i just bought an 89 formula 350, i just had the body redone and now its time for the internals, a friend of mine told me this car was incapable of the 12 second range with the stock tpi engine, i know that it is possible but i could use some ideas. i would like to keep the original motor in it. it runs well.

 

12.00's??? easy! 150 shot of the happy gas. Or a supercharger of somekind.

 

change the heads, cam, intake, put longtube headers on it..... and it'll run 12s.(hook it good, do it right and it could be 11s)

but it wont be a "stock tpi" motor....


i say, forget him.... and forget the idea of holding yourself back to meet his challenge. do whats best to meet your goal for the car... if that means ditching the TPI manifold and having to hear a "i told ya it sucked...." then so be it.
but to retain crap parts to "prove something" to someone does nothing more then cost you more money, for slower times.

 

thanks, well i always wanted it to run in the 12's since i bought it way back in april, but i didnt get around to fixing up the body until octoberish, and now its finally done .. so im moving on to the mechanical end of things. It just so happens that my buddy is buying a stock 97 camaro z28 6 spd in a week, and when i say buying i mean getting it bought for him. I on the other hand, had to and still am, working for everything that goes into the car. Now hes all talk about his car, which he has no money to modify. He's a good guy, but it'd be the perfect time to put him in his place. When I told him I wanted my car to run 12's he got really defensive and just said that mine couldnt run that.

 

N/A it won't be easy at all. But with full bolt ons you can hang with the Z28. Maybe even a cam and some good cheap heads, get it to hook and you could see some low 13s. But for the money you cannot beat a nitrous setup. A good wet kit set at 75-100 will definitley leave your friend behind.

 

Read the sticky above on this TPI forum titles :TPI shootout .. Hot Rod.."

There is alot of good stuff in this post. However, I think all of the estimated 1/4 times are too low.

 

i managed a 12.9. thats was with A LOT of head wind and i didnt use the nitrous of the line!! and thata was with a 305 prom chip in my 350!!?

 

With the stock TPI system, as in completely stock parts on it?

Or using the TPI system, with any parts on it.

Id say its possible, my LB9 car, with an LT1 cam, TES headers, 3.42 rear, Taylor race cables, MSD ignition pieces, a ported base, ported runners and ported plenum, also ported intake ports on the heads, should get me to Very low 14s, or high 13s with a better driver haha.

Id say without a doubt its possible.

Do your research.

Feel free to PM me for anymore go fast tpi info

Sheldon

 

when i said stock tpi motor, i basically meant i don't want to buy a crate motor, or an lt1 or ls1 out of a wrecked car like a lot of guys seem to do on internet car sites. well, id like to but its too much money to replace a good engine. i was gonna start with longtubes, and then get a 3" exhaust system w/ electronic cutout (i love the sound)

id like if the motor alone could get me in 13 second 1/4 mile range, i also wanna switch to a t56 because the auto thats in the car slips bad, and i like manual anyway ... but to be honest i dont know **** about aftermarket engine mods, hence me being on here. so thanks to everyone thats replied, i appreciate it.

 

All right, here goes. The FIRST thing you should do before ANY mods is getting it running right. This probably includes the tranny even if you're gonna swap in a T56 later. The 700R4 will be more consistent, unless you're GOOD with a stick and willing to push it hard I'd keep the auto. For starters, blow $30 and change your fluid, even cheap Mercon/Dextron 3 is probably better then the burnt crap I almost assure you have in there. Then adjust your TV cable (look it up) If it's not totally mush internally you'll feel like you're riding in a different car off that stuff alone. There's a ton of mods that you can do to a 700R4 that involve skill but not a ton of cash. I have probably $100-150 into my 700R4, and the difference is night and day. Transgo HD kit, the 9C1 3-4 shift valve parts, a new seperator plate (old one was cut up bad in the accumulator) .5 boost valve and 'vette servo. Drain plug kit is ALWAYS a good idea. All I'm really short of is the Hy-Gard, a cooler and some more converter. The stocker SUCKS if you're on a budget JY an S-10 4.3L converter, if you're not figure out what you wanna do for your engine combo and go from there. Pasted below is a write up I did a while ago for an SK-700 kit in an 89 Astro van. Suggest you read it, you will need the jackstands though, and btw don't do it on a hill. Trust me.

Part I)introduction
I've had many questions on installing a shift kit into my 700R4, and had many questions asked of me at the same time; indeed with good reason, while many are familiar with the workings of engines, the transmission remains an intimidating foe to many people. I'm a first time installer, and this is what I've noticed when installing the Transgo SK-700 kit. I found manuals and the instructions to be helpful, but wondered about the small things. This is my summary of what I did, along with several tips and tricks I picked up along the way.
Before even opening the pan read the manual for your kit COMPLETELY through three or four times, until you have a good understanding of the procedure you'll be following. There are variations in 700R4s, so keep this in mind. Most importantly, keep your parts CLEAN and organized when you put them back in. As you complete a step in your kit, cross it off so that you know what you have to complete and that you didn't miss something.

part II)tools
First off is tools. One can not hope to achieve a job without supplies and tools of the proper nature; keep in mind that your kit may vary, here's what I have present when doing mine, besides the shift kit of course.
tools/re-usable items
-turkey pan, or other LARGE fluid drain pan
-pick set
-snap ring pliers (optional)
-an ATSG 700R4 book or similar (optional but reccomended)
-sockets, both SAE and metric
-jack, bottle or floor type
-jack stands/ramps if you're claustrophobic
-shop light
-bench grinder, files or dremel
-hammer, cold chisel
-ratchet tie down
-screw drivers, flat head and phillips
-torque wrench
-drill, 1/2 inch bit for plug kit and whatever bits your kit instructions say you need


other supplies
-solvent
-vaseline
-oil absorbent or kitty litter
-4 extra quarts Mercon III ATF

Other "extras" I'd consider adding on
-seperator plate for valve body (optional)
-transmission filter
-drain plug kit
-corvette servo
-transmission mounts
-high capacity pan for more fluid volume (runs cooler)
-new governor cover
-new pan gasket

part III)pan removal
Pan removal is for an 89 Astro CS "shorty."
There are three bolts of relavence in this case, the first is in the middle where the tail shaft of the transmission is. The other two are to each side of it and connect to the cross member. Loosen the nut on the middle bolt, then remove the nuts from both bolts and remove the passenger side's bolt. The driver's side bolt will not be removable as long as the piece that connects to the crossmember is still mounted to the transmission. The transmission is then jacked upwards by the tailshaft until the bolt is out of the hole in the crossmember. This allows access to the bolts covered up by the bracket.
To remove the bolts in the pan, you'll need a half inch socket. Leaving the 4 corners of the pan for last makes it so that one can drain the pan off with less mess. Set the turkey pan under the lowest side of the pan and start loosening the last bolts until gravity does the work. Pull transmission pan down, and set the turkey pan under the now exposed 700R4. This is a good time to check for excess material in the pan due to wear, and determine if a rebuild is in order. The filter should come out easily as well, save if re-using or discard if it is being replaced.
If you purchased a plug kit, drill a half inch hole in the bottom rear of the transmission pan tighten. This will make subsequent service a lot less messy then the first servicing. After this, clean the pan out, paying special attention to the bottom.

part IV)Pressure regulator valve
Assuming your pan is off, it's time to start the real modifications to your transmission. The first thing that the SK-700 kit wants you to modify is the pressure regulator here after known as the PR valve. This is what controls the pressure the valve body sees from the pump, and is a critical component. There are also two "boost valves" that are below this. If you look towards the front of your vehicle in the opening where the pan is, there are a few holes about 3/4 inch to 1 inch diameter. The one closest to the driver's side is how you access the PR valve.
The reason snap ring pliers are listed as optional is because their value in this case is minimal to none. K-D brand pliers do not work in this application, the tines are too short. An awl with an angled tip is by far superior in removal of this C-clip. After the C-clip is out, you may have to push on the bottom of the boost valve with a 3/8 inch socket extension, it will push inwards about 1/8th then fall out.
what will be in your hand will be the PR valve, two boost valves and a spring. Grind the land flat and use the new spring as instructed. Be sure you are re-assembling in the order the instructions give, and to mark the boost valve size as indicated in the shift kit instructions. Afterwards, clean all of the boost valve parts. The PR valve fits in a hole, if the boost valves in to the first notch of the big boost valve (the one that plugs the hole) then you can force it if necessary. If it doesn't, then the PR valve is not in far enough.
Assembly is eased if vaseline is used to hold the spring on the shaft of the PR valve so it doesn't fall down, the PR valve will tend to hold it's self up, if not use vaseline to hold it up as well. After this, one should be able to push the C-clip up to the groove and re-seat it. Be sure that this is the groove in the pump housing, not the one where the front pump assembly and the case meet!

part V)Valve body modifications
There's nothing complex about the removal of the valve body. First off, the accumulator in the back must come off, as well as the auxiallry valve body in the front.
The accumulator has 3 bolts in it, keep in mind that one's longer then the other two, and you should keep these out from the other bolts. There's a piston that will probably stay in the transmission, as well as a pin. Remove these as well, changes will need to be made during the shift kit install.
The other thing is the auxillary valve body. This is at the front of the cast iron valve body, and is made of aluminum. There's a check ball inside of it, so be careful not to drop it. My ATSG manual says it requires four bolts to remove, I only counted three so your milage may vary. You will need to remove the line that's running above/beside it, this line's held in by a clip on one end, and a bracket. Both of which are connected using valve body bolts. Remove these bolts and pull gently on this line, it will come right out. It may also be helpful to remove when installing or removing the PR valve. After removal of the line and auxiallary vale body, set aside in a clean spot for later re-installation.
When it comes to the main valve body removal, there are over a dozen 10mm bolts in the valve body, removal of these will allow the valve body to fall out, provided the steps above have been completed. Be warned the valve body is HEAVY, so be cautious when undoing the last bolt(s). Another thing is be sure to disconnect the linkage to the detent lever inside the transmission as you remove the valve body, bending this piece of metal can make it so that you can't even put it in gear.
Moving on with the valve body modifications, the install's pretty self explanatory. Read the instructions carefully, as you won't need to modify all of the springs and valves in it. Most of the pins can be pushed up through the other side with an awl if it comes to it. The TV assembly has two pins in it, keep that in mind. If you're having a problem retaining a piston or a spring, be patient and use plenty of vaseline. To remove big pins, use needle nose pliers in the hole perpindicular to the pin and just push it up. After the valve body is modified as per the instructions, proceed on to modifications of the seperator plate.
Before you drill the seperator plate, look at where the 2nd accumulator is. If there's a big dent and/or it's cutting through the metal, it should probably be replaced. After drilling, put new gaskets on. The gasket with one stripe goes between the valve body and seperator plate, the one with two stripes goes between the transmission and seperator plate. Some of the check ***** go in the bottom, some go on top. If you've got a higher milage transmission you can look at the plate a lot of the time and see the check ball marks. The check ***** on the bottom are fine without any sort of holding agent, however the ones on the top will stay in place better with some vaseline. The valve body is now ready to be put back into place. Use the two bolts indicated in the kit instructions, and then reverse the removal procedure. Set the valve bodies, seperator plate and accumulator aside and proceed to the servo and governor modifications.

VI)servo modifications
To remove the servo cover, press against it and use a screw driver to pry the ring out. If you're having problems holding the cover and Another option you can add at this point will be the corvette servo. The larger apply area on the 2-4 piston allows the band to hold better. Since this is going to be apart to be modified anyways, it's a good time to put it in especially since you've gotta take the snap ring off of the servo.
After this, follow the modifications in the instructions. Don't forget to check your band tension, there's gaps to the driver's side of the valve body. When putting my cover back on, I had to use a ratchet strap to hold it while I put the snap ring on.

VII)Governor modifications
Take a cold chisel, and tap the case open gently, to avoid gallin the transmission housing. Work your way around this cover as much as possible to remove it. Albeit one can usually take them off with minimal damage, the outside is usually rusty. After this cover is off, the governor will pull right out, twisting slightly as it comes out. Look at the gear, if it's in bad shape this can be a sign of problems that need to be addressed. Change the springs as indicated in the kit instructions, and use the proper color springs for your application.

VIII)valve body installation
Before you re-install the valve body, be sure you've done everything your instructions say you need to. Installation of the valve body is not overly complex, there are two bolts indicated in the Transgo instructions, be sure to use these to line everything up. Also be sure that you've got all of the check ***** installed as per the instructions, any on the top should have a dab of vaseline put in the holes then the check ball set in this to keep them from shifting while working under the car. When you put the valve body in the car, bolt it up by the alignment bolts first then start bolting the other components up. After this, install your auxillary valve body, the feed line that goes to it and any sort of retainers for the electrical. Be sure that the valve for the detent is in the bore when you install the valve body so that it will move freedly, and is not caught along the edge. This can make it so that the transmission will not shift at all, and removal of the pan and bending the piece of metal back will have to be done. after this, proceed to install all the bolts and tighten to specs indicated in the ATSG book. Put the accumulator in, install the pan, put the transmission back on it's mounts and take for a test drive. Congratulations, you've just installed your first shift kit. That wasn't so bad was it?

 

thanks for the input drac,

i knew swapping was expensive but wow dude, i was at a local junkyard this afternoon, they had a 93 t/a t56 that was wrecked, most of the parts were gone but the engine/trans was intact. $1700 for the tranny w/ 104k ... pff F that (forgot how much of a ripoff junkyards are), ill stick with the auto and do the/a rebuild like you suggested. so thanks again

... just gotta love the motion of stepping on the clutch and throwing that shifter around

 

$1700, are you kidding me? You cound have your 700r4 completly redone for less then that.

 

3200 stall,bans,clutches,vette servo,shift kit,10 vane pump and you will be good to go

 

i would also throw a hardened reaction shell in there as well. those factory ones don't like torque or hard launches.

 

If you go to Eatmyshift.com, they have some really awesome rebuild kits for our 700r4s. Reasonably low prices. Totally different from stock. And I went with The Beast hardened shell. It drives like a vette with the kit i got from them.

 

i've got a beast in mine as well. the transgo 700 2&3 kit is a great kit. i've used the superior one before and didn't like it. to much like the B&M kit.

 

Have you baseline run it yet? I know back in the 90's my 87 IROC ran 8.80's in the 8th 13.50's in the 1/4. The only bolt ons were a Fairbanks piston servo kit and B&M trickshift fluid in the trans, SLP cold air,airfoil,headers,tps voltage and timing adjust. The battery was relocated to the trunk,spare tire removed,AC was removed(I was young than and thought who needed it I had t-tops.lol)and I smoothed the restrictive ridge out of the runners and the blockage behind the throttle body with a dremel tool. Those times were with the stock 9 bolt 3.27 geared rear and regular radialed tires. It would seem that with the stuff out now another second and half to two wouldn't be that hard to knock off to make a TPI run 12's.
Even recently I've missed my ol IROC and put together a 91 RS with a 305 TPI,world products 305 torquer heads,headers,cat back,same mods with the trans and TPI that runs 9.30s 1/8th(should be good for a low 14 in the quarter) on radials with a 3.08 one wheel peel.

 

thanks for that link i'll be sure to check it out, and no i haven't run it yet. it was actually sitting in my driveway from april to december, it was and is still uninsured and unregistered. (i did drive it around some back roads around my house though

itl be back in my driveway on tuesday only with no dents, dings, or scratches and a fresh paint job. it actually does have some kind of shift kit on it but somethings messed up with it cause the trans shifts horribly at speeds over 35mph. it shifts too late going up in gears and too soon going down. also when manually shifting, i cant even get the shifter into first gear, it goes past 2 a little bit but doesnt click into first. the person who had it before me was a backwoods hick and probably put it on himself.

the motor runs well but ocassionally stalls if you floor it from a stop ....

my whole idea was to have the car running 12s but i guess i do have some things i need to take care of first, thanks for all the feedback.