Did anyone else catch the new edelbrock intake for the ls1 that switches from fuel injection to a carb? That could be a really cool thing. Anyone have any thoughts on this? To bad an ls1 is WAAAAAYYYYY out of my reach... :(

Originally posted by 69chevelle355:
Did anyone else catch the new edelbrock intake for the ls1 that switches from fuel injection to a carb? That could be a really cool thing. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thoughts? It seems very silly to me to yank all the EFI stuff, which offers wonderful driveability, performance (320+ hp), and economy (28+ mpg on the freeway) and replace it with something that won't drive as smoothly or pull off the gas mileage numbers. It's a big step backwards in technology if you ask me. You're taking some of the best engineering GM has to offer today and replacing it with 80+ year old technology.

Then again, this is probably just the ticket for guys who are "scared" of EFI but still want an all-aluminum motor.

Granted the carb will work, but the EFI will do everything the carb can better, and then some.

Troy

Much easier swap with a carb. you won't have to mess with all the computer programming to set up the EFI or carry a laptop with you. Some of us like the simple stuff.

Yeah I think its a little silly too. I'm a die-hard carb guy but if someone is gonna go through the troubles of fitting an LS1 into their car there is no sense in ditching the fuel injection ...without it, its just like, uhh.. not the same.

Yeh, what's the point of an LS1 if you don't use the fuel injection? You might as well build a first gen 350 and save your money. The money for the intake and ignition control module would go a long ways towards a wiring harness or a tuning program for the electronics.

Peter

Remeber the LS1 doesn't have a distributor. So you need a programable ecm for the ignition. For a street car I can't imagine maybe people going for carb. Maybe has use in limited racing applications. Something else, I don't know how well the LS6 intakes works. Could it be a limiting factor in a big hp froced induction application? Most forced inducted race cars I have seen usually use a carb style intake.

Just things to think about.
Steve

wanarace,

You hit on a good point. The stock LS1/LS6 intake is a limiting factor for making BIG power. While the LS1/LS6 based heads flow VERY well when ported, the factory intake is the limiting factor as it only flows in the 280 cfm range I believe. There are aftermarket versions available as well as sheetmetal, but cost may be a limiting factor there.

It's funny about the mention of the differences between a carb. and F.I., be it the new E.F.I. stuff or the old Rochester mechanical/vacuum F.I..

A good carb. will match a good set up E.F.I. wide open on max. power production so it's a wash.

As for the other stuff, I figure the guy driving the car has probably more then anything to do with gas mileage and stuff when not at WOT.

The E.F.I. has instantaneouse feedback therefore the guy driving it isn't alway's tweeking it for a quicker response like the guy driving a carb'ed car..

AND my long gone crippled Buddy's 375hp/327 Vette motor with the Rochester F.I. was actually the best of both worlds b/c it ran like an absolute bat and still knocked down mileage in the above twenties range way back then.. BUT being mechanical/vacuum, it was a temperamental SOB!!!

I've asked about this before somewhere b/c I want the LS1 style intake ports on the old cast-iron blocks b/c the old motors are still a dime a dozen!!

pdq67

While on one of my parts-hunting trips last week, I stopped by Bishop Core Supply in Dallas, TX. Besides having nearly ANY engine part in multiples, they have 200 (!) nearly new LS-1 dealer takeout engines complete with water pumps, coil packs, etc. These are sold WITHOUT the EFI system, but otherwise totally complete with exhaust manifolds, etc. 2500.00 per unit!

Some of these motors have as low as 150 miles up to a high of about 1000 miles. They were pulled out for piston slap complaints and replaced with warranty motors with a different piston skirt design. They send some of these to Missouri and have the pistons and rings changed. Others, they sell without the modification.

Since mild piston slap is just a minor annoyance and won't hurt anything, these are a steal at this price. Just bolt on an intake and carb, ignition control, and right into your Chevelle!

Randy

Well aside from just the piston slap those motors also burned oil ...something heavily. I know a few guys with LS1's that had the piston slap problem and the dealers would not replace the engines unless they were big oil burners.

I still think if you're gonna fab up the mounts and all to plop in an LS1 theres no point in taking half a step forward and a full step backward by putting a carb on it. $2500 for a LS1 minus fuel injection seems like a good deal but if you're gonna put a carb on it you could probably build a stronger and more powerful standard SBC motor with that $2500 and then not have to worry about all kinds of custom fabrication.

Well, this just goes to prove that hot rodders are a diverse group. Just when a person might think all lovers of horsepower are mired in the past, along comes a group saying that modern engines need to be kept modern or "what's the point?".

For all who want to pick on the early ring pack design of the LS1/6 (since corrected), I would point out that your beloved first gen smallblock had more serious issues when first released. The revolutionary (in 1955) stamped rockers seemed to come apart fairly often (obviously long since corrected). Yeah, I know that was a LONG time ago.

The LS1/6 and Vortech brethren should be seen for what they are: engines with HUGE power potential, which is already being proven. Go to the Corvette and Camaro forums and you will probably find more 9 second cars than on the Chevelle forums. That is just on the forums, in real life there are currently more 9 second Chevelles with many owners who do not participate in the internet.

Remember that those engines have 6 bolt mains, more cylinder head bolts (I'm pretty sure on that), and efficient cathederal port heads. And the engine is fairly light, yet can be brought out to 7+ liters of displacement.

I think that intake would be JUST the thing for a simple but outrageous blow through carb centrifugal supercharger setup. I like high tech and electronic fuel injection a lot - but my oh my what a pain it is to successfully plot an efi map for boost. For as many boosted efi setups that lay down spectacular horsepower I almost think there have been an equal number that ended in failure or just seriously never achieving their power potential. Carbs are just more widely understood in the do it yourself horsepower crowd.

Oh yeah, that whole distributor thing on the LS1/6. Easy fix, front belt drive distributor. These are standard parts available through MSD and others.

Thomas

The carb intake idea seems like a great way to set up the ls1 with a better flowing fuel injection set-up. Carb intake, accel efi harness, and a nice carb nitrous plate or direct port NO2. Edelbrock carb intake seems like a good choice to go efi without screwing around with the stock style ls1 intake manifolds and the limited aftermarket ls1 efi intakes.
Caleb