Alright, I've decided I'm going to put on a TPI set-up since gas is going though the roof and I have a feeling I'm gonna need a little guidence.

First off can I take say an '86 full intake set-up and put a speed density ECM and wiring harness on it? Or how would the harness work.
Also are there any good aftermarket harnesses out there? I can find a TPI pretty easily but most don't come with wiring.

Would my performance go down with one? It's pretty much a stocker but I'm gonna port/polish the heads at the same time I throw on the intake.

Also I don't need an egr or anything smog-legal. Can I just bypass it or would I be better off to run it.

Anything else you can think of...I'm all ears. I figure if I can get by for $1000 or under it'll pay for itself in 12,500 miles so it's gonna be worth it for sure.

 

The intake itself has nothing to do with what wires are attached to it, so yea you can run SD on it.

Cheap would be Painless. Its not a walk in the park to install, but on your application since you are going to have to install the computer wherever you can find space and hook up the wires to all sorts of places, its probably cost-wise the best choice if you want a new harness.

I hear rumors (from a knowledgeable person on this site) that with some chip tuning (not off the shelf garbage) you can get better mileage through EGR use. I dont particularily care for them myself, and you can run without it but the SD is probably going to set a code unless you reprogram the chip.


You should gain performance with one, but there are no guarantees in life... which leads to my question... Why are you doing this swap? Contrary to popular opinion a carb can be tuned to get pretty good mileage. What sorta increase are you expecting and what are you getting now? An overdrive tranny if you dont already have one is probably a better idea.

 

You should scope out some of the past posts on the DIY PROM board for MAF to SD conversions. There is a link (I don't have it handy) to Mike Davis' website somewhere in the recent posts that basically explains how to do it. The conversion to SD is definitely do-able.

As for the EGR, if you have a functioning EGR - retain it and invoke Highway Mode for better gas mileage. If you don't have it, you can still invoke Highway Mode, but your part throttle spark tables will need to be lowered. The EGR allows you to run more spark advance because part of the cylinder is filled with inert gas and you end up with a less volatile mixture. Also, the dilution of the inert gas effectively makes your engine become a smaller engine.

 

Why convert to a TPI?...With what you are running, go with an aftermarket FI setup (like the edelbrock).... they will be much easier to deal with, and installation wise, take much less time.

 

I got a pretty new th350 tranny and an overdrive is just too expensive even through a junkyard.

I have a lead foot and I'm only getting 10-13mpg. Plus the ooh ahh factor of having EFI on a 1st gen. Eventually I want overdrive but $2500 is alittle too much at the moment. An aftermarket edelbrock system is a little too pricey. I'd go with an overdrive before I went that route. I need something for about a grand total or I'll just have to wait.

I did see the thread on a holley intake with an 'elbow' that said it could be done for about $1000. I wouldn't mind going that route at all, but it seemed like it had some fabrication to do and with this being my first EFI set-up I don't wanna run into problems. Plus I'd need all the sensors wiring everything and that might put me quite a bit over. Also I don't wanna put on an EFI set-up to lose power and be unhappy with it so I'll take any and all suggestions.

[This message has been edited by RatMtrs (edited May 21, 2001).]

 

call painless they will make you a harness the exact length you need to tuck the ecm away in the glove box cool factor will triple dont listen to those guys about carbs injection is the way and in about 10 years you will see everyone running turbochargers just as cent.superchargers are populaar now and if you are gonna juice it or blow it efi will help you out later on.got tpi parts if you are interested

 

also get in touch with gear vendors for an overdrive unit(when you are ready)it will bolt to the output shaft of th350 and you can lock it up in any gear that means 6 gears out of your 3 speed auto.

 

Pete
I've heard of that overdrive. Know how much they run? Or where I can find em.

I agree injection is where it's at. I wanna run turbos as soon as I can afford it (a few years probly) so like said it'll help out with it. Got an old throttle body Or some injectors you wanna sell cheap? Email me with what you got. I think I might go with the holley manifold but I'm gonna need everything so.