87 Formula. Difficulties? Pros? Cons?

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

I would only include TPI in the "EFI family" when you have carb. Given that:

Difficulties: Changing out the hardware (EFI, harnesses, ECM, etc.). Need to drop the fuel tank and replace the in-tank electric fuel pump.

Pros: Somewhat better fuel economy.

Cons: Lower performance potential for $'s spent. Carb exhaust is inferior to TPI exhaust, need to replace everything from the heads to the rear bumper (great time for headers, high-flow cat, 3" cat-back). TPI cam is better than carb cam, so should replace that as well to gain full benefit.

The stock carb system is pretty good for street performance (see my signature - that's a factory stock carb system, just like yours). What holds back the stock configuration is air cleaner, exhaust, cam, and intake manifold, in that order. Note the carb is not a limitation. Heads would be next, and there we're talking 1.94" intake valves and basic port clean-up of the stock heads - the aftermarket doesn't really help much there, and the carb and TPI heads are exactly the same parts.

 

Thank you!

Well I was hoping to find a sufficient way of increasing my MPG. As of now, I need the MPG and not so much the power. However, down the line, I would like to be use the opposite.

Any suggestion of increasing gas mileage?

 

A full tune up, changing all the hard parts like spark plugs, wires, cap/rotor, fuel filter, etc.

Check over the carb for vacuum leaks or bad gaskets as well. After 20 years the carb may need to be rebuilt and freshened up.

 

Great, thanks so much!

I have replaced the internal fuel filter twice in the past 3 months, and added an external fuel filter.

I need to drop the tank and flush it, because there is something killing my gas line every other month. It gets so full of gunk. Bah!

 

If your considering a swap just for the sake of fuel mileage IMO its not worth it . The amount of money spent on swapping from carb to EFI would negate any eventual savings in fuel. Like said above a complete tune up should help MPGs some.