X-Mas Delima, What should I buy?

**tshuelsman** · 12-16-2008, 10:28 AM

OK i have about 1500$ saved up and am looking to buy a couple items for my Jeep but im stuck between what to buy..

1. XRC Smittybilt Seats= $399.99 for both

2. 4.5 Rubicon Express= $1100 plus shocks..... wont have enough money yet for tires

3. Howell fuel injection kit = $1100

I can't decide what to do.

I can get the Seats and fuel injection or i can get just the lift and shocks.

I'd like to hear what you guys think.

I have the orginal seats and there falling apart. I have a 32/34 Weber carb that runs pretty good, haven't had any mechanical problems, just has problems on declines when wheeling. The Fuel injection would improve my power band and help with fuel economy, not that i care. I didn't buy my jeep for gas milage. The Rubicon Express lift speaks for itself.

I had a buddy tell me to get a cheaper lift and the fuel injection...

what do u think

j33pman · 12-16-2008, 10:49 AM

You could always do this for EFI - http://bustedjeep.com/projects/junkyardtbi.asp

then do the lift.

And salvage a set of Cavalier seats to replace your stockers.

Then save up for your tires.

**Slawth** · 12-16-2008, 11:01 AM

If the jeep in your Av is the victim, it looks pretty capable. If it were me I'd go FI first and do the lift and tires together, later.

edit: I would not go with the Smittybuilt seats period... There are much better seats for close to that $.

**Truck633** · 12-16-2008, 11:06 AM

Carbs are obsolete in any form, some run ok, but do whatever you have to to get Fuel Injection Period!!

b_c · 12-16-2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truck633

Carbs are obsolete in any form, some run ok, but do whatever you have to to get Fuel Injection Period!!

uhhh...i don't think "obsolete" is the right word.

...carbs are just not "preferred" for off-canter driving (i.e. rock crawling).

check out the "truck avenger" by holley...it works well.

...and cheaper than an efi swap.

b_c

**tshuelsman** · 12-16-2008, 12:27 PM

I've been looking around at the Howell FI and Quadratec has only 2 version for my jeep model.

They show the standard version and a version to meet California smog

Then 4wd.com shows three versions. A Cal. version and two versions with around a 60$ difference. There customer service didn't help me at all

i have a

1983
258 I-6

**Truck633** · 12-16-2008, 01:36 PM

obsolete most certainly is the correct word!!!! even your Holley Avenger will stall on a steep enough incline!! Carbs served a great purpose, but with todays FI technology, they are obsolete, I had the best luck with a motorcraft 2100 totally built, tapered floats, aftermarket float spring, and baffled bowl, it ran excellent, however next to even a throttle body injected equivilent engine, there is no comparison. we can agree to disagree...agreeably! In my humble opinon, FI is your best bet.

Tom

b_c · 12-16-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truck633

we can agree to disagree...agreeably!

agreed...

b_c

CJ Chet · 12-16-2008, 01:56 PM

How about this. BDS makes a great lift (lifetime warranty) and alot cheaper! My BDS 4" lift is currently on it's SECOND Jeep and still going strong.
At that price you could get the lift AND the seats!

http://www.bds-suspension.com/kits/406H

kyle_bob · 12-17-2008, 11:42 PM

get the lift!!

SuB8HaVeN · 12-18-2008, 10:33 AM

I second the BDS kit.

And I would not say that carburetors are obsolete. I run a more modern Weber on mine and it has been getting very respectable gas mileage lately, as good as or better than any newer 4.0L I6 I've seen get. I did some crawling for the first time about a month ago and it didn't miss a beat or stumble in the least bit. Let's just say I was seeing nothing but sky quite a few times, and it never even hesitated. Back when I had a small aluminum boat I used to back it down a causeway near the beach and it was about a 45 degree incline. It never hesitated pulling the trailer and boat in or out.

Modern carburetors make a world of difference. And I wouldn't trade the simplicity of my carburetor for any fuel injection kit in the world. If ever anything goes wrong I can take it off, rebuild it, or just slap another one on. I couldn't say the same for a fuel injection kit.

**xeroOTG** · 12-18-2008, 11:48 AM

I would wait and keep an eye here, I am doing a hybrid bustedjeep TBI setup. It will definitely be less than Howell, and slightly more than the GM route, with more flexibility and configurability than both.

sikdogg · 12-18-2008, 01:31 PM

Get the lift ($1100) and do a DIY Mopar MPI conversion (~$400)...

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/junkyard-mopar-mpi-writeup-294427/

12-16-2008, 11:06 AM	#4
Truck633 GO ONE MORE!! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 894 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Carbs are obsolete in any form, some run ok, but do whatever you have to to get Fuel Injection Period!! __________________ ____________________________________________ You don't need a parachute to skydive... You need a parachute to skydive TWICE!!! Originally Posted by schitzangiggles It is no wonder we were the best and brightest, our toys weeded out the really stupid/unlucky one. That way there were less idiots to reproduce. Now since we have child proofed everything, we're being over run with Dee dee deees.

12-16-2008, 01:36 PM	#7
Truck633 GO ONE MORE!! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 894 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	obsolete most certainly is the correct word!!!! even your Holley Avenger will stall on a steep enough incline!! Carbs served a great purpose, but with todays FI technology, they are obsolete, I had the best luck with a motorcraft 2100 totally built, tapered floats, aftermarket float spring, and baffled bowl, it ran excellent, however next to even a throttle body injected equivilent engine, there is no comparison. we can agree to disagree...agreeably! In my humble opinon, FI is your best bet. Tom __________________ ____________________________________________ You don't need a parachute to skydive... You need a parachute to skydive TWICE!!! Originally Posted by schitzangiggles It is no wonder we were the best and brightest, our toys weeded out the really stupid/unlucky one. That way there were less idiots to reproduce. Now since we have child proofed everything, we're being over run with Dee dee deees.

12-18-2008, 01:31 PM	#13
sikdogg Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 33 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Get the lift ($1100) and do a DIY Mopar MPI conversion (~$400)... http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/junkyard-mopar-mpi-writeup-294427/