FINALLY Got the TPI 383 Running Today!!!!!

[Deuce]

MANY Thanks to Jason Morrow from the 60-66 board!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Found out the computer has to have a FULL 12 Volts. Or it runs like crap!!
Taking it to get a dyno tuned computer chip soon.
This thing is going to ROCK!!

[shortbed70]

[Russell]

Sweet deal! Now come make mine run better, lol

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Russell

Sweet deal! Now come make mine run better, lol

Make sure you have a full 12Volts for the computer power!!! We had 10.5 volts and the truck run like crap.

[Slammed66]

I want pics of that thing burnin the tires off!!!!!

soon!!!!

Congrats dude!!!

[jasonrmorrow]

Hey Corie, i was really surprised it ran on that stock chip, any codes thrown yet ?? Those fans kickin in yet ?? I only brought a little experience to the table, Corie did 99% of the work himself. Starts right up now and even before driving it, i know Corie won't be going back to Carb EVER !!! Now we have what two more to do, slammed66's LT1 and classicchevs TPI.

Morrow

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by shortbed70

[Deuce]

I have to clean up a little wiring before I take any pics. Went through all the trouble of looming all the wires nicely only to have to change a couple connections. But for a stock 350 chip it runs quite well??

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Cant wait to see the pic's ...... Burn out ones are welcome..

[Russell]

Man, I'm so happy to hear that yours started up and ran like a champ right off the bat. I've had nothing but greif with my setup, still haven't got it running to the point that I'd even consider trying to drive it up and down the driveway yet, lol

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Russell

Man, I'm so happy to hear that yours started up and ran like a champ right off the bat. I've had nothing but greif with my setup, still haven't got it running to the point that I'd even consider trying to drive it up and down the driveway yet, lol

1st thing to check is that you have a FULL 12Volts for the computer power. My truck ran like a bag of dirt with 10.5 volts. It makes a HUGE difference.

[1badcad]

How do u make sure its getting 12 volts? Rookie here.

[sixty8c10]

Originally Posted by shortbed70

[classicchev]

WELL ITS ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Good to hear you got things going, anything leak? Im going over to the engine shop today to check on my engine, hopefully it will be done soon.
Ill chat with you later tonight, Darren

[jasonrmorrow]

I'll jump in on a few for Corie here, he ran an auxillary little 6 circuit fuse panel from the local parts store. Since he needed 4 switched/keyed 12 volt sources he grabbed a 12 volt switched/keyed wire and ran it to the main power in on the panel. When the truck was off, there was 11.7 volts at that main power in(low batt voltage from cranking and not starting), but once we got the truck running (feather the pedal a TON) the voltage dropped to 10.5 volts, so to eliminate a few variables we ran a wire straight from the alternator with a manual switch to that panel. Didn't touch the pedal, turned the key and it fired right up and idled. So now Corie has to run a heavy wire either from the ignition switch main wire or another 12gauge or better source.

So basically, if you are using the Painless wiring kit, (you should, truely is worth every penny), it has one labeled pink wire ( i'm pretty sure its pink) that says "Ignition 12volts" on it. Wherever you ran that wire to a power source check at that connection with the engine running, if it doesnt run check it while cranking.

And don't just use a test light to see if there is keyed voltage at the point you want to take the voltage from, there are resistor wires in these trucks that drop the 12volts to 5volts and the truck won't even start. So use the multimeter.

Computer controlled vehicles need to see a good strong voltage signal and really good grounds to run properly. Run heavy ground straps from the battery to the body and the engine to the frame. Clean all areas before attatching the terminals.

As far as comparison to a carb, i ran an Edelbrock Performer Intake and 1406 (600CFM Electric Choke) Carb before the TPI and throttle response, ease of starting, warm up time, SMELL, MPG (went from 12.7@3.8l/gallon to 16.3@3.8l/gallon), and coolness factor have all increased tenfold.

There was quite a gap in the time i drove with the carb and the TPI but the reason i went to TPI wasn't to make power, the TPI is a great torque producing EFI system, it doens't make much power beyond 4500 RPM, the reason i went with it was for throttle response, convenience and fuel economy.

If you want high performance you aren't going to get it (easily) from the stock gm computer without some deep knowledge of prom burning bin editing and the like.(It is possible though).

The carb never ran well for me in Calgary, elevation changes, temperature changes yadda yadda, not to mention sitting in the truck at -25*C holding the throttle down so the truck would stay running, versus jump in turn the key and run back to the house or be on your merry way, ORRRRRR push the command start button from the house and amaze your friends that your rusty grey primer 60's truck will start itself.(Like mine will when i put it in for a grand total of $20).

[Russell]

My ECM is connected straight to the junction block on the firewall through a heavy gauge wire It gets full voltage right off the batt. However, one thing I have been having issues with is the alternator. I first thought the issue was the alternator itself, but now I know that it is my fault, lol. In my 89, with the exact same alt, it hums when you turn the ignition to the on position, the 80 on the other hand, hums all the time. So I gotta find out which wire it is that is causing the humming, and hook it up to an keyed ignition source

I do believe my TPI's biggest problem is in the injectors. I did some reading on the year of Bosch injectors I got the truck, and I found out that if they sit for any amount of time, they will get stuck shut. So I'm gonna take my intake off again, make sure that all the injectors are firing, and check their spray pattern (just flip the fuel rail over and hit the starter, that'll make them fire and a guy can watch the spray pattern, and also make sure that none of them are leaking) then put the intake back together, making sure I don't have any vac leaks, put the proper 5.7 chip I had Brian Harris burn me, then start that sucker up, and get her running properly.

If I can do that, I think I'll put my old 2wd driveshaft on, and take it for a run up and down the driveway (yes, I do have a fairly long driveway, lol). I am gonna be running a divorced transfercase, so I have a 2wd TH400 in the thing, and can easily run the stock 2wd driveshaft

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by 1badcad

How do u make sure its getting 12 volts? Rookie here.

Just check the wire you are using for a power supply with a meter.

[jasonrmorrow]

Russel, the injectors i bought were from miami, and sat for 4 months, the truck ran fine with them. I'd be surprised if the injectors got gummed up sitting in Alberta. But be careful with your "injector test" i suppose the headers won't be hot and if fuel sprays everywhere you'll just have a mess to clean up, point away from your eyes. The best bet would be to take it in to a shop and have them test with an injector leakdown/test unit. They basically activiate the fuel pump, until proper fuel pressure reaches, then tap a button that gives power to the injector for 50millisecs and then you watch the pressure drop and note the pressure. Do this for all 8 to see if they are balanced and witihin spec. If they aren't don't bother with any pour in fuel injector cleaning, they are BS, go to a shop with a motorvac unit.

Itd be pretty tough to tell by flipping the fuel rail upside down if the injectors are firing equally. A totally plugged one would cause a consistant miss, is your idle sporatic or does it miss consistantly ?

[Russell]

It was just plain sporatic, but a lot of that had to do with a pair of crossed plug wires.

I'd run the setup with the coil in the dizzy removed, so it'd still send a reference pulse to the ECM, however, would not produce any spark that could be a source of ignition. Get a little fuel on my engine / fenders etc, but that isn't a big deal. I'll be sitting in the cab anyways, so I should be ok I think. I suppose, it only costs like a buck an injector to get them tested somewhere though.

Primarily, I'd be looking to see if any fuel came through at all, and make sure that none of the injectors drip when the fuel pump test is jumpered on the ALDL.

Really, they may be fine, however, I'd like to check them anyways. My runners leak at the lower intake connection at the rear, so it all has to come apart regardless. I'm in no real rush to get the truck running, cause I've got a whole lotta work to do to it before I even think about driving it anyways.

For example, I gotta swap rear ends out, and set up the 4.10 gears for it. The gov lock that is currently in my truck is terribly worn out, and I've got one with no gearset in excellent shape with only like 70 000 miles on it.

[classicchev]

Hey Jason, want a job. Got my new engine today need to make it go vroom and soon.

Darren

[Russell]

Darren, you should hear that engine you sold me -- That thing has balls, and sounds wicked!

Unfortunately, the tranny I bought is junk, and as such have had nothing but trouble with it, so I can't really drive the truck very much

[Rokcrln]

It is always a great feeling to get your ride fired up! Mine has been sitting for about 2 years now due to frustration from my efi motor. I have a 91 vett LT1 and I hade the computer burned by a place in Texas and I bought a Painless harness for it. I tried getting it to pop off and all it would do is crank untill I disconected the fuel pump then it pops off with what fuel is in the intake? Hook the pump back up and nothing, unhook the pump and pop pop?????????? I called Painless and they told me it was my motor because their harness could not be the prooblem. I called the shop in Texas and in talking to them for a bit it appeared that a few plugs are not right on my harness and that is about the time it got shoved hard into the corner of the old garage. Now I don't knoe what to do as far as try and find the problem with the painless or buy a Howell harness ( I have always had great luck with theirs but at the time they did not make one for my motor) or have my stock vett harness reworked by the shop in Texas?
Sorry for the rant but when ever I think about that mess it really pisses me off.

Just to give you an idea of how discuraged I got look where the truck is now! Built into a storage rack in the center of the new shop behind 3 other of my projects and one for ext56.

Kevin

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by classicchev

Hey Jason, want a job. Got my new engine today need to make it go vroom and soon.

Darren

How much do you pay??

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by Deuce

How much do you pay??

Come down to Cali. and I am sure we can trade a bit of labor
Kevin

[classicchev]

Originally Posted by Deuce

How much do you pay??

I dont want you , you take waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to long