I have an 82 TA CFI 305. My performance sucks and I blame the CFI. Instead of dishing out all this money, I could buy an Edelbrock Carb. My questions are: Can I do this and obid by CA smog laws, what benefits would I get from this conversion and what would I have to change (add/take out) to make this so?

82 TA CFI 305
3-Speed AT

 

California's a tough state, if you go by the letter of the law. If the car came with FI then it's gotta stay FI. The only possible solution to this would be to pull a complete carbureted engine + ECM out of a same year or later Camaro/Firebird. I'm taking about a computer controlled carbureted engine here- with the electronically controlled QJet carb. Plus it's ECM and related wiring harness. THen upgrade it with emissions legal parts. That would be the only truly legal way to get a carburetor on your car.

An aftermarket Holley, Edlebrock or other non-computer controlled 4bbl is not going to be, technically, an emissions legal replacement in any state, let alone emission-crazy California.

Now if you KNOW somebody who runs an emissions station and can cut you slack on the visual check....... that's a different story. You can make any setup pass perfume out the tailpipe with a fresh cat, it's just the visual check that will cause you fits with the carb.

 

Thanks for the reply Damon. I think i'll just stick with the dreaded CFI engine. Sounds like too much work and money I don't have.