Originally Posted by
DMCVegas
Well then I stand corrected, and I offer my sincerest apologies. The conflicting reports however still stand, and I'm not even going to get involved in on that dog pile.
On the contrary, I simply don't believe that you're seeing things from the correct viewpoint. Allow me to explain: Remove yourself and your skills and knowledge from the situation, and see things from the position of a person who doesn't have as much past experience, if any at all, with fuel delivery systems. With all three of the other systems I mentioned, these offer both large, diverse support groups, and even hard documentation in print to guide with the installation & tuning for the systems. This is the kind of support that an owner, or even an unfamiliar mechanic needs. Something sorely missing from these ad hoc carb kits. But we'll touch more on that later.
First, let's address the 3 systems in question.
No argument there, but I've no idea where in the world you're getting the idea that I'm claiming that there is none needed.
What in the world are you talking about? Stock K-Jetronic has only a single adjustment screw. The flow rates which make up the engine's fuel map were already pre-determined by BOSCH, and are executed by the components working in tandem. Tuning the system itself is actually extremely simple. The big problem is really that most owners simply refuse to follow the instructions contained inside of the Workshop Manual to apply a precise tune. But still, there is only a single adjustment screw. If you're tinkering with more than that, you're doing something wrong.
Certainly it isn't a "Plug & Play" solution per se, but the tuning process really isn't that hard. The most difficult portion of an EFI installation (which I myself will most likely be undertaking) is simply wiring up the sensors and components. That is complicated because it requires the individual to possess the ability to read schematics, use a multimeter, and have the tools and know-how of how to terminate the needed engine harness. But tuning? Nope. Aside from some pretty damn good documentation of performing a conversion and how to use the software, you have support from other owners and the entire aftermarket community at large. Even then there are many tuner shops that for a fee will perform the tuning on a Megasquirt (or other EFI system) for you. So tuning EFI to create your fuel map is literally the least of your worries.
It might be more difficult, but there is documentation available for the installation of the Holley unit and adapting it to the PRV. And that's a whole helluva lot more than I can say about these homemade conversions. As for guidance, let's talk about that...
Again this is how it may be easy for you, but that doesn't apply to everyone else. Just as you might be more comfortable with carburetors, I'm more comfortable with mechanical fuel injection and EFI because they're what I grew up on. They're what I know. Tuning a carb is a helluva lot more than just listening to it. Which for the record, you cannot do. If you could, Delco, Rotunda, and MoPar would have sold acoustic tuning devices a long time ago. You have to set your mixtures for idle, fast idle, and WOT. And that's after you properly jet the whole damn thing. Otherwise you end up with lean idles with high NOx levels, and ok fast idle. OR you have ok idle emissions and high HCs on the fast idle. Because as it turns out, despite your engine type, you always have to have some sort of fuel map for the thing. And even if you don't care about emissions, with those kind of results, you still risk internal damage to the engine.
But that is your knowledge. Mine tells me that rather than having to tear a carb apart to swap jets, a couple of mouse clicks can allow me to change the entire duty cycle of an EFI injector to adjust the fuel map accordingly. But still, there's the problem: We're basing that off of our own knowledge, and not adapting to the needs of someone with less than we have. That is where the options need to be presented properly.
In the end, this whole bullshit attitude of telling someone with a carburetor problem that the information they need is out there, so they're responsible for their own success needs to stop. That's not what this community is about. As I first told Bill years ago, there needs to be a specific "how-to" guide on these conversions so that individuals have a step-by-step procedure in their hands to get their cars running. No one should have to rely upon having to kiss someone else's ass in order to get support. If Chad had that kind of a resource available to him then, this car wouldn't have any problems right now, and this conversation wouldn't even have happened. But there you go.
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