TBI TPI? Can I get a V8-> English translator?!

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Hey man, I didn't have time to read everything. However, I did get the general idea of your questions. I am/ have been in the same exact situation as you. Driving back to college after summer break my motor took a dump. It had 230K on it or so. I decided to go SBC. I asked a lot of the same questions you have been asking and came to the conclusion I just had to have the power. With that In mind I started cutting. Right now, I am in the middle of the project. I have been working on it for 3 months here and there when the girl friend gives me a free weekend. Luckily I have had my nighthawk to ride around when i need to go places. I would really sugest you not do it. There is a whole lot more to it than you think. I took my buddy and I 6 hours just to get the motor mounts all lined up before we tacked them in. I think If I were doing it over, I would have the whole motor rebuilt from the bottom up with performance parts and put a holley and header on it. Given, I may change my mind once this thing is done and I can lay down rubber for a 1/4 mile. I got my 350 for 400 bucks, everything included with it. The engine came out of a 87 chevy truck. Pre-computerized anything. i got my bell-housing off ebay and everything alse from AA. PM me if you have any real specific questions. I know its really easy to find info on FJ40 sbc swaps. On the other hand, its really hard to find info on FJ60 motor swaps. Let me know
 
zuluzeugma said:
The engine came out of a 87 chevy truck. Pre-computerized anything
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i thought 86 was the last year for the carb and in 87 they went with the tbi but still used the multiple belt setup for all the acc?!


and fwiw. we (3 guys) have done a complete tbi V8 swap in an fj60 over a 3 day weekend. they are not that much more difficult than a fj40 swap.
 
zuluzeugma said:
Given, I may change my mind once this thing is done and I can lay down rubber for a 1/4 mile.
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Reserve judgement until you are finished. The extra power really wakes up the truck. And then there's that exhaust note...
 
I have been the owner of a V8 FJ40 for 15 years, put a 350 in a Chevy Monza in high school, put a 383 in a Datsun 240Z. I just bought an FJ62 over the weekend that I am going to but an LT1 in. Buy a POS to drive every day and do the V8. The first time you pass all of your I6 cruiser buddy's on the highway uphill grades at half throttle it will be worth it. Spend a few more bucks and do the FI for sure. Wheeling is so much better when you can concentrate on driving, rather than keeping the engine running.

My 2 cents. Good luck with the swap.
 
As far as the engine goes, PULL IT YOURSELF!!!

I just put in a TBI 350 in my 40 .. (already had a carbed 350 in there)

Got the complete motor ( I pulled it) from a wrecked 86 blazer for $400..

motor ran great before i pulled it out..

Installed it in a weeked and i have been Fing with it every day since working out the BUGS.. Still have a Backfire issue..

Total cost was about $700 when it was all said and done, NOt inclucding any v8 adapter stuff..

Let me know if you got any Questions on PM ( i dont look at the 60 section much)
 
Can I save money on the adapters by keeping the chevy clutch/tranny/t-case for now and moding the drive shafts? or is that a big can of worms I should leave closed? Tryin to aviod that damn $1700 for the torque spiltter. I could even leave an auto tranny in for now until I can afford the ranger and then drop my toy tanny and t-case back in (maybe after rebuilding them).

Thanks again
Chris
 
You won't save any money by trying to install the whole GM drivetrain. It's not just driveshafts, but mounts, crossmembers, wiring, potentially new rear axle assmby (GMs all have centered rear diffs) - alot of fabbing and work without a set of instructions to follow.
 
2 bolts on the main caps or 4 bolts on the main caps being stronger ofcourse , but unless your pumping serious horsepower 2 bolts are fine .
 
My tree fitty came out of a 90 chebby truck. It has no smog pump. Luckily, I bought the rig off Ebay already converted. You guys must have been asleep; but I won't tell you how much I paid. Anyway, it seems like some vehicles are cursed from the start (like my "Restored" 40) and some are blessed. My 60 starts and runs every time. I drive it everywhere. It has great power despite the 160k on the SBC. Funny, I don't give a damn about this rig compared to the blood sweat and tears I have put into the 40, but it never lets me down. Doughboy, I think you will like the Ranger; like I said the drawback is gear whine, which is noticable with the OD engaged; but if you run those big tires you prolly will barely hear it. These rigs are not quiet anyway.
 
Hey Charger said:
2 bolts on the main caps or 4 bolts on the main caps being stronger ofcourse , but unless your pumping serious horsepower 2 bolts are fine .
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"Main crankshaft bearing caps" if Hey Charger's response wasn't specific enough.

GM chose to use 4-bolt main blocks on all the truck applications so the issue may be load as well as horsepower - dunno for sure cause I'm not an engineer.
 
Gear whine? Between the swampers, the 350, and the Skynyrd I doubt I'll notice :cool:

Thanks again Greg. I'll try to go with a truck motor, make the bed a trailer as well to help rationalize this spending. $1000 for the V8 swap $1000 for the torque splitter and $1000 for a trailer... yeah that's it... that sounds better

I'm workin on sourcing my donor truck right now, if I can get that part of it figured out I'll try to do the swap in early March and have all the bugs worked out by GSMTR!!

Chris
 
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