firebird896

Hey guys Im debating whether I should just keep the Tpi or go with the carb. I just picked up a '79 350 and it has a Holley carb and intake on it. As of now Im replacing all of the gaskets on it due to it sitting for 7+ yrs, before then it was recently rebuilt. Right now the engine I have in my '86 TA is a 305 Tpi and the damn thing keeps sputtering and spitting but having just hit 160K miles and needing a tune I just dont want to pay any more for the shop to fix everything.

So what is it guys?? Go Old School or the present TPI??

I have time because I'm not doing anything major till the winter.

MaDeNMiAMi305

i myself have a older 70s chevy motor with the same components you said yours had. im going through the process of rebuilding it with some goodies now and personally i say go old school. post some updates if you decide to go this route id like to see. what are the numbers on the block and heads?

RobSS1113

from previous experience from friends and such stick with the TPI.

Whats weird is that people with old school motors go with new stuff such as TPI motors and people with TPI motors like to go Old school like you do. So this is a no win situation or a 50/50 answer on that question.

firebird896

Im just about to go back out in the garage and work on it so I'll update you on that later...much later lol. I know what you mean, but I do have an 89 GTA with 24k miles on it!! It has a 350 TPI and its bone stock I also have a 98 Ls1 TA that I got for a graduation present, but my sisters car....make that beast when she can drive is a 1979 Ford Bronco, 400ci of raw CARBed motor, It does need a new carb because having a rebuilt motor...ya its choking it

The funny thing is I don't event know how to tune it, No I'm not rich or live ina $1+ dollar house, although that be cool cause of more garage space, I just work realllllly hard to get stuff at a good price


So sorry for the VERY long history of me, does that give ya any other thoughts??

Supervisor42

I think you should get the '86 a tune up, swap it to your sister for the Bronco and sell it to someone to build a rock crawler out of.
That 400 ci Bronco will eat $1200 in gas the first year she drives it...
(how do you afford insurance on all 4?)

firebird896

I know it does, I drive it over the winter and the spring till the weather gets nice, I think I put about 6K on it myself

Its Pricey

firebird896

Im having such a hard time deciding, I know the carb doesn't adjust itself like the TPI would, but I love the look of a carb, I lost, I dont want a TBI because of all the other junk I would have to deal with.

I know what you guys think but try to put yourself in my shoes

Viprklr

iTrader: (5)

TPI

You just can't beat the aesthetics.

Supervisor42

Ahmen to that.
I still have mine, it ran a 9.6 in the 1/8 mile at the strip before I pulled it out.
Ran great. Looks great.
It lives in the garage.
On a stand.

SiCkRs

iTrader: (6)

Id say stay with tpi but its up to you its your car and no one should tell you what to do with it

firebird896

So you had a Tpi engine hen swaped it for a Carb?

SiCkRs

iTrader: (6)

It is weird how people who have the tbis, or carb want tpi and with the others its backwards, like i have a tbi but i am wanting a tpi but to pricey to do the swap

Supervisor42

I changed the whole engine package. But I'm old and I know I can make HP with a carb and don't give a crap about under-the-hood glitz. BTW isn't Illinoiz an emissions inspection state? If the '88 wasn't available with a carb, it won't pass inspection.
EDIT: Oh, it's an '86, my bad.

Supervisor42

In all honesty, the TPI setup is capable of feeding a 350 so it is more than adequate to make plenty of HP with the 305. If you are going to keep the 305 block and pass emissions, it's a no-brainer. Keep the TPI.

berlin305

iTrader: (2)

Yea like everyone has said. Tpi a go or Carb a go. But in all and all its how you want it. I myself rather have carb with manual choke for the reason NO computer bs. It gets real old when the electronic this and that went out. So if you go mechanical less hassle. IMO though. Also cheaper.

But again NO emission law where i live. Keep that in mind.

firebird896

Emission here is only for '96 up, they only test the obdII computer for the emission crap. For everyones info I HAVE a 305 but Im putting in a 350, that what Im deciding to put a carb or Tpi on.

300hpse

iTrader: (2)

Tpi=old school .

Im on my first tpi car and I really enjoy it so far. It really has to be one of best street inductions you can get from the pre obdii era. No pumping your gas pedal on cold mornings and great throttle response and torque. Some people like to shake their fists at evil computers controlling their cars but honostly a tpi system is really pretty simple. You just need to take the time to learn it and once you start to understand the simple diagnostic procedures for it and how the componenets interact, it isn't nearly as bad as some people think to work with.

red/white04

[quote=300hpse;4315011]Tpi=old school .

compared to the ls models tpi is old school, not as old as carb. I had a carb on one of mine(had to baby it to get around 16 mpg)...swapped over to tpi...i get that mileage with ease now(while giving the car a work out) driveability is better IMO....I was just never happy with a carberator.

Supervisor42

Making a carb work is a dying artform. It's probably just as well...
Some of us will still keep one around just to hear "the back barrels kick in" and remember when....

firebird896

Sorry everyone majority lost. When I finish my resto which should be soon...I hope, I will start with a carbed engine and a t-5 backing it. I have a whole thread on whats going on

Slash

edit: why ask if u were gonna carb it anyways o.O

all4u

TPI is old school and also rare, when you go to car shows, everyone is carb, same old crap, but TPI stands out and is different, I say stay with the TPI but maybe get a set of aftermarket runners to help it breathe.

chesterfield

I always wonder how much the resale value is affected when going from EFI to carb. I know it would affect how much I'd be willing to spend on a car not knowing what kind of butchering/hacking went on. Even if i lived somewhere with lax smog enforcement.
(Yeah, I know. "I'm never gonna sell this car")

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

You can appreciate better the things you dont have.

It's easy to want the simplicity and lack of a bottleneck that a good carb setup can provide if you've got TPI. Simultaneously increasing power and simplifying your setup.

But when you go carb, it's easy to miss the convenience and consistency of a fuel injected setup. The people who live with one for a while are usually willing to make the sacrifice to go the other way.

I miss the convenience of EFI, a lot actually, but I dont think I'd ever go carb->TPI. TPI just has too many bottlenecks and problems and it costs too much money to make power with it. But if you already have TPI, I think you should stay with it.

rgarcia63

The rule is it must pass the requirements of the newer engine e.g. an 88' TPI engine in an 79' must pass the 88' emissions levels, and no the reserve is not allowed i.e. an emissions legal 79' carb'd engine isn't allowed in a 88' vehicle.
But, in the end it's really up to the inspector, if they're anything like the ones in Texas you just might get passed anyway.


Illinois Emissions law of 2005.
The vehicle is exempt if:

• The registration address is outside the test area.
• Vehicles of model year 1995 or earlier that do not have an expired emissions test sticker or certificate on February 1, 2007.
• It's a 1967, or earlier.
• There are other exemptions.

Vehicles must now pass an emissions test or otherwise comply with the Illinois Vehicle Emissions Inspection Law of 2005 (625 ILCS 5/13C) (“Inspection Law”) before the vehicle’ registration (license plates) can be renewed. Previously, the program was enforced through the suspension of drivers’ licenses and vehicles' registration.

The Illinois EPA will send one notice to the owners of vehicles due for testing. A yellow notice will be mailed about four months prior to the expiration of the vehicle's license plates, thereby allowing sufficient time to test the vehicle and, if necessary, perform repairs.

The Secretary of State’ office will now include a statement on vehicle registration renewal notices as to whether compliance with the Inspection Law is required before a vehicle's registration can be renewed.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

For this one, I chose carb. Carbureted engines will be a pain in the winter, and not get as good gas mileage, but it will give you just as much power as TPI can.

Sure, the reliability of TPI would be nice, but if you feel the money would be better spent on the rear/trans/engine internals/heads, or whatever else floats your boat, stick with the carb.

I'd like to convert to fuel injection, but it just does not seem worth it to me anymore, most decent EFI conversion kits out there are $2,000 and up, one I've seen is $4,000+. To me, that money would be better off in the bank, collecting interest, to one day buy me a C5 'Vette!

firebird896

My 79 bronco has a reman engine with its original carb and in the winter it starts right up, even my mechanic can't believe it. Although since its the stock carb with 2 barrels it guzzles gas like no other, I think the best it gets is 7mpg

firebird896

I am an idiot for not listening, I just wanted to be different with the carb, but it has turned out to be a big pain, can get it tuned right, timing keeps messing up, If I cant get it within this week, Im switching it back to the TPI for sure, I need a car to drive other than my dads work truck, not such a date mobile...=P