Alright, here goes... I just picked up an 86 Iroc-Z with no engine and trans. It does however have 4 wheel disks, posi and 3.08 rear end. Car is in really decent shape, needs some TLC. You know things common in a car that is almost 17 years old.
- first thing- should I go with TPI or go carb'd? ( all wires in the car are still good, not a cut one anywhere)
- 2nd- this car wont necessarily be a daily driver, but will be driven quite a bit in the spring summer months(i live in MI) what type of engine should i go with 400, or build up a bada$$ 350 or 383.
thanks for any help in advance.
Steve

 

if you don't have e check to deal with i tihnk the easiest and most cost efficent thing to do would be to buy a 350 and go carbed and non ecm controlled hei. the wireing is differant for tbi, tpi, or carbed and i believe your car would of been a carbed 305. however there is something to be said for having a car that's not been hacked on, even if you're the one doing the hacking.

 

I would highly recommend keeping your camaro whatever it was originally, as far as carb/fuel inj. I recently swapped my 305 carb for a 350 with fuel inj and there are so many things to swap including the wire harness, fuel lines, fuel pump, it is a very large job to switch either way.

 

I'd have to agree, go with whatever the car origionaly had, don't be put off a carb, my 305 sport coupe has a 4bbl and runs better than any of my mates TPI cars! as a mate of mine found out when he bought an iroc with the service engine bulb removed and a slight flat spot, TPI can get real expensive real quick if something goes wrong. however, you could just go with non computer controll HEI, (78 chev monza perhaps?) 4bbl holley / edlebrock carb / inlet and remove the service bulb.

I would personaly go for the edlebrock carb if your going to do this, more expensive but definately better, either way a degree of DIY will be envolved unless you go for a proper linkage kit for an 86 camaro, but its not too scary. to find out if your car had TPI or carb, look by the bonnet (sorry, hood) catch, TPI had two small air filters either side, carb models had no provision for this, don't quote me but this is as far as i know, the easiest way to tell without the engine in the car.

TPI is great if you have EVERYTHING you need!!!!!!


whatever route you take, you'll LOVE this car.

 

i would go with what was in it, you know that worked at some point.........

 

I do know for a fact that it did have TPI. So I guess I will stay with that set-up. Next question-- will I have to change the comp. if I go w/ 350 with TPI?

 

steve, i'm looking into a 350 swap for my tpi 305 firebird, so far it seems the answer is no, as long as you bump up the size of the injectors to 22lbs.(i think). i'm pretty sure everything else is good, i'll PM you if you'd like with details as i come upon them.

 

I heard that some '86 Camaro and Firebirds came with fuel injection (Throttle Body, NOT TPI) but the others came carb'd (as mine did). Are you SURE it has a TPI computer, and NOT a TBI computer? There will be problems if you're wrong there. TPI's, didn't come out until '88 if I remember correctly...

 

TPI came out in 1987 to be exact. As for the PROM, there could be a few things you'll have to do to it.

 

Well then, I guess I will go back into the garage today and find out if indeed it was TPI. But I did see the the place for the 2 air filters in the very front of the engine compartment. Oh well I guess i need more investigating huh? =)
I will let ya know what i find out.
Steve

 

2 air filter recesses = TPI, no question. TBI and 4BBl had a round air filter and trunking that ended above the left headlight, hi po had trunking that ended above either headlight but therewas no recess.

TPI was available in '86, check out the 86"red hot attraction" ad in the sales media section of this site.

the other way to tell is to get your vin de coded, lots of internet sites perform this service.

 

my 85 z28 had no engine or tranny when i bought it but the vin said it had a 305 tpi, I decoded it on this site

 

Pretty much what folks are sayinjg.
As for the size........350 is the easiest.
400 is the most PITA.
383 is just about right.......except for rotating assembly cost.
350 is the most bang for the buck and the easiest to get chips for.

 

Well I thought I was right about the TPI, and I was, there are 2 places for the air filters, and I also decoded the VIN on this site. It originally had 305 LB9 (which i found to be TPI). Also there is an option for 3.23 gears, how would i know if in fact this is indeed what I have?

Also as far as the engine concerns I am gonna go with the 350, which leaves one more question which hasnt really been answered totally, is the original computer going to work or am I going to have to change that as well?
Thanks in advance for all the help folks.
Steve

 

As usual, lots of misinformation so far...

TPI came out in 85. There were no throttle-body injection V8s until 88, when the L03 replaced the LG4 as the low-performance V8.

It's almost always easiest to simply put the car back the way it was. It may not be the cheapest thing in this case, but it beats trying to figure out what you have to change.

A 350 would be the best thing IMHO. The computer is the same; the only difference is the chip. TPI is identical on the 305 or the 350 except for the injectors; just make sure you get 350 injectors for it (22 lbs/hr).

The only way to tell with certainty what gears are in the car is to take off the cover and look. You just got the car, so the fluid needs to be changed anyway, and you have to take off the cover to do that; so just look at the gears while you're there, and make sure it really is a posi. All this decoding crap and spinning the wheels this way and that is useless, just take off the cover and look.

 

I do appreciate all the help and opinions so far. I do plan to pull the rear apart maybe this weekend and check it out as well. As I am still looking for a decent 350 block to start out on.
Thanks
Steve