Opinions on EFI to Carb conversion

[montesa]

1990 F150
Reg Cab short bed
300 I6 EFI

The truck runs good. What I don’t like is how busy the engine bay is. I’ve seen videos of people removing a huge rats nest of wires and hoses revealing a simple clean engine bay after converting to a carb. Even a large part of the wiring harness it self can be cut away.

Has anyone done this? Bad idea? Worth it?

 

[cowadle]

i wouldn't do it.

 

[swampratt]

Done it on a FI 302 that had that tall intake manifold.
I swapped on a carbed 2 barrel intake that was free for pulling it (Thanks Horton Motors).

I had 2 barrel Motorcraft carbs and for a regulator we just pinched the rubber fuel lines in 2 different spots with hose clamps.
Used the factory electric pump etc.
Buddy drove it for a couple years after and a guy offered him more than he paid for the truck.

I like carbs and would make sure the distributor would work with it and if not will an early distributor work.
I was never impressed by the MPG of the FI 6 cylinder.
I really expected it to be far superior to the carb and FI on average was 2 MPG better.
The FI tested had OD the old carbed 6 tested was NO OD for what it is worth.

But if the vehicle runs great maybe just keep the hood closed.
Unless you just like to tinker.
I did the carb swap on many FI engines and all ran better and got better MPG.
Of course I advanced the initial timing on all of them to 18-22 initial without any vacuum advance and had all the timing in by 2200 rpm.
I still run those quick timing curves today.

 

[montesa]

i wouldn't do it.

Why not?

 

[trekrok]

i wouldn't do it.

I wouldn't either. Generally, FI is going to beat carb for driveabilty.

 

[adamsredlines]

You could spend the time and effort to do a wire tuck, relocate stuff and remove crap that's not really needed. It helps a ton and you keep the EFI.

 

[MR.T.]

None of my carb vehicles have any problems.
But guess which vehicle is in the shop right now. The FI one, the one with with a computer.

Carburetors have been on vehicles longer than electronic fuel injection has been around. I drive my carb vehicle every day with no issues. I say go for it. Keep it simple.

 

[SoonerP226]

Every time I think I want to deal with carburetors, I go mess around with a gasoline-powered tractor. That solves that notion every time.

 

[Okie4570]

I wouldn't do it. I'm around guys all the the time who are swapping engines into 66-77 broncos, carbs stay with carbs unless the carb is ditched for factory EFI or the occasional Holley EFI or Pro Flo EFI. I don't recall anyone swapping in a factory EFI engine and stripping it down to run a carb. Is there an intake manifold for that application or is a custom made deal?

 

[cjjtulsa]

We were just going to that very thing, on that very model of vehicle. Son bought a 90 F150 from a neighbor with a 300/5-speed, and it had sat forever. We were planning on new tanks (rusted out) and new fuel pumps, and swap a carb setup off of an earlier 300. We had just gotten rid of an intake and carb off of a 240 that would have worked, but in the end, the truck had title problems, and the neighbor was big enough to give his money back, and the project never materialized.

EFI is a thing of beauty, while it's working well. But on 20+ year old truck, a carb is so much easier to deal with, and troubleshoot.