Next week I will be having someone install a TPI system in my 1982 z28 (87 350 HO/TH 350 TRANS.) I will be using the same mechanic that did my engine and transmission swap so I trust his work, I am just a little curious as to what people have paid/ and or charged to have this done. Thanks

 

Dude don't have a shop do it. You'll get raped! Seriously. I had engine work done. New lifters installed and they had to disassemble my TPI system to get down there. The labor bill was excessive. Spend some time on this site. Grab a Chilton manual and a Haynes manual and do it yourself. Save an a$$load of cash. Just my opinion.

 

IMO the money wasted isn't even the issue when you pay a shop to modify a car. Although you do pay way too much for what you're getting.

The issue is gremlins. Inevitably after a swap like this you wioll have little problems pop up. And if you paid to have teh swap done, you won't have the first idea of what is causing the problems, and importantly what the shop screwed up doing the swap that is now causing the symptom. You're only choice is to take it back to them. And unless they specialize in performance EFI work, they are not going to be very good at figuring out what is going on and how to make it truly work right.

 

I appreciate your opinions, but I wouldn't bring it to a shop. The person who I am going to pay to install it has done all the work that I've had done to the car thus far, and I don't have the time or the patience that would be necessary to do the swap. I am not mechanically impaired but this is a serious thing to undertake, right now I am sharing a car with my fiancee, I NEED my car, I haven't driven it since November and its freaking killing me, so back to my original question; How much is a fair price?

 

I don't know what would really be fair. I would expect to pay for about 4 hours or more of work. So you may have to consider what this guy charges per hour.

The work is time consuming but I wouldn't call it difficult. Really as I have gotten to know the TPI system it's not as complex as you would initially imagine. The sensors being hooked up like the knock sensor and O2 sensor and what not are the hardest thing to get right.

 

I need the intake changed on my TPI, called around for a quote, the most expensive was like $1100, cheapest was $4-600 more likely 600, and that was to rip off the plenum, runners, fuel rails , distributer and manifold plus all the little crap, and re-install. Averge labor that I got quoted was 4.7hrs, not including any little problems that always arise at least on my pos.

You are probally looking at alot more than that. Even though they wont have to waste their time ripping off all the tpi crap just manifold carb and fuel lines, but putting it back on blindly w/o taking it off first is gonna be a pita, plus the new harness and computer installation, plus sensors and whatnot. Hope you have some lube ready, and grab ur ankles, it will go alot smoother that way,lol

ps, anyone that has some insight as to doing the manifold change please inform, as I am poor and will be undergoing this adventure tommorro.

 

The first time I took off my TPi manifold I made it way harder than it should have been.

Leave as much stuff together as you can, for example dont take the throttle body off of the upper plenum as there is no point, youll just have to put it on again. Just take it all off in one peice, it should jus be the 8 upper screws, the 3 or 4 hoses in the back , the sensor on the bottom and all the linkage to the throttle body.

Next take off the runners, I think taking the passenger side off first is easier becuse it allows access to the drivers side runner better.

the fuel rails are just 4 bolts on 4 posts on top of the manifold and the 2 connectors in the front, they are 5/8 or 9/16 i think, a crecent wrench works good.

Then just take off the manifold

2 ez

 

I did a TPI install for $275 one time. This was to convert a carbed car over to TPI. $500-1000 is a good range I believe, since there is more to just bolting on the TPI setup to the engine.
There is the problem of fuel delivery, ecm hookup, VSS hookup to the ECM, minor stuff like that.

I was there for 12 hours, but really only worked about 8 hours on it, the other 4 hours was going to the parts store, eating, taking breaks etc...

 

Ok, You're putting a TPI on an '82, which never had TPI to begin with. Figure that on average you pay $50-$60/hour for mechanical work.
First, remove old harness and install new, splicing into the dash harness as required. 6-8 hours work there $300 on the low end.

Next, remove your intake and carb setup and install TPI intake system, run new throttle cable and TV cable (if you have a 700R4). Hook everything up and install new sensors where needed along with new fuel lines and all..8+ hours $400 on the cheap side.

New fuel tank with pump and wiring (unless you go inline) 4 hours $160

Then there's the little matter if getting it all running and working right, that could take a couple of days...figure another $400 minimum.

That is just in labor. For all those parts figure on at least $1k

At a guess I'd say between $2500-$5000 for the whole thing...then you pray that it all works and keeps working.

 

Hey Zepher, you wanna come up to NJ and replace my intake manifold? Ill give ya $200?!

I wish I knew what I am doing, I guess its the only way to learn though...

 

If I had a ride, I'd come up there and do it, but I am stuck here in VA.

 

OK, let me get this straight. The guy you want to trust with an involved EFI retrofit is the same guy that's done the work on your car up till now, and yet you haven't even had the car on the road in 6 months. Sounds to me like your 'mechanic' isn't too good if he couldn't even make the last set-up run. Installing TPI isn't going to magically fix anything, and if it's not done perfectly, you'll be very sorry you wasted the money.

If you need your car on the road a stock computer controlled car system or cfi converted to normal carb will be a lot cheaper and easier to maintain. EFI swaps are generally always a very bad idea if you can't do it yourself, and have no ability to troubleshoot it.

 

4 plus hours to do an intake swap!!! I had to pull my intake completely off to change intake gaskets back when I had the stock motor in the car and it only took me 1 1/2 hours to pull everything off and put it all back together. Had to wait a day later to drive it (silicone has to cure 24 hours) but the next day it started right up and didnt leak anymore.

Just dont be scared to get dirty, take your time, USE YOUR CHILTON's or Haynes manual and take notes and you will do fine, not to mention that grand you'll save can go into MORE MODS for your car!

This board is a GREAT resource if you get stuck.

 

Actually the reason my car hasn't been on the road in 6 months is I live in Upstate New York, Have you ever been to upstate NY in the Winter? Its not exactly a safe place to drive a Camaro. Christmas day we had 24 inches of snow, yeah a Camaro is what you want to be driving, and as far as my car running, it runs beautifully, the engine and transmission swap that I previously mentioned took place in the Summer of 1999 and he charged me about $500 for that, and that included removal from both cars and customization of the drive shaft. All I really "need" to put my car on the road is cash for the insurance and registration, up to now I have been putting that money into the car itself, I recently had my "mechanic" install a new exhaust and shocks and struts, and I believe you know how much these TPI parts are costing me, but I have almost everything now, and my "mechanic" told me he'd put it in for around $150-$200, which I know is incredibly cheap, Thanks again for everyones time and opinions.

 

You could put the money you would spend on a TPI installation to better use. Think about it $1000 bucks isn't worth it. You can get a more powerfull engine for that. Rather than just adding a slight power increase in the low end with TPI.

 

I actually already have the TPI system, its going in -theres no question about it, and as far as the information on this board-
its incredible this is the most comprehensive collection of information and experts that I have ever come across for any subject, thats why I frequent it almost everyday, Thanks again.

 

OK, whatever floats your boat. From your post it seemed like you were doing the TPI swap to get the car on the road, not to take it off before you even drive it.

But if it were me, and i wanted to get my car on the road as quickly and trouble free as possible i would not be doing an EFI swap in the spring. You'll really regret it if you can't take a cruise in the summer because you're still futzing with gremlins.

Why not just enjoy it as is and spend the summer getting the rest of the stuff together and figuring out what it all does. Then next fall/winter put the car under the knife and do the swap yourself. You'll save money and will have a lot less problems that way. And you'll still have your car for prime cruising season.

 

Dramaone - I used to live in Binghamton (upstate NY), so I understand about the driving conditions in the winter. However, the reason why I learned what I know and completely built my car myself (besides the paint job) is because I didn't want to EVER have to rely on a mechanic that would end up raping me or taking my hard earned cash that could be put to better use elsewhere instead of car labor. Plus, I know my car inside out now. If I hear a strange noise or vibration or something starts to act up, I immediatley know whats wrong and how to fix it.

This type of knowledge takes time and patience and just getting in there and doing it youself to learn little by little. But once you get to where I am and like many other people on this board, you never want anyone to touch your car. This is knowledge that you can have with you for the rest of your life that will save you a TON of money in the future. Plus, nobody will take as good care of your car as you would.

$200 is dirt cheap though!

Just my $.02

 

I wasn't talking about him not buying the TPI. I am talking about him putting what he's going to spend in labor dollars twords a better engine.

I myself am quite fond of the TPI setup. But you will save so much doing it yourself. It really isn't as difficult as you would imagine. Yes it will take along time.

I've been raped on labor dollars on my car when I first got it. After I found out what was done I realized I could have done that crap myself. And I would have finished my interior restoration already and been about $500.00 closer to a new 350 or 383.

 

Thanks to everybody, I appreciate all of your help and advice, I have confidence in my friend/mechanic who will be installing it, he is not a virgin in the TPI field, and as far as doing the work myself I tend to make things worse when I do try and do things myself. This is my first car, I didnt even know how to drive when I bought it, and I have come a long way since then, perhaps someday I will gain enough knowledge to undertake such a project, but right now it would be best if I left it to a professional. Thanks again!

 

From all the help from the great people on this board, I went from this,


To this,


And now I am attempting to finish this one,


When I bought my car back in 99 with the LG4 305 Qaudrajet setup, I had no idea that there were different V8's out there. I thought all V8's were the same. I also didn't know anything about motors. I could change spark plugs and wires, but that was about it.
I was also dissapointed when I raced my brother in his 96 V6 Camaro and he beat me pretty bad.