justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

I've recently purchased a L98 for my 1992 RS. Currently running a 305 tbi. Just wondering on average how much a swap would cost, I don't have near the time or experience to try it myself. Also wondering any addition parts id have to buy, like fuel injectors, and how much that would normally run me. Just need a ballpark figure of how much everything all together is going to cost me, i have the engine and wiring harness.Thanks

camaronewbie

Since YOU aren't doing the swap, and none of us are doing the swap, the quetion would be better asked to the person/persons that will be doing the swap. Most shops charge about $85+ an hour for labor, maybe lower if joe blow in his backyard garage. Swapping blocks your looking at 3-4 hours minimum.

But the problem comes in with all the little stuff associated with swapping - like replacing the wiring harness and ECM - that could take an hour or 3 hours, depending. Hooking up all the sensors could take hours. Is the new motor all together? Intake and such will need to be removed iun order to have a attachment point for the hoist - that means new gaskets, reconnecting fuel injector wiring, etc. etc. Kind of hard to answer since we don't knopw exactly what you actually have in hand, and what's missing. Even if you know for sure you have everything, you are still missing $200 worth of stuff guaranteed (no one ever escapes without one more trip to the parts store that costs $200).

At minimum, I'd say $500 minimum, and 2 days of downtime at least. The thing to do is get someone to agree to a set price for the time (like $500 cash) to do the swap, then if the time runs over, they are already contracted at $500 no matter how long it takes them.

White'89

iTrader: (8)

For a swap like this if its not being done by someone who is not fluent in third gens assume a week. If your paying a shop to do it, I'd expect somewhere less than a grand. But basically all your doing is changing the intake manifold so you will need some TPI fuel lines, which I happen to have.

HOWEVER, if the wiring harness didn't come out of a 91-92 car expect to have to do some wiring.

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

Im just looking to do this as cheap as possible, just because not a lot of cash flows around a college student who supports himself... actually none because all my extra money has gone straight into this car, but the motor and harness came from a 85 vette so that's going to be a problem then?

White'89

iTrader: (8)

Very much so. All of your serpentine accessories and what not can just be transferred to the vette motor. But there are alot of differences when it comes to the wiring, and I couldn't even tell you were to start with a vette harness. And if you don't have an ECM for it that could pose a problem.

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

I believe I do have the ecm, im not really for sure but didn't even realize that would be anything, I was under the impression from a friend that it would be a straight swap with no problems since he dropped a truck 350 tbi into his 91 rs a few years back. But that's why I made this thread because I knew it couldnt that easy

White'89

iTrader: (8)

A TBI is simplistic. And aside from the basic engine block and intake manifold being the same, corvettes have always shared almost nothing with any other car in GM's lineup. But get ahold of username Pocket on this site, he may be able to point you in the right direction as far as a wiring harness goes. But the good thing is the wiring is the worst of it .

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

Yeah i'll do that sometime soon, thanks for the help

camaronewbie

Now there's a much simpler thing for you to do!

Swap the blocks, leave the TBI etc. alone. Now we're talking simple and much cheaper! Take the L98 block/heads, put your serp brackets/accessories on L98 block/heads, then grab a knock sensor for a 350 TBI motor, and a ECM prom for a 350 TBI motor, and 2 fuel injectors for YOUR TBI unit, and call it a day. Looking for ECM prom, knock sensor, injectors for like a Caprice that had a 350 TBI in it, or a truck with a 350 TBI. That should run with little to no issues at all!

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

Well actually im wanting to get rid of the TBI and upgrade to tuned port, thanks for the idea but im not really interested in just getting it running, it runs fine now, im looking for more power and I know TPI isn't the best, but I know its drastically better than the TBI

White'89

iTrader: (8)

If not doing the harness yourself, you could easily have $400 into having someone do it for you(the right way). So what CamaroNewbie said is actually a pretty good idea and will give you a few extra ponies with the larger cam. Not %100 sure but does that have aluminum heads? that would add power as well.

Sell the corvette harness and TPI manifold and get an aluminum TBI intake manifold and your golden. Might even profit on the whole ordeal.

camaronewbie

Don't think you would notice the difference if you could drive both 350's one after the other. The TPI might have a bit more low end torque, but at the end of a 1/4 mile, bet they cross the line within 2 car lengths of one another (all else equal).

It's hard to compare from anything written, since there was never an F-body factory built with a 350 TBI. The 305 TBI's major limitations are in the intake (easy to swap to a carb intake with an adapter plate and get better flow), the heads (TBI heads are the absolute worst chunk of metal ever poured), and the exhaust (easy fix - headers). I'll bet that with decent heads (which that TPI 'vette' motor's heads should be a vast improvement over the 305 TBI heads), exhaust, and a better intake, you'd never notice a difference betwen a 350 TPI and a 350 TBI in the same car. There's several folks on TGO that have swapped to a 350 block and kept the TBi system - PM them and ask - bet they tell you they have no problems keeping up with a stock 350 TPI car!

The kicker is the cubes, not the induction system. You are going to be tickled to death regardless of induction (over your 305 TBI now). Besides, the TBI will get way better gas mileage, and at $3+ and projected to be $4 by summer, it's a definite consideration.

Like I said, would be an easy cheap swap, and you'd be grinning so big from the 350 cubes you'll immediately forget it's not a TPI!

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

Well I might consider this, I already have a 350 with a TBI on it in an old truck, the motors shot, or I would've cammed and carbed it and just used that, but I may be able to salvage something from it. I do hate the 305, I need it gone. Idk really if I could do this myself I would try, even though I have no experience what so ever, just don't have any tools to even try.