Ok, before I throw a wad of money at the cross-fire in the name of originality, should I just toss it?

 

You don't need a "wad" of money to make the crossfire run fast. I was running 14.5's for about $200 bux (used headers and "free mods"), and for $1200 more, I'm now running 13.2's @ 105 in the 1/4. Knowing what I know now, I could have gotten these same results for even less money.

 

So I'm assuming in your opinion that the cross-fire is a good system then? What do I need to look for in terms of maintenance and upgrades to the system?

 

Crossfire Injection is not a good system... from the factory. It has more potential than many people think. Porting and polishing the intake helps out a bunch. Other mods include cutting the EGR tunnel out of the intake, removing the swirl plates, a lid spacer, and 2" TBs. The factory TBs can be bored all the way to 2.09", which is bigger than a 454 TBI unit. You can also swap in a later TBI computer to allow to burn custom chips to really wake up your engine. There were big advances in ECMs in ten years. Go to the Crossfire Injection Vault if you haven't already, their is lots of info their as well as pictures of all that stuff I listed. I would say you could do most of the mods I listed for less than the price of a new aftermarket intake, since you have CFI already.

 

I voted to keep it because it would just be so cool looking to see it under the hood unlike a "boring" carb setup.

I tried to help 3 guys hotrod their CFI system and they all gave up and went carb eventually. Not saying it cant be done (the CFI archives can show you the way) but it's not for the beginner. You have to really know your stuff to adapt a TBI computer to run the engine let alone be able to burn a custom chip for it.

 

What are your goals?

Like Tom said, there are a few things you can do to wake it up a certain amount, but it has some limits that are essentially impossible to overcome. The easiest one to see is the runner size and length: turn the intake upside down and look at the runner cross-section compared to the head ports, you'll understand instantly. As far as the computer, it's pretty much just yerbasic speed-density type system, I've also heard of people equipping them with later-moel ECMs which then allow PROM burning, but I don't know any details; or, Turbo City sells some kind of one for them.

On the other hand, there's a whole lot more performance potential in the carb approach. I'd guess the absolute limit on CFI's flow is somewhere around 300 HP, so if you think you'd want to get past that, you'll need something else.

Personally, when I was looking for a car back in the early 80s, I avoided them like the plague. Basically it's the identical same thing as a Citation or early Celebrity 4-cylinder, except twice as much of it. I drove rented ones of those and didn't like them very much at all, and it didn't seem like doubling it would address some of their problems. Considering that the 83 L69 was rated at 190 HP and the 83 LU5 was rated at 160 HP, and cost less to buy and all that, the decision was a no-brainer.

 

I wouldn't say the CFI system is good, like I would brag about it, or preffer it over another system, BUT I would not change mine, because the cost/benefit ratio of an upgrade is no good. Let me explain; Like I said above, I'm running EASY low 13's, the car runs and drives very well, and I get a whopping 25 mpg on the highway. To better that performance by changing the induction system would cost a more money than ALL the money I have in the entire motor from air filter to tail pipe at this point. So I will keep and work with what I've got.

The first step for you should be headers and exhaust, followed by a severe hand porting of the intake manifold, then a better fuel pump. These cheap mods will put you around 250 HP with a 305.

I have a tired SBC 400, ported intake, cam, roller rockers, bored throttle bodies, used edelbrock headers, SLP cat back, 454 injectors, a bigger fuel pump, and a stock chip and ECM.

I don't feel limited at all. My next "phase" planned is rebuild short block, AFR 190 heads, Offenhouser crossram lower intake w/custom lid and my current throttle bodies, roller cam, and 3/4" long tube headers. I feel this combo will place me solidly in the mid 12's. And the intake will still be way cheaper than any other system (except a carb). The Offy intake is $240 from PAW, and I can make the lid myself. Boom. There's my induction system. The folks that think CFI is a dead end just aren't enlightend as to the options that are out there, and the results that you can get.

As for maintenance, there really isn't any that any other car faces. I have had mine for 10 years now, and have had basically NO trouble with the CFI system. It has exceeded my expectations.

 

Depends, like Reb and the others said. What are the goals here? For $350 you could bolt on a carb and intake and distributor and feel like you gained an extra 500000hp. Probably a solid 80hp gain. I like the CFI although I dont own one. Its unique and as collectable cars go it will be up there in value. I almost bought an 83 a few weeks back $700 but the guy pulled the injection system off and put a carb on it. He was very upset that I said I dont want the car because he ruined it, he even tryed expaining that its got more power now, that doesnt fly when you already have two fbodys.
SSC

 

What I'm looking for here, is a Z28 that feels like a V-8 Camaro Should. I'd really like to keep the CFI, but you hear so many horror stories. This car will be an occasional car for my wife (I'm a Monte Carlo SS man), and I don't need for it to be a real pavement pounder (her much-loved '92 RS was a v-6) but I do need for it to be reliable.

 

O.K.
Headers and exhaust,
Port the intake,
Remove the swirl plates,
Bigger fuel pump and injectors.

You should be able to do all that for under $600 and you should have a nice running mid - low 14 second car.

 

Tom said 13.2 at 105 mph

thats a good bit more than 300 hp in your typical thirdgen

300 hp would put you at around 100 mph, not 105. I dont feel like doing the math but im gonna guess thats more like 330+ hp

 

I feel the CFI could be great if you be patient with it. Everyone is right and can agree that CFI's are becoming rare and I would have to pay homage if I got burned by one-- I have by my friend's 84 vette, but he sunk like $3500 into it alone, plus it was a vette. Myself, I'd keep it as a novelty!! If you're looking to maintain/increase the value of your car keep it, as long as you keep the interior/body stock also, if not, seeya!! It takes money to make anything fast, period.

 

One of the best things you can do is swap in a later TBI computer. The CFI horror stories come from the fact that the original CFI computers are too primitive to react to any real changes, plus you can't burn chips for them. Most guys swap in the TBI truck ECM ( which is '7747, but not sure ). I started a thread a while back about swapping CFI into my TBI RS, everybody said that my original computer should work fine. In fact, even most of my original wirng should work too. You could possibly swap an entire TBI wiring harness out a newer Camaro into your car. I have an old CFI harness I got out of an 82' that I pulled my CFI out of, it looks very crude compared to my 91'. I wouldn't pay the money for the Turbo City computer upgrade. Any aftermarket parts for CFI are expensive because not that many companies make hi-po parts, they can charge whatever they want. For your car, stick to what the CFI guys did for 15 years when the aftermarket ingnored them, do the mods yourself. If you look around in the junkyard for some of the non-CFI parts you can use, you will save a bundle. If you port the manifold yourself, and have a good machine shop bore your TBs out to 2" ( new throttle blades are like $2 ), you should have a fairly inexpensive intake combo. Swap in a used LT1 cam, and redo your exhaust ( CFI exhaust systems are particularly bad ), tune with fuel pressure and you'll probably wonder why you ever wanted to ditch CFI. Ok I'm about done ranting, also go to the Crossfire Injection Vault, tons of info there. Good luck .