Carb Q's
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Macungie PA
Carb Q's
What is the advantage/disadvantage going to a carb/intake over the TPI ? I have a 90 that has the GM Crate 330hp engine with the 113 heads on it(I don't know if they are ported?). I noticed it cost ALOT of money to make the TPI intake flow better, and it still seems people are not happy with the results anyway. If I ran a carb setup would it fit under the stock hood? Is there a way to hook up my kick down cable and throttle cable?
Thank You,
Eric
Thank You,
Eric
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 3
From: MD
Well, hopefully this thread will remain fairly civilized.
To answer your questions, yes and yes. There are a large number of intake manifolds that will fit under the stock hood. I've got a Weiand Stealth. Many members are running an Edelbrock Performer and one guy even fit a Victor Jr. under the stock hood. Summit sells an inexpensive 1 1/4" drop-base air cleaner and with that and a 2" filter element you'll be fine. There is a plate also available at summit for hooking up the throttle cable that works very well. I have a manual trans and didn't have to go through the TV cable part but some on here have a carb with the kickdown cable installed and it wasn't too hard.
If you can live with the idea of a carb on your vette I'd say go for it. You'll never see the intended horsepower from your 330 horse crate motor without some serious money spent on the TPI. Just remember that you will need a vacuum advance distributor, an intake manifold/carb combo, the air cleaner etc. If you live in an area that's really tough on emissions testing they may fail you if they open the hood and see a carb. With an EGR equipped manifold you could probably pass the sniff test, but you can't make a carb look like TPI. I think that's why many members, especially the california ones, stay with TPI.
To answer your questions, yes and yes. There are a large number of intake manifolds that will fit under the stock hood. I've got a Weiand Stealth. Many members are running an Edelbrock Performer and one guy even fit a Victor Jr. under the stock hood. Summit sells an inexpensive 1 1/4" drop-base air cleaner and with that and a 2" filter element you'll be fine. There is a plate also available at summit for hooking up the throttle cable that works very well. I have a manual trans and didn't have to go through the TV cable part but some on here have a carb with the kickdown cable installed and it wasn't too hard.
If you can live with the idea of a carb on your vette I'd say go for it. You'll never see the intended horsepower from your 330 horse crate motor without some serious money spent on the TPI. Just remember that you will need a vacuum advance distributor, an intake manifold/carb combo, the air cleaner etc. If you live in an area that's really tough on emissions testing they may fail you if they open the hood and see a carb. With an EGR equipped manifold you could probably pass the sniff test, but you can't make a carb look like TPI. I think that's why many members, especially the california ones, stay with TPI.
Last edited by JLeatherman; Mar 25, 2007 at 08:31 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 112
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From: Macungie PA
Thank you, I inspect my own car 
and I usualy go under 5K miles a year and get the exemption sticker. What distributer do you recomend ? What do you think would be the best intake to use that will fit ? I might go with better heads/cam later and want to buy the right intake. What size carb do you think?
Thanks,
Eric
and I usualy go under 5K miles a year and get the exemption sticker. What distributer do you recomend ? What do you think would be the best intake to use that will fit ? I might go with better heads/cam later and want to buy the right intake. What size carb do you think?Thanks,
Eric
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Lawrence- Rock Chalk, Jayhawk. KS
Also don't forget that you will need to regulate your fuel preasure if using your stock fuel pump. Perferably using a regulator with a return. Jleatherman, what did you do regaurding fuel pump/regulator and how do you like the stealth manifold?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 3
From: MD
I'm using a Mallory 4307 regulator. It's adjustable from 4-25 psi. You may need to change to a TBI fuel pump from an 84 vette if the return line can't carry enough fuel (some have had this problem and some haven't).
As for the manifold, unfortunately my engine has seen only break-in time because of some transmission issues I'm sorting out now. I believe someone else here is using it and I received a lot of positive feedback before I selected it.
For the distributor I'm just using an MSD vacuum advance, coil-in-cap distributor. You can pick them up from any of the major suppliers for under a hundred dollars usually. I caught mine on sale for like 80.
As for the manifold, unfortunately my engine has seen only break-in time because of some transmission issues I'm sorting out now. I believe someone else here is using it and I received a lot of positive feedback before I selected it.
For the distributor I'm just using an MSD vacuum advance, coil-in-cap distributor. You can pick them up from any of the major suppliers for under a hundred dollars usually. I caught mine on sale for like 80.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 174
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From: Bettendor Iowa
I am using an Edelbrock RPM Performer Intake manifold with a Holley 750 cfm double pumper (no choke and milled choke horn). I use the inch and a half drop base air filter base from Moroso with a 2 and a half inch K and N filter. Since the engine would like more air flow, I use the K and N "filter" air cleaner lid.
Throttle linkage and TV cable are easy...Holley makes brackets. Do a search and you will find several threads which provide actual part numbers for all of this stuff.
I use a MDS billet mechanical advance distributor with a MSD Blaster 2 coil and a MSD 6AL ignition box. The spark is distributed via Moroso Blue Max plug wires.
I'd be glad to do my part to help anyone looking to do this type of conversion.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 3
From: MD
Jasenwins,
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 174
Likes: 1
From: Bettendor Iowa
Jasenwins,
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
I removed the old pump from the tank and pieced in an aluminum tube in its place to reach the bottom of the tank and draw fuel. The new pump is mounted outside of the tank and about level with the bottom of the tank. To wire the pump, you can use the stock original wires from the old pump...convenient keyed 12v source and a ground....very simple install...took me about 2 hours to remove old pump, make modifications, and mount, wire, and plumb new pump. I have mine set at 7 psi with the included regulator. Works like a dream...
Let me know if you have other questions.
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Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 85
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From: Lawrence- Rock Chalk, Jayhawk. KS
Jasenwins,
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
What is the part number for that Holley pump and where'd you get it? I've been looking at switching to a pump like that because my return line was crimped by a jackstand and has a repaired spot that gives me constant worry. Did you leave the old pump in the tank and draw through it, or did you replace it with some kind of tube to reach the bottom of the tank? Also, how did you wire it in? PM me or post here. Thanks
thanks, chad.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 3
From: MD
Well, the 113 heads are what GM runs on many of the mid HP crate engines. I'd say depending on the carb and intake you should definitely see close to the advertised numbers when properly tuned. Maybe 300-310 at the crank. What the carb allows you to do is up the cam a bit and port the heads and see more than the engine originally put out. The cam is the major potential once the carb is installed.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 1
From: Tomahawk WI
Holley makes a throttle cable brcaket that has a bracket for the kickdown cable as well. Several companies make lockup kits. The one i have in my car is fully adjustable via a dial inside the car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 112
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From: Macungie PA
I am going to Island Dragway on Friday to get an idea what the car runs. I can't wait to try my M/T Drag Radials. I pulled the valve cover off today to change the leaking gasket and found out I have a set of Comp Cams 1.52 roller tip rockers. Are they anything desent? I got a shift kit from Transgo and some valves that have to get installed before Friday also.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 112
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From: Macungie PA
I just bought a Weind Stealth intake, MSD HEI Dist, 750 Holley Carb. Now I just have to decide what fuel pump to use, my Crate engine should have the hole for a mechanicle pump but i'm not sure if the is enough room in the car for one. Has anyone tried a mech. pump before? Jegs sell's a 11" drop base air cleaner, should I use that one or is there room for a 14" one? I am thinking of getting NOS latter and didn't know if there would be room for a plate system? How much do you think my stock TPI full setup is worth(intake,T-body,Injectors,Dist,air cleaner,...) ?
Thanks,
Eric
Thanks,
Eric
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 1
From: Tomahawk WI
I just bought a Weind Stealth intake, MSD HEI Dist, 750 Holley Carb. Now I just have to decide what fuel pump to use, my Crate engine should have the hole for a mechanicle pump but i'm not sure if the is enough room in the car for one. Has anyone tried a mech. pump before? Jegs sell's a 11" drop base air cleaner, should I use that one or is there room for a 14" one? I am thinking of getting NOS latter and didn't know if there would be room for a plate system? How much do you think my stock TPI full setup is worth(intake,T-body,Injectors,Dist,air cleaner,...) ?
Thanks,
Eric
Thanks,
Eric
Depending on what distributor you bought, you may have to notch the hood(edit: the underside only) to make room for it. I did mine, can show you a pic if you like.
I have a NOS plate on mine but added a hood scoop. I'm curious to see if it will fit on yours... post pics of your progress please!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 3
From: MD
The Weiand Stealth is an excellent choice for manifolds. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the low-end power and how high it maintains it. I believe my air-cleaner is a 14 inch, but since my car's an 84 I've got more room width-wise for the cleaner. The 11 inch should be ok, but I'd try and get a vented lid for it as well (K&N X-Stream or similar). I am looking into getting a mechanical pump for mine as well because of the crushed return line. It looks like there is plenty of room, but I'm not sure cause my engine is out at the moment. Lemme know if you try it.
