Aftermarket retrofit fuel injection for old cars

[electra225]

Have any of you had experience with the aftermarket fuel injection kits for older cars to replace the carburetor. That swap is very popular in this part of the country. I'd worry about cold starting in colder climates, but that doesn't seem to be an issue out here. Holley I know makes a kit, and I think Edelbrock may as well....

[danrclem]

I don't have any experience with them and don't know anybody who has. The cost would hold me back, but it still might be worth it in the long run.

You could try hotrodders.com. There are lots of knowledgeable people there and some not so knowledgeable people, but you can usually get some good information there.

[Harbourmaster]

The Holley Sniper EFI seems to be the unit of choice these days.

[MEZLAW]

I have looked at them for my old Fords and found the Holly sniper to be expensive! For some reason the Ford Autolite 2100 2bbl carburetor is being reproduced and working well so for now I'm sticking with that.

[TC Chris]

The carburetor on my '61 Chevy keeps me mindful of how spoiled we are by EFI and computer engine management. It's pretty well dialed in--started on the 2nd crank after 8 mo. of storage this year--but it gets grumpy after sitting hot for a while. That's probably an issue of modern gas formulations. Sometimes it doesn't want to pull off/stay off the choke cam. On a hot day, he idle may droop until the generator light starts glowing. I may give the idle speed screw and the choke adjustment tiny nudges one of these days. Then there's the gas smell after shut-off when the hot engine boiled vapor out of the carb sitting on top. For old folks, it's a familiar smell, like 2-strke outboard gas.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

My Buick fuel system loses prime when it sets for a month or so. I keep a small container with gas in it. I give it a little drink before I crank it after it sets awhile. My Buick doesn't like "hot soak" starts, either. I find it you give it about half throttle when starting hot, that works better. I wouldn't set the idle above what the factory recommends. Remember, your Powerglide, like my Dynaflow, have "reverse anchors", pot metal doodads that anchor the reverse band to the cast iron transmission case. If you "slam" reverse at too high of rpm, it can pull that anchor out of the case, destroying the transmission case and leaving your car with no reverse. And in need of a totally different transmission case with a good reverse anchor. The gas we use now in our old cars will hardly burn well enough to start a pile of leaves on fire. I'm surprised they run as well as they do. This "mouse milk" called gasoline today is one reason my Buick gets single-digit fuel economy. It takes a LOT of it to move 400 cubic inches and 4800 pounds of Buick......

I haven't priced Holley fuel injection, but I keep a spare rebuilt carb and don't think, at this point, it is an expense I need to spend money on.

[TC Chris]

On the Chevy, I'll just crank the idle up a tiny increment, if I get ambitious enough to do it. Mr. Charron, who serviced Dad's Chevy (before Dad lost the car to the kids) always set the idle to spec and the Chevy always stalled at stop lights. It was annoying. I quickly learned where the idle speed screw was and took the matter in hand. The transmission can handle it: it has tolerated fast-idle shifts on a cold start/fast choke-on idle for years.

On hot starts, I've been doing it pedal-down too--let more air in.

Chris Campbell