Carb vs Fuel Injection for RTW

[nachosgrande]

On the one hand you have the performance of FI, especially in higher elevations, on the other hand you have the ability to repair the carb yourself in the middle of nowhere if such a need arises.

[yokesman]

what to repair on fi,keep the fuel clean,use a good injector cleaner that is about it.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by nachosgrande

On the one hand you have the performance of FI, especially in higher elevations, on the other hand you have the ability to repair the carb yourself in the middle of nowhere if such a need arises.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...b-vs-efi-56238

to the HUBB by the way; a first post.

[ridetheworld]

If only my XR250 was EFI it would be near perfect! Rejetting the Carb gave me no end of headaches and the performance was awful above 2,700m stock.

[juanvaldez650]

FI is superior to carb until it breaks.

[mollydog]

Originally Posted by nachosgrande

On the one hand you have the performance of FI, especially in higher elevations, on the other hand you have the ability to repair the carb yourself in the middle of nowhere if such a need arises.

What bikes are you considering? There may be "other" issues relevant to this. F.I. or Carb? Both are good. Both are bad.
You choose. Know your bike, do the maintenance. All good. But the bike matters a lot more than whether it's EFI or carb.

Originally Posted by Walkabout

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...b-vs-efi-56238

to the HUBB by the way; a first post.

That is a good thread and expresses most all that needs to be said on this. If a moderator comes on he'll probably tell everyone to piss off and get reading on a 5 year old thread!

Isn't it interesting just HOW FEW of the guys posting on that thread ...ARE STILL POSTING HERE ON HUBB?
Lots missing. Now why is that?

Originally Posted by juanvaldez650

FI is superior to carb until it breaks.

That's a pretty good summation. Sure, you can change an injector but what about a black box? Broken wire in loom? Fuel Pump? Fuel pump hose/connector or battery? EFI can be ... complex.

[nachosgrande]

Thanks everyone. I currently have a 2013 KLR 650 and a 2012 KLX 250, was debating just using the KLR or selling both and buying something fuel injected for the trip. Living at sea level I was concerned about what might happen in the mountains. The internet is full of info regarding the differences, but I figured this forum was the only place to discuss which is better in the middle of a third world country.

[Warin]

Originally Posted by mollydog

Isn't it interesting just HOW FEW of the guys posting on that thread ...ARE STILL POSTING HERE ON HUBB?
Lots missing. Now why is that?

Said all that needs to be said on the subject? Moving on.

Originally Posted by mollydog

That's a pretty good summation. Sure, you can change an injector but what about a black box? Broken wire in loom? Fuel Pump? Fuel pump hose/connector or battery? EFI can be ... complex.

Know your bike. The more you know the less hassle you will have if something goes wrong. EFI or carb .. knowledge is the thing.

Changing a black box is easy. Being certain the fault is the black box is the problem. Does not matter is the black box is for the ignition system alone or the EFI.

[Temporaryescapee]

I was unsure about this question. Clincher for me was finding a motorcycle tour company in ethiopia who has just converted their ktms from efi to carb. I bought a klr for my 2016 cape to cairo ("when in Rome, do as the Romans do").


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[Threewheelbonnie]

I hate carburettors. Full of poxy bits of rubber that swell and split and need a micrometer to diagnose if you don't want to do diagnosis using tea leaves and a ouji board. Set up is by witch craft and seeing if the engine seizes on the first run out, or consulting the spark plug colour gods to see if its a "bit" one way or the other.

FI is diagnosed using a multi meter, wiring diagram and logic. The ODB tool gives you huge clues as to what the machine thinks it is.

Parts are parts. If you can't get a microscopic brass secondary choke bypass jet for your petrol sucking can you get someone to turn down one for a different carb. If your BMW fuel pump goes you buy a Nissan one and bodge it on with cable ties.

There is no difference, only skills, tools and parts.

Andy

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by mollydog

Isn't it interesting just HOW FEW of the guys posting on that thread ...ARE STILL POSTING HERE ON HUBB?
Lots missing. Now why is that?

In passing, I have pondered on that very thought for a short while; I guess people die, or move on elsewhere etc etc.
We could all consider the HUBB to be our very own individual epitaths.

There used to be a very knowledgeable input to the Yam tech sub-forum from a contributor that I won't name herein; but that stopped a number of years ago.

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie

If your BMW fuel pump goes you buy a Nissan one and bodge it on with cable ties.

There is no difference, only skills, tools and parts.

Andy

Personal experience of this a while ago; the OEM low pressure diesel fuel pump for a Nissan costs over 300 GBP new (it failed at a leaking welded joint simply because the painted finish to the mild steel corroded); it was replaced with one from a JCB digger for just over 100 GBP.
The latter needed a bit of fabrication by a good vehicle mech to adapt the support bracket for the pump - OTOH, this might not have been practical if said fuel pump was built into the fuel tank. OTOH, the fuel pump would not have failed in this manner (it was leaking but still functioned as a pump).

[Temporaryescapee]

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie

There is no difference, only skills, tools and parts.



Andy

I think this is the nub of it to me. I am an office boy with the same mechanical knowledge and practical skills as my dog.

Changing the oil, a tyre, a sprocket or brakes pad feels ok. Beyond that lies only phd rocket science!

I figure (perhaps wrongly) that i can sort of get my head round a carb with a bit of practice and that, if i cant, someone on my travels can. Im less sold on my chances of finding a local with the right diagnostics program on his pc.

I know this is different for those of you with skills but to be honest not only could i not rig up a fuel pump, i don't even know what the diagnosis tool is you are talking about. :-)


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[Temporaryescapee]

Someone's laughing at me. My daughter has just asked for help with her homework.......which is on electrical circuits!


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[Threewheelbonnie]

Kids homework is tough when you've had it easy for years. Tried long division by hand?

The most common vehicles on the planet are EFI. Diesel taxis and trucks but also scooters and small bikes. EFI costs to develop and design but can then be installed by robots ( or their human equivalents) . OBD is out there and the readers will do multiple vehicles. Don't imagine that the so called third world is still running Amals. The fiddling and faffing that comes with carbs may make getting a clueless bullet wallah to twiddle screws in the side of your multi banked bings easier than getting a taxi mechanic to believe his Jaltester will talk to a bike, but neither is a great way to spend a day.

I'd price up readers if going on a long trip. Messages like "open circuit at pin 15" don't really need twenty years of breathing exhaust fumes with your ear to the air box, screwdriver in the mixture screw and your lucky underpants on your head to diagnose.

Andy

[Temporaryescapee]

Feeling nervous now!

If only it was just long division by hand that i needed. A maths teacher for a mother and a career spent working with actuaries means i feel pretty relaxed about maths (at least until multiple greek letters and abstract concepts arrive). My engineering skills on the other hand reflects the utter DIY ineptitude of my (otherwise great) father :-)


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