Hi all, I'm currently working on swapping my 87 Trans Am from carb to TPI. Are the cams on these two motors different? Will the stock cam I have (for a carb) work with the TPI? Also, I still havent found the air intake ducting for my MAF sensor so I was wondering if anyone knows if the ducting from a Camaro (the "Y" shaped) would clear the hood on my T/A? Thanks for the help guys.

Brian

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I have done the exact same swap (see signature below).

The camsaft is very small, but it will work.

No, the camaro's intake ducting WILL NOT work. There are many clearance issues, one being the hood. It simply will not fit. Neither will the airboxes. You will either need to locate a stock setup used on the TPI cars, or fabricate one of your own. I fabrictated my own setup, but I also converted to S/D instead of the MAF system.

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If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen

GM Master Tech
ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Whatever chip I feel like burning,
JET AFPR, Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass, Custom Cold Air,
SSM SFC, KYB Shocks, Boxed LCAs, Wonder Bar,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
-->14.97 @ 94.9 MPH<--

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

Just be on the lookout for any detonation. Get a scantool to help you. I swapped from TBI to TPI on my truck and detonation killed it. The only thing I could figure into it was the lobe separation on the TBI truck is very small, like around 104 degrees and the TPI needs at least 112, I think all of my fuel was sprating into the exhaust. And trust me, I tried all the obvious things like timing, fp, wiring, etc. For your small cam, you'll have to get a custom burned chip for the bizaar timing and fuel curve you'll need. When I finally got the chip burned right, it was too late, my rod bearing are fried from the detonation.

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Rob
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[This message has been edited by 2QUIK6 (edited April 23, 2001).]

 

Thanks for the help and info guys. Couple more questions. GMTech, where did you mount your fuel pump and filter? I have my pump mounted but need a good place for the filter. What about the alternator and A/C Compressor? Did you have to do anything to those? Also I noticed today that in TPI cars, the battery is on the driver's side, where as mine is on the pass side. This creates a problem for where to put my MAF and ducting? Any ideas? I also dont have a serp belt. Thanks again guys

 

I just pretty much finished this swap last weekend. I have a 70s truck 350 in an 82 t/a that had an lg4 in it. Here are the problems I faced:

1. Parts. I had a hard time finding some of the parts, mainly the knock sensor and the gasket set.

2. Fuel pump. I have no in tank pump. The setup I bought came with an inline fuel pump. First, I located the pump and filter in the engine compartment, but the pump would get hot from the engine heat and would start cavatating and loose pressure, resulting is an extreme lean condition. I re-located the pump to back by the tank and it solved the problem. The filter is still up in the engine compartment. The pump is mounted to the front side of the "hump."

3. Fuel lines. On my fuel rails, GM used "saginaw" type connectors as i've heard them referred to. They are a flange with an o-ring. I couldn't find a mating connector anywhere, so I had to order fittings Accel makes for just this application. Also, I needed a bunch of other fittings to get me down to 3/8 ID hose barbs on the supply and return. My fittings are as follows: Fuel Rail - Accel TPI fitting - -06 an swivel coupler - -06 AN to 3/8 NPT male - 3/8 NPT street elbow - 3/8 stadnard 90* elbow - 3/8 NPT to 3/8 ID hose barb. Teflon tape on all of the NPT fittings. From those hose barbs I run the supply and return to the factory fuel lines that I have on the passengar side. Remember that for all the high-pressure lines ( from pump output to the fuel rail) you need to use high pressure Fuel Injection hose, which is expensive, I paid about $5.50 a foot. Also use fuel injection hose clamps on the high pressure lines. Be sure your fuel filter can handle the pressure.

4. Heater hoses. The TPI intake hose barb and the barb on the water pump I have ended up being exactly opposite each other. Time for more fittings. On the intake I've got a 1/2" street elbow. On the pump its a close nipple and a 45* elbow. Teflon tape here too.

5. Alternator bracket. Because the new heater hoses run right where the alternator used to be, I had to fabricate a new bracket that would let the alternator swing farther to the side, and use a longer belt. I made the bracket from angle iron, bolts to the water pump and the back of the bolthole where the alternator bolted to the stock bracket. Works fine.

6. Oil Pressure Sensor - The little riser thing that screwed into the block interfered with soemthing on the TPI intake manifold. I used a 1/8 NPT close nipple to a 45* elbow to a 1.5" pipe to another 45* elbow to the sensor. This is leaking a little for me cause I dont have it tight enough. More teflon here.

7. Top radiator hose. I have the proper water neck, but I guess my radiator is different because the stoch TPI radiator hose didn't like up at all. I just found an LG4 hose that I cut that fits well.

Overall, Its a complicated project. There can be alot of hidden costs. If you have the means, get a donor car with everything. I've got over $100 just in fittings on there, and about another $50 in hoses and clamps and wiring connectors and etc. This will not be a one weekend project. I've still got to swap my knock sensor to the right one for my application, but its operational other then that.


Hope this gived you a better idea what you're getting in to. Good luck with the swap. If there are any other questions you have post em here.

--Chris

 

Saw the other post after I posted. My A/C was not affected. I'm running speed density so for the time being I just have a K&N cone filter clamped to the throttle body. Eventually plan to make a cold air induction kit. The air from where its pulling right now is really hot. The K&N part number is RC-5000 for 600 cfm and RC-5050 for 1000 cfm. I've got my battery on the passengar side and left it there. I've got the filter just dangling in the supply line in the engine compartment. Its a napa filter with 3/8 hose barbs on the ends that is designed for high pressure FI use.

 

I bought a used sending unit so I could install the pump in the tank. I also installed used fuel lines. so it all looks factory. They run from the tank to the engine compartment.

Here is where mine gets a little tricky. The TPI that I bought came w/ a Corvette fuel rail, wich is way different than the F-bodies, so I had to hack my alternator bracket in half, and have custom fuel lines made to go from the fuel rail to the steel lines on the drives side body. You can see it in the pic:



My battery is also on the passenger side, but this wasn't a problem, since I converted to S/D so I could easily make my own Cold Air Induction. It shouldn't be to hard to fabricate something for the MAF system.



It doesn't really look this crappy anymore. I have done much to "clean" it up. It looks way better now. This was after I first did it, I just wanted to get it running.

------------------
If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen

GM Master Tech
ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Whatever chip I feel like burning,
JET AFPR, Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass, Custom Cold Air,
SSM SFC, KYB Shocks, Boxed LCAs, Wonder Bar,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
-->14.97 @ 94.9 MPH<--

'97 Bonneville SSE