I'm currently building a 96 vortec block with the vortec heads and TPI. And today I was mocking up the accessories and found a bad clearence issue with the surpintine set up from the vortec stuff, paciffically where the ac compressor sits it crashes right in the throttle body. Anyone know any tricks for getting around this or is it just going to have and go back to a original TPI set up?

 

I never encountered anything like that with my swap. The accessory bolt holes are in the exact same spot on Vortec heads as any other head. Are you sure you're using the right length belt?

 

I don't think you are following what he is saying. I think he is trying to use the L31 truck compressor and alternator with TPI. The compressor tries to physically occupy the same area as the compressor. I used a piece of plate steel to physically relocate the a/c compressor bracket and an extra idler pulley on a TPI Vortec hybrid fullsize G-van I built. Best bet is to simply swap back to TPI accessories. The Vortec truck compressors are not particularly good. If it has a 140a CS-144 alternator you can install it on your TBI brackets and run it.

 

AFAIK the easiest way around the conundrum, is to use the original accessories from your car, rather the truck ones.

After all, the accessories that came with TPI, were designed to fit both it and your chassis (e.g. hood clearance) whereas the truck ones were designed for something else altogether.

 

Yeah you got it alright. I guess I'll try and peice the tpi stuff together. Thanks

 

Well it looks like I'm going to have and try and use the vortec set up and modify the ac bracket. Because I don't think I have all the stock stuff. I've been piecing it together. Is it very hard to find a longer belt? I think I have a good idea for relocating the ac compressor but it will require a longer belt.

 

I cut off the place where the bolt goes on the compressor and amazingly it fit. Very tight but it works. I only got three bolts to hold down the compressor now but I think it's going to be fine. Oh and I had to cut off the connector for the tvs tranny cable, but I'm running a stand alone 4l60 computer and don't need it. Like I said it's all tight but it all fits.

 

have you got this in the car yet??

 

Not yet. But hope to soon. I'm going 2 pull the subframe and clean it up real good and paint the engine bay first.

does anyone know how heavy the front end is without the subframe will two people be able to pick it up? I guess I can use the engine hoist if it's to heavy.

 

sorry no i have no clue on how heavy it is, nice setup i dropped the L31 in my 92 about a month ago completely stock, haven't got it running yet but working very hard to get it going, kinda worried about the hood clearance

 

Do you have a thread on your build with any pictures? If so paste a link.

 

Do you have a thread on your build with any pictures? If so paste a link.

 

did you get this swap finished up? i have a few questions about hooking speedo cable to throttle body how did you go about it? or do you have a setup in mind?

 

They sell some adapters that screw into the tranny speedo spot and have a spot on the adapter that allows you to screw on your speedo cable. And it also has a 2-wire output with a connector on the end that allows you to plug in your computer signal or vss I believe they call it. Anyway that's what my intentions have been to deal with that. I believe the one that I currently have is made by TCI and I purchased it from Jegs.