having to much trouble with my tpi, i want to convert to carb until i buy everything that i need to fix my tpi, cannot pass emissions w/tpi and i am short on money, but i do have a carb and an intake. Can anyone tell me what i should do about all my electronics? Will the car run good?

 

it will run like ****, dont be such a cheap *** ! just wait until u get ur TPI running good, dont just "throw on a carb"

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1989 pontiac firebird
bright red exterior(just repainted)
grey interior
5 spd
305 TBI (stock)
WS.6 formula wheels
3.73 posi rear end
http://members.aol.com/j007golden/Mikey89.html
http://www.geocities.com/firebird/myfirebird.html
-------------------------
1985 trans am
factory bright yellow
4 wheel disks
16 inch wheels
305 TPI
power antenna and mirrors
t tops

 

dude, a carb will destroy your gas mileage, and prolly rob a few horsepower. keep the TPI, you'll be glad you did when you get it running right.
hey ONEFINE8T9, you're from OP? i'm in West Seneca, what up neighbor!

 

Rather than a doomsday speech...

I hear ya... but its gonna take more than a carb and intake to do it. You will need a distributor, a fuel pressure regulator capable of dropping high FI pressure down to carb levels, some assorted messing with the throttle cable and TV cable for the trans if you are still auto, some gaskets, upper radiator hose, thermostat housing, maybe some heater hose maybe not, and preferably a switch to keep your torque converter lockup working. I think the speedo will still work if you leave the ecm and that part of the wiring intact.

I doubt you will lose mileage if yours is running anything like mine, and chances are if its like mine it will make more power too. I would have a carb on my car right now except the POS edelcrock manifold I got wasnt manufactured correctly and therefore didnt fit. The TPI is still on there, for now, but gets terrible mileage. I know I could improve on that easy with a carb.

 

yo im in west seneca too im just on the OP/ w seneca border.!!!!! i live off east and west RD. I am driving my bright yellow trans am. Its an 85 if u see it its me! we shoulod meet up, i know a few other thirdgenners around the area i could introduce you too.

BTW what color/year is your car? are u driving it?

------------------
1989 pontiac firebird
bright red exterior(just repainted)
grey interior
5 spd
305 TBI (stock)
WS.6 formula wheels
3.73 posi rear end
http://members.aol.com/j007golden/Mikey89.html
http://www.geocities.com/firebird/myfirebird.html
-------------------------
1985 trans am
factory bright yellow
4 wheel disks
16 inch wheels
305 TPI
power antenna and mirrors
t tops

 

I wish I had money to try on a 750 Holley. I almost dished my TPI, but like I said, money kept me from doing it. The thing with FI is that is downright too damn expensive, not to mention hard to understand and tune.
Maybe when I win the lotto one day.
Until then, FI
Rick


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'88 GTA 350 (very rusty)
Check out my car:
www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/brabham/42/

 

As usual, I forgot the most important thing (mainly because mine is already controlled by something other than the ecm) is the cooling fan... you have to get an aftermarket switch for it.

 

Arg, carbs suck. Your gona run worse with with a carb then with Fuel injection, specially TPI. What is actually wrong with your engine??? Maybe we can provide some help.

 

Actually, you might run a whole lot better with the carb and for dirt cheap compared to TPI.

 

If you cant make your car pass emissions with a TPI why would a carb be better??

Daz

 

Worse depends on the situation. Nobody can find out what is wrong with my car (theres nothing wrong in other words) and yet it gets a whopping 10mpg city, no matter how I drive it. I know I can blow that away with a carb. Ive given up trying to 'fix' it, and the carb swap thanks to edelcrock never happened, so basically my TA just sits there most of the time and I drive something else.

 

Thanks, I am just going to wait until i have the money to put the 350 intake and runners on it. Much more trouble for a stupid carb.

 

I few things to check..

1: Fuel return line. If there's blockage, your fuel pressure will shoot through the roof and kill your mileage. You should probably check the pressure regulator while you're at it.

2: Injectors, you might have one or more stuck open.

3: O2 sensor. If it's not reading correctly, it could cause a rich condition. As a bonus, they're cheap! If you have a high mileage car, you might just want to replace it anyway.

If there's someone in your area with Diacom, they can take some data samples and see just what your ECM is doing.

Hope this helps

Chris

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408cid 1985 Corvette
http://www.mojosgarage.com

 

My carbed 305 86 T/A runs 6 tenths faster than a friend of mines modded 85 305 TPI T/A.
I just bought a TPI setup for my T/A so I can get better gas mileage since gas prices are going throught the roof.


High Speed Run: 157mph
Best 1/4 mile run: 14.94@91.67mph
WS6 Trans Am.

View My Ride @ thirdgen.org

 

Madmax, youre the guy that siamesed your base intake manifold right? If you decide to go to carb I'll buy your base. Come to think of it carbs are way better, snicker, snicker.

 

unless you are seventeen i would stay away from jailbait or you will be posting messages from the county

 

Thats me, but thats also 2 different cars. The TA is basically stock, the GP has the siamesed base on it now, is much faster than my TA, gets alot better mileage, and runs pretty good especially considering it needs tuning. I suspect that even though I checked the entire wiring harness with a meter, that something is wrong with it and it needs to be replaced. I dont plan on doing that anytime soon.

 

I went TBI to Carb, and don't look back much
Although if I started with TPI things may have turned out different. I know that sometimes they can be a real PITA to diagnose though.

------------------
-Joseph
ASE Master Automobile Technician
Scoggin-Dickey Chevrolet

1967 Camaro (Vortec Heads, GM Vortec Intake, ZZ4 roller camshaft) --- Planning T-56 Install in the near future
1992 Firebird (Weiler Vortec Heads, LT4 Hot Cam, GM Vortec Intake, 3000 Stall, 3.73's, Auburn Posi)