Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 22:16:03 -0400
Reply-To: Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Organization: Mount Saint Vincent University
Subject: Re: EFI to Carbs, some fun here
So, it's time to sit down and have a talk with myself, just Malcolm
the Malcolm:
EFI Malcolm (Holser) says:
> Also, of course, there are severe drivability problems with center-mounted
> carbs on VW engines from car icing.
Yes in February, I had icing problems, I live in Nova Scotia - lot
of rain and humidity, I do believe that when the temp is above
freezing, I have no great icing problems (unless the vibration at 110
kph is icing).
> VW vent to fairly long extremes in
> the old engines to route exhaust gasses up to warm up the intake manifolds.
> The warm manifolds really hurt performance and gas mileage, but without
> some form of external heating, the heat losses due to evaporation of the
> gasoline and the simultaneous expansion of the mixture leaving the carb
> venturi conspire to drop the intake mixture temperature about 40'F. Wet
> cool days (fortunately none of these in Canada for Malcolm (^; ) are the
> worst.
I had thought of trying to capture the heat from the exhaust manifold
for the air headed to the Carbs. You say this will "hurt performance
and gas mileage". Let's say this is an empirical question and I will
keep all apprised.
> This kills people in airplanes (snip)
as "7 of 9" would say, this is irrelevant :-)
>
> So: If you are not concerned about pollution AND
Let's factor in the pollution involved in continually fixing the EFI
stuff,
> you are comfortable with intricate mechanicals of carbs AND
My 2 barrel progressinve carb has nearly NO! adjustments (dual carbs
are a nightmare I have been told)
> you never drive on cold rainy nights AND
I'll keep the list apprised, but let's remember that EFI can go out
on cold and rainly nights too. It's really a matter of reliability
and economics. AND see your comment below about "soldiering on
throught thick and thin" - so again, which would you rather have on a
'cold and stormy night"??????? :-)))))))
> you want to spend money making somehthing not stock AND
Spend money either way - chase EFI problems or buy a couple of intake
manifolds, a carb, and an airfilter. Spending Money: see your
comment below about "FREE" (sic) AAA towing, is your Cell Phone free
too????. GEE! ain't EFI grand, all one needs is AAA coverage and
a Cell Phone and we're ready for anything that EFI can through our
way!?!?! :-))))))
> you really hate the FI
If one really "hate"s, one can spend the EFI and Carb money on
counselling :-)
> [just] do it.
Selling shoes for when your EFI *fails* ?? :-)))))
> Personally, even "after a fire" I'd rather pull the whole system off a junker
> and fix the FI. But then, I am comfortable with electronics, and I personally
> find the EFI *easier* to understand. Many folks don't. The EFI also either
> works, or *fails*, while carbs will soldier on through thick and thin. In
> Africa, I'd choose a carb. In the US, with free AAA towing only a cell-phone
> call away, I'd choose EFI. I'm thinking of converting my carbureted cars over,
> which is much more difficult to do.
>
> Malcolm (a different Malcolm)
It certainly would take "a different Malcolm" to say that EFI is
easier to understand than Carbs?!?!?!? I just litterally scartched
my head over that one?!?!?!? :-))))))
It's always good to have a heart to heart with ones self - I guess
this is as close as the WWW can get to taking a long look at ones
self in the mirror.
Not so many Malcolms around so I too will suggest that:
Before we get too far afield, I have no vested interest in EFI verses
Carbs - I've told my story, and I'm stuck with Carbs (economics) I'm
only having fun here but I will report to the list how it goes so
that we can make decisions fully infomed.
Malcolm, "A different Malcolm",
Shall we say Carb-Malcolm,
Down-draft Malcolm
Icing Malcolm.