In the past week I have bought a 92 Z28 plenum and ECM. I have also bought a complete TPI unit with the ECM! I am planning to put this on my stock TBI engine! Anything I need to know before I do this? When I switch the ECM's will I have a problem starting my car? These may be stupid questions but I just dont want anything unexpected to happen. When I buy a Vortec engine I will use the ported and powerdercoated plenum to start the other engine off. My main concer was the conversion of the TPI setup on my engine now. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated! Is there anything I need to check on the used TPI unti before bolting it in?

Here is some pics of all the stuff I was talking about!!!!!

 

Here is the TPI Unit I was talking about!

 

My bad I had to resize the pic, here it is.........

 

Another pic........

 

what year of car are you putting it on? And i take it you have a 305 in it now? What did the set up come off of?

 

Hey SamDog, I bid on that auction too. I was only going to $280, but it went out of my range quickly. LOL. Anyway, its a SD system.

 

I am putting it in a 92 RS. It came off of a 91 Trans Am or 92? One of those.


vwdave, I was expecting it to go high. It started off low but I did not want to bid on it till the last few hours. I have been looking for a 91 or 92 setup but they are hard to find. I have been wanting this setup for a while and considering the price of a new aftermarket setup I could not pass this up. I still plan to build another engine up anyway but I thought it would be cool to put this in my car now. What got me mad is somebody tried to outbid me by a couple of dollars last minute. Luckily I told my brother to bid $450 when there was only 30 seconds left so nobody could l pull a quick one by paying a dollar more!

 

What I used to do (and pissed a few people off.)

Current $100.00
Min...$1.00
Your bid...102.01

I think they changed the system. I haven't actively bid on anything in over 2 years. I got cheated on a engine block. I lost $405.00 on it. So, I got a completely useless 350 laying around. I might make it a lobster trap or something.

 

Sam,

Haha, I just happened to look into this page, just being curious to see one of my pictures in the front link.

Glad to hear you get a complete setup.


As for checking out the correct TPI stuff before you start the conversion. The biggest thing is the injectors. You may want to have them sent off to rick and Cruzin' Performance. Also, you'll want to look into find some fuel lines made to hook up to the fuel rails (or you could go braided).

The TPI setup looks good though.

If you have any other questions e-mail me at matt@mattsgarage.net or PM.

 

DANG MATT!!!!!!!!! Your car is off the hook! I am guessing that is your black Z! Wow, what have you done to the engine. Maybe I will copy your setup? Did you send the plenum yet cuz I am anxiously waiting! I plan to use that plenum on the engine I plan to buy once I figure out the combo I want. I will use the SLP runners on that plenum, it should look good once I have the runners polished! I need to calm down now all this engine talk is getting me excited

vwdave, so you are one of those people that will bid a dollar or two extran last minute! That is why I had my brother put a large bid in last minute so nobody would do that! Its cool though that is how I won my glass T-Tops

The only thing that annoys me about the TPI setup is that it will no longer make my hood functional, unless I can figure a way to route the air?

 

Don't forget the throttle cable. You'll need need that too. All i have left to do in my swap is the fuel pump. Have fun with the VATS too.

 

Thanks, that is my car. Engine is bone stock at the moment. I've got plans, but they are pretty far down the road. Haven't sent the plenum yet, I was going to do it today, but a didn't get around to it. It'll be shipped monday morning and I'll send you a tracking. That picture doesn't it make it look great, I think it looks better in person. If you need to have your runner polished (unless you do it) let me know, I know a person who is excellent at it.

-Matt

 

I polished my rims and it was a pain. I still have to get a dremel and get the hard to reach places, it was definitly more work than I expected. Runners should be alot easier, I think.............. Have you seen a pic of my car yet? It looks good and intimidating but like yours it is bone stock! 305 TBI and a wopping 180 hp Hopefully the TPI setup will suit until I get a better engine.......................

 

What is VATS?

 

Who doesn't bid at the last minute?

BTW, I bid the cents up some, so if someone bids high, I might still edge them out. Its good ethics that if you bid at the last minute, you should only do that IIRC 6 hours before the end.

To your question. VATS (Vehicle Anti-theft system.) It has a chip in the key that talks to the computer of your car. If someone trys to steal your car, the car will not do anything. Fuel pump doesn't turn on, no spark, and no cranking. (Thats from what I heard about it anyway.) It started in 1989, and with cars before that, you swap in a newer computer, the car will not recognise the key and not start.

Forgot to mention. My car was like yours, all bark, no bite. With the 350, LT4 cam, and my old bolt-ons, its got a nasty bite now. Just trying to break into the low 13's with a HSR setup (which is why I wanted that TPI setup, to get all the parts.)

 

Well my car has Vats!!! What do I need to do to be able to keep the VATS working because it is the only form of security that my car has?

Oh yeah, I was just jokeing about the last minute bidding, I do that all the time!

 

The computer and the chip has VATS in them (7730 that is) for SD TPI. Your key and VATS module will still work.

 

Sweet, I have 2 of thoose ECM's! So The ECM is a straight swap and my key will still work?

RU-QUIK told me about you! He said that you rewired harness so they are TPI compatible! Send me a IM to let me know what you charge if you are willing to do that!

 

Hey Dwayne here are the pics you wanted to see (90-92 Z28 Plenum)

 

Here is another one

 

bottom view!

 

The pictures do not look as good as the item in person. Here is another item that is coated.



Of course a plenum won't look like that because of the rough casting on top. However, it pretty close and still comes out with a brighter shine than paint, but with a whole lot more durability.

 

Your probably right! But I have to see the item in order to truly believe you so I really hope you sent it out already Right

 

Heh,

Yep two days ago.

 

Sweet, did you email me the tracking number!

 

Nope. I'll try to get up there tomorrow and get it.

The person I mail through, I take them the items and they box it. Since they usually have customers, they can't box it right away, therefore can't get it setup for UPS right away.

I'll try to swing by there tomorrow and pick it up.

 

I have a Hot Coat system that I use once in awhile. I won't use it on anything for show anymore because powdercoating scratches something terrible. I did a set of chrome valve covers translucent blue and it looked awesome. After wiping the dust off a few times they didn't look so great from all the fine scratches.

Have you found a way to rub out the scratches? I haven't really tried.

It's a great coating to prevent rust though.

 

You'll need a new wiring harness too. And as for the fuel lines, the ones on the car that come from the tank will match up with the TPI lines that come off the fuel rail. When I did my conversion, I didn't have to change any fuel lines at all.

 

Are you sure that you need to rewire your Vats? The only reason I say this is because the VATS module is outside of the ECM, and the VATS module is the one that signals into the ECM that the right key is used and it is ok to start. Also, on the past six cars that I have removed the dashes on, I have noticed that the VATS plugs into the left side of the harness, which should be able to be left alone, just as long as the years are the same, right? I know that the engine harness needs to be taken out and swapped, but do you really think that you need to rewire VATS. I'd understand if you have to swap out your whole harness with a new one, but even then you just have to plug your old VATS module into your new harness. This is just what I have precieved from other people's experiences and findings as well as my own experiences and findings.

 

Why not just delete the VATS either by grounding it out or having a PROM burned and turn it off?

 

Like I had mentioned earlier, I want the vats kept on their! I is my only form of protection that my car has. You guys are right though, I should not have a problem with my car starting. I have to ECM's one is off of a 91 Trans Am and the other is off a 91- or 92 Z28. They both have the same part number. Everyone keeps telling me I wont have a problem with that. Right now I am trying to find a wiring harness. I am going to get either a "painless wiring" setup or have a guy rewire my existing one. WHAT DO YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?
DOES ANYONE KNOW WERE I CAN FIND A DIAGRAM OF WERE EVERYTHING PLUGS INTO FROM THE WIRING HARNESS?

Once the ECM is hooked up is everything else plug into the TPI? It seems like everything else is just sensors?

 

Don't let this be a deciding factor. It really isn't a deturrent to theaves. There are only 8 resistor values for the VATS key.

The fuel pump was probably the biggest PITA when I did my TPI swap. Oh and I still haven't got a cruise control cable that works. Hasn't been a real priority.

Good luck.

 

Not sure about this ....But i got all my stuff off the same car, right down to the relays... Scanner said everytime..."VATS FAIL"...Got a chip burned w/o vats , jumped the starter relay and the car fired up. You could always hide a switch hooked up the the fuel pump relay under the dash. That's what i am going to probably do.

 

So what is the story with the VATS setup? Some of you say that I will not ecounter a problem and some of you say I will!

Dave, I dont understand what you mean about the fuel pump? Get you explain it a little better!

 

So what is the story with the VATS setup? Some of you say that I will not ecounter a problem and some of you say I will!

Dave, I dont understand what you mean about the fuel pump? Get you explain it a little better!

 

This is where i get lost . Everyone who told me when i do the swap i would have a problem with the vats , changing to different ECM's. And sure enough i did. I guess the answer to if you are going to have a problem is : you have to find out what determines the value of the chip.. The computer or the vats module. I couldn't find anyone who knew this answer. From what i have read , it sounds to me that the vats module holds the value and if that's the case, there shouldn't be a problem when switching computers. My whole problem was the mechanic who was doing my swap bailed on me, so he left me with a mess to figure out. he was telling me one thing but when i actually got in there and starting doing it , i kept on saying to myself "what the hell was he talking about?" I have a vats intterogator and couldn't get the fuel pump to kick on when he was doing it with any of the 15 values. And i even tried the 1st value and they only used the first value in 86' on the vette and never used it again. I just wanted to take the guessing work out of it, so i had a chip burned w/o the vats in it . The fuel pump worked after that. What i was saying about the fuel pump was, since i have no vats i am going to hide a toggle switch under my dash somewhere that runs to my fuel pump relay so unless that toggle switch is flipped on you can turn the ignition but the fuel pump won't kick on, same deal as the vats just manually done now.

 

This is where i get lost . Everyone who told me when i do the swap i would have a problem with the vats , changing to different ECM's. And sure enough i did. I guess the answer to if you are going to have a problem is : you have to find out what determines the value of the chip.. The computer or the vats module. I couldn't find anyone who knew this answer. From what i have read , it sounds to me that the vats module holds the value and if that's the case, there shouldn't be a problem when switching computers. My whole problem was the mechanic who was doing my swap bailed on me, so he left me with a mess to figure out. he was telling me one thing but when i actually got in there and starting doing it , i kept on saying to myself "what the hell was he talking about?" I have a vats intterogator and couldn't get the fuel pump to kick on when he was doing it with any of the 15 values. And i even tried the 1st value and they only used the first value in 86' on the vette and never used it again. I just wanted to take the guessing work out of it, so i had a chip burned w/o the vats in it . The fuel pump worked after that. What i was saying about the fuel pump was, since i have no vats i am going to hide a toggle switch under my dash somewhere that runs to my fuel pump relay so unless that toggle switch is flipped on you can turn the ignition but the fuel pump won't kick on, same deal as the vats just manually done now.

 

wtf am i seeing double

 

So basically it is a :KILL SWITCH"!!! I was planning on puttting a few of those on my car along with my never ending list! I dont know if it was you or someone else that told me that if I used the 730 ECM I would not encounter any problems............. I guess there is only one way to find out!
I probably wont put my TPI setup on my car until I get another engine! I might change my mind though so for know I will play it by ear....... My engine has 121,568 miles on it so I dont want to waste my time with that engine. I am still trying to figure out all the smog junk to and wether or not I can use the 350 HO like I want to..........
The whole TBI to TPI does not sound or seem hard but I want to know what problems were encountered before I do the change!

 

I am no mechanic by all means, but the swap isn't really that hard, it is however very time consuming. And other than trying to just work out a few of the problems you run into along the way, it's not that difficult. If you don't want the smog stuff just have a chip burnt deleting all that stuff, if that's what you want.

 

Well I need the smog stuff.............

I live in California