Why EFI?, maybe excellence was expected and they came as close as they could.. Options

[Gunn1]

Did Porsche eff up?

No they didn't eff up, they did the best they could with the new technology they had. It seems as though the technology was purchased by the folks at Bosch from the aviation component of Bendix. That said most Injection systems were originally good at idle and full open throttle, so primarily racing applications. So in there infancy not well suited for automobile applications.

Been reading on different types of fuel delivery systems and their pro and cons.


There are very few con's to todays EFI systems, there were however performance and reliability issues with the original designs. Even today Claims of increased HP, Fuel economy, drivability, reliability and so on....some still dispute
how much these differences really mean. It appears the main thing EFI does extremely well over Carbs is in the pollution factor, or in this case the ability to pollute less. Carbs are a some what open system allowing hydro carbons to escape/vent in to our atmosphere even when the engine is at rest, where as the EFI is essentially a closed system releasing no vapors or gases unless the engine is running and those gases are then coming out of the tailpipe from the exhaust cycle.

Many of the Guru's (about 5 to 1) prefer carburation.

The above Statement isn't correct, although what confuses this OP is the sheer amount of photographic evidence on this site and others including evilbay and CL showing most engine compartments with Carbs installed. Many here have spent thousands on their cars, and what do you see when the lid is lifted? a Carburated engine..... So while my intentions will be keeping my cars in their stock or near stock form, with EFI, I cannot understand why so many Carburated cars. (Because its easy isn't an answer, because its simple isn't an answer and because its cheap isn't an answer)

With this being the case, Did Porsche mess up when they went the EFI route with the 914?


I do not believe they messed up, I believe they did the best they could with the available technology they had. Granted they did sort of use the end user as of a kind of a guinea pig/test bed, but what manufacturer doesn't in some way.

WHY DID THEY DO IT?????


I think that just as much as seeing the Ljet and Djet as a performance and platform to develop future EFI systems off of, Porsche and others also incorporated EFI into there products to show they were progressive company's in design and practicality.
EFI, Unibody, Targa, Mid engine, four wheel disc, and many more attributes can be cited as Porsches View into the future.

I would like to keep my car stock with the factory EFI, but increasingly getting more difficult to do with so little information backing it up.


Above statement is also incorrect. In my case I think I am fortunate because I believe I have most the parts needed to reinstall the factory EFI's on all three of my cars. There is a plethora of info on both sides, but for now.... just for originalities sake, EFI will be the way I go.

To those that added constructive comments and or facts to this thread... it is much appreciated...to those that took this thread as some sort of attack on their beliefs, or way to "clutter" the site, I can appreciate how you feel, but I just see those arguments as shutting down the free flow of ideas and the give and take of facts that get each of us to arrive at our own understanding of the information.

[Mueller]

Did Porsche eff up?

No, everyone was going fuel injection and electronic fuel injection at the time one way or another.

Been reading on different types of fuel delivery systems and their pro and cons.

Many of the Guru's (about 5 to 1) prefer carburation.

Please site source, I call BS on that one, maybe back in the 70's and 80's when mechanics didn't really understand EFI and it was hard to tune it. Tons of high end V8 builds are EFI along with the import guys.

With this being the case, Did Porsche mess up when they went the EFI route with the 914?

No, they didn't. Fuel injection can compensate for things carbs cannot do as well even with the older stuff. They are in business to sell cars, people want to climb in and turn the key and not have to worry that the system was tuned for sea level and now they traveled up to the mountains and things are screwy.

WHY DID THEY DO IT?????

I would like to keep my car stock with the factory EFI, but increasingly getting more difficult to do with so little information backing it up.

Do you just make shit up? Various books on the older systems, plenty of websites on how they work, people that offer rebuild services and hard parts.

[Gunn1]

Did Porsche eff up?

No, everyone was going fuel injection and electronic fuel injection at the time one way or another.

Been reading on different types of fuel delivery systems and their pro and cons.

Many of the Guru's (about 5 to 1) prefer carburation.

Please site source, I call BS on that one, maybe back in the 70's and 80's when mechanics didn't really understand EFI and it was hard to tune it. Tons of high end V8 builds are EFI along with the import guys.

With this being the case, Did Porsche mess up when they went the EFI route with the 914?

No, they didn't. Fuel injection can compensate for things carbs cannot do as well even with the older stuff. They are in business to sell cars, people want to climb in and turn the key and not have to worry that the system was tuned for sea level and now they traveled up to the mountains and things are screwy.

WHY DID THEY DO IT?????

I would like to keep my car stock with the factory EFI, but increasingly getting more difficult to do with so little information backing it up.

Do you just make shit up? Various books on the older systems, plenty of websites on how they work, people that offer rebuild services and hard parts.

This is from one of those well respected services you mentioned below.

See all the made up Shit Below

"Will your engine make more peak power with EFI??
More than likely the answer to this is NO. At high RPM and wide open throttle carburetors really work well; so well that it has been hard for us to make more power with EFI on the dyno than a well tuned set of craburetors. The benefits to EFI occur at lower speeds in the form of drive-ability enhancements and torque boosts. This may defy what you've read somewhere else, but it is the fact concerning our own engine program.

Too often people buy into EFI for the wrong reasons, they have a perception that it'll cure all their problems and that it'll be easier to tune and work with than their current Carburetors. I hate to break it to anyone, but if you can't understand or effectively grasp the Carburetor concept enough to tune them you certainly won't be able to work with EFI."

Is it any wonder very few people want to inquire and ask questions here, when you
reply to people in that fashion.

[Zimms]

The benefits to EFI occur at lower speeds in the form of drive-ability enhancements and torque boosts.

Jake's comment is based on running at the max. His statement that you posted above even states that EFI is better at low end / regular driving conditions.

I think the biggest confusion is how you started this topic. Looking at two 40+ year old systems you are going to find some +'s and -'s. Current EFI tech in the last 10 years has made it much more common place. Cheaper than a set of carbs? No. Better performance? 100%, unless you are Jake, who can tune a carb in his sleep.

Did Porsche eff up? Everybody starts somewhere, and the technology available for EFI then versus now is a whole different world. Look up when they started to develop their PDK that everyone raves about now. 1986 Derek Bell that almost lost the championship hated it. 2015 Derek Bell has a different impression:

Derek Bell Interview

Technology is a bitch.