I HAVE A 5.0 305 '86 CARB. I AM THINKING OF BUYING MY NEIGHBORS '89 RS 5.O FOR $770.00 TO GIVE TO MY SON WHEN HE RETURNS FROM HIS 1ST YEAR OF COLLEGE. HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS I NEED HELP WITH.

THIS IS GONNA SOUND DUMB BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TBI AND TPI?

ARE ALL '89'S TBI'S? I ONLY LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD FOR A MOMENT BUT I KNOW IT IS NOT CARBURATED.

IS THERE A CHANCE ITTHE '89 RS) IS A TPI AND HOW CAN I TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

IS THE TBI 5.0 A DECENT ENGINE IF TUNED PROPERLY FOR A KID'S FIRST CAR?

HEY CHECK OUT MY '86 SS HYBRED.
http://www.angelfire.com/sports/niterider/86camaro.html

THANKS GUYS

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86 Camaro Black SS Coupe, T Tops, Flowmaster, Custom Paint, Dunlop Road Kings S/R tires, Wheel Country Directional Chrome Wheels, New Leather seats, new carpet and headliner, complete front end suspension rebuild, new Valve seals, and more mods to come

86 305 carb, that must be a dog because mine was, I had a n 86 sport coupe and it was so asking for exhaust work and an intake/cam, oh well. I got a 91 RS instead because I liked the look and price was right. As for it being a good first car, yes, it's 170hp stock form, that is if it's TBI, more if it's TPI.
To tell the difference it's real easy, you said that you looked under the hood for a moment and you could tell it wasn't carb. I'm guessing it's TPI because if the air cleaner is still on there is almost NO difference in apearance between a carb and TBI. TBI even uses the same air cleaners as carb. TPI will look like a bunch of cool pipes, not very old school. All 89 RS's WERE either v6 or the 305 TBI (L03) but you have to look at it as being 12 years old now. That's a lot of time.
The TBI is a great starting car, it's EFI but with the simplicity of a carb (just a few more sensors). The TBI can be a great system but I'm thinking the RS has TPI and for $770 that's a steal just for the intake system. Does your son like to race or what? What is his personality because if he doesn't like to work with cars AND expect the car to be the fastest car on the road then he might setup himself for a disapointment since 170hp isn't a lot, even a stock TPI system isn't too fast. Below is a picture of a TPI system, ask the guy for a list of what the car has had done to it and post it back on this board, we'll tell you everything you want to know.


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, Jon (91 RS too many mods to list)

770 as long as its not dead or rusted to hell and gone, is a good price for an 89. first car, perfect.

my first car was an 87 tbird tubo coupe. = 170 hp. and 170ft/lbs of torque
second car = 92 camaro rs with 170hp with 255ft/lbs.

sorry but the tbird was UNDERATED so that it didnt make the stangs #'s look bad. it would have killed my camaro.

it will make him happy either way, and if its not fast enough, theres always thirdgen.org to help him out

i think that he meant that it was a TBI motor, and not a TPI. it it is an RS with TPI then it is a B4C, which i doubt that it is .

770 bucks is a STEAL if it is in good shape.

-brian

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1991 Camaro RS - Ultra Blue Metallic, T-Tops
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GM 350 HO Crate Engine - Vortec Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Holley 670 CFM TB, Edelbrock Water Pump, March Pulleys, MSD 6AL, Blaster Coil, 8.5mm Super Conductors, Cap and Rotor, Rapidfires, Hypertech Fan Switch & Chip, SLP 1 3/4" Stainless Headers, 3" Cat Back, Flowmaster 40 Series
700R4 - 2,400 Stall Converter, Vette Servo, Shift Kit, B&M Super Cooler
GM 10 Bolt -coming soon Auburn Pro Series Differential, Richmond 3.73s
Brian's 1991 RS Central NY F-Body Association
Join the Third Generation F-Body TBI Web Ring
z28boy@twcny.rr.com IM name: Z28 Boy

Z28 boy, he obviously doesn't know the difference between a TBI and TPI but knows just from looking under the hood that it isn't carb. Carb looks just like TBI so by just looking under the hood there is almost no difference in apearance. That is why I said I think it's TPI. Also 12 years has gone by and a previous owner could have installed a TPI system.
Anyways, he's gotta get back to us with more info like if the car has headers or if it's stock, standard or auto, how many miles, etc. The more info the more accurate our judgement will be.


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, Jon (91 RS too many mods to list)

THANKS GUYS, THIS BOARD IS THE BEST. OKAY THE 89 RS DEFINETLY DID NOT LOOK LIKE MY '86 CARB UNDER THE HOOD. I SAW THE FUEL INJECTORS SO JUST THE FACT THAT A TBI LOOKS LIKE A CARB ENGINE MEANS THIS '89 IS NOT A TBI, RIGHT FELLAS? CAR DOES HAVE SOME SURFACE RUST(THE PRICE US YANKEES PAY FOR OUR STUPID SNOWY WINTERS) BUT CAN BE SAVED IF I JUMP ON IT NOW. THE '89 IS IDLED TOO HIGH BECAUS I COULD TELL THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RACING A LITTLE WHILE IN NEUTRAL. THE CAR WILL NEED SOME WORK. NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD, SOUND SYSTEM AND ENGINE BROUGHT TO SPECS ALTHOUGH IT IS DRIVABLE. GOTTA HAVE SOME NEW RUBBER AND EVENTUALLY GET RID OF THE FACTORY WHEELS. DRIVERS SIDE CLOTH SEAT IS WORN BUT CAR IS THIS KINDA RUST/ MAROON COLOR THAT I VERY SELDOM SEE SO MATCHING INTERIOR PARTS WILL BE A PROBLEM UNLESS I GOP BLACK. MY SON IS NOT A RACER, AT LEAST WHEN HE IS WITH ME. I BELIEVE THE CAR TO BE STOCK BUT UNTIL I GET OWNERSHIP I CAN'T BE SURE. ONCE I GET THE '89 TUNED WHAT ARE MY FIRST MODS I SHOULD DO?

NOW JPREVOST, AS FAR AS MY 86 5.0 IT IS NOT TOO MUCH OF A DOG. I BELIEVE MY PREVIOUS OWNER(SHADETREE MECHANIC) DID SOME MINOR MODS BECAUSE I HAVE GOOD POWER, PICK UP, SOUND, ETC. SEEMS TO HAVE GOOD HORSES ALSO. OF COURSE I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN THE NEW 4TH GENS SO MY OPINION MAY CHANGE AT THAT TIME. IF THE ENGINE EVER GOES I WOULD DEFINETLY UPGRADE TO 5.7, BUT FOR NOW IT IS OKAY. CHECK MY SITE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR $300.00 AND IT IS NOW QUITE A LOOKER. WEB SITE DOESN'T HAVE DAYTONA Z FIBERHOOD ON IT BUT PIC WILL BE UP LATER THIS WEEK. I AM NOT THE GREATEST MECH. BUT I AM PRETTY GOOD AT APPERANCE AND DETAIL. THANKS GUYS

http://www.angelfire.com/sports/niterider/86camaro.html

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86 Camaro Black SS Coupe, T Tops, Flowmaster, Custom Paint, Dunlop Road Kings S/R tires, Wheel Country Directional Chrome Wheels, New Leather seats, new carpet and headliner, complete front end suspension rebuild, new Valve seals, and more mods to come