blow through carb set ups 6.0 LQ4 turbo charged

[chevybuilder18]

id like to keep my carberated set up and was wandering if a special carb was required. im thinking ahead of time, the engine im getting is the 6.0 liter truck engine so i can mount it to my TH350 since there like gen 1 sbc on the back of the block. if i can rebuild my qaudrajet carb to blow through, what kind of things would i need? also im sorta confused on vacuum for the brake booster, thinking a vacuum pump would solve this, and some good new brakes. this is budget friendly, cant afford thousand dollar computer/wiring harness to install on truck so EFI is outta the question. at first im gonna run it N/A just intill i have more funds to turbo charge it. any advice or pointers or criticism welcome

[Wasted Income]

I for one have never understood taking a cutting edge high tech engine, and dumbing it down with a carb and/or distrubutor. Especially if you're going to the effort of turbocharging it.

I realize budget is a concern, but if it were me, I'd get it running on EFI first, then once it's running great, turbocharge it.

$.02

[68GMCCustom]

By the time you buy a carb'd intake for it, an electric fuel pump for fuel pressure, and an MSD-6LS or similar to fire the coil packs...you could just about get all the efi stuff working. And as wasted mentions....you'd be better off with the efi controlling fuel and spark under boost vs trying to make an old q-jet happy being blown thru.

my 6.0 was carb'd at first and for some reasons I wish it still was...but my change to efi was more about economics (got most of efi stuff for free in a trade...allowing sale of the carb'd parts for $$$ for more parts)...tho as mentioned sometimes I wish I had sold the efi setup and kept the carb!

[Mangled03gmc]

I have to agree with keeping it FI. However yes you will need a blow through carb. The shafts ect are O ring'd and made to keep the boost in. Also some changes in power valves ect. Not to, mention efi tuning is easier then a blow through carb set up, A nice carb for boost is in the 5-800 range depending on size. Converting back to efi is cheaper and more efficient imo..My stock bottom end 6.0 loves the 12psi stuff it gets, lol..

[BR3W CITY]

EFI is the choice for sure.

However, CSU and other companies make blow-through performance carbs (positive pressure carbs) that are meant to handle boost.

Another option is the 4150 style fuel injection, which uses a carb-style unit, but still uses fuel injection and has all its benefits.

[Hart_Rod]

Plan on spending close to $1K for a good blow through carb.....Just use that money and apply it toward EFI!

[chevybuilder18]

so EFI, is the way to go? i didnt know it was so cost friendly. when i can buy the MSD controller with an edelbrock carb intake kit for lil over $600, but i do hear a lot about the wiring harness for a EFI intake how it could cost you some big $$$, plus pump, new gas tank install, not to mention all the wires. then when you wanna drive your daily driver with the turbo, the dang computer takes its time to be flashed, hear it was a week before you could program it. Thats even costly. But this is hear say, can some one correct me?

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

so EFI, is the way to go? i didnt know it was so cost friendly. when i can buy the MSD controller with an edelbrock carb intake kit for lil over $600, but i do hear a lot about the wiring harness for a EFI intake how it could cost you some big $$$, plus pump, new gas tank install, not to mention all the wires. then when you wanna drive your daily driver with the turbo, the dang computer takes its time to be flashed, hear it was a week before you could program it. Thats even costly. But this is hear say, can some one correct me?

A swap harness made custom for you is 450-650, you can modify your own for much less if you want to. I think its worth the money though.

If you say you can't afford the money for the wiring harness (first post) and efi stuff....then you are in NO way ready to play with boost. I'm not trying to be a hater but with boost you need to spend the money up front, or you'll spend 3x the money in the end.

It doesn't take more than a few seconds to have a computer flashed if you go to a tuner, only mail-order tunes get "sent out"

I would suggest against trying to "build" a blow through carb, though there ARE ways and places that can help you do it. FWIW, you'll spend every dollar you'd spend on the swap for boost, that you would trying to run the carb and boost, a difference of a few hundred which would be worth it to have efi in the end.

[chevybuilder18]

Ok im gonna side with you guys and see what happens. I know you guys are probably 'thinking hes just a kid' but i can see where you guys are coming from. I have an idea, ill check out these wiring harnesses, and give you guys a shout back on the EFI. I believe i know someone that can tune or flash the drive, but ive never seen it done.

[mooseknuckles]

most wiring harness shops will flash the pcm as well.....or sell the pcm already flashed/with harness..then it's just a matter of plugging it all in...

[chevybuilder18]

lol i do believe my friend can help. hes a car enthusiast. he is totally and utterly a computer wiz. has like 5 hot rods, one which includes his BMW, the others are chevys. All of em except there chevelle is FI, he was talking about converting it though. i believe this guy will be my go to guy

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckles

most wiring harness shops will flash the pcm as well.....or sell the pcm already flashed/with harness..then it's just a matter of plugging it all in...

plugging it all in shouldnt be hard with the connectors being different or having markings. o i also forgot to ask. ive heard of stand alone set ups for EFI, would this be the way to go?

[BR3W CITY]

depends on the persons definition of stand alone. IMO most of these swaps are "Stand alone" since the pcm isn't also being used to control anything besides the engine. There are some running things like Megasquirt, which is a TRUE stand alone. In a case like this, I see no reason to use one. MS really shines when you need to add EFI without any pre-existing PCM application, or to control more complex systems like extra injectors. I think the term was used more on people just swapping efi onto carbed cars, instead of a whole efi engine and o.e. pcm/injection etc./

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

depends on the persons definition of stand alone. IMO most of these swaps are "Stand alone" since the pcm isn't also being used to control anything besides the engine. There are some running things like Megasquirt, which is a TRUE stand alone. In a case like this, I see no reason to use one. MS really shines when you need to add EFI without any pre-existing PCM application, or to control more complex systems like extra injectors. I think the term was used more on people just swapping efi onto carbed cars, instead of a whole efi engine and o.e. pcm/injection etc./

so are you saying the wiring harness from an "02 has a pcm that controls all the electronics including headlights, tail lights, ect? and can i make this a stand alone wiring harness with pcm?

[Mangled03gmc]

If you plan to do the carb set up, keep coil packs, and all your talking big bucks, still need the PCM and custom harness to monitor timing, ignition. If you buy the kit that allows you to use sbc style heads on the LS engine, along with the distributor, its big bucks. Then adding boost on top of that, BIG BUCKS. No matter how you do it, I will be willing to bet with just the engine and fuel system alone your gona be into it for 3k on top of engine cost. Add boost, custom PCM tuning try another 3k.Then once you have all that power, you need a trans and rear end that can handle it. Again another 2k, I am being light on some figures depending on your ability to do the work or have to out source it. Your best bet is to find a old 350 block, slap a stroker kit in it, have a set of heads, done, nice intake and carb, decent converter, gears, be happy with old school horsepower, nothing wrong with it. You could build a reliable 4-450 hp stroker for under 4k. Your not doing that with converting to a LS. You will be a month striping a harness down to what it needs just to run the engine, sensors and all. It is a royal PITA.. Not to mention it doesn't seem as if you are into the whole LS EFI game. ( No pun intended)

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by Mangled03gmc

If you plan to do the carb set up, keep coil packs, and all your talking big bucks, still need the PCM and custom harness to monitor timing, ignition. If you buy the kit that allows you to use sbc style heads on the LS engine, along with the distributor, its big bucks. Then adding boost on top of that, BIG BUCKS. No matter how you do it I will be willing to bet with just the engine and fuel system alone your gona be into it for 3k. Add boost, custom PCM tuning try another 3k.Then once you have all that power, you need a trans and rear end that can handle it. Again another 2k. Your best bet is to find a old 350 block, slap a stroker kit in it, have a set of heads, done, nice intake and carb, decent converter, gears, be happy with old school horsepower, nothing wrong with it. You could build a reliable 4-450 hp stroker for under 4k. Your not doing that with converting to a LS. You will be a month striping a harness down to what it needs just to run the engine, sensors and all. It is a royal PITA.. Not to mention it doesn't seem as if you are into the whole LS EFI game. ( No pun intended)

I am definatly into this LS game, but you must understand. MSD and carberator kit from edelbrock is a lil over $600 and doesnt require the pcm to control the engine. thus its a "stand alone" and i do plan on keeping my engine ls. im not buying no kits for older sbc heads to fit on my LS. seems you havent done much research on the EFI to Carb swap. yes im very serious.

[chevybuilder18]

this is the intake kit right herehttp://www.summitracing.com/parts/ed...make/chevrolet

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

so are you saying the wiring harness from an "02 has a pcm that controls all the electronics including headlights, tail lights, ect? and can i make this a stand alone wiring harness with pcm?

No, thats not really what I mean. Modern cars with efi have engine and body computers that do much much more than they used to. Back in the day, if you wanted to put efi onto an old carb'd motor, or upgrade something like a TBI car to efi, you'd need a "stand alone" engine computer. This computer usually didn't do things like control the starter signal, control a transmission, traction control etc. It didn't directly interface with most of the stock harness and electronics, and was used as a retrofit. There are still plenty of applications for them, but in this car you are talking about the use of the "whole system". Your using a motor designed for efi, fuel components designed for efi, a computer designed to run it all.

Drop the stand alone thing, in this case its a phrase being used sort of incorrectly, and leading to more confusion than good. This isn't like putting an AEM system into something.

Its not a stand alone anything....if its carb'd its carb'd, its not "Stand alone" carb'd



All you need is a modified wiring harness to keep it all. The wiring is easy by most swap standards, plus if you really do make it to running boost, its gonna pay dividends in efficiency, tuning, and driveability.

Pose this, have you ever driven a carb'd and turbo'd car? Depending on the setup, they aren't known for the best manners. Big power, yea if done right. Track car, sure...but I wouldn't want to have to worry about to tune out driveability issue for changing weather, fuel, parts...thats 20 times the headache of wiring efi.

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

No, thats not really what I mean. Modern cars with efi have engine and body computers that do much much more than they used to. Back in the day, if you wanted to put efi onto an old carb'd motor, or upgrade something like a TBI car to efi, you'd need a "stand alone" engine computer. This computer usually didn't do things like control the starter signal, control a transmission, traction control etc. It didn't directly interface with most of the stock harness and electronics, and was used as a retrofit. There are still plenty of applications for them, but in this car you are talking about the use of the "whole system". Your using a motor designed for efi, fuel components designed for efi, a computer designed to run it all.

Drop the stand alone thing, in this case its a phrase being used sort of incorrectly, and leading to more confusion than good. This isn't like putting an AEM system into something.

Its not a stand alone anything....if its carb'd its carb'd, its not "Stand alone" carb'd



All you need is a modified wiring harness to keep it all. The wiring is easy by most swap standards, plus if you really do make it to running boost, its gonna pay dividends in efficiency, tuning, and driveability.

Pose this, have you ever driven a carb'd and turbo'd car? Depending on the setup, they aren't known for the best manners. Big power, yea if done right. Track car, sure...but I wouldn't want to have to worry about to tune out driveability issue for changing weather, fuel, parts...thats 20 times the headache of wiring efi.

your right. i was just replying to said statement made by the one fella. he just took a gander at this and i dont know what he was talking about retro fitting old sbc heads onto LSX? whats the point in doing that when we all know the block the heads and LS are superior to older first gen, might as well put in an older sbc the way he was talking. I agree with you, the EFI is more effiecient and does pose a point to drivability, doing all the stuff that makes the engine run more effieciently like you said in different weather, winter especially. Id like to add im actually thinking about running it naturally aspirated, just to see the difference from the old 350 to the new 6.0