Hello people

I am a new member here but been around a while at the G-Body forums. I have acquired a 1989 GTA 350 TPI, that I will be using the drivetrain from it to put into my 87 Monte SS. I am a licenced mechanic and have built a few sbc but never a TPI specifically.

I have used the search function, and have read the stickies, I fully realize the short comings of a TPI. I have a butload of books on the sbc but nothing specifically TPI.

My question to the been there done that crew is if you were to rebuild a stock 350 tpi keeping the stock intake and ecm (with a tune), how would you go about it? I am going for a complete rebuild anyways...new pistons and cam. Is there something you would do "while your in there" for a TPI? I plan on looking into the pistons a little more and shooting for a 9:5 compression while keeping the quench in line. Some head porting and maybe adding a aftermarket cam that improves the build a bit. I don't want to get into lumpy idles or strange symptoms do to mismatched parts. I know its a touchy subject, when newb asks for more HP, but this is not the case as I don't want 350 + HP or 300 for that matter

Can someone recommend part numbers or send me a link to almost stock builds please. I can do the legwork.

Thanks in advance

 

You seem to have a pretty good grasp on it.
Your cam selection will be important to match to how the TPI works but there is tons of info on choosing a cam in the forum here.

Probably be worth while to port the intake and runners a bit while you have it apart.

 

I did a similar build. TPI isn't all that different than any other SBC just in cam selection as stated above. I mostly choked my own build using the untouched factory intake. 083 heads that were slightly worked in the past, iCon pistons, and a cam and put 250HP to the wheels. I used a comp cam 8-501-8http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...?csid=194&sb=2 Cam companies and these forums will point you at the right cams to use.

I'm sure you know what measurements to pay attention to when building an engine so it'll be straight forward for you.

 

Excellent choice for a stockish TPI intake. No sense in going any bigger.

 

Thanks for the input guys


Sounds pretty much what I was thinking of doing, when I said porting I should have said intake runner clean up and match porting. I am a little leery on porting the intake (except for matching ports), sounds like a hit and miss without a flow bench and lots of work. I was looking at that cam above and it will probably be the one I go to.
aliceempire : do you happen to still have the part number for those pistons?

Later

 

It is a nice cam. Mild idle, mad torque w/TPI. If I were smart my truck would have this motor and my Firebird would have the 5.3l.

I do have the part # IC9913 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ue...-030/overview/ Not all that expensive. From what I found out from 1gary here on the boards is they are partially forged, just the head is forged so they make nice budget pistons. (sounds weird, I know)

 

I have an '87 Monte SS as well. Always did like the TPI look in the G-body. Are you also a member on MonteCarloSS.com? I'd like to see the progress on your swap.

 

Yes I am a member over there same user name
I don't have a progress thred, thought about it. Another member over on MCSS described the 5.7 TPI is the motor GM should have put in a Monte and the Camaro should have gotten something MORE
I really like the TPI swap for a G body because it just feels appropriate, its in the right time frame for the car, and for a T-Top slush body I don't want more then around 300 hp. Then theres a sentimental value for me. I was an apprentice teenager when the third gens came off the truck, loved the motors look strait off and at the time, the complexity of a multiport.

Good times

 

Honestly i run a Edelbrock 650 one of the new AVS2 carbs, for me as a 16 yr old at the time it was very easy to tune even for it being my first one, and even today i have turned the idle adjustment screw one time and have had it running for almost 5 months now. Carb would be easier to match the cam and heads too as well as the carb intakes tend to be a tad bit cheaper, i have a 350 out of a 85 C10, had a 2 barrel on it at first but now i have Heads, Cam, and 4bbl and im still under 1500, now my cam and heads were made more for just better flow and not necessarily more power but you wouldnt have to go through EMS tuning if you had a carb, im not saying you have to but will compliment each other a little better