Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

Injector upgrade worth it?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-07-2012, 09:56 AM
  #1  
Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
LilSki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Injector upgrade worth it?

I searched around a bit for info on the pink top 22# injectors but didn't find much. I got these injectors with my TPI swap and they run great and have no problems with them. But after seeing the video of original injectors VS the Bosch IIIs found at southbay it got me thinking but I wasn't sure if it would be much of an upgrade from the pink tops. Were the pink tops any better than the factory injectors as far as spray pattern or were they about the same?

This is a shot of the pink tops on my setup. Don't mind the heat wrap on the fuel rail. It was an attempt to lower fuel rail temps on heatsoak.
Name:  IMAG0452.jpg
Views: 77
Size:  91.9 KB
Old 05-07-2012, 05:03 PM
  #2  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
sofakingdom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 26,030
Received 1,664 Likes on 1,262 Posts
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

Almost ANYTHING puts out a better spray pattern than the Rochesters.

GM was particularly concerned, it seems, about the possibility of blockage; so they sacrificed ALOT of other characteristics in favor of that. Which is kind of typical of how design decisions in general, in the world at large, end up. In the case of injectors, after all, you have to have small holes to get a fine pattern; and small holes are easier to clog than large ones. (ya think??)

Unfortunately GM also cheeeeeeeeeeeped out on the electrcial part too, which is what usually fails.

AFAIK the Bosch injectors have about the best spray pattern; but are more prone to clogging.
Old 05-07-2012, 06:46 PM
  #3  
Sponsor
 
southbay08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Rockville Centre, NY
Posts: 1,487
Received 33 Likes on 27 Posts
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

Just going to put in my 2 cents. I Think that i am going to have to disagree with you on the bosch injectors prone to clogging. 95% of our inventory consists of bosch injectors. Reason being, we have found that they are the most efficient and reliable product out there. Out of the thousands of injectors that we have sold, clogging was never an issue though we have seen a couple leak here and there..though it is very rare.
LilSki the pink top injectors are bosch. They are the "gen ll's". They have a 4 spray pattern and atomize the fuel extremely well. If they are functioning without a problem, no reason to invest in a different set.
Old 05-07-2012, 06:57 PM
  #4  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
sofakingdom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 26,030
Received 1,664 Likes on 1,262 Posts
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

I didn't say "prone to clogging"; I said

more prone to clogging
specifically in comparison to Rochester

factory injectors
per the OP's question.

2 VERY DIFFERENT things.
Old 05-07-2012, 07:55 PM
  #5  
Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
LilSki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

OK sounds good. The little I did find about them said they were an improvement over the OEM injectors but most of that info was pretty old. So I wasn't sure if there was much a difference from a modern injector. Although I may be close to the edge with the 22# injectors with my power output. I will leave them unless I start to have issues. Then I will upgrade to a set of 24# bosch IIIs.

Thanks
Old 05-07-2012, 08:04 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
sofakingdom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 26,030
Received 1,664 Likes on 1,262 Posts
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

Neither your injectors, nor the Bosch ones, have changed much in the last 25 years or so....
Old 05-07-2012, 08:06 PM
  #7  
Sponsor
 
southbay08's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Rockville Centre, NY
Posts: 1,487
Received 33 Likes on 27 Posts
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

exactly. Sorry, response was for LilSki

Last edited by southbay08; 05-07-2012 at 08:27 PM.
Old 05-13-2012, 10:19 AM
  #8  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
86LG4Bird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bright, IN
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: '86 Bird, 96 ImpalaSS, 98 C1500XCab
Engine: LG4, LT1, L31
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73 Tors, 4.88 spool, 3.73 Eaton
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

Originally Posted by LilSki
.... Although I may be close to the edge with the 22# injectors with my power output. I will leave them unless I start to have issues. Then I will upgrade to a set of 24# bosch IIIs.
Thanks
With an LT1 cam, I guarantee you're not close to the edge with your 22# injectors. If they're functioning properly, leave them be.
Old 05-13-2012, 10:50 AM
  #9  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,108
Likes: 0
Received 120 Likes on 101 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

Injectors are rated on how much fuel they flow in pounds per hour. So how much fuel does your engine need?

Providing the engine can burn it at an optimal A/F ratio, the amount of fuel it needs depends on how much power it has the potential of making. The BSFC measurement is 0.5 lb/hp/hr.

Lets say a modest 350 can make 300 hp which which be a good street engine. 300 x .5 = 150 lb/hr. Since you have 8 injectors providing fuel, 150/8 = 18.75 lb/hr. The 22# injectors would be more than enough.

So how much power can 22# injectors provide? 22 x 8 / .5 = 352 HP.
24# injectors? 24 x 8 / .5 = 384 hp

These numbers are all maximums which you're rarely reach while driving on the street.

If your engine isn't anywhere near those limits then upgrading to a larger injector won't help. Putting in 24# injectors into an engine that only makes 300 HP won't make it go much faster. It will flow more fuel during the same duty cycle but if everything is working properly, the ECM should cut back on the extra fuel depending on what it's reading on the O2 sensor.
Old 05-13-2012, 11:39 AM
  #10  
Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
LilSki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Car: 85 Trans Am
Engine: 98 Vortec 350 LT1 Cam w/ TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3:27
Re: Injector upgrade worth it?

With the 305 my idle injector pulse was around 1.3 ms and now it is around 2.5 ms. A few injector calculators seemed to show I was around the top end of a 22# injector. And I figured since the LT1 came stock with 24s then that is where I should be at since I'm basically running an LT1 combo.

I don't expect it to go faster with 24s I just figured it is where I should be at my power level. And a retune wouldn't be a problem as I run a megasquirt.

Edit: but apparently those calculators are wrong. I won't mess with it if you feel I'm nowhere near the max of the 22#ers.

Last edited by LilSki; 05-13-2012 at 11:45 AM.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Street Lethal
Power Adders
634
04-30-2019 12:14 PM
1992rs/ss
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
16
01-28-2016 09:58 PM
Adamki2000
Brakes
24
12-20-2015 10:40 PM
gta90
TPI
40
09-15-2015 04:00 PM



Quick Reply: Injector upgrade worth it?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:32 PM.