I am going to have a blueprint 302 installed in my 1971 Maverick. I’m having a hard time choosing between carb or EFI….. what would you choose and why? Pros and cons of each? Thank you.
I've had some great running carbs on my car but after running EFI I won't go back to a carb. Some think you can just bolt on a "self-learning" EFI and go, but there's a learning cuve involved (at least for me) and you still have to do some fine tuning, just like with a carb. But with EFI the tuning is done by pushing buttons. No draining fuel bowls, trial and error with jets, shooters, accelerator pumps, etc. Just push buttons. No matter what the temperature, humidity, or elevation the EFI automatically adjusts and the fuel mixture is always right. Sometimes people get bad ones, but that happens with carbs, too. The only issue I had with my FiTech was getting it to idle correctly. The setup instructions were useless (I've heard they're better now). I found some good information on line and was able to get it running right.
Forgot to mention, with the FiTech, and probably other throttle body EFI's too, all 4 barrels work at the same time, unlike a 4-barrel carb where the primaries have to open so far before the secondaries even start opening. Definitely a noticeable improvement in accleration.
Im cheap and I like carburetors. I vote Edelbrock carb. EFI is great when it works but iv seen them be troublesome. And most people don't want to or can't diagnose it. A friend of mine has Holley on a C10 they've been trying to figure out for months. And iv known guys that tried it and went back to carbs. Poor fuel economy. Just me but I like simplicity.
EFI... my latest choice... Edelbrock Pro-Flo 4 EFI system. keep good grounds and hot battery... 40* or 100* days...it can sit for days and fire right up...
Since you are installing a new engine, if you have a carb to get it running I would start with that. There are benefits to EFI but it may be problematic trying to do too many things at one time should a problem develop.
Thank you for all of the responses. I will be ordering the motor with the EFI or carb already installed and it will be put on the Dyno before shipping. Then I am having a professional shop install the motor, rebuild my C4 and check the rear end.
4... the first 2 were the older systems and were a little more cumbersome than I liked. the 3 rd. one was a great system. I just saw the Edelbrock Pro-Flo 4 multiport and thought it would be neat to have. I have installed/tuned these systems and that in itself should say how plug and play they are...LOL
Lessee, I've had one carb on my Comet, two on my Cobra. Each see periods of use(this covers 49 years). One is the orig, & other a 1968 issue. Lastly two on my Fairlane. I dumped the 2017 offshore POS that was installed when I bought it for a orig 1969 carb.
