What should i do on my mpi efi swap

[Billy Bad A$$]

I have a very interesting question to ask. I just traded a guy for a 86 camaro 305 tpi setup. And my 69 truck hasnt been running a 100% lately so i have performed a coolant combustion leak test and found very possibly that my head(s) might be cracked. Well as you might know that the 86 tpi intake is still the standard intake bolt pattern as is the carb intakes(55-86). Well i want to use the fuel injection, but i will have to get a different set of heads. Well i actually have 4 sets of vortec heads laying around but i don't really know if i want to buy the really expensive intake for vortec to tpi intake. My question is should i buy the expensive intake or should i sell my vortec heads and just buy a set of standard bolt pattern heads that flow as equal to or better than the vortec heads. My biggest point of all of this is more power, my truck is just for fun, not a work horse or a dailly driver. And if i do go with the tpi how big of a cam can i use? i have read that you can only use a cam that will allow 13 inches of vacumn @idle and that the injection is only good up to 450hp or so. I really want to go efi for the more reliabily and more power, but like i said before that this truck is for fun, Any replies would be great appreciated.

[Billy Bad A$$]

Oh and i forgot to say that my engine is a 350 and i all ready know that i will have to change injectors to 22lb injectors, get a different spark control module, new pcm prom, and change the Knock sensor

[hgs_notes]

Or just let me take all that junk off your hands because my heads are good and I've only got a 283, which is a good swap partner for the 305 intake and I'm tired of rebuilding my carb all the time and having a choke that only works occasionally and I only live about 120 miles away.

HG

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Billy Bad A$$

My question is should i buy the expensive intake or should i sell my vortec heads and just buy a set of standard bolt pattern heads that flow as equal to or better than the vortec heads. My biggest point of all of this is more power, my truck is just for fun, not a work horse or a dailly driver.

I would weigh everything out and go for the one that tilts the scale in your favor. IE: will you come out ahead money wise selling your v-heads. (Will you get more HP out of the new intake etc.) I wouldn’t recommend going a direction that will limit your possibilities later. So if upgrading your heads puts your future possibilities much higher than the intake can, that would tilt the scale in favor of the heads. Does this make sense?

Originally Posted by Billy Bad A$$

And if i do go with the mpi how big of a cam can i use? i have read that you can only use a cam that will allow 13 inches of vacumn @idle and that the injection is only good up to 450hp or so. I really want to go efi for the more reliabily and more power, but like i said before that this truck is for fun, Any replies would be great appreciated.

IMO You may want to upgrade to a roller cam. That Thumper cam would be a consideration.

s/t

[Billy Bad A$$]

I will most likely be upgrading to a roller cam later when i have the money to build a stouter motor. I already have 3 complete vortec 350 motors that are roller equipped that i can use for a motor build up later.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Billy Bad A$$

Oh and i forgot to say that my engine is a 350 and i all ready know that i will have to change injectors to 22lb injectors, get a different spark control module, new pcm prom, and change the Knock sensor

Won’t you need a high pressure fuel pump w/ fuel pressure regulator?
Possibly a o2 sensor (or wide band), data logging software etc?
s/t

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by Billy Bad A$$

I will most likely be upgrading to a roller cam later when i have the money to build a stouter motor. I already have 3 complete vortec 350 motors that are roller equipped that i can use for a motor build up later.

How this for an idea…..sell off all our spare stuff free up some money and space build one bad A$$ motor!
s/t

[Billy Bad A$$]

Sorry i had forgot to say that i had gotten the complete tpi harness of the camaro and yes i know that i will need a electric fuel pump that has at least 45psi flow, and i will have to install a o2 sensor in my header collector, but if i do decide to go tpi i will likely be using a heated o2 sensor due to the distance the o2 sensor is from the head compared to the factory location in the manifold. And with the factory harness i had gotten the DLC(data link connector). i also know that i will have to run a couple of relays and also run a return fuel line. I am sorry for any confusion about the tpi question, i know thoroughly what the tpi swap will insist of, sorry for the confusion.

[Sport/Truck]

I figured you did…..anyone with all those spare motors, heads etc. has to know what’s going on.

[Billy Bad A$$]

Come on guys i would like sum more technical input on this PLEASE!

[Billy Bad A$$]

Ttt

[4x4Bowhunter]

I am doing the same thing to a 72. I went with scoggin-dickey TPI vortec baseplate ($400) plus fancy shmancy bolt kit ($30) plus a gasket set special to that combination ($40). If $$ doesnt matter, then go that route. Furthermore, thats just the starting point.
After that, even though you have the harness, you still have to worry about plumbing a return fuel line, electric pump setup, transmission route (700R verse yours--if not using the 700R, still have to worry about the vehicle speed sensor input for the TPI) and cooling setup (camaro used electric fans in 86, i think...). i did the same O2, a 3 wire.
If you intend to do anything regarding a cam upgrade, you must also upgrade the injectors from the 19Lbs to 24Lbs. Also, 86 didnt have a roller cam provision, to the block must be machined for that option. 87 was the first year for the roller setup. This too adds almost more $$ to the equation that its worth, but then again, if you have the $$, go for it!

the TPI setup is cool, but it wasnt as easy as i though it was going to be. (is it ever?).

Anyway, check out these websites for the best information i found:

www.chevythunder.com (the ABSOLUTE BEST web site for TPI conversions, hands down)
www.tpiparts.net
www.aztpi.com

good luck and keep us all posted!!

[neonlarry]

If you are looking for 450HP, I would keep the vortecs. You are going to have to change the baseplate and runners anyway to get enough flow to support 450HP. You can either go the route bowhunter did or use a modified LT1 intake. For a camshaft best talk to the manafacturer to come up with one that will support that HP and work with EFI (or you will have problems getting it to idle)