Carburetor or FI?

[HersheyPAGreg]

I want to buy a Spider later this year and need some advice about whether to buy a fuel injected or non-fuel injected car. I'm probably looking for a 79 or later Spider. In the mid-1980's I owned an 1980 fuel injected Spider and I remember it being pretty fast, when it ran. There was a problem with the fuel injection system that caused it to either not start, or shut down at some point along the road. It left me walking or calling AAA numerous times. No one I took the car to was able to fix the problem, so I ended up selling it.

My mechanical skills are limited to replacing parts like alternators, brake pads and such, and while my skills haven't improved much in the past 25 years, I now have some family members who are more mechanically inclined, plus the benefit of the internet and sites like this one. The car wouldn't be a daily driver, just used for fun. I would like a FI car, but still have many bad memories from my first Spider. Any advice about which system is the easiest/least expensive to maintain would also be helpful. Is it more difficult to find parts for one system vs. the other?

So, if you were me, would you buy a FI car or a non FI car and why?

Thanks.

[lanciahf]

Carb cars are nice and easy to troubleshoot and fix. FI cars are reliable and run really well. Sometimes they are frustrating to find the cause of the problems. Having said that once you understand the FI system its pretty basic. I would go with the carb cars if your area does not require a emission test.

[So Cal Mark]

I'd suggest you go for an FI car, driveability is much better than the carb versions.

[narfire]

I suggest you have one of each

[TX82FIAT]

The carb cars are nice and you can tweak them. However, it sounds like you are in the learn as you go catagory. (me Too!) You will most likely have a lot of small mechanical things to work out. Getting the Carbs they way you want them may not be the best use of your time. If the Fuel injection system is good I would go FI. Check the Bosh air intake sensor box and wires. This is an expensive part and would make a difference in FI or Carb based on the car.

[HersheyPAGreg]

Thanks for the replies. Narfire, I like how you think!

[kristoj]

I also agree with the comments in terms of going the FI route for the reasons noted.

[lanciahf]

Not to start anything here, but most of the problems posted on this forum usually deal with FI models. Carbs are so simple for a novice to keep running. I would go with a nice simple carb model.

[TulsaSpider]

So.. I think it depends on what you want out of the car and the budget you have. I prefer carb'd cars. If you buy a FI car and inspect and replace any issues I think you will be happy. Go that way if you have the budget. If you want a carb'd 79 then I read on here that the carb is too small. Plus if you post on this forum then we can all guide you through repairs!

[Zmatt]

Carbs are easy to work on and the car is much simpler. With FI the car is more reliable, wont get zapor lock, will start better when cold etc. They both have tuning potential. With the carbed car you put on a better carb, exhaust and hot cams. With an FI car you can have the option for forced induction and aftermarket efi, but that is very involved.

I think it totally depends on what you want to do. If you want a car to drive and enjoy on the weekend and that you can work on get carb. if you want a car that you can dirve a lot and can get more power get FI. It's also worth noting that the late carb cards and fi cars can actually make less power than early carb cars due to emissions equipment.

[baltobernie]

I'd suggest checking with your state DMV and other classic car owners about the safety and emissions inspection requirements for various years. Also investigate the various ways you can register and drive your car vs. those inspection requirements. There are websites, some by famous publications, that provide this info in tabular form, but don't rely on them alone. After you get the good skinny, then decide on the model year(s) which are most advantageous to you. The answer to carb vs. FI may have already been decided by your state (or commonwealth ).

[MIGHTY 8]

I have an '80 model which came with factory FI, and after a genuine 26 year trouble-free run, I opted for the dual Weber 40 IDF set-up, installed about 4 years ago. Knowing my Italian sportscar now has "Webers'" is apparently very important to me! I'll tell you they certainly are worth their weight in gold for that "true sport's car experience." But that's my own personal opinion.

Good luck and I believe I can speak for all of us, that regardless of which you choose, we're just happy to have another Fiatista on board!

[htchevyii]

I agree, there is no right answer. In stock form the EFI cars are stronger, especially compared to the smog dog years. If your state requires emissions testing, I'd try to get an early model or a FI model. If you are emissions exempt even the smoggers can run great with a few mods. There is less you can do to increase power on the FI, but they also start out with alot more than some years. I have one of each and I have to admit that for road trips or leisurely cruises you can't beat the torque of the FI 2.0, (good for spouses that like to lug it, too). I have a complete FI setup I got from Ralph and I'm thinking about trying it out on my lil 1438.

[HersheyPAGreg]

So.. I think it depends on what you want out of the car and the budget you have. I prefer carb'd cars. If you buy a FI car and inspect and replace any issues I think you will be happy. Go that way if you have the budget. If you want a carb'd 79 then I read on here that the carb is too small. Plus if you post on this forum then we can all guide you through repairs!

The car wouldn't be a daily driver, just driven for fun during nice weather and I would like it to be at least reasonably reliable. My budget is around $5,000 to $7,000, $5,000 to purchase a rust free car, plus an extra $1,000 -$1,500 to have shipped from the South or West here to PA. Thanks for your offer to help guide me through repairs as well as the offers of help from all the other folks who've replied to me. Lots of nice folks on this board!

[HersheyPAGreg]

Carbs are easy to work on and the car is much simpler. With FI the car is more reliable, wont get zapor lock, will start better when cold etc. They both have tuning potential. With the carbed car you put on a better carb, exhaust and hot cams. With an FI car you can have the option for forced induction and aftermarket efi, but that is very involved.

I think it totally depends on what you want to do. If you want a car to drive and enjoy on the weekend and that you can work on get carb. if you want a car that you can dirve a lot and can get more power get FI. It's also worth noting that the late carb cards and fi cars can actually make less power than early carb cars due to emissions equipment.

I do want a car to drive and enjoy on the weekend but I want the same power I had with my 80 FI Spider. I've never driven a Spider with a carb, I guess I should try to drive one and a FI version to compare.

I've got a question I hope someone on the board can answer. In 1991 a few years after I sold my Spider, I rented a 91 Miata while on vacation in California. I had thought about buying a Miata to get a more reliable convertible experience than I had with my Fiat, but I was really disappointed with it's performance compared to the Spider. From what I've found on the internet a 1980 Spider is listed at 102 hp @ 5500 rpm and 100 lbft torque @ 3000 rpm, while the numbers for a 1991 Miata are 100 torque and 116 hp! (No rpms were given with these figures) So why would a similarly sized car with 14 more horsepower seem considerably slower? Maybe an emissions thing? The Miata was a California car while my Fiat was in PA. I guess my point in raising this question is, performance counts a fair amount in my decision too. Thanks.