Tbi

[big dump]

I've got a crate 350 with the newer style center bolt heads in my 72, and I'm wondering what would be involved with swapping in TBI off of a 93. Another member has a setup off of a 93 that he's selling for 225.00 without a harness. Seems to have everything else, but I'd have to track down a harness. Does anyone know if it would be the same as swapping in an earlier TBI say like off of an 87-90?

[TN70C10]

im currently doing a tbi swap but im not very far along yet. i got a fuel pump from summit thats made for tbi conversion. they also have a tbi conversion plate to adapt over your factory spreadbore to tbi so you dont have to change intakes. I ended up getting the entire harness out of the 89 that the rest of my parts come out of. as far as the 89 im going to have to convert the headlight switch, wiper motor , brake switch, cruise switch but luckily heat and ac will be easy since i have vintage air. the reason i didnt use a later harness is unless you use the proper trans it will set the check eng light. also it would seem that there isnt alot of info on the board for the tbi conversion and some of the questions that i have asked here went completely unanswered so i figure im pretty much on my own with my build, but anything i can help you with pm me and i will try. i think i have all my parts together and just started with the build so i will have more info soon.

[big dump]

Thanks for the reply. I was worried about the tranny because I'm running a TH350, but since the kit I'm looking at doesn't have the harness, I was going to go with a painless kit or alike. As far as the TBI unit itself and computer, are those the same that would come off of an 89 like yours?

[jkade]

I have a 91 setup with the harness I will let go for $200 plus the ride.

[TN70C10]

not sure what year they changed but the tps plug is different, im not 100% sure on the computer, they changed the plug into the ecm at some point, it will be easy with the painless harness im sure. i wanted to go that way but kept gawking at the $500 price tag (would have been willing to go $200) so im using the factory harness for free. just tell them the year when you order and they should get you the correct one.

[Scott68-93-97]

If you do change the intake the stock TBI will bolt up since you have 86 up heads, the major change was in 96 the vortecs only use 8 bolt instead of 12 and all go staight down, see if you cant find some vortec heads and sfi off a 96n up motor at the junkyard there a two peice manifolds with tube injectors under the upper plastic intake more power and more fuel economy, u can usually find a wrecked vortec truck and get the harness and heads up for right around $400 for everything just make sure u get a fuel pump that has 60+PSI. TBI is a piss poor setup (in my opinion) they do have better stuff know. TBI guys don't get upset not trying to dog u (they are better than most carbs though)

[big dump]

I ended up picking up a complete setup off a 91 from another member. Thanks Kade! Does anyone know what is involved with modifying to work with a TH350? Am I best off burning a new chip? I plan on eventually going with a 700R4, however, I'd like to at least get it up and going while I'm hunting for a good deal on the tranny.

[Scott68-93-97]

Do you have a th350 or a th350c? if its a c it has a lock up converter, nothing is going to hook up to the cpu to that tranny the lock up converter style just needs a brake switch and a vacuum swith installed they sell harnesses, nothing needs to be re burned either to work with the tranny, just install it and it should work, we put one in my buddies 83 with a 465 and it worked well, when you go to the 700r4 nothing will be different either except a vacuum and brake switch for the lock up converter, if you use a 4l60e which is basically the same as the 700 but electroniclly controlled u would have to buy a controller that computer wont support it

[big dump]

As far as I know, it's just a TH350, not a c type, honestly, I've never heard of a c type. I've heard of a locking torque converter, that stays engaged if that's what you mean. But you're saying that I should be able to bolt it up and go with a regular TH350, correct? If so, that will make it a lot easier on me, and then I can swap in the 700R4 later.

[big dump]

Does anyone have any good links or references for doing the install? I know the basics of it, however, never hurts to have extra references from guys that have done the swap. Thanks in advance.

[Scott68-93-97]

Sorry for not replying so soon, yes it will bolt right up the tbi ecm did not controll the tranny, the 350c has a lock up converter so there is a brake and vacuum switch plugs on the c, if you have a truck style long tail housing 350 the 700r4 measurements are not far off real close, there was a thread not to long ago about the meas. on chevy trannys look in the FAQ section.