I saw a carburator manifold for a northstar that didn't look too shabby at www.chrfab.com and it seemed like you could use the intake that they have with a carbuerator and bypass all of the wiring problems that everyone complains about with the northstar swap. If you did it in a aut it would be straightforward but if done in a manual you would have to address the flywhell issues. Engine mounting and exause would also have to be done but it seems a lot easier than wiring up all the stuff for the computer and I know that some driveability would be lost but it would seem to be small if the carb is tuned correctly. It may be silly but it seems to make sense to me for now. What do you think... especially people with or doing northstar conversions.

"Cheap" and "CHRFab" don't go well together.

By the time it gets to your door, that manifold will be $600 W/O a carb. Once you have that, you'll need to spend another $650 to $700 on their Electromotive HPV1 ignition controller (No distributor, remember).
By the time you're in for the $1250-1300 these two items would cost, you might as well go for the plug-n-play Holley stand alone controller at ~$1350 and keep the fuel injection while avoiding the factory electronics all together.

BTW, the above applies to manual transmission only. If you use the 4T80E automatic, you MUST use the factory electronics because the factory computer controls the transmission and no stand alone controllers are available for that trans yet.

There must be another way to have an ignition for the engine than the system that they have isn't it?

Cheap and engine conversion do not work in the same sentence.

The pushrod 3.4 is the cheapest, and that is only an upgrade over the 2.8.

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nope, welcome to the 21st centuary. The Northstar has no provisions for a distributor at all, so you need some kind of computer to control spark (individual coil packs per cylinder man.) of some sort. All you've got is (a special offset btw. that's why you have to buy Chrfab's ECMs, and not just any.) Hall-effect trigger wheel.

As will stated above, it's most cost effective to just get that ECM (or try and be crazy and mod the stock PROM like Will has. Made any progress on that btw? <last I heard it wasn't working completely in all gears yet.>

Besides, why spoil a hot 4-valver with an icky carb (eew!)

Best!
Ben.

quote Originally posted by freedog81: There must be another way to have an ignition for the engine than the system that they have isn't it?

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Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

quote Originally posted by jelly2m8: Cheap and engine conversion do not work in the same sentence. The pushrod 3.4 is the cheapest, and that is only an upgrade over the 2.8.

I'm gearing up for a 4.9 conversion which I hope to complete for $1000 including purchase of the car.