Hello all,

I tought, with if we do a super-awesome Tune Up thread for us 305 TPI owners?

All the guys with lot of experience, post your complete list of things to do make a 110% complete tune up to make our little "LB9" runs like new again or even better!

If you could also say wich brand and model to use, that would be even better for us newbies!

Don't be shy, if you see someone that forgot something, that in your opinion is necessary in a complete tune up. Please POST a reply!

Thanks and see you later!

 

Clean/replace your air filter...

 

aside from the usual plugs, wires, cap and rotor, air and fuel filters, TPS adjustment, O2 sensor, ignition timing, engine and transmission oil and filter change, rear axle oil change, and TV cable adjustment, there isnt much else to do. i believe most of the adjustments and procedures above are listed in the tech articles or have been covered at great length on here if someone just does a search.

also keep in mind that no matter how much tuning up you do to a stock 305 is rarely good for much better than a low 15 in the 1/4, with the occasional 5 speed car in the high 14s. so dont get your hopes up about having the town flyer after a major tune up. if you want your 305 to run look at my sig. many others have done what i have done with similar results so it isnt like i worked any majic. i guess i am just cautioning all the younger LB9 guys out there not to get too excited about all the horsepower they will gain from a good tuneup, when i was 16 i did all the tricks and only dropped a tenth or two. but having a good tuned car paid off in driveability and the 25mpg i was getting at the time.

 

Do the same tune up as a 350 tpi and be done w/ it!!!

No its just the main stuff as any other car really. plugs, wires, sensors etc...

 

Okay guys, been searching on the board for a few hours... Here is what I have compiled for a real good tune up for our TPI engines (I think). If something is missing, incorrect, please post! If you wan't to give some advices on what brand/model we should avoid or the ones we should use. Go ahead!

Change:
-Cap
-Rotor
-Spark plug wires
-Spark plugs
-Air filter
-PCV valve
-Oxygen sensor
-Timing chain
-Water pump
-Fuel filter
-Engine oil/filter
-Automatic transmission oil/filter/gasket
-Rear axle gear lube (use limited slip additive if required)
-Coolant
-Thermostat

To do:
-Clean the intake, plenum and throttle body with a can of "Intake and Throttle Body Cleaner for Fuel Injected Engines" by Gumout (yellow or gray can, with a red cap)
-Clean the IAC
-Adjust the TPS
-Reset the timing to stock specifications
-Reset the TV cable
-Do a lube job
-Check your brake oil level
-Check you power steering oil level
-Check the belts
-Check the brakes
-Check all the hoses (vacuum, radiator and heater)
-Put a bottle of injectors cleaner into a full tank of good gas
-Get an alignment

 

I think that would ba a pretty good tune up for TPI no? Please post some recommended stuff for our engine like brand en part #.

 

you don't need a new timing chain or water pump just because you are doing a tune up. You also don't need an alignment if your car is tracking straight and you don't have any abnormal tire wear. It would be a bad idea to get it checked, but don't just drive to a shop and tell them to align it if you don't have a reason to think its out of alignment. Waste of money.

Other than that, everything looks good to me.

 

Keep in mind there is nothing "special" about this for the 305 TPI guys. This same tuneup can and should be (for the most part) performed by anyone with a car. Anything that works on a 305 TPI will work on a 350 TPI.

I must say, I'm happy with my Accel Supercoil, MSD 8.5mm wires, and $20 "performance" cap/rotor kit from autozone (only one they had with brass contacts). The K&N is nice though it sounds a bit loud for my taste.

Buy the whatever PCV valve is cheapest (at a parts store, you usually only have one option). Use Mobil 1 SuperSyn oil. Its $3.22/qt at Walmart. AC-Delco filter is $3.49 or $3.99 at Autozone, and the Mobil 1 filters are $10.99 though I haven't used one yet (I just use AC Delco). Buy the stock AC-Delco plugs.

Synthetic transmission fluid and synthetic rear-end fluid isn't a bad idea either. I'm using synthetic brake fluid as well though I don't know if it has any advantage (its only $5/bottle vs. $3.30/bottle).

 

 

Hear many good things about ACDelco spark plugs... But the problem is, what run the best on a TPI?! For our cars they have: standard, platinum and rapid fire...

 

Someone can answer me for the sparkplugs?

 

just put in regular copper core plugs. all the rapid fire and platinum crap is just a sham, one doesnt make more power than another. platinums last longer only in a good clean running engine.

 

i don't know which are better with a tpi, but i know my dad put ac Delco RapidFires in his 72 nova w/ a 350 and holley pro-jection, 2 barrel fuel injection, and he said it made it run alot smoother

 

Anyone else have something to say?

 

There are two reasons why RapidFire, Bosch +4, Split fire, or other similar plugs make your engine run "smoother".

1) The plugs you took out are old. If you were to change replace them with stock plugs, properly gapped, and for the correct heat range you need, you would notice your engine running smoother as well.

2) The media makes you expect to notice an improvement. As a result, you tend to think that it is running better because you were already expecting it.

Do your wallet and your car a favor, and just buy stock replacement ACDelco spark plugs.