Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Hello all,

I cannot get my 383 fuel injected car to run to save my life. It keeps getting numerous amount of tuning problems and wiring issues so I am dumping it. Now, my mind is set to convert it to carb. I have read to keep it TPI and so on but it has been 5 years since this car and run steady and I want it running again so please no trying to persuade me on doing otherwise. Below is what I have done to my car right now. I am looking for what intake manifold will work for my current build along with the carb and so on. I can not do this work myself as I am busy with school and work and a shop (or pro) will need to do this for me but I need the part ahead of time.

Please help a fellow member drive his thirdgen again, hate to see it sitting.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Edelbrock RPM Air Gap (1500-6500 rpms) and a 650 or 750 carb is probably all you need.

The air gap manifold won't clear a factory hood though. That cam would probably like to breath a hair past the RPM range of a normal Edelbrock RPM manifold (idle-5500) which would clear a factory hood.


And no problems from efi to carb, a good tuner will have it running as fast or faster than an efi motor.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Thank you for responding. I want to keep the factory hood for now and dont plan on racing this car like I did at the beginning so I may go the air gap route for now.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Another vote for the Edelbrock air gap or performer Rpm.you may lose a little on top end with the Performer rpm but it will fit under the hood and the air gap is good if you have the clearance such as a cowl hood.a Holley or Edelbrock carburetor in the 650-750 range is a good choice.just be sure to use a bypass style regulator to bring the fuel pressure down,you can't use one of those cheap regulators or it will burn your in tank fuel pump up and a good HEI one wire distribuor and your in business

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Just went through the swap myself for the same reason..went to start the car one day....crank and no start..said screw it, bought the parts put them all on cranked it about 4 times and started right up...still tuning it but best decision I made regardless of all the purist haters here it is so so much easier.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

good f n luck findin a "tuner " to make a cobbled up mess run

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

:)

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

I just did my carb swap cause of tuning problems I was not able to get a regulator to reg down the stock fuel pump so I went with a Holley blue pump I trimed what I didn't need off the tpi harness to keep all the gages and Tc lock up.I had a Holley 650 but swaped it out for a quadrajet. gained more hp and mpg

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

I have a truck that was originally EFI and now has a carb, why don't you bring your TPI t'ree-fiddy to NJ and race it?

When your motor shifts at 4,500 RPMS, mine will still be pulling hard to 7 grand.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

A regulator with a 3rd port for a return line would have worked. The cheap regulators can not reduce fuel pressure enough sometimes and if they can, they will burn up the fuel pump.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Now Rusty, you know darn good and well some of the best carb tuners in the country live in your neck of the woods! I know first hand!

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

maybe , but man , lately i have seen so many half done cars , i get calls almost every week about this , something like , "i dont like/understand TPI so i chucked it , can you make my car run for me ?? " and it shows up on a flat bed with the most horrid mis matched mess ever . yeah i CAN fix it , (put the TPI back on and throw that carb FAR away.) and then my price to do so comes into play , 3 of 10 go to pull a part right away. AND lately , my "bed side manner " is a topic as well.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

People have been swapping carbs into cars because they don't understand EFI for 30 years now. It's nothing new to us.

The reason the thirdgen guys get a bad rap is because the end result is usually a parts car. (or should be).

-- Joe

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Im going to stay out of this one, but I hope you get HAMMERED! Hammered I tell ya!...hehe I love the simplicity of the carbs myself. Heck even our early cars CAME with carbs. They CAN be made to run just as good and sometimes better :D

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

He's actually got a decent combo. I used to run a 355 with that exact cam, but with crappier (sportsman-II) heads. With a miniram/hsr/singleplane intake and some tuning it's a 12 second car.

-- Joe

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

LOL!!!

Damn Carb Swappers!!!!:gocrazy:

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

i have NEVER regretted dumping the TPI junk off my iroc and the stupid in-tank fuel pump.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Nothing wrong with running a carb, especially if it's a dedicated race car or a period correct restoration.

It's when someone is like "I can't figure out this fuel injection stuff, me gonna swap a carb". I just just can't help but think that person shouldn't be anywhere near a toolbox.

The OP's post is one of the better ones, cuz it's not only "I can't figure out EFI, so I'm gonna swap me a carb". It's "I don't know anything, so tell me what to buy so I can pay some guy to frankenstein my car".

Like I said though, if it wasn't for these foolish decisions we wouldn't have soo many parts cars to pick from when people finally give up and scrap their car.

-- Joe

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

;) I know this is the last thing you want to hear , BUT , I promise you 101% that it would cost you FAR less to have someone familiar with third gen fuel induction systems troubleshoot and repair what's wrong with your car , than it would to to a proper carb conversion . As has been said above , yes , in certain applications a carb can of course be made to function properly just as a TPI can , depending on the dedication and mechanical aptitude of the person doing the repairs . But the cost to scrap one system in it's entirety and replace it with another should be enough to make you rethink the carb idea . And what if this whole time , the problem ISN'T with the fuel injection ? What if it's actually running like crap cause a fuel line is partially clogged leading from the tank , and the new carb setup can't get fuel from it either ? You owe it to that car to at least try to have someone who knows TPI troubleshoot it being an IROC Z and all .....

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Do you by chance have a part number for this Edelbrock RPM manifold (idle-5500)

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

It depends on which heads and carb you have...
http://m.summitracing.com/search/product-line/edelbrock-performer-rpm-intake-manifolds/make/chevrolet/engine-size/5-7l-350/engine-family/chevy-small-block-gen-i

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Thanks. I have Aluminum patriot heads if that means anything.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

Are you using the stock TPI intake manifold? (This will tell me if you have vortec style heads). Next is to decide what carb you are using. Most aftermarket carbs are square bore base.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

I had a stealth ram intake on the car. I'm thinking about going 650 carb.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

If you get me a part number for that stealth ram, I can give you a part number for an intake manifold...

If I were you (knowing you have an HSR and not stock TPI intake), I'd probably keep it fuel injected but that's your call.

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

This is the intake I have

https://jet.com/product/detail/ca937...g&gclsrc=aw.ds

Re: Another TPI to Carb swap post.
 

One of these two:
http://m.summitracing.com/search/product-line/edelbrock-performer-rpm-intake-manifolds/make/chevrolet/engine-size/5-7l-350/engine-family/chevy-small-block-gen-i/intake-finish/natural

It depends if you want to run a spread bore or square bore carb. Most aftermarket carbs are square bore (can be ordered as spread though) while carbs like the Quadra jet are spread bore.

The square bore is a more common flange. Any Holley, Demon, Quick Fuel or Proform is generally a square bore. When ordering a carb, I'd stick to a quick fuel or Proform.