Carb swap?

[6chevy9]

has anyone swapped to a carb? if so why?

 

[unstable]

I'm planning on doing this. From what I have read (in my case with a 7.4 / 454 and TH400 behind it), it's a simple matter of just getting an HEI distributor and a carb...I've already got the intake manifold. I'm not sure what is going to happen with the dashboard lights when I do this, perhaps I will still need an ECU modification to shut some of the crap off...any insight you or anyone else has on this would be helpful.

Now the why.
I'm just not a big fan of having a computer run the show for me...especially on an older motor like the 454 with tbi. Modifications to the motor require ECU program changes, and hey...maybe in the long run spending the time and effort to learn about programming ECU's would be worthwhile for MPG and gross hp and torque, but I don't really want to have to screw with all of that. I'd rather just pop the hood, pull out a screwdriver and make some changes under the hood. If the carb needs rejetted, I will rejet it. Just seems like less of an arse-ache than the whole ECU crap.

As I mentioned in my introduction thread, I fix computers for a living. I don't think that programming ECU's is outside of the bounds of my abilities...i just don't really want to take the time to try to learn how to do it and all of the trial and error involved. I'd rather just stick to the old school way of doing things...maybe I will change my mind in the future, because I must admit that I was eyeballing the threads and articles pertaining to tuning and it does have a certain appeal to it, but not at this moment in time.

 

[6chevy9]

yes i agree on the simplicity in having a carb. i had it in mind for my truck but not set on it because i decided to stay FI. i did find a good forum about swapping to a carb and keeping all the gauges working, but it was for a truck with the vortec 350. so i dont know if that will help you or not. but ill try to find it anyways!

 

[Fast 95]

I did because my truck had a V6 in it!

 

[unstable]

I think I read on some site where the guy charges $70 to tune your ECU that he could shut off certain things...so that might be the easiest way. For the time being since I've got a nice manifold I might just get an adapter and do the TBI while I collect the parts to do everything else. I've got grand plans but maybe if I take baby steps then I won't burn myself out.

 

[6chevy9]

i really dont think its that much work to do, its just making sure your doing the right things. i think that post i was talking about is on fullsizechevy.com

 

[unstable]

I came to the realization today that I'm either going to have to drill a hole into the collector of the headers and weld in a bung for the O2 sensor, or I'm going to have to make the swap to carb. The bung would be easiest for the time being, but that's still kind of bogus...cheaper though. As far as the carb goes, what kind of sucks at the moment is, I don't want to buy too much of a carb for this stock motor...but I really am going ot have this thing rebuilt in the near future and I figure it's going to need more carb. I think I'm just going to do the bung and I'm going to buy an adapter plate so I can slap on the aluminum intake that I have...that will keep me occupied until financing for the motor rebuild (among other things) comes through.

 

[6chevy9]

yeah, buying a carb isnt very cheap as im sure you know. so to buy half the carb your going to need now, but wont be big enough down the road would be a total waste. i would wait on it too man.