around carbs. There are cars making 2000+hp on blow through carb/turbo setups already. Ill never be near there but its nice to know Ill never see a brickwall on the dyno because Im carb'd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinhZXT Posted September 4, 2006 Author Share Posted September 4, 2006 There are plenty of very very fast cars and they are all running EFI my friends. How reliable is your carb? How many MPH does your carb will give you? Electronics don't just go bad by themselves oops yes they do but rarely. How much work do you have to do on to your carb when you upgrade your motor? Is it as simple as changing some numbers on a program on a computer. Why would you want to pay for the rewire? The LS1 came with the stand alone harness. Just all the sensors that you have to worry about. If you upgrade the motor just play with the right numbers and you are there. As far as I know you can turbo an EFI a lot easier compare to a turbo. Nothing beat the controls of electronics compare to manuals $hit (carb). But whatever float your boat my friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lason Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 There are plenty of very very fast cars and they are all running EFI my friends. How reliable is your carb? How many MPH does your carb will give you? Electronics don't just go bad by themselves oops yes they do but rarely. How much work do you have to do on to your carb when you upgrade your motor? Is it as simple as changing some numbers on a program on a computer. Why would you want to pay for the rewire? The LS1 came with the stand alone harness. Just all the sensors that you have to worry about. If you upgrade the motor just play with the right numbers and you are there. As far as I know you can turbo an EFI a lot easier compare to a turbo. Nothing beat the controls of electronics compare to manuals $hit (carb). But whatever float your boat my friends. Ok JUST to get the stock EFI to "turbo" standards you would need bigger injectors ($3-500), 90mm t-body ($4-500), hi-flow fuel rails ($200), Bigger mass air if your gonna run one ($3-400), and a tuning proggie to tune ($5-900) amongst other things. And if you ever want to turn the boost up you will need even bigger fuel injectors, bigger t-body, etc etc etc. To get a LS1 to Carb "turbo" standards you need a blow through carb (free-$800 for a CSU blow through custom carb), intake ($279) and a boost refrenced regulator which both efi and carb will need. O yeah and carb bonnet to direct the boost to the carb ($159) To tune the carb all you have to have is a screw driver and a pocket full of jets, depending on how in depth of a tune you are doing. Most of the time a screwdriver is all you need. The timing is still controlled via a laptop so that no biggie. Electronics DO go bad. Every single sensor on that LS1 will need to be changed at one point or another, there is NO getting around that. Finding a problem on a EFI car can be a PITA comapred to a carb car. And finally carbs are just as reliable as EFI, and I dare anyone to argue that one with me. Dont get me wrong, there are fast cars with EFi and if I had a money tree I would be one of them but why? Whats the advantage? Tuning? A turbo car efi or carb will need constant tuning, but its a lot easier and cheaper with a carb. Not as precise but if it gets the job done then why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Sorry to hyjack your thread. This is a pretty good birth announcement for your car. I won't argue that EFI isn't the better solution in most respects. Carbs are metered fuel leak as some call them. But there are a LOT of reasons why a carb is a better solution in some cases. Try pricing new crate motors and see just how much the FI is going to cost you. Then look into how much added cost and complexity is involved fitting a FI motor into a carb era Z. I deal with computers all day at work. Don't like the idea of coming home and doing the same. I also wonder about parts availability 20+ years down the road. For a daily driver, FI is the only way to go. Cold starts, mileage, passing emmisions. But my Z will never see a winter day. I will drive so few miles that mileage is only a passing concern. Emissions don't apply, and with so few miles I won't be contributing much environmental damage. But the #1 reason for going carb is I have wanted a high performance motor since I was 17. Took me 30 years but now I am building it. Just want that super simple, old school look. BTW, I notice in the GM performance parts catalog that GM makes an optional distributor drive for the LS motor. Said it is for the racing bodies that require a distributor. If some classes require a distributor, they almost certainly require a carb. Also VinhZXT, you are right about the alternator hitting the steering shaft. Got some work ahead of me today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 whats interesting about the LS1 dist conversion is that it goes on the front of the motor.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lason Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 whats interesting about the LS1 dist conversion is that it goes on the front of the motor.. and uses a ford distributor. But for $4xx I would just use the MSD box and stock coils. More stable and exact timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 For a straight swap I don't think you can beat keeping the EFI on the LS1. Mine uses the original GM harness with some wires stripped out and a few added in to incorporate the Datsun sensors. I'm running two O2 sensors and a "retuned" ECM. I had it done so it cost me about $250 for the ECM retune. All the other parts came with the motor. I really like the simplicity of the install because it keeps the GM stuff GM and the Datsun stuff Datsun. It also incorporates the OBD II port for trouble-shooting - how easy is that? - and the ECM even controls the radiator fans as in the donor car. For what Lason is planning on doing, though, I'm not sure what I'd do. Once again it all comes down to the intended use of the car, available funds & parts. Since I have a daily driver I'd stick with the EFI but for a once-in-a-while very high performance driver - ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 EFI was a snap and the cam, headers, 36lb injectors, 90mm tb, and TR230 cam were easy to tune with EFI live and a laptop. Sparks up the second I hit the key at any temp and fries the 255mm tires off at 80 mph. But I will admit that the carb setup is bada**! I'd love to have one. Point is that it doesn't matter how you do it, just do it! P.S. Congrats on the starup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 re-wired harness - $400 through Speartech I can do this myself but just for simplicity sake EFILive/HPtuners - $5-900 Upgraded injectors - $3-500 Upgraded TB - $500 re-wired harness = not nessecary - $400 EFILive tune done by someone else - $400 Upgraded injectors - correct estimate Upgraded TB - again, not really nessecary an LS6 intake and LS1 throttle body are pretty much all you need. personaly i cant see why anyone would do a carbed set up unless it is a track only one day only car. otherwise you want to be able to tune it and what not. i like the GM carb intakes, they have bungs for fuel injectors. thats the only time id use a carb intake, is to make it fuel injected:D IMO 400rwhp on stock internals through a A4 is a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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