Carb or Efi

[BigTicket]

I have been looking to upgrade to a Cat and have been confused about the type of engine to look for. I have a buddy that says I should get nothing but and efi because it will be less to maintain. Can anyone tell me if this is true?

[uvindex]

I have been looking to upgrade to a Cat and have been confused about the type of engine to look for. I have a buddy that says I should get nothing but and efi because it will be less to maintain. Can anyone tell me if this is true?I'll have only EFI on a boat because sometimes you need it to start RIGHT NOW and you don't necessarily get that with carbs. Examples: You're in a current drifting toward rocks, you're drifting and some barge or something is coming toward you, etc. I've had carb boats that wouldn't always start right up... never again. Just my opinion. Good luck. :)

[BajaMike]

EFI.....better performance, uses less fuel, adjusts to temp and altitude.....

[BADBLOWN572]

I would say that it is a toss up actually. It is really going to depend on what systems you are talking about. Very few companies actually have their fuel injection systems dialed in. Mercury Marine is one of those companies. Their EFI systems work great every time. The only problem is that you are going to pay dearly for their products.
The benefit to a carb system is that there is no computers to them. If the motor ever fails, you can simply take it to your local mechanic and they should be able to get you back on the water. Not so with a fuel injection system. If you don't have a computer, you are stuck. :(
When I first went with my blower motor, I spent a ton of $$$ trying to get a fuel injection system to work. In return, it melted my heads. :( It was impossible to dial it in properly. We spent probably 10-15 hours on both the lake and dyno trying to get it to work right. At the end, we decided to try something different. We took it off and put on two bone stock dominators and made 1K h.p. Motor never had a hickup since. :)
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN POWER between a fuel injection system and a carb system if dialed in properly. It is all about provididing the proper mixture of air/fuel into the motor.
It is also not true that all EFI systems adjust to altitude. Most are dialed in off of a computer by using an O2 sensor in the exhaust. Once it is dialed in, it is set and the O2 sensor removed. Most EFI systems do not adjust for altitude, heat, etc... I know this because I ran my boat (with efi on it) at Elsinore on an 80 degree day. Took it to Havasu the following day @110 degrees and could not get it off of the trailer.
It all comes back to what you are thinking about doing. If you are building a custom motor, I would go with a carb setup. You can work on them and can easily adjust for different conditions. They are dependable and work well if properly dialed in. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can work on my own stuff and fix problems if they happen. If you are going with a tried and true motor package (Mercury, Indmar, GM, etc...) then I would go EFI. They have spent a ton of $$$ dialing in their systems and have done enough to get the bugs out.
Just my $.03 ;) :D

[Big Warlock]

Efi

[SB]

I agree. If you are building your own motor, go with carbs. If you're getting it from Merc, get the EFI.

[Trailer Park Casanova]

Having a Carb on a boat is like being married.
Ya have to keep tweeking it for it to run smoothly.

[dumbandyoung]

I would say that it is a toss up actually. It is really going to depend on what systems you are talking about. Very few companies actually have their fuel injection systems dialed in. Mercury Marine is one of those companies. Their EFI systems work great every time. The only problem is that you are going to pay dearly for their products.
The benefit to a carb system is that there is no computers to them. If the motor ever fails, you can simply take it to your local mechanic and they should be able to get you back on the water. Not so with a fuel injection system. If you don't have a computer, you are stuck. :(
When I first went with my blower motor, I spent a ton of $$$ trying to get a fuel injection system to work. In return, it melted my heads. :( It was impossible to dial it in properly. We spent probably 10-15 hours on both the lake and dyno trying to get it to work right. At the end, we decided to try something different. We took it off and put on two bone stock dominators and made 1K h.p. Motor never had a hickup since. :)
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN POWER between a fuel injection system and a carb system if dialed in properly. It is all about provididing the proper mixture of air/fuel into the motor.
It is also not true that all EFI systems adjust to altitude. Most are dialed in off of a computer by using an O2 sensor in the exhaust. Once it is dialed in, it is set and the O2 sensor removed. Most EFI systems do not adjust for altitude, heat, etc... I know this because I ran my boat (with efi on it) at Elsinore on an 80 degree day. Took it to Havasu the following day @110 degrees and could not get it off of the trailer.
It all comes back to what you are thinking about doing. If you are building a custom motor, I would go with a carb setup. You can work on them and can easily adjust for different conditions. They are dependable and work well if properly dialed in. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can work on my own stuff and fix problems if they happen. If you are going with a tried and true motor package (Mercury, Indmar, GM, etc...) then I would go EFI. They have spent a ton of $$$ dialing in their systems and have done enough to get the bugs out.
Just my $.03 ;) :D
:D :D :D
Im a carb guy myself for the same reason. Especially because I boat near BHC, and there is not one shop I trust there.

[cdog]

I have the Holley commander system on my 540. It is ran in open loop. ( no 02). You can't run the 02 unless you run dry exhaust. My boat starts everytime and runs like a champ. It is expensive to do a good system. I built the 496 stroker in my Schiada that did 90mph but could not figure out the tuning on the EFI. I had GT Performance do the final tune on it to get it right. Talk to Al Fonse @ Fonse performance or GT Performance. Al will probably make you a better deal but he's in new jersey.
BTW the only time I've had to do any work on my boat was when I sucked up some weeds in the shallows. It's always ran perfect.
Corey

[andy01]

I think for people to say "you have to tweak on them" Or " depends on your mechanical skills" is a lack of knowledge or of owning a well dialed in motor. I DO NOT WORK ON MY BOATS. NEVER! So I don't know how to dial in a carb. But I have had three carb boats that just started and ran everytime I turned the key. 350Hp 981hp 740hp and 603hp. I have known of people with blower motors that they didn't touch once they were dialed in by the engine builder, they just serviced them and kept on going like any other setup.
I have a carb set up on my 600 hp GT motor that is in my 2007 F26 DCB. It starts, idles and runs perfect. I love the way the motor runs in this boat. My boat is for sale, I have not had one person question the carb. Some people just haven't had or built a motor that was perfectly set up. I think like Danny said, if you are going Merc. then yes EFI they have spent millions on dialing in their product line. Otherwise don't worry about it. All cars are EFI, it is a much easier setup.
Andy

[John.]

I have been looking to upgrade to a Cat and have been confused about the type of engine to look for. I have a buddy that says I should get nothing but and efi because it will be less to maintain. Can anyone tell me if this is true?
talk to Jory, he will be very helpful to you with making the decision. in the end, you're probably going to have Jory work on it anyways. if you want a big motor, I've also heard that carbs are much easier to adjust to what you need. We've spent many hours on the dyno and at the lake with our motor builder dialing our EFI system in. It was well worth the effort and time as things now seem to be running smoothly. Don at Motor Machine did an awesome job of dialing in my EFI system. Also, I still have my O2 sensor on and do not run a dry exhaust.

[BADBLOWN572]

talk to Jory, he will be very helpful to you with making the decision. in the end, you're probably going to have Jory work on it anyways. if you want a big motor, I've also heard that carbs are much easier to adjust to what you need. We've spent many hours on the dyno and at the lake with our motor builder dialing our EFI system in. It was well worth the effort and time as things now seem to be running smoothly. Don at Motor Machine did an awesome job of dialing in my EFI system. Also, I still have my O2 sensor on and do not run a dry exhaust.
If you are running an O2 sensor, you have to be running it at least dry past the collector. If an O2 sensor gets wet, it is ruined. I had a big problem with water on an O2 sensor and I am dry out the back. With the duration in the cam, it kept sucking water vapor up and would smoke the sensor. Any moisture and you are done!

[BADBLOWN572]

I have had three carb boats that just started and ran everytime I turned the key. 350Hp 981hp 740hp and 603hp. I have known of people with blower motors that they didn't touch once they were dialed in by the engine builder, they just serviced them and kept on going like any other setup.
I have not touched my blower motor at all once it was dialed in. Idles at around 800 and starts immediately. :) As long as it is dialed in properly from the beginning, you are golden. :)

[SummitKarl]

The benefit to a carb system is that there is no computers to them
This is a very good thing to keep in mind for boating in Havasu, can't begin to tell you how many EFI's I see STUCK unable to restart cause the computer (ECM) "mounted at the top the engine compartment" :rolleyes: hit it's thermal limits:jawdrop:
For me in Havasu....it's nothing but a carb. and nothing but a Carter AFB or Edelbrock Performer.. for 2 reasons
1) a 1pc bowl design means no leaking bowl gaskets like a Holley design
2) for the most part..(naturally aspirated) bolt it on out of the box and adjust your idle screw is all they really need (for life)...unless your building some 800+hp behemoth:D

[don johnson]

I agree with Danny that carb's if dialed in correctly perform very well and make just as much HP. I have 2 1150 Dominators on each of my 1,100's that require NO work. These motors start immediately, idle well and perform awesome. GT Performance did tuning on dyno and final tuning in boat on O2 sensors.
Again, the great thing about carb's is they are easily servicable and are not as sensitive to environmental changes (climate/ altitude) as an open loop injected motor. Additionally, when things do go wrong on the water a carb motor most times is way easier to diagnose and repair at the lake.

[DMOORE]

I never touch any of the carbs on my boat. Hit the key and they fire immediately, whether at the river and 110 degrees, or in the ocean and 65 degrees. Sometimes simple is better.
Darrell.