TBI'S??

[1Gary]

Which TBI's are mass air flow and not map??.Years or cars they came on or engines which had them??.

[Mr_Roboto]

They never made a MAF/TBI setup. Only the TPIs, LT and LS series engines had MAF. You could in theory use one on a TBI if you have a carb bonnet that was well sealed. The MAP is better for heavily modified engines in general as the MAFs will usually run out of capacity (unless you go to an LT/LS series MAF) and it will be strictly guessing on the fuel using a table at WOT. You may be able to retrofit using EBL or the likes, but I'd just get a chip or two cut for the Speed Density setup. If I was going to use a MAF I'd go port injection and use something like an L31 Vortec ECU along with a port injection intake. That also gives the advantage of being able to use a 4L60E/4L80E if you desired to.

[1Gary]

Thanks for the info.Seems the stuff I bought into in the donor van and saved isn't going to work out as I have hoped.I will call Brian at TBI chips for his input too.Which yrs should I be shopping for in a TPI??.The tranny I have set aside is a 1991 truck V8 700R4.Totally TV cable with the only wire lead being the lock-up.I am guessing,but I would think I would have to convert to some sort of VSS to run a TPI for the fuel curve.

[Mr_Roboto]

Depends on what you're looking for. I would NOT change induction types because you can't have a MAF. It is false value to assume that something with a MAF is going to tolerate the radical changes you are making, you will ultimately have to tune anyways. Up to about 400HP I'd rather do the TBI in a lot of ways than the TPI, the intake used for a TPI can be significantly more crippling that a TBI's TB especially when you have an aftermarket intake paired up with it and basic mods to the TBI unit its self; they are given a lot less credit than they should for an induction method my biggest problem with them is that for boost the fuel is limited but it shouldn't matter for your build.

Something else I will say if you wanted to breech the 500 ft-lb mark the TPI may actually be what you're looking for. Depending on what you're doing it would likely also get slightly better mpg due to the tuning and being port injection. There is a very good chance you're also looking at peaking your HP at about 4000-4300 RPM with a 383, these things peak at about 4500-4800 with a 350. Which one year want depends on your heads, post 87 with iron heads (Camaro/Firebird) uses the post 87 pattern which is the same as the TBI heads, Corvette (Aluminum) and 85-86 heads for the Camaro/Firebird use the standard bolt pattern up to that era. Regardless there were some harsh lessons I learned when mixing parts, if at all plausible DO NOT mix parts as it makes things a pain in the neck get the setup in one shot and with the accessory brackets too. There are a few years of these brackets as well that can place accessories in different positions.

[1Gary]

Well I went to Thirdgen.com.I am working on my learning curve now.I did lose most of my ref info from years of planing on this build when my other windows XP went down and got lost by the computer repair place I took it to.Just as well anyhow because what I am working on learning now I feel is more than the ref's I lost.

I did talk to
www.Proracing.com

If it does everything they say it does,it is truly a plug and play with the ability to handle any cam combo.They told me they would sell components of their system until I had bought the whole thing as a build-up.But the end price would be about $1,000 more.The other way they somewhat makes it affordable is they work out a deal for payments on a account and when you have it paid off,they send you the system.That would be the selling price when you opened the account.It's interesting they told me they have been in business for 10 yrs.The other thing is they said the replacement parts short of programs are a off the shelf items at the local parts stores.

[Mr_Roboto]

http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/mega ... -p-59.html
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/mega ... p-187.html

Combine these with a loose GM ECU to get some parts from, a TBI harness from the JY, a Wide Band O2 setup and you have an ECU setup for under $500 if you can solder self for the whole mess. This would let you use an OEM TBI/TBI harness too. It's what I've got on my van as of now (I cut the TBI injector connectors off and soldered on port injector connectors, but otherwise it's stock.) There is a pretty serious learning curve however.

ED:Otherwise another thing you could do is:

http://www.moates.net/apu1-autoprom-pac ... l?cPath=64

The other thing is you can try to find someone who tunes stock ECUs in your area. If you don't plan on changes this could be a very good way to go honestly. Start asking around I'm sure someone around there tunes stock boxes.

ED ED:

You can download both the tuning software for Megasquirt and for the Autoprom if you want to play with them. Tuner Pro (not the RT version which you will need ultimately) is free.

[1Gary]

I think I am pretty good at research and figuring out if claims like the Pro-Racing system works or not or how well it works.I found what they are using is a old Ford system.Here is a quote that I believe is the truth about what they are selling:

However, what the MassFlo system is: it's a Ford A9L EEC-IV comptuer that came out of a early 1990s mustang GT. It's using a GM Mass Airflow sensor with a "MAF Translator" because the GM MAF can read a wider range of airflow. Finally, the tune is "modified" using Tweecer software which is basically free. You can duplicate this combo yourself for a fraction of the money. Basically, it's a Ford EFI system that can self tune (within reason).

They run OK. They don't let you do the kind of tuning you might want to be able to do in the future, but for a "nearly plug and play solution" it'll work, if you can follow basic wiring instructions. It's NOT a performance EFI system, but it is based on a computer that's far faster and more powerful than any standalone computer you can buy. You just cannot do much with the tune, it won't be perfect but it'll be "ballpark."


I have also see where their system with Junk Yard parts can be copied for about $500.00 bucks.Still the early on in my research and I will post more as I find it.

[Mr_Roboto]

I'd rather throw in an LS1 box honestly for the $; You are using GM parts only, it's MAF based and it's not that hard to do. Not to mention you get 4L60E control if you want it. You need a few bits among them the reluctor for a Vortec 350/305, the front timing cover and the distributor/coil. This box is the same as the later Vortec 305/350s as well. I believe the rest of the stuff should work. You could probably even grab a stock harness from a later van and mod it out for this as this was an OEM box in an Astro; Just flash it to a manual transmission if you don't want to use the 4L60E part. It lets you upgrade to a 4L80E if you want to later as well which is nice. If I go to an electronic transmission it will probably be with this ECU.