Quote:
Originally Posted by OJ1988
I didn't mean to offend you.
What I was getting at, was when someone has a good running combo and asks for better mpg advice, and people say "Swap an LSX". That seems silly to me.
I understand if you are starting from scratch the LS is a killer engine and a great swap. But to tell someone to spend thousands to swap one to improve their milage is silly.
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I can completely understand that which is why I didn't suggest it. You can get respectable mileage out of a carb if tuned properly and driven reasonable.
I actually was happy with the carbed 350 in my 72 4x4 blazer. A mild 355 with a small Crane cam, RPM edelbrock intake and a 750 holley. Long tube headers, 33" tires and 3.07 gears, and the original 350 turbo.
I would get 13 mpg around town and 16 mpg highway. Drove it like this for years and was very pleased considering what it was. It never let me down and started every day, very reliable driver.
I only swapped in the 6.0 because the original 350 turbo was dying, and figured now is the time for an overdrive, and that led to the LS swap. I already have the software for tuning since we own a couple other LS cars so that expense was out of the way.
I'm still a carb guy at heart as several other cars I have are all carbed. You can't beat the simplicity and cheap parts/easy repair. When tuned properly they run and drive just as well as anything else out there. As a matter of fact the LS retro swaps that are converted to carbs are still very popular. Edelbrock makes the intakes, and MSD makes the ignition controller so you still get the benefit of coil-on-plug ignition, cam and crank sensors still used etc....
The only real big advantage the LS engine has over the gen 1 sbc is it's 15 degree heads vs the gen 1 23 degree head, that's why they run so well. Fuel injection is nice, but it's spendy, then you need software to tune and diagnose it which is another added expense. Technically speaking, you could put a nice FAST/Edelbrock fuel injection setup on a Gen1 sbc cheaper than swapping an entire LS engine, and have your multi port fuel injection and easy drivability that way.
The 14 mpg you are getting with your current combo is decent. I'm sure you'll find more without spending a ton of cash.