Carb for 74 258

[PlasticBoob]

I paid $125 for a complete working Voodoo Box (454 TBI unit). 12 years later and it's still working, haven't touched a thing on it...

[jsinajeep]

Dang, Ristow back. I haven't heard anything from you for awhile. LOL

[offthebeatenpath]

someone will pay 300 bucks for a 2100?

I paid $125 for a complete working Voodoo Box (454 TBI unit). 12 years later and it's still working, haven't touched a thing on it...

I’m just trying to figure out what my options are. For a guy trying to learn all of this stuff on the fly, yeah, a $300 off the shelf solution looks pretty appealing. There aren’t exactly dozens of cars in the junkyard that carbs on them let alone, the one I think I’m looking for. This is me trying to find an alternative to the $300 eBay carb. I’m asking honest questions. If you’ve got a better idea, I’d love to hear it.

I have no idea what a voodoo box is or how a TBI unit off of a 454 is supposed to work on a 258 or 230 ci engine. Wouldn’t I have a stack of adapters just to get the bolt pattern and barrel count right?

[babywag]

search on fleabay for "ford 2100 carb"
can buy em for like $70

[PlasticBoob]

Well I'm just saying in a roundabout way that I agree with DarkMonohue. Might want to just cry once and go with EFI.

You said you've rebuilt several carbs before, so EFI isn't all that more difficult. Certainly it's less annoying.

Yeah, I was ribbing the carb guys - the actual Voodoo Box is a carburetor, not EFI...but on this forum sometimes the opposite is true.

[PlasticBoob]

I have no idea what a voodoo box is or how a TBI unit off of a 454 is supposed to work on a 258 or 230 ci engine. Wouldn't I have a stack of adapters just to get the bolt pattern and barrel count right?

There are smaller TBI units that will work on the 258. Or like DarkMonohue suggested, just go factory MPFI. There are a lot of better options than fiddling with carburetors.

[offthebeatenpath]

There are smaller TBI units that will work on the 258. Or like DarkMonohue suggested, just go factory MPFI. There are a lot of better options than fiddling with carburetors.

That may work fine for the 258, I know you can swap heads and all that.

I have considerably less options for my 230.

[PlasticBoob]

That may work fine for the 258, I know you can swap heads and all that.

I have considerably less options for my 230.

Not sure what the flow rate is, but I would wager that the TBI unit from a Chevy 4.3l V6 (160hp) would work just fine on a 230 once you get it mounted. I'm running a 454 unit on a 401 (407 actually, a 47 cubic inch difference), and the difference between the 4.3 and the 230 is even less - 32 cubic inches.

There is also the TBI unit from a GM LG6 (or similar) 3.1l V6 that might be more in line with the power output of a Tornado. That might be a better match.

I still see a good amount of them whenever I visit the junkyards, too. Just something to consider.

The Tornado is one of the coolest engines around, is there any way you could take some videos of it running? There's not a lot of high quality Tornado videos around. Would love to hear the exhaust too!

[offthebeatenpath]

Not sure what the flow rate is, but I would wager that the TBI unit from a Chevy 4.3l V6 (160hp) would work just fine on a 230 once you get it mounted. I'm running a 454 unit on a 401 (407 actually, a 47 cubic inch difference), and the difference between the 4.3 and the 230 is even less - 32 cubic inches.

There is also the TBI unit from a GM LG6 (or similar) 3.1l V6 that might be more in line with the power output of a Tornado. That might be a better match.

I still see a good amount of them whenever I visit the junkyards, too. Just something to consider.

The Tornado is one of the coolest engines around, is there any way you could take some videos of it running? There's not a lot of high quality Tornado videos around. Would love to hear the exhaust too!

I haven't looked into a TBI set up yet, but now you've got me thinking. I've had my engine running with the 1 barrel carb, and just picked up the 2 barrel manifold, so I'd like to get that dialed in so that I can drive it before I dive into something else.

The idea of the TBI for cold starts sure sounds amazing though. We have just a couple of those here in Montana.

I can definitely get some videos of it running, but I'll need to get my cylinder head back first

[FSJunkie]

Just remember that TBI is not a replacement for controlled heating of the intake air and intake manifold. TBI needs that just as much as a carburetor.