TBI Swap

Kurtis · 07-17-09, 08:01 AM

What did you Use for your throttle linkage?

lehiguy · 07-17-09, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurtis

Little update got my drive shaft back and my power steering hose made. I also fabbed up some exhaust tonight. I'll pick up a cat and a muffler tomorrow i'm tempted to run true dual exhaust but will probably settle for a flow master with two outlets as it really won't do much for me on this settup other than be cool to say I have. My rear transmission mount was sheared so The new one will arrive tomorrow as well as clean injectors ready to be picked up. As soon as the mount arrives i'll fab up a cross member and I'm a throttle linkage away from the first test drive. I'll post up some picks when I back it out of my messy garage. This was quite a project and a good learning expierence but has been fun at the same time.

LehiGuy what did you use for your throttle linkage?

Elbert is the vortec similar to a tbi?

I used a Lokar throttle cable assembly and I made an upward loop out of it, much like the stock TBI setup you would find in a stock Chevy pickup. I welded the bracket that used to be my throttle lock to the peddle assembly and used that to pull the cable. I drilled a hole in the firewall in the appropriate location and used the adjuster from the Lokar kit in that hole. It has been working well for the last 105K miles.

Kurtis · 07-17-09, 11:35 AM

Do you have part number by any chance?

lehiguy · 07-17-09, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurtis

Do you have part number by any chance?

Try this. Lokar TC-1000HT36 - Lokar Throttle Cables – SummitRacing.com That looks to be the one I used. You will need a bracket to attach it near the back of the throttle body, you can probably use the one from your donor vehicle.

Elbert · 07-17-09, 06:16 PM

I used a lokar cable too. I wonder why you could not use a regular GM throttle cable out of something like pickup or youkon?

Kurtis · 07-17-09, 10:09 PM

I ended up just using the lokar cable worked pretty well. At this point I just have the exhaust coming off the headers up to where it will y into the cat and it sure is a different sound with a v8 I fabbed up a crossmember and picked up all the parts I had out. I got close to a test drive tonight but forgot i haven't hooked up the transmission cooler so I'll hook that up and bolt up the crossmember tommorrow and see what happens.

Kurtis · 07-21-09, 11:46 PM

Little update. It runs i'm an idiot and had the fuel lines hooked up backwards this whole time. I took apart the TBI and for the life of me couldn't figure out how a regulator at the inlet would maintain fuel presssure, and then finally I got it.. it wasn't the inlet. Swtiched the lines around and its running great. I'll update with pictures tommorrow and a list of all the stuff I bought for the swap if anyone else is thinking about a swap. I took it for a drive and it sounds mean, I only have 2 straight pipes coming off the manifolds right now and I hafl wish It could stay that way but I'll finish up the exhaust tomorrrow. It didn't shift out of 1st gear but then I remembered I hadn't installed the vss and the 4l60e uses that to shift. I didn't get out of first gear but the difference is incredible annd this is'nt a monster of an engine by any means. That 315 lbs of torque feels nice.

Elbert · 07-22-09, 06:02 AM

sometimes the simple things bite you in the @$$..

Kurtis · 09-18-09, 06:43 PM

The swap is pretty much done I drive it every day now about 50 miles to work and school. I put some new 35 Inch KM2s on it and love it. I ordered the ruff stuff kit to spring it over and it just got here so I'll do that in the next week or two but heres some pictures. It passed Emissions no problem. The only thing left is hooking up the heater core and a/c. I made mistake when I had the a/c lines made I forget chevy's ports are in line not on the compressor but other than that its great.

Kurtis · 09-18-09, 06:49 PM

Hers a few more The computer I ran under the front seat.

Kurtis · 09-20-09, 10:26 AM

Heres a List of what it took to do this motor and trans aside if anyone else is ever intersted in a swap. I paid $325 for a complete tbi and ecm no harness and 107k miles. The tranny is a built 4l60e.

1. Adaptor from advanced adaptors with built in vss and motor mounts about $900.

2. Wiring harness from FuelInjectionConnection.com $325 shipped. Overall I was very happy with the harness. There were 2 wires going in to a wrong location I had to track down but other than that it was great. one was a wire into the ecm to tell the computer how fast it was going, it was in a wrong slot and told the ecm I was going double the speed. The other was the heated o2 sensor wire was plugged in the wrong slot in the fuse bank making it run all the time and killing the battery. After solving these it worked great long enough to go under the front seat and reach all the sensors very happy made the project alot easier and I have the comfort of knowing all the wiring is new.

3. Fuel Pump filters and fittings. $225 from aztpi.com. They actually are local here but ship all over the place. Its a Walbro GSL395. Works great its inline and pretty easy to hook up.

4. Exhaust. $220 I made my own, I was quoted $475 for single. 2 2 1/4 from the manifolds to a 3 inch y to a 3 inch cat 3 inch out into a 3 inch inlet on a dual out flowmaster knockoff muffler. Then its dual 2 1/2s out behind the each rear tire in between the leaf and frame. Works good sounds awesome.

5. B&M Sport Shifter $180 fits nice looks cool and works great with the 4l60e.

6. A/C and Power steering lines. $120 made locally at a hose shop.

7. High pressure fuel line and other fuel line about $100-120.

8. Radiator hoses $85

9. Nuts bolts self tapping screws $100.

10. Crossmember, I made it $ 50.

11. Tank of welding gas $ 28

12. The engine was in pretty good shape but I resealed the intake rear main and fuel injector pod $60 .

13. I replaced all the sensors while is was at it $150.

14. I also had the injectors rebuilt and balanced $60.

15. Temp gauge $30

16. Wire $50

17. This is pretty optional but I had the alternator rebuilt as a 1 wire alternator for simplicity. that was $70

Thats $2773 Plus motor and trans. Altogether I spent $3500. Its a very simple motor and simple fuel injection setup comparativly which is one of the reasons I picked it. With my driving habbits in town I get 13.7-15 and highway 75-80mph 16-17. With the 2f I got about 10-11 all around. This is with 35s.

Its drives great starts everytime, does 75-80 up the mountains here. I defiantly could use some lower gears though as I'm stock gears with 35 inch tires. I'll probably just go with some 4.11s out of a 62 when the brakes need done or knuckles need rebuilt next time.

emes · 10-02-09, 08:35 PM

Just found your thread, and thanks a million. I'll buy you a beer if your ever make it to SC. I had three questions and your thread answered them all. I am completing the install of a 91 350 TBI in my very nice 89 FJ62 that is getting an extreme makeover. It will be stock for the most part but will have plenty of interstate power. Thanks again.

Kurtis · 10-03-09, 01:18 AM

Glad it helped, you'll enjoy it when your done.Its like driving a differeant vehicle with the v8. What transmission did you end up going with? Sounds like you have a pretty good setup going you'll have to post up some pictures of the project sometime.

emes · 10-19-09, 08:14 PM

I kept the Toy transmission, after much debate. I have the donor trans and transfer case, just in case. I will post some pics and info once we are through. The motor and trans came out of a EMS 1991 Suburban with only 20,000 miles. I chromed it out and it looks great - we"ll see how it runs.