Here's what i've read.

I need an intake, carb, distributor, and Fuel pressure regulator. With a few extra small pieces.

But of the wiring harness that goes in the engine bay, which one can be removed? The one thaqt enteres from the passenger side can all be removed correct?

With a 350 like i have, and a mild to moderate cam, what size Carb should i use? I can get a 600cfm carter with intake(Some type of edelbrock, he doesn't know otherwise) and distributor for $100 from a local guy.

Will it be all i need, excluding the AFPR?

Which AFPR is better, i have 3 in the same price range.
- Mallory Return Style Regulator $74.88
- Holley Return Style Regulator $74.95
- Aeromotive Return Style Regulator $79.95

 

ChevyRacer,

I'm no expert on TPI but I would personally NEVER remove a Stock TPI/350 in favor of a Carb! Why? IMPO Your TPI is much more reliable, much more powerful, and better on fuel/mpg than a carb motor will be! In addition.....The RE-SALE value (assuming you ever decide to sell the car) probably just hits the toilet five seconds after the TPI is removed!

That said....

Assuming you no longer need to comply with emissions inspection in your area......You are apparently not interested in maintaining any computer control of the engine. Therefore you can remove the entire bundle that comes up from the passenger side fender (ECM wiring strand). However..... one thing your list didn't mention was your transmission...without the ECM a TH700 will not lock-up in OD and you'll need to get a kit to make it do so. I believe that lock-up kit will set you back another $150. You're probably in for many more headaches than you think.

My son and I replaced our TBI (x2 Cease-Fire) with a carb 350. We did so out of necessity as the TBI system was gone and the harness was destroyed when we purchased the vehicle. We decided to keep a computer for a variety of reasons but mostly to maintain a basically +/- stock set-up. We finally have a car we can depend on (fingers crossed) and IT HAS ONLY TAKEN SIX MONTHS!!!!

IMPO - Re-think your plan. Stick with the TPI and invest your money into some items that can really improve the vehicle's overall performance. (i.e. Good Headers & Cat Back, Upgraded Suspension (SPOHN Above), Top-Notch Brakes, etc. etc.)

Sincerely,
Kurt

 

well lockup isn't a big deal at all, i can manage that on my own with a simple switch.

fuel economy, i dont care. Reliability i live to work on my car, i love it.

Fuel injection is expensive, and everything inbetween.

My car was originally a 305 tpi, the resale value has already gone down. I dont care. I wont be selling this car ever.

My current TPI has so many driveabliltiy problems carb is better.

 

ChevyRacer,

I did not realize your already had a system that was buggered up (non-stock). I agree (from everything I have heard & read) that the "Average" shade-tree mechanic is going to have issues making a sucessfull upgrade from a 305 TPI to 350 TPI. Apparently, your motor already has those kind of issues.

I also agree that once you get into replacing injectors, pumps, burning chips, and everything else that is required for the aforementioned TPI upgrade you've got significant $$$$$ in play.

GO FOR THE CARB!

Sincerely,
Kurt

 

yeah the car hasn't been stock in a while. It started out stock, a little whimpy 305 tpi.

Then mods all the bolt ons. then i just never could satify myself. The 305 spun a rod and main bearing. Swapped out the 305 and put in a rebuilt 350. High compression pistons(flat top however), strong rods, stock reground crank.

Heads were 083 casting heads i ported for a week straight. They should flow very nicely.

Cam is not huge but for now it matches the TPI's flow abilities. And it will work with an Edelbrock Performer manifold if i do go carb.

Intake is not exactly stock. I have my TPI baseplate, which is highly ported. Material was added in some spots for larger amnount of material to be removed. Yet the runners are stock. The plenum is ported bymyself, i removed a few restrictions, and smoothed out the passages.

The exhaust is not stock, shorty headers to a fully no backpressure exhaust system created locally by rainbow muffler and their then newly aquired mandrel bender, and a borla mufler. All is 3" staight to the tail pipes.

Tranny isn't stock, and is very far from it. Highly modified 700r4.

So trust me, running a TPI setup on top of this is like making shaq play a game with a straw for a breathing tube.

Plus other problem have arroused that i realy just dont want to play with.

 

first thing is first.......save that system and all the wiring and computers that go with it.

you can remove all the wiring harnesses except the one that comes out of the firewall near the brake master cylinder.

you will need to buy some wire and possibly a different oil pressure sensor.

you also may need to purchase different throttle cables and diffetent tv cables. brackets as well.

i reccomend buying an msd set up or something similar so that you can just plug your stock tach back into it.

you must also run a wire from your oil pressure unit to the wiring plug (male) under your dash where your computer used to be. Locate the appropriate prong and connect that wire so you dont have to run a aftermarket oil gage.

you might also need to jump the fuel pump fuse with another fuse so that power gets to the pump, the computer usually contolles that.

this is all based off of doing it with a crossfire system, so things are most likely different.

good luck

~Nick~

 

There are two strands coming from the Driver's Firewall. The smaller strand is front lighting (Lamps, Turns, Etc.) The other goes to the Wipers, Oil Pressure, Water Temp, Dizzy, Alternator, & Starter. You should leave both of these alone for the most part.

There is also a small strand that circles the A/C duct area and enters the car behind Cylinder #8. It gets power from the bigger strand from the driver's firewall. The A/C strand should also be left alone.

The Oil Pressure Should still work fine as will the Water Temp. There should be no requirement for aftermarket guages unless your wiring is already screwed up somehow.

Junk Yard items..... $20 max at a You-Pull-It Yard. I may have a couple extra brackets but if you go Holley I don't think they will work. You're welcome to them if you want them.

If you need to watch your budget and can find a older Vac. Advance HEI you can plug it right in and it will work fine. The Stock Tach will also work perfectly. However, the Vac Advance HEI is getting a little harder to find in the J.Yards (at least around Atlanta anyway). If you find one..... it'll be no more than $50.

For our Change-Over my son and I installed a Mechanical Fuel Pump. That's about a $12 investment plus about a full day of labor removing/installing the gas tank. If you decide to avoid the trouble of removing the tank you will need to get the FPL you are already aware of as you mentioned it in your intial post.

IMPO..... I'd invest the day and pull the tank.... Some will think I'm an idiot for saying that but EVENTUALLY the electric pump will fry and you'll need to replace it anyway. IMPO - Might as well do it now while the car is in pieces. If the mechanical ever goes it's only about a 30 minute deal. My son's $12 pump has a lifetime warranty so that's a pretty good deal IMPO.

On our changeover (from Crossfire) we also changed the Fuel lines since they entered the engine compartment from the driver's side. The stock Carb lines jump over the tranny and enter the engine compartment along the Passenger Frame Rail, right up to the area of the Mechanical. The best place to run the lines for a Q-Jet Carb is up behind the alternator (passenger side). We found a LG4 in the J.Yard with no Engine/Tranny and got the lines out in about 10 minutes for about $10.

Sincerely,
Kurt

 

Another thing is, you can sell the TPI set-up with distributor for close to $400 on ebay. The swap would be pretty much free if you find the right parts (if you don't consider the headache of doing it a cost).

 

I'm with you on that. I removed my TBI and put a holly 650 with smaller jets on my 305. It sometimes bogs off the line prior to normal operating temp but that may be some other issue. Other then that its just what I want. A simple carb and distributor mechanically controlling my engine, no more computer error codes due to sensors and krap like that. Most of the wires under my hood I was able to clip and tape up so anything with + charges wont ground out. The only wires that I need are the ones that run my gauges and electric fan. Due to most of this stuff going to the ECM I was deprived of the job that comes from smashing it with a sledge hammer.... sux... anyway g2g

 

if you have mechanical secondaries, that may be why you are bogging down. try adjusting the mechanical secondaries to come on later, or switch to vacume......just a thought, might help, might not.

~Nick~

 

i found a vac advance HEI, a edelbrock 650cfm carb, and ported performer intake locally for $100. from a guy i know who's friend has it just sitting around.

My question is, how hard is an edelbrock carb to rebuild, make like new?

All the other complications i dont care about really, Throttle cable i can manage to get a new one. TV cable, thats been needing to be replaced for a while.

FPR i can get no problem, they are only $80.


Problem is, i dont know what spark curve is better then the next. I find this hard to figure out. I guess i will learn.

 

i have never done a edlelbrock carb, but i have done holley carbs, and those arnt complicated or hard at all, so i can imagin that a edl carb isnt too tough.

~Nick~

 

like how much money to rebuild?

how much time does it take to rebuild?

 

for a holley its like $35 for the rebuild kit, plus and cleaners you use, takes about 1-2 hours to put it back together, but it might need to be soaked in carb cleaner and such for a few hours too.

~Nick~

 

so the complication level is minimal?

if i can build my 350 i can take apart and rebuild a carb?

 

definatly, just watch for all the small parts.

~Nick~

 

"My question is, how hard is an Edelbrock carb to rebuild, make like new?"


I've rebuilt Holley, carter, and Edelbrock carbs. Carter and Edelbrocks were by far the easiest : pop the top, clean well, and smack in the new parts. Your kit will have a breakdown of parts. Takes about 1/4 to 1/2 the time of a Holley for me. Auto Parts stores sell a large can (looks like a paint can) with solvent and a basket for carb rebuilds for around 10 - 15 bones, makes the job easier.

One thing to look out for on your used carb is excessive play in the throttle shaft through the throttle body (usually primaries). If it's really loose you'll have fuel leaking out from around it onto your intake. You will also likely suffer a vacuum leak. The bushings to replace the bad ones don't come with a carb kit. To replace the bushings you have to pull the screws out of the butterflies. If you don't get them back in permanently enough (and with loktite) you could suck a screw down your engine.....just not worth it to me
A very small amount of play in the shaft is normal.

If you think it seems OK, 30 - 50 bucks for a rebuild kit and you're on the road.

Post a reply to let me know how the swapout goes...I have been plagued with ECM problems and I'm ready to make the swap myself......Ahhhhh the simplicity of a carburetor!!!

 

yes it will be pretty easy, the brackets for the edelbrock/carter carb should be easy to come by. Either at a parts store or local listings. But i'm sure i'll do it.

I will definately post the results of the swap once finished. This swap has taken 6 months so far. I work 6 days a week and it rains almost everyday in florida. On my day off i never could get anything done.

 

I didn't bother to read any of this thread other than the initial post, but the swap was extremely easy. And very much worth it.