Porsche 944+Chevy V8
- Richard S.
- Mayor
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- Joined: Fri. Oct. 01, 2004 8:35 pm
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite
When you starting the build on the supercharged 3800 Fiero?
- StokerDon
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- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Thanks!
That sounds like Grumpys project. We only work on old P cars and Crown Vic's here.Richard S. wrote: ↑Tue. Jan. 09, 2024 9:46 pm When you starting the build on the supercharged 3800 Fiero?

Right now the 'Ol 944 is running real good with no problems. I drove it to work on Friday in the freezing cold. The heat works great!
Once I'm convinced that the odometer is fixed I'll finish up the dash and put it back together permanent like.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7745
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
TIME TO REVISIT THE CARBORETOR.
Although the MSD Atomic LS fuel injection system has worked well enough for 3 years now, There are a few things that limit our ability to tune it. We have been fighting with low speed running and throttle transition issues from the beginning. I think the best direction to go is with a new Holley Terminator X system. Unfortunately, this is an expensive direction to go. After watching an episode of "Stay Tuned" where the guys decided to run a carb on an LS, I thought, "I have all the stuff to do that in the basement!".
I had to order a few fittings and hose clamps but we are pretty much ready to start. Well, once the garage cools down under 90 degrees.
Roll the video Son!
Although the MSD Atomic LS fuel injection system has worked well enough for 3 years now, There are a few things that limit our ability to tune it. We have been fighting with low speed running and throttle transition issues from the beginning. I think the best direction to go is with a new Holley Terminator X system. Unfortunately, this is an expensive direction to go. After watching an episode of "Stay Tuned" where the guys decided to run a carb on an LS, I thought, "I have all the stuff to do that in the basement!".
I had to order a few fittings and hose clamps but we are pretty much ready to start. Well, once the garage cools down under 90 degrees.

- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7745
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Thanks Guys!
We are moving forward with the carb conversion.
Removed the MSD Atomic LS system. Test fit the carb on it. Now we know for sure that the carb and air filter won't fit under the hood.

My plan is to run the stock FI fuel pump like we have been. Keep the return line and the FI bypass regulator. The main difference is we are going to tap off of the original high pressure line and feed that into the low pressure carb regulator. If this all works like I think it should, we should be able to turn the high pressure line down to 20 to 25 PSI. This lower high pressure will feed the low pressure regulator and give us 5 or 6 PSI.
Here it is mocked up in the car. We have to order the right size intake gaskets. The set I had laying around turned out to be larger and don't fit. Roll the video!
And another!
Over the Winter, we will be looking into converting to the original GM ECU. Special thanks to Mike for making his point in the comments of the last video. His comments suggested that the GM ECU and air flow sensor setup would give better low speed and off idle performance.
Thanks Mike!
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7745
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8783
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
What can possibly come next for "Miss Porsche"..?? Perhaps a Blower from a salvaged Axeman-Anderson..?? Stay tuned,literally for the next episode of the "Stoker Don Show"..!!
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7745
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Carb Conversion Progress.
This weekend we nailed on the manifold and plumbed the fuel system. Then we sorted out the throttle linkage. Spent yesterday afternoon wiring the MSD and the fuel pump with relays. Then it was time to make the dreaded Hole in the Hood. I don't like it but it didn't come out too bad. Then it was time to test the fuel system. Unfortunately, we had a small leak. Turned out to be the pipe plug in the fuel manifold. I tried to tighten it but its made of aluminum or some crap metal. The hex key just turned inside it. It was a small leak so we fired it up anyway just to make sure everything worked.
Today I removed the manifold and found that it was actually the hex key hole, not the threads that were leaking.
I temporarily put a Tee in it's place so we could go for a short ride. With the Tee, it is not maintaining 6 PSI at the carb, it drifts up to about 12 PSI. Not good. Gonna try fixing the plug in the manifold. It seemed to maintain 6 PSI with it.
-Don
This weekend we nailed on the manifold and plumbed the fuel system. Then we sorted out the throttle linkage. Spent yesterday afternoon wiring the MSD and the fuel pump with relays. Then it was time to make the dreaded Hole in the Hood. I don't like it but it didn't come out too bad. Then it was time to test the fuel system. Unfortunately, we had a small leak. Turned out to be the pipe plug in the fuel manifold. I tried to tighten it but its made of aluminum or some crap metal. The hex key just turned inside it. It was a small leak so we fired it up anyway just to make sure everything worked.
Today I removed the manifold and found that it was actually the hex key hole, not the threads that were leaking.


-Don
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8783
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
In depth content in this report,Don..!! Yeah,You're all over this..!! Good Show..!!
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7745
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Thursday evening we got out the painters tape, Sharpie and the drill.
Then we sat the Harwood HAR-4104 hood scoop on and made measurements and markings. Then we drilled all the holes, cut the stainless steel bolts to length and bolted it on for a test fit. It was pretty tricky getting it in exactly the right place. It actually had to be mounted an inch or two forward to clear the front of the big air filter. Now it has to come off and be cleaned and painted.
In other news,
On Monday evening, after I fixed the leaking fuel manifold, I went for a 20+ mile ride. I was amazed how well it runs at very low RPM with the carb. It will easily putt around at 1200 RPM in First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth!
It would never do that before.
But all is not well. Our fuel manifold dual pressure regulator setup is not able to keep pressure to the carb under 12 PSI. This is not good and eventually causes flooding. I found the Aeromotive model 13220 which is a fuel injection to carb dual stage fuel pressure regulator. It will do the job but unfortunately, it ain't cheap.
Luckily for me the guys at "Stay Tuned" put out a new video last night on the carbureted LS-1 for their C5 Vett. They used exactly the same regulator to solve the same problem.
-Don
Then we sat the Harwood HAR-4104 hood scoop on and made measurements and markings. Then we drilled all the holes, cut the stainless steel bolts to length and bolted it on for a test fit. It was pretty tricky getting it in exactly the right place. It actually had to be mounted an inch or two forward to clear the front of the big air filter. Now it has to come off and be cleaned and painted.
In other news,
On Monday evening, after I fixed the leaking fuel manifold, I went for a 20+ mile ride. I was amazed how well it runs at very low RPM with the carb. It will easily putt around at 1200 RPM in First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth!

But all is not well. Our fuel manifold dual pressure regulator setup is not able to keep pressure to the carb under 12 PSI. This is not good and eventually causes flooding. I found the Aeromotive model 13220 which is a fuel injection to carb dual stage fuel pressure regulator. It will do the job but unfortunately, it ain't cheap.


-Don