Ok, I just finished installing a 350 into my '83 Z28 CFI.

Specs are:
1989 GM truck short block
Melling premium .480/.480 lift, 232 duration @ 0.050
601 ported and polished heads, 2.02/1.60 valves, 56cc combustion chamber, 62cc exh runners and 171cc int runners
1.6 ratio roller rockers
Fully ported CFI intake manifold gasket matched
Stock (for now) CFI top end
Edelbrock headers, no cat, Hooker catback exhaust
Complete tune-up - plugs, wires, distributor, rotor

Before I installed the 350, I noticed that the car started kind of hard and took longer to fire than it should.

Well after I dropped in the 350, I can get it to start by giving it a little gas but it won't idle. I modified the FPR and increased it by 1 turn and it "almost" idled. Another 1/2 turn and a little better.

My question is should I keep going with the FPR or look elsewhere? AFAIK, the fuel pump is stock and so is the filter. I plan to replace the filter today and also installed a FP guage. I don't want to drop the tank unless I have to.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Also, does it sound like I'm going in the right direction?

 

stock ECU and stock chip?

 

Yes sir.

 

Yes, it sounds like you are addressing the right things (fuel filter and determining your fuel pressure) at least for right now.

I would find out what your fuel pressure is- that should help tell you if your pump is going out. Absolutely change the filter. It is easy.

It sounds like the car is starved for fuel, as it should be, given the mechanical changes (larger displacement, cam and rockers) while leaving the fueling system essentially stock.

Provided the fuel pump is good, cranking the fuel pressure up should help it start and idle.
Bottom line, just increasing fuel pressure across the boards may help idle or cruise or WOT, but will probably not allow the engine to run at peak potential at all RPM. Also, just because it starts and idles doen not mean it isn't running lean.

I would definetely look into a wideband O2 sensor. $300 bucks might sound like a lot until a motor gets burnt up from running lean. I recently put one in- after months of advice from others and can tell you it was worth the money. One of those things I wish I had bought a long time ago.

Sounds like a cool setup- when you get it tuned it should do well.
S-D

edit: Also- I know there are others on the boards who know alot more than I about the specifics about CFI. My knowledge of the actual fueling system is limited, but from what you describe, it sounds like a lack of fuel- regardless of the cause.

 

i believe you will need some chip tuning. many do it themselves, some chose an outside vendor with multiple reburns to improve on the tune. i would data log it(ALDL) to see where you are on current state of tune. my car would not run either(barely) day one of mods. i played with a VAFPR to get more gas WOT but that effort was a bigtime failure.