Alright, I'm sure you guys get these questions every single day, sorry. I have an 86 T/A 305 TPI, Auto Tranny. What do you think would be the better choice, I'm either gonna drop an L98 in it, or an LT1, the money diff is about $500. LT1 obviously being more expensive. I was going to try and keep my TPI and put it on either engine...I just wanted to know if that would be difficult to do?? or not?? Thanks, Michael, just gimme on a scale of 1-10 on difficulty

 

don't choke the LT1 with your intake. Leave the LT1 intake on it.

p.s. sell the TPI to me TPI is perfect for 305s but they choke 350s without upgrades. upgrades = $$$$

 

well see, its a long block, no intake on it....i work at Discount Auto Parts, the guy i got this idea from, he has an LT1 and the TPI on top of it, he said it runs great, but I'm not sure, so it chokes it??

 

It wouldn't be a good thing to put the TPI on the lt1. LT1 is working with optispark... you wont be able to put you intake on the lt1 because it has no water passage in the intake and you'll have issues with the TPI distributor. also TPI intake is not even a good intake to put on a mild 350...miniram is much better and it will let your engine breath lot more.

If I were you I would do like I did, install the complete lt1 setup in your car, do the wiring harness yourself, I can give you info on about anything. my total swap costed me about 2500$ Canadian.


------------------
LT1 POWERED
HEADMANS HEADERS
300 HP backed with a limited slip, 2.73.
Top speed reached: 150 mph

EATS MUSTANGS FOR BREAKFAST

 

um no. You can put the TPI on the LT1 easily as long as you redrill the intake holes to match the LT1 heads. You can use your old distributor. You don't need to use the crappy optispark. You block off the TPI thermostat opening because there will be not no coolant flowing through it.

correct

I've seen LT1 intakes with fuel rails for $110 at www.camaroz28.com maybe you can run it off your TPI electronics

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS.6
Mods and times:
TOP SECRET

Got Beach?


[This message has been edited by Tas (edited October 12, 2001).]

 

Tas, I do believe myself that optispark is a very good system ... gas mileage on lt1 is pretty good because of that and it's fuel injection system. lot of people complain about it. if you check you water pump once every 60000 miles you will be alright. Even do my water pump did leak on mine it didn't blew it and well my solution to this was to put and actual sheet of metal between the WP and OPtispark.

I strongly believe also that if GM did this system in camaros, corvettes, impalas and Roadmaster it show that it as been tested alot and it was the right thing for these engine even do a regular distributor would have been working without major problems.

------------------
LT1 POWERED
HEADMANS HEADERS
300 HP backed with a limited slip, 2.73.
Top speed reached: 150 mph

EATS MUSTANGS FOR BREAKFAST

 

Please coach me through that.... will a lt1 off a 95 trans am fit a 86 TA??

 

not without lots of work. Drilling the intake for the right bolt pattern, drilling the intake for a distributor hole, welding aluminum to the manifold to machine a pad for the dist, drilling the intake for water crossover pipes...

 

ok... which do suggest??? im on a budget and not a seasoned wrench turner....

 

go just plain lt1. ive seen full drop outs with harness , pcm, and trans{ auto} for under 1000. bolts in physically but a bit of wiring and fuel line plumbing is needed. wiring is explained very well in the ltx forum.