i got my mind thinking about an idea, and just a quick question. How much MPG would I lose by swapping my currect setup from stealth ram to carberated. I know i'm gonna get crap for this, its just a question. On the conditions that i keep the same heads, same cam, etc etc...just swap the distributor, manifold, and put a carb on there. I know carberators are getting pretty good, so what do you guys think? would it be minimal or a big difference?

the reason i ask, is because its not tuned yet, and i don't know how long i'm gonna keep this car... so its now or never if I want to save some money and put a carb setup on there. It would be cheaper to put a carb on there, and plus I don't have pay for the dyno tune that I plan on getting...

 

If the person tuning it knows what they're doing, and all the parts together make a good combo, the gas mileage might not be too different.

Too many variables to just give a definitve answer.

I don't know what you're thinking of as "cheaper"; I'm guessing that if you already have the Stealth Ram, it'll cost you more to convert to carb than to just run it, even if you sell it all. That goes double, if you plan on getting premium parts with the best possible tunability and performance, and not just an Edlebrock carb or a Holley 0-1850. Tuning cost is going to be similar either way... especially if you don't have to pay for it.

 

well i'm thinking I could part the stealth ram out for $700+, then sell my distributor for some extra money. But then a good demon carb would be 400 bucks or less, then 200-250 for a manifold, and a 100 for a distributor. Thats all the major parts am I right? i have the fuel lines and regulator... am I missing anything?

even if it did come out to the same as what i sold the HSR for, I would still save the 500 bucks on a dyno tune..

right? or is my reasoning off?

also do i need my computer for anything after swapping to carb? does it run anything or can you sell that too?

 

I don't think you'll get $1000 for a Stealth Ram; they don't cost that much new. I think they usually go for $500ish complete, with fuel rails and all. Look at the classifieds, and not just at what people are ASKING, but what they're ACTUALLY GETTING, before jumping to that kind of conclusion. (I'm guessing you don't have the 950 Commander and the harness.... I could be wrong about that of course since you didn't say)

Don't forget about a distributor and something to handle your converter lockup.

I can't imagine that you'd get more than $50 for your computer; and probably not even that. Again, check the classifieds and see what they REALLY go for, before making some kind of faulty assumption.

I thought you said you didn't have to pay for the dyno tune? But even if you do, you'll still need that, or something like it, to set your carb up right; maybe some parts and stuff, jets and whatnot; who knows. What's a few pulls on the dyno anyway. I don't think I've ever paid more than $75 for 3 pulls. I can't imagine running up $500 on a dyno, that's a WHOLE DAY - 8 hours - of renting one. Dyno time is supposed to be for fine-tuning and tweaking and dialing in, you're supposed to already have it halfway close before you start.

All in all, I think you're greatly overestimating what you'll get back from the Stealth Ram, and overestimating the cost of tuning it; and under-estimating the cost of the carb conversion itself, and under-estimating (like, zero) the cost of tuning that. Given that you already have a car with FI in it, and you already have the Stealth Ram, it looks to me like just finishing what you've got, is going to be the best and lowest cost way to go.

 

yea i edited it to 700...it comes to 540 for the manifold and rails for the stealth ram, then i have a TPIS TB that i could probably get 250 or 275 for...

as far as the dyno, its going there for like 4 days and he's completely tuning it. Because as of right now, its not even close, its not even streetable, and barely runs... Its miserable..

My dad used to have a drag car back in the day, so he can tune a carb setup really good, and get it dialed in really really close, and if it needs more tuning, like you said its only 75 bucks for a few pulls on the dyno...so we could squeek a bit more out of it..and yes i do have to pay for the dyno, and 2 shops estimated 500-600 for tuning and thats if everything is mechanically sane...

a distributor won't cost anything, because i have 2 computer controlled ones that i can sell to get 1 non cc one. So that won't be a problem...

but this stealth ram i've been screwing around with 2 years now every since i got it, and my car has been immobile for way too long now...it just seems like everytime i try to tune my car, something else breaks because of it running so rough.

the torque converter problem is an easy fix, i would just run that to a toggle and flick it on when i'm on the high way or just putting around...

i'm just so frusterated with the HSR and i have no idea what to do, and i don't want/have the money to keep dumping into it. And my plan was to get rid of this car pretty soon in search of a 00-02 4th gen..but i can't do that or even enjoy it as of right now...

 

My old Monte Carlo SS got about the same MPG as my current Firebird does. So in my experience the L69 and the L03 are pretty similar, if that helps. What would be to your benefit is to use a Q-Jet. The smaller primaries will help on the MPG side while the larger secondaries give you that nice kick in the pants. IMHO.

 

hi i got an 83 z28 that had a crappy cross fire set up and im changing over to 4 barrel carb with holley street dominator intake could any body please tell me where and how many fuel hookup /lines ill have what all my vacuums are its been so longs since its been done and i just need to find out whjat the cpl of lines are and where they go exactly again ive never used holley always been partial to edelbrock