can someone explain?

can someone tell me the difference b/t a fuel injected engine and a carbuerated engine, i know pretty much nothing about this kind of stuff. but i do know the basics. If i were to buy a crate engine would i have to have it carb'd or could it be made fuel injected? and what would be need to do this. Im deciding on what engine i want to get but i dont want to go carburated.

can someone tell me the difference b/t a fuel injected engine and a carbuerated engine, i know pretty much nothing about this kind of stuff. but i do know the basics. If i were to buy a crate engine would i have to have it carb'd or could it be made fuel injected? and what would be need to do this. Im deciding on what engine i want to get but i dont want to go carburated.


The only major difference between a carbed longblock and a EFI is, 1.) the intake manfold(injector ports) and 2.) the timing cover on a carbed engine has a fuel pump on the driver side run off the timing chain. What are you thinking about ordering?

What are you thinking about ordering?

i really dont know. at first i was just going to rebuild a 302 out of a mustang and stroke it to a 331. but then i wanted to just buy a rotating assembly 331. i dont know which id rather want or which would preform better. any input as to what i should do for a daily driver. that will be n/a with a possiblity of nitrous. id hope to put out atleast 200-250rwhp.

i am also on a very limited budget being in highschool.

i really dont know. at first i was just going to rebuild a 302 out of a mustang and stroke it to a 331. but then i wanted to just buy a rotating assembly 331. i dont know which id rather want or which would preform better. any input as to what i should do for a daily driver. that will be n/a with a possiblity of nitrous. id hope to put out atleast 200-250rwhp.

Since you asked about carb F/I differences maybe you don't know this. A rotating assembly is just crank,rods,pistons,rings. It's not a short block. I'm worried that might be what you think it is.

There's very little difference in the engine itself. The long block is the same for injected vs carburated. Block, rotating assembly, heads, cam.

The intake manifold is different, but that just bolts on.

The big difference is that Fuel Injection involves a computer to run it; to turn a carb'd car into FI involves getting a number of expensive boxes.. or finding a junker to steal them from.

Carburators are much easier in comparison; bolt it on the intake, hook up the accelerator cable, fuel line and go. Course tuning a carb is much trickier.

Since you asked about carb F/I differences maybe you don't know this. A rotating assembly is just crank,rods,pistons,rings. It's not a short block. I'm worried that might be what you think it is.


oh yea i know that, i just used a poor choice of words, my bad.

i like injected because you dont' have to mess around with complicated carb tuning. the most you really have to do with an injected vehicle is plug a laptop or small handheld tuner into it and change injector pulse width and stuff like that. or perhaps a fuel pressure regulator adjustment.

all my buddies are trying to get me to jump on the carb'd small block bandwagon, but i'm stickin with what i understand and like.

i would get a carb'd set up, but i simply dont know how to tune it. and i hear you get bad gas mileage from a carb.

Are you talking a swap from your 4-banger to the 5.0?? That is a very big job. There are wiring harnesses to match up, new exhaust, suspension is weaker, rear end is weaker, tranny is weaker.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it but this will not be a low buck switch. My suggestion, and many more experienced persons than I, is to buy an older 5.0 GT or LX and rebuild/replace that motor.

Another thing to consider is smog-legality. If you have emissions testing, they go by the VIN and that will tell them it's a 4 cylinder. You will flunk immediately.

Consider carefully before buying a crate engine and thinking it will "drop right in." If you go carbureted, which is a whole lot easier than EFI, you may still have a smog-legality problem.

The 4 cylinder brakes, tranny, suspension and rear are all designed for just that - a 4 cylinder engine.

When I was younger, cars were a lot simpler and these swaps were much easier. Now, it's a much different story. Do your research - there's a great forum for 5.0's at http://www.corral.net. Check it out and ask your questions from some folks over there who really know their stuff.

Good luck on your project - whatever way you decide to go. I'm just trying to give you some things to consider before you jump in.

http://www.corral.net (http://www.corral.net/). Check it out and ask your questions from some folks over there who really know their stuff.
:rolleyes:....

people at corral.net dont know jack.

and i already know im going to have to upgrade brakes, suspension, and all that. i am saving up for a donor car.

Well, if you think the folks at the corral don't know
"crap," I've been around cars and hot rods for about 40 years and I learn things there all the time. Maybe it's just me... maybe you just had a bad experience.

na, they just dont have as many 2.3L people as stangnet does