Hey there everyone!

Okay, I have been working on this project for a while, long story short I want TPI in my 1965 chevy.

Details about the truck: 700r4 Trans with stock converter out of a 91 Camaro, 4.11 Rear End, flowmaster exhaust. Currently it has a 305 Carb motor in it that produces next to no power and is slow.

So, I have over the years bought 2 TPI Motors, I have a 305 SD Based from a 91 Camaro, and a 350 with MAF from a firebird(unknown year).

What I am thinking: Move the entire manifold from the 305 to the 350, to get the SD setup on the bigger motor)obviously keeping the 350 injectors with the 350 motor. The 91 already has EGR deleted and no 9th injector, so it seems to be better off. Either way I am going to have the top end of the motor rebuilt before it goes in since both motors have been sitting in my garage for over 2 years.

So, after the motor is put together and in the truck, I have a wiring harness already, and have a rom burner already, have socketed the rom and purchased the electronically erasable rom. I plan to flash this PCM with ALJU bin with VATS gone, EGR gone, and Cannister Purge Gone. Anything missing that would prevent startup? Obviously fine-tuning will be required, but I want to make sure the thing starts first.

I am going to use the stock exhaust manifolds that came with the motor, since one side is pre-plumbed for the O2 Sensor, and I will modify my existing exhaust system to match the manifolds.

After the wiring and motor, next comes fuel. This is where I have had most of the issues. I have the stock tank behind the seat, it has only a feed line, no return. The solution I have come up with is that I can run rubber fuel line to a Ford E2000 Fuel Pump, and then plumb that to a 99 Corvetter Fuel filter which will deal with the return line as well. Is this a good configuration? Will it cause problems to do this?

Since my speedometer is cable driven and the ECM wants a VSS signal, I found JagsThatRun's passthrough VSS, I plan on using that.

What am I missing? I have multiple usb TTL cards so I will have a usb datalogger which will help in case there are issues.

Thanks in advance!

Obligatory Truck Pics attached

 

Looks like a beautiful ride good luck.

 

I have done several TPI swaps into older vehicles. I'm not sure what you are trying to do with the fuel filter, can you make a drawing or something?

 

On old trucks without a return line to the tank, I usually feed the return from the TPI fuel rail into a tee fitting on the fuel tank filler vent line.

 

I had not considered running the return into the vent line. I actually was mis-informed on the purpose of the return line on the corvette filter(I read online that someone was using it in lieu of a gas tank return line, running the motor return line into the filter). Since I have realized that wont work, here is my new thought: Is there any reason why I cant tee the fuel line right before it goes into the pump and have the return line go into that tee? Something like I have drawn and attached. Is there a drawback to that?

 

That's funny, I actually did the exact same thing on my 51 truck as in your drawing! I thought I was the only one who had thought of that one. Well, I built that setup, and it DID work, but there is a problem. You are running hot fuel from the engine directly back into the inlet of the fuel pump. No big deal when idling or for short trips, but when I took my truck out for a higher speed run on the interstate in the summer, the fuel pump was screaming when I stopped! It never stopped running or anything, but the noise scared me. I think if had run it that way long enough, the pump would have failed.


So, I took all that stuff off, and connected the pump straight to the gas tank (through a filter). Then I moved my return line to a tee I installed in the vent hose just below the gas cap. There is not a huge volume of fuel returning from the engine, so it just runs down the vent pipe back into the tank. And the fuel pump is quiet no matter how long I drive.

 

My tank does not have a vent hose('65 had a vented fuel cap), so I guess I will be drilling and tapping my Fuel Sender to get a return line(which I was hoping to avoid).

 

I looked at some pictures of 65 tanks, and they do not seem to have the filler vent pipe under the cap. The 60-66 trucks are the only ones I am not very familiar with. LMC does list a tank for your truck that says it has a fitting for fuel injection returns built in. That would be a good way to go, but it's 150 bucks plus shipping.

I have considered how I would drill into a tank and attach a fitting, but never came up with a good plan. If there is enough empty space on your sending unit, that is a good idea. If it doesn't work, you can replace that fairly easily.

Your cap should be vented in any case to allow air in as you use fuel. The filler vent pipe is to let air out as you fill the tank. Not sure how they designed it to work without one.

 

Maybe look at at Tanks Inc. They may have an EFI fuel tank for your truck. Their setups are great (I have one in my '71 Camaro), and very inexpensive.

One thing to consider is fuel sloshing around at low fuel levels... it'll uncover the pickup line and you'll lose fuel pressure causing starving/stalling. The EFI tanks have baffles in them to prevent that from occuring. I've hand my Tanks EFI tank down to ~2 gallons without any issues like that.

 

Update: Got the truck running with the 350 TPI last night. Running like crap(something about forgetting to time it after stabbing the distributor, as well as realizing we have a large vacuum leak still...) but it started on the first try, which I did not think was possible. Need to actually beautify the wiring now and punch a hole for the wiring harness(started it with the ecm lying on the ground, not in the truck at all.

Fuel wise we went with a surge tank being fed by the old carb fuel pump, and a airtex e8248 for high pressure.


Photos included of the install, will include finished photos when I actually finish it next weekend....

 

Cool truck!

 

Very Cool! We just put a TPI into my 56 Chevy. Sounds like you have your build headed in the right direction. We had some problems with a vacuum leak at the bottom rear right side runner when when we first tried to start our motor. We went with a tank from Tanks inc. they make a very nice fuel injection tank that's not too expensive. Keep us updated on your build.

 

An update: Swap is done, motor runs STRONG. It pulls HARD and does a sweet burnout . I am running the S_AUJP_V5 tune. A dyno tune and Drag Race day is in my near future