# Plunge: Doing the "EFI to carb" swap



## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Finally taking the plunge - In my little 5.0 Ford Ranger, I'm going swap out all my EFI (electronic fuel injection) swap for a plain' ol Holley 1850 carb (600 cfm) and Edelbrock Performer intake. 

I'll keep the stock 110 LPH in-tank electric pump for now with an Aeromotive full-bypass fuel pressure regulator to bring fuel pressure down to 5 psi. (a goody left over from the turbo Mustang drag racing days).

The worst part is making a distributor work with the roller cam - - most non-PIP distributors use a cast iron gear, which lasts only about 10,000 miles MAX. The only distributor that has duraspark guts with a steel gear was the '85 Mustang 5.0 unit ('84 was iron gear, '86 was PIP style) and these are super hard to find. 
I have a bronze gear that might work.... I can't remember if it was for a 302/5.0 or a 351W/5.8 

It's been about 10 years since I had a carbureted vehicle ... the 400M that was in my F-250 had a 2 bbl that I could get up to 14 MPG (yep, in a big ol' '78 F-250 with a 6.6 liter engine) but it was really tough to keep it there. I usually got 11-12 MPG with that truck before I swapped a diesel engine into it. 

I'm hoping to sell all the EFI stuff on eBay and make back all the money I spent of carb/intake/distributor stuff!


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

I swapped out a 94’ 5L chevy silverado to a carb 2 years ago. I found lots of help in a chevy truck forum. It costs me less than one thousand. The folks at Summit Racing were a great help! All I replaced was the distributor, intake manifold and bought a carb. It was a “Street to Strip” Summit Carb. A great Carb by the way. Easy to adjust!


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Holley has a step down manifold. It's so you can use the high pressure fuel pump in the tank. It will step down the fuel pressure for a carb and feed the over pressure back to the tank!


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Oh, by the way... there was a little creative wiring when it came to the firing of the distributor. Depends on your vehicle... More changes may be necessary! lol


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

None of this is "new territory" to me 
Swapping the 5.0 Explorer engine *IN* 15 years ago was new territory, though!

My PRIMARY reason is driveability - 
the EFI has always been just a shade touchy to me. I learned it and learned it WELL - I used to get 25 MPG in this lil' 5.0 Ranger. So much is no needed (new MAF, injectors, oxygen sensors, etc.) that I decided I'll just switch the entire enchilada. 

I'll also have a vehicle much easier to make run again if an EMP hits. 

Looks like you are running a Holley carb, too.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

One time I changed the spark plug in my gas-powered weed whacker.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Sentry18 said:


> One time I changed the spark plug in my gas-powered weed whacker.


Now that you have mention it that's probably why my weed whacker will not start. What size crescent wrench should i use?


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

now if you had had the fore sight to be a Chevy guy the distributor gear question would be simple , um yeah a chevy V8 roller cam gear not a choice of thirteen million different combos from "the better idea " corp.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

TheLazyL said:


> Now that you have mention it that's probably why my weed whacker will not start. What size crescent wrench should i use?


You can use a small pipe wrench, too!  ...at least for Briggs and Tecumseh engines where it stick up by a mile 

I have changed spark plugs using a cold chisel on the hex of the plug and hitting it counter-clockwise with a hammer..... probably more than once in my life!! 

When I first did the swap, I swapped EVERYTHING from the wrecked Explorer(remember the Firestone tires *kaboom* debacle?) - - - I soldered EVERY connection - there were almost 200 wire splices!!!!

It was just too hard to tune right, being OBD-II. (TwEECers hadn't been invented yet). Diablo Motorsports wanted $500 for a custom chip, so I said to hell with it....

I pulled all the Explorer wiring and computer off a year later, and went with a '89-'92 Mustang 5.0 wiring and computer. That's is how it's been now for almost 14 years.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> now if you had had the fore sight to be a Chevy guy the distributor gear question would be simple , um yeah a chevy V8 roller cam gear not a choice of thirteen million different combos from "the better idea " corp.


It's really no big deal - you just have to know what works with what.

So far, I'm in :
$134 - Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
$0 - Holley 600cfm (#1850 or #4776) carb (I already had both from the drag car)
$0 - Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator (I already had it from the drag car)
$0 - wide-band oxygen sensor (I already had it from the drag car)
$25 - correct year DuraSpark distributor
$0 - MSD 6AL - (I already had it from the drag car)

Most everything else is easy from that point forward. I don't know how much hood clearance I'll have yet.... that intake is pretty tall.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Keep us posted on the results. ie drivability fuel consumption etc


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

I'm envious. My lack of knowledge on the internal combustion engine is staggering. A definite gap in my preps. Whenever I watch the prepper shows on TV and they talk about the newest super bugout motor home or camper, Unimog etc. I'm impressed with all the internal features, but if it won't run because of an EMP, what good is it?


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> Now that you have mention it that's probably why my weed whacker will not start. What size crescent wrench should i use?


I'd use a pair of needle nose pliers. :droolie:


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

musketjim said:


> I'm envious. My lack of knowledge on the internal combustion engine is staggering. A definite gap in my preps. ................, but if it won't run because of an EMP, what good is it?


Any engine needs just three things:
1) Good mechanical condition (compression, bearings, valves)
2) Fuel and air in the proper amount
3) Good ignition at the proper time.

You have to start off with something good in the #1 dept., but there are many ways to skin the cat in #2 and #3. 
I think I read somewhere the Wright Brother's first plane had a carburetor they made from an old tomato can! 
And, if you ever look at the ignition system of the early 1920's ford Model T's, you'd say "anyone can cobble that together!"


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> Keep us posted on the results. ie drivability fuel consumption etc


I could coax 15-16 MPG out of my 351W powered F-150 4WD. I'll bet I do a fair bit better then that with this rig.

Most people can change jets in a carb .... and _nothing_ else. 
I can make any carburetor do *anything* I want it to do: Air bleeds, idle feed restrictions, power valve channels, emulsifier tubes - - I've been doing carburetors for years and know all the magic.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

@ musketjim
I don't want to sound like a Chevrolet engine commercial, but for a PAW choice they have a lot more interchangeable parts, and engines that fit the same bell housing/ motor mount combos . Certain members here claim that EMP won't effect automotive electronics. 
But to the best of my knowledge LincTex is the only one with first hand RF testing knowledge/ experience.

2 Linctex Carburetors have been black magic for most people, I am a bit of a quadrajet guru (offroad a Qjet is hard to beat) 
A wide band O2 sensor is a nice tuning tool


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> Carburetors have been black magic for most people, I am a bit of a quadrajet guru


The Quadra-Jet is the best "production" 4-bbl carburetor ever made... period. I love the needle/jet system - - it's like an "infinitely stepped power valve". Edelbrock carbs use the same concept, but are VERY poorly made.

I cringe every time I gear someone call them a "Quadra-Junk". Those people have zero idea how to made one work.

I have been deep into the 11's running a Q-jet on a 455 cube drag car - with NO power adder - all motor only. I also made 25 MPG every day on a Q-jet/ Chevy 350 (no OD trans) in a 1987 Trans-Am (very slippery, aerodynamically) and the '79 Olds Cutlass my high school buddy drove pulled down 23 MPG with a carb I built for him.

I would run a Q-jet on my 302 if I could, but I'll get the Holley reallllly close.

I'm also playing with the idea of quad Keihin CV carbs (Harley Davidson).


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sorry to get off topic but simple unglamorous question, I have an 83 f100 with the 300, and the $14 "computer" but to the point I blew a brake line a month ago, fixed it but the break light on the dash stays on, this truck doesn't have power anything. Ideas on how to get the light off besides remove the bulb?


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

the brake light should go out after a firm application of the brakes, if it doesn't you will have to bleed some fluid out of the other half of the brake system (the end opposite the blown brake line)to get the switch to open the circuit again. there may even be bleeders on the proportioning valve/ warning switch block it's self, I have seen them on some applications, just don't remember which one for sure.


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

Tirediron said:


> the brake light should go out after a firm application of the brakes, if it doesn't you will have to bleed some fluid out of the other half of the brake system (the end opposite the blown brake line)to get the switch to open the circuit again. there may even be bleeders on the proportioning valve/ warning switch block it's self, I have seen them on some applications, just don't remember which one for sure.


Ok thanks, the blown line was to the back so I'll look at the distribution point to see if there is anything to bleed.


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