BAD A.. motor gets new home but TPI/ airbag?
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: North Cal.
BAD A.. motor gets new home but TPI/ airbag?
I crashed my special favorite 1988 IROC convertable into a curb and it
bent things so nobody is willing to pull it out for me, read, "totalled".
It had beautiful paint and a strong 350 with aluminum heads, big tubes, etc. I had
an idea to replace it, and that was to get a nice 1988 or '89 and swap
interior, sheet metal and drive train , but things have not worked out.
I could not find a 1989 5 speed IROC Convertible but I did get a
1990 IROC Convertable TPI 5 speed and also a 1991 RS Convertable TBI 5
speed. I want to put the 1988 350 engine in one of these cars. Both cars use air density
and not MAF.
Before I decide what to do I need help with the following questions:
1) Is MAF better than the later speed density system? I was told I should retain the
MAF which means I would need to use the 1988 wiring. My brother says it is a
huge hassle to use the MAF harness in the later cars.
2) If I can use the MAF in the later cars where can I find out what I need to do?
3) Can this be done without problems with the air bag, or is the air bag a problem?
4) Which car would be harder to do? I guess the 1990 would be easier if I left it speed
density, but if I do the MAF both cars would be similar difficulty?
bent things so nobody is willing to pull it out for me, read, "totalled".
It had beautiful paint and a strong 350 with aluminum heads, big tubes, etc. I had
an idea to replace it, and that was to get a nice 1988 or '89 and swap
interior, sheet metal and drive train , but things have not worked out.
I could not find a 1989 5 speed IROC Convertible but I did get a
1990 IROC Convertable TPI 5 speed and also a 1991 RS Convertable TBI 5
speed. I want to put the 1988 350 engine in one of these cars. Both cars use air density
and not MAF.
Before I decide what to do I need help with the following questions:
1) Is MAF better than the later speed density system? I was told I should retain the
MAF which means I would need to use the 1988 wiring. My brother says it is a
huge hassle to use the MAF harness in the later cars.
2) If I can use the MAF in the later cars where can I find out what I need to do?
3) Can this be done without problems with the air bag, or is the air bag a problem?
4) Which car would be harder to do? I guess the 1990 would be easier if I left it speed
density, but if I do the MAF both cars would be similar difficulty?
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 1
From: houston
Car: 83 POS monte carlo 2015 chevy P/U
Engine: 92 5.7 tpi 5.3
Transmission: 700r4 6L60E
Axle/Gears: 2.42 too high
sorry to hear you killed your car.
one being better than the other is a somewhat touchy subject here.
MAF is not better than speed density, speed density is not better than MAF.
they are just 2 different ways to get to the same place.
MAF is more forgiving when doing mods without tuning than speed density is.
as far as putting MAF on one of the other cars, i think you have pretty much everything you need, just swap out the ECM, the wiring harness & make a few changes to the car side of the harness.
if you put the TPI in the TBI car, you will also have to replace the fuel pump & probably need to rework the fuel lines.
if you stay with speed density on the TPI car & put the 350 in it, you may need to get a knock sensor for a 350, i don't remember if the 88 has a knock sensor or not, if it does it may be different from that of a speed density car. and you will need a MEMCAL for a 350. there may be some other things you need to swap that im forgetting, but other wise its not a big deal to put a 350 in place of a 305.
the air bag harness should for the most part be separate from the rest of the wiring on the car.
one being better than the other is a somewhat touchy subject here.
MAF is not better than speed density, speed density is not better than MAF.
they are just 2 different ways to get to the same place.
MAF is more forgiving when doing mods without tuning than speed density is.
as far as putting MAF on one of the other cars, i think you have pretty much everything you need, just swap out the ECM, the wiring harness & make a few changes to the car side of the harness.
if you put the TPI in the TBI car, you will also have to replace the fuel pump & probably need to rework the fuel lines.
if you stay with speed density on the TPI car & put the 350 in it, you may need to get a knock sensor for a 350, i don't remember if the 88 has a knock sensor or not, if it does it may be different from that of a speed density car. and you will need a MEMCAL for a 350. there may be some other things you need to swap that im forgetting, but other wise its not a big deal to put a 350 in place of a 305.
the air bag harness should for the most part be separate from the rest of the wiring on the car.
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