That's very true. Just keep in mind from whom you hear what. Most people that bash CFI, have never had it, and are therefore fairly unqualified to speak about it.

Don't forget; the only restriction in the CFI system is the intake base. Porting that makes a HUGE difference on a stockish engine, but really only brings the manifold to where it should have been in the first place. The only good thing about that is that it's basically a free mod and you'll get a huge improvement.

Once you get an OFFY under there, and bored TB's, the induction system will no longer be a restriction, unless you are going for over 500 hp. It'll flow as well as any carb set up or a HSR, possibly better.

I only advocate that path over the carb, because once you have CFI, which you do, this route is cheaper, and still nets you the benefits of EFI. Good luck with your decision!

 

Thanks Tom and everyone else for the info. I plan to start on this project soon, once the rain stops, spring or summer time. Maybe I will post some pics and info on what I actually end up doing to the intake system, some before and after stuff.

 

Crossfire is restrictive on 350s because it was designed for 305s. The same situation as the TPI. Put crossfire on a 283 or a 302 and it would scream. On a 305 it makes low and mid-range torque as well as pretty good horsepower. Put it on a 327, 350, 383, or 400 and you will choke the engine. You could always run a restrictor plate cam that compensates for restricted intake. Many cam companies make them and they are affordable.

 

The above statements are two common misconceptions on TGO.

The Crossfire manifold was designed for the Corvette, and hence it was always targeted for the 350 first and for use in the 305 (for Fcars) second. The use in the Fcaqrs was to reduce the unit manufacturing costs.

The TPI was designed as the intake manifold replacement in the Corvette, so it would replace the Crossfire intake. Again this means developed for use on the 350, and used later on the 305 to reduce unit mfg cost.

For the details on this, see my posts on this on TGO, by searching for the keyword Midgley. HTH.

 

my choice would be to add single plane weiand 7525, add adapter plate and add a dual TB from 454 chev truck or holley. others that are purists will keep the crossfire manifold and port it and bore the TB to 2.00 or larger. i currently have the xram with bored TB and will convert over this spring to the first option given.

 

kdrolt: what about the "rumor" or statements i have seen posted that the GM plan was to use the 305 on all cars(cept trucks) to comply with california fleet mileage as well as pollution standards. it was a decision to have one engine (V8) rather than two. the engineering i thought was initially done on 82 which had 305 in calif (maybe elsewhere) but when 84 came on the grand debut affected the decision to go 350 with CF as the 350 was also being considered for 85. it seems a lot of conjecture here.

 

Rumor can circumvent any argument...... but rumors are sometimes true, so I don't know. I can only say what McLellan wrote, and Midgley said and McLellan reported. It is a fact that the TPI was developed to overcome some shortcoming with the Crossfire, and the Crossfire debuted in the 1982 Vette while atop a 350. So the TPI was definitely designed for a 350 because ti was designed to replace the L83 Crossfire 350, not for a 305.

It was rumored that GM was going to opt for a 305 as the "large" v8 during the late 70s & early 80s, so it is possible that the Crossfire intake was designed for both 305 and 350 use.... or perhaps primarily 305 use knowing that it might be used on the 350. We'd have to ask Midgley to be sure. But the TPI was designed for a 350, because the 350 was already confirmed for use in the 1983 (and thereby 1984) Vette.

Also keep in midn that all the new/best stuff gets developed for the Vette first, and everyone else gets a piece LATER ON..... so don't think for a minute that the Fcar drove & paid for the design work. It didn't. The Vette did, and the Fcar platform helped offset the costs while gaining some prestigue in using Vette parts.

Midgley's name appears in only a few TGO posts -- all of them mine. I was surprised that his role in the development of the TPI (and CFI) hadn't appeared on ThirdGen before, because I haven't been on this board for that long.... and the info was out there for the taking (and reporting).

FWIW, HTH.

 

what is most important is the fact that pontiac dropped a big block in tempest and that started the high performance muscle car era!

 

Ronny, I am 99.9% sure that I am going to get rid of the cfi and switch to a setup like you are going to do. I have done a lot of reading and thinking and it looks like it would be the least expensive option, and the easiest to work on. I like the idea of tbi and want to stay with it. I think tbi has a lot more potential than people give it credit for. To many people want to just throw on tpi because they heard it was the best. I think the LO3 option camaros have way more hotrodding potential than any tpi, not to mention for less than half the cost of tpi. Anyway, thanks again for the advice, it's been a big help. :hail: