can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

[jimmy wise]

hi, jim here its a 1980 vintage 898 alpha setup in a marlin. can i use efi off a truck or switch to another injection system. i know there are problems with marine uses of auto electronics. just past points and carbs in my lifle lol

 

[jimmy wise]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

sorry saw other threads after i posted. but what about a small block anyone done it yet. safley!

 

[Don S]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

Rip out the old engine and install a fuel injected one. To change an 898 to EFI would cost more than any 305 is worth. Especially of that vintage.

 

[jimmy wise]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

OK so what years am I looking for and where. Not a boat salvage around here

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

$3000.00 to $6000.00 to do the swap........ Used and reman motors all over the net + all the stuff you need to make it work.

Just to get away from the carb and points.....Think about it NASCAR just went to fuel injection this year....They have been making 800 hp small block engines for along time with only using carbs and electronic ignitions.

Is the boat realy worth it Jimmy?......

 

[thumpar]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

I would just put in a Pertnronix ignition and call it good or get a new boat. FI is not going to get you much over a carb in an old boat.

 

[500dollar744ti]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

i know someone who took all the EFI stuff off a camaro IROC-Z 5.0 tuned port and put it on his boat. it's still working fine as of now. the automotive stuff is sealed up pretty well, not quite marine spec but still usable. his was closed cooling, make sure you use something with a cast iron intake if you are open cooling.

be smart, don't mount the engine computer next to your bilge pump, make sure your grounds are adequate, if you are resourceful and get everything at the junkyard you should be into it for about $200 in parts. worst case is you will have to swap the carb back on.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

Given enough resources and talent, anything can be done. There are after market bolt on EFI systems from hot rod suppiers like Edlebrock and Holley that will work, with the biggest obsticle being the O2 sensors (I think there are some that are closed loop and doen't use the O2's, like the open loop do.). Just do your homework, compare and decide if cost / benefit is in your favor.

The Electronic ignition and good carb update seem like they are a more appropriate route for the older set up, over the costly EFI conversion.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

i know someone who took all the EFI stuff off a camaro IROC-Z 5.0 tuned port and put it on his boat. it's still working fine as of now.

where did he put the oxygen sensors?

 

[500dollar744ti]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

where did he put the oxygen sensors?

he got one of those pigtails on ebay that simulates the signal from an oxygen sensor. he first ran it with the oxygen sensors disconnected and thought the dummy sensors would further help his fuel consumption, it didn't really do anything.

obd1 computers are pretty dumb (read: simple), if you disconnect the oxygen sensor it will just use a static o2 value, usually 0.5v, and it won't make much of a difference. an ob2 ECU might go into a limp mode or only run open loop with the oxygen sensors disconnected and actually affect power output and fuel economy. that's when having a down stream dummy o2 sensor to simulate a healthy cat converter really comes into play.

 

[ricohman]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

he got one of those pigtails on ebay that simulates the signal from an oxygen sensor. he first ran it with the oxygen sensors disconnected and thought the dummy sensors would further help his fuel consumption, it didn't really do anything.

obd1 computers are pretty dumb (read: simple), if you disconnect the oxygen sensor it will just use a static o2 value, usually 0.5v, and it won't make much of a difference. an ob2 ECU might go into a limp mode or only run open loop with the oxygen sensors disconnected and actually affect power output and fuel economy. that's when having a down stream dummy o2 sensor to simulate a healthy cat converter really comes into play.

What did he do for the crankshaft and camshaft sensors?

 

[500dollar744ti]

Re: can you change a mercruiser carb engine to fuel injection

What did he do for the crankshaft and camshaft sensors?

there are none, all the swap parts came from an LB9.