I have a TPI engine sitting in the garage, and I want to know what year of an engine it is so I can buy the appropriate year of thirdgen to swap 'er in. She still only has about 90,000 clicks on 'er, and I'd hate to see her sit here for longer. Anyone tell me where I can find out the year for this engine?

 

Can you post a picture of it?

Does it have perimeter bolt valve covers (85-86) or centerbolt valve covers (87-92)?

Does it have a tube going to a 9th injector on the driver's side? (85-88)

Is there a small black retangular MAP sensor on the passenger side of the plenum? (90-92)

 

They're centerbolt. It's a 305 TPI as well. Didn't they switch to 350 in... 89? Our initial guess was 87, as it came out of an either 87 or 88 Camaro.

 

The first 350 TPI's were offered in 1987.

 

Did they still run 305's at the same time? This one is definitely a 305 (not big enough to be a 350, judging by exhaust manifolds).

It's either 87 or 88, any distinct differences?

 

From what I can tell in my "Chevy TPI Fuel Injection Swappers's Guide" there was no differnce between '87 and '88. And yes they still had 305 as well, I had an '87 305.

 

GM used 305's in thirdgens from 82 to 92, all years. There should be a place on the back driver's side corner where it will say "5.0L" or "5.7L" to tell you the engine size.
87 and 88 engines were identical externally.