I have spoken to several EP racers who run FI and carbs and the consensus is that you can make more useable power and torque with the FI. the "but" is that it takes alot of time and money to get the porting, tuning, and exhaust(yes exhaust) correct. the carb(Berg mostly) is easier and cheaper to get to good power levels and money and time can be spent on suspension setup and driver training. A no limit budget for engine and suspension setup and the FI should be the ticket. I just wish the rules allowed the FI engine to use any intake like the carb setup. this model never was equiped with any type of carb and no one is using the OEM FI system in its entirety(sp?). I am scheduled to run my car on a chassis dyno next weekend, and I'll post the results.

EProdrx7,
I can activate the variable intake but I think having it fixed is the way to go, but which way is the best? it is tough to tell what will be better. any experience or ideas? thanks.

tims, did you build an EP car?

As far as the west coat, in the 2nd gen EP ranks, I only know of one half-way decent compititor who has run both, and he is no where near the top guys running carbs. I do know that Rivera has been tesing with FI, but I'm not sure if he has run it yet.

I think the "but" is that it "will still" take alot more time and money to get the porting, tuning, and exhaust correct. This overall system still has a lot more development and potential in it, but as far as I know, no one has taken on a "FULL-ON" development program here. There are folks slowly tweaking with it, though. Like Tims says, there are other areas that money can be sent to further the performance of car and driver.

-Bern

I don't know of any one person who has run both setups back to back, but I have talked to all the regulars about FI and carbs. I didn't build an EP car, but it is close enough that when and if I want to sell the car I have somewhere it can be run other than SU with NASA. it is hard to sell race cars that don't conform to some SCCA class. it is an unfortunate fact around here. So I needed a new engine and I decided that an EP legal engine would be the best bet, and I already had all the Haltech parts from my turbo engine. other than the front brakes and the rear diff it is EP legal. this would be easy to fix. but in the mean time I want to run some NASA enduros this year so I need the engine to be powerful and reliable, so if the intake becomes a problem I will use something better. I'll let you know what kind of power and torque numbers I can get this weekend.

I am...

Tim,
Where ever the valve is a idle is the opposite of where you want it on the track. I think that is down?

Mike Van Steenburg had been using the stock FI system in its entirety on his GSLSE for a few years also. Made it to the runoffs more than once I believe. :D

EProdRx7:

Hey, do you care to share any general (ballpark) numbers your engine combo is making with the FI set-up? ;)

-Bern

Eprod,
I have never seen a stock RX7 running before. not a joke, but by the time I get to these things its already a race car. I am going to experiment and see what works.

Tim you will feel the dif big time. It is really like night and day. My car is in the trailer now but I'll try to get under the hood tomorrow and see which position I have mine in. If you know before going to tjhe track that is just one less thing to do or test.

Bern,
Lets talk at the runoffs... Or just ask Jim 8)

Oh yeah, if thing go to plan what I have now will not be what I have at the runoffs...

We'll talk at the Run-Offs... and I look forward to seeing your new combo then ;)

-Bern