The EFI myth

Phreakish said
This is likely the case with my current engine challenge. Once I have time to turn some wrenches (currently doing two remodels, 1/4 acre market-garden, plus a full-time job) I plan to attempt a return style system. My only hesitation has been that since the fuel is boiling in the bowls, I may still have some issues after shutdown.
I'm not totally familiar with FE engines, and learning more as I go, and it seems they were designed to run at lower temps - so the cooler stat may help. Since I'm inherently lazy, and don't have a lift, that's probably where I'll start. It hasn't caused me any major issues yet, so I've just lived with it for now (plus, it wasn't apparent until a few weeks ago when temps spiked, and we're due for cooler weather again now).

Despite my challenges with this engine, I wouldn't call the EFI on my dart more 'reliable'. It's less hassle, and making changes as conditions vary is much simpler though. But that's only because I've worked past the teething pains of the initial install. I would love to put EFI on this new motor, but with the current heads it's very difficult to keep header gaskets intact, which would wreak havoc with an O2 sensor. Something I've found EFI cannot tolerate.

I do this frequently - open the hood. It does help, and I agree it helps prevent that crank-crank-crank-I-hope-it-starts situation.

Just a hunch but I feel like that wacky intake manifold design where it partially goes over the decks absorbs a lot more heat conducting up from the block. Yeah you might still have a bit of hard starting with the fuel boiling in the bowls but with an electric pump and return-type system as soon as the needles and seats open up the fuel flowing in will be a lot cooler. You might be on to something with the "designed to run at lower temps," FE's were gone for the most part by the time emissions became a big deal except in trucks. And trucks have much bigger and more open engine bays so heat soaking isn't quite as bad as in cars.

Our big blocks were designed in the 1950s but the engineers had the foresight (or just got lucky lol) to have the intake manifold only touching the intake flange on the heads and nothing else. Block the heat crossover, boom you got an "air-gap" intake manifold.