When the big Slp runner bag occured I ordered a set right away, but I ordered the 89-92 runners "no 9th injector or extra tube", I have an 87 setup with the 9th injector and the tube. I didn't bother reading the post until I finished ordering, thats when I realized I could have gotten the 87 runners :duh:

My friend has a complete 1989 TPI setup so last night I did the swap.

I only swapped fuel rails, and the drivers side runner since it has a block off plate for the 9th injector, but no extra tube, I also took his 89 MAF. I kept my plenum & passenger side runner since they matched up just fine, when I tried to start the car it would start, then run for about 2 seconds then die unless fed fuel to keep it at a constant idle.

I had to swap back to my origional setup, when I did that the car ran just fine.

My question is what is causing this problem & what can I do about it, I NEED to use the SLP runners I ordered.

The only thing I can think of is that extra tube on the drivers side does something and it was killing the engine, but why doesnt it do that on the 89's since they don't have a extra tube. I also noticed my plenum has a Big hole between the TB holes, but his 89 doesn't have that, but I didn't bother trying his plenum out. Would I need to get a prom from an 89 in order for the runners to work correctly, or is there anything else I can do or did wrong????

please help me, I have 3 days to figure this problem out.

 

Did you use his chip? The 89 has the fuel enrichment encorporated into the chip to make up for not firing the 9th injector. But... this shouldn't matter once the car starts, only when you're trying to start it. It sounds to me like you've got some idle air issues, but you said that you kept your plenum, so I don't see how that could have been effected unless you didn't plug the IAC back in. My IAC system in the IROC is a mess, and the car will only run for a couple seconds before it stalls unless I give it some gas. Sounds like the same problem you're having.

Anyway... there's no need to use all your friend's 89 crap. You can modify your fuel rail in about 5 minutes and remove the cold start injector. I'm running the new-style SLP runners on my IROC with my original rails. I just bought a cap to plug off the CSI fuel line.
Here's a pic with the CSI line gone:


Here it is with my cap:


I've got a few of these caps left (I bought a bunch because some of the Corvette Forum guys are doing the same conversion). If you want one, just shoot me an email.

Let's see... Oh, since you have an 87, you don't have VATS. So, you can't just use an 89 chip. You'll need to have a custom chip burned that doesn't have VATS, but does have the startup enrichment stuff. I can probably help you out with that too.

 

Well, the reason why I didn't use his prom is because its for a 350.

I was reading up on some stuff and noticed it says that if you use the 85-88 plenums you will have a big vaccum leak form the drivers side egr something, and it seemed like a huge vaccum leak. Does anyone know what Im talking about, I so should have tried using his plenum.


Oh and you havemail

 

Come on now guys, i seriously need to get this problem resolved.

 

As Jim already said, you couldn't use his PROM anyway since it has VATS on it.

As for your problem, you've hit the nail on the head here. On a CSI car, that extra tube leads to a hole in the plenum. Even though i can't 100% verify, i'd bet that the late style runners do not cover that hole in the plenum. And then you have a big giant vacuum leak, and with MAF that means there is no way you're going to idle.

To fix that problem permanently with your new SLP runners, go ahead and fill that hole in the plenum with some epoxy putty or something similar.

 

If you want to run the cold start injector you can just drill a hole in your runner where it should be. It's no fancy perfect hole, it's just a hole. If you lived closer I'd trade you, as I'm just going to fill the hole on mine.

 

Ed, the 89-92 SLP runners do not have the hole for the CSI. I have them on my car and they operate perfectly. This is a pretty common upgrade in the C4 crowd as well.

Rezinn, unless somebody really has a hard-on for the CSI, it's easier to eliminate it than it is to modify the runners to use it.

 

But do 89+ runners leave the hole in the plenum uncovered? Stock and/or SLP?

 

This was on a friends car but, doesn't the idle air have to go into the center of the plenum from throttle body and around to the cold start injector passage on an '88? The newer throttle bodies, '89+, has slots cut in each side where it bolts to the plenum and the older ones didn't. I thought on his that was because the air couldn't get into the plenum any other way.

Maybe it's just not getting any idle air?

Just a WAG!

 

Ed

The 89 runners do cover the extra hole, I was inspecting them last night. But I think I'll try my friends plenum since it doesn't even have a tube going to where the 9th injector is, and also because it is setup different.

Maybe you are right about the 89+ TB's SM, I will have to try that also. I hope I will be able to solve this problem,


Does anyone else have any ideas, if so please help me???

 

Ed, the hole on the 85-88 runners is contained completely within the confines of the flat surface at the base of the front runner. The 89 runners simply don't have this hole machined. The un-machined surface 100% covers the hole.

In fact, all of the aftermarket runner gaskets use the same gasket for all TPI years, so they all have the hole in the gasket.

 

yeah i have an idea! i have 6 sets of 85-87 slp runners right now in the box, i will swap you out a set if you want to just cover the shipping.

 

Turtle... your ebay name wouldn't happen to be... Tmaxxmasher would it?

I noticed you were selling a few.

 

HAHAHA how did you know. i have a couple maybe. plus a bunch of other junk, i have been cleaning out the place getting ready to move. i still have a set of stock runners i need to clean up and sell. most of my stock parts are gone now though.

 

so YOU are the reason the 85-87 runner were sold out and i couldnt get them. and NO im not gona trade cuz u paid over 30 beans less than i did and im gona switch to an 89' TPI eventually anyways. bah

 

could i use an 89' plemum w/ my 85 set up? it would b easier if i could port the 89' plenum while the the car is still driveable and then just make a qwickswitch.

 

calm down dude, i bought mine a while ago and i bought 88->'s to. i only have 85->'s left, and 1 or 2 stock parts that i am going to sell. i also have a motorcycle to sell and some parts for it, so if i have parts for the same bike you have is that my fault too. i do a little side work here and there where i can. i'm a jack of all trades and master of none.

 

dude i was mostly kidding... i was only mildly anoyed.... no worries

 

You'll just need to put a hole in the plenum that matches up with the IAC hole in your throttlebody. I wouldn't spend too much time looking for an 89+ style though. Buy whatever you can find. Using the older style will require less modification than the new one.

 

i know all the 88->'s i had simply had a plug in the driver side runner (hex head) that should be able to be opened and the lack of the CSI. that was the only difference.

 

Thanks everyone for your help.


I am proud to say that I have figured out the problem & the car runs fantastic with its new complete 89-92 setup LOL.

I swapped everything this time. Fuel rail, runners, plenum, & TB. the car ran just great on startup, even idled a little better than when I had the 85-87 setup lol. And I did it just in time, I should be getting the runners tomorrow.

once again thanks everyone.

 

well getting the 89' stuff isnt a problem.. i still have the entire 89' TPI from my previous car. could i just use the throttle body and the plenum from the 89' and save some trouble?

 

hmmm... mayb i should just do what 5SIZ did... i cant use the base tho, i know the 85' and 89' arnt compatible in that respect.

 

You actually could, you would just have to block off the 9th injector hole, that, or bend it out of the way and un connect it, the ecm won't throw a code and no leaks "personal experience LOL."

Only thing is with using an 89 TB on an 85-88 setup is the throttle cables are different, I had to rig mine to get it to work, there is no nub to clip the throttle cable, you need a wierd block thing that slides into some holes. I hooked mine up to the cruise controls nub to buy me time lol.

 

Actually, I heard that the 85-92 bases are the exact same, check the casting numbers, I used my 87 base.

 

The bolt angles are different on the 85-86 and the 87-92 cars. You will have to rig them to fit on the older style heads.

 

i guess ill just use all my 89' stuff excluding the base

 

turtle, u have a pm... i would like to get my hands on thoes 85-88 runners...