OK, now, first off, i'm a noob to the forums..i'm mike..there, got that out of the way..

Here's what i'd like to do....
1..tear the 3.1 out of my 91z24 and do a rwd small block conversion to it, via a 400sb w/tranny(friend has a rebuilt one for 200 bucks(joining the army, and doesnt want it going to waste))
mustand II front suspension and a bolt..rrr.. weld in 4 link... yadda yadda yadda..(doesnt have to pass emitions either)
1. is the 400 small block the same length as a 350?? i know the bore is different, but wasn't sure about the total length as it will be an issue..
2. is it possible to make a 400 small block tuned port injected?
2.a. If so, how??
2.a.1 Can anyone give me an approximate injectors' lbs to feed this monstrocity??? and how bout if it's a destroked 400(377)

any info would be greatly appreciated


83 Camaro(350)
87 Iroc-Z(350)
87 Z28(305)(parts car)

 

a 400 is the same dimensions as any other sbc.. you could bolt a tpi on it just like any other sbc but it will choke the **** out of the things ability to breathe... and this isnt 3rd gen f ar related... so ur probably gettin this one locked pretty soon... hehe

 

without going much into the engine answer, some info from local one done like that. a guy locally has one with an s10 frame grafted under it and a 500 caddy engine in it. with the exception of the drag radials on the back, it looks pretty well stock. just something to keep in mind.

 

89rspower, what do u reccomend i should use to feed the motor then???
i'd like to have it fuel injected, one way or another..that way i can drive it without worrying about jets and whatnot..

 

with fi you have to worry about injector size and such.. jets are a lot cheaper then injectors if you ever priced em.. if your looking to go fi the holley stealth ram is a good system when used with an existing tpi system or a converted lt1 intake from www.lt1intake.com

 

A 400 is externally the same dimensions as any other small block.

Don't use TPI. It's way too restrictive. To put things into perspective, it limits the performance of an otherwise equal 305 (heads, cam, exhaust) to less than what you can get out of the same motor with a carb. Use your imagination to figure out how bad it will choke a 400.

If you want FI specifically, there are alternatives to TPI that will provide a whole lot more power than TPI ever will. Ones that will fit under the hood include the TPIS MiniRam and converted LT1 intakes, and maybe the Holley StealthRam. The StealthRam is an old converted dual 4-barrel tunnel ram with long narrow runners, and will only flow about 425 HP max. Ones that won't fit under most stock car hoods include any of the various schemes for taking a single-plane 4-barrel and adding injector bungs and fuel rails, such as the Accel ProRam. Another possibility, although I wouldn't recommend it because working on it is the automotive equivalent of hemorrhoid surgery without anesthetic, is the SuperRam.

A batch fire system with roughly 1 HP / cu in will require about 40-42 lbs/hr to feed a 400 at normal duty cycles and fuel pressure.

 

rgr that..thanks for the info.. i'm not sure how much, or whether or not i'll have any hood clearance to work with, as a small block v8 doesn't really belong in a GM J body..

to comment on the whole relevance issue, My take is that by the time i'm done my car will be closer to an F body than a J..I've been on j-body.org for some time, but when 99% of the people there tell u not to do it to that car, it kinda gets counter-productive

 

Cool...

I used to run with a guy that did a RWD conversion on a late 80's Sunbird....

Lots of fab work though, hope you can weld...and keep the tape handy


As for TPI on a 400, keeping in account the head / intake bolt angle pre'85 vs. post '87, sure it will bolt on and work.

As for choking it out...yes and no.


Yes, the TPI was designed for a 305. Even though it came on factory 350's starting in '87.

Will it kill HP and RPM ceiling vs. a carbed car? YES.

But the TPI with no other mods will also boost low - mid range torque.

But it's not like the 400 needs help w/ low end torque.

I had a 408 in a late 80's Formula with TPI.

- L98 chip and stock ECM
- Aftermarket runners
- Ported stock intake
- Ported L98 alum Vette heads ( added steam holes )
- Headers
- Cam was a ZZ3 grind...had it laying around.



With NO tuning, good traction, and swapped in 5 speed, that car ran a best of 13.20

After having it tuned via wide band O2, and the custom chip burned the best ET eventually ( after adjusting to more friggin' low end power ) dropped to a 12.80.


Now I'm NOT arguing, that with the addition of a Mini-Ram etc, it would have been much faster.

But the L98 heads aren't the greatest, even with porting, and the cam was very mild as well, especially for a 400. I mean come on, I drove that 408 almost everyday and it got mid 20's MPG...and roasting the tires from a roll in 2nd gear never failed to bring a smile to my face

So I guess it comes down to personal preference, and whether cost is an issue.

And to the simple fact that IF you match the cam / heads / intake / so they work TOGETHER, you're going to go faster...


I mean, a huge cam, a single plane intake, a big carb, headers and stock smog heads will SOUND MEAN....but that's about it.

Just my opinion of course.

 

I love the idea of converting a FWD car to be a monster RWD sleeper, just don't think I have the patience or money for it (heck, I'm barely crawling along on my camaro project, and none of it involves any fabrication--just a motor swap). In any case, you have to check out this link:

http://www.nitrostreet.com/buildup.html

The guy basically did what you are asking. If it would have been me though, I would have used the stock wheels for a completely stock look--go out with it and people wouldn't know what just happened.