1984 tpi
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
1984 tpi
Hey everyone it's me, Phil again. The weather is starting to warm up in Northern Illinois so i'm trying to get some work done on the vette.
I've changed my mind 100 times on what i'm going to do, but after no luck finding a trade partner for my tpi engine i've decided to just throw it in the car and slowly get everything i need to make it work.
The parts i know i am going to need so far are a fuel pump, fuel filter, burn off module and throttle cable, a couple power steering hoses, somewhere to mount the power steering resovoir.
So far i have had a problem with disconnecting the wiring connection on the driver side of the car right behind the battery that connects to the firewall, anyone know how that disconnects? And can anyone give me a list of other parts i will have to change to make this work? The tpi engine is from an 85 and came with all wiring, the trans and ecm.
Thanks again, cant wait to get this thing on the road.
I've changed my mind 100 times on what i'm going to do, but after no luck finding a trade partner for my tpi engine i've decided to just throw it in the car and slowly get everything i need to make it work.
The parts i know i am going to need so far are a fuel pump, fuel filter, burn off module and throttle cable, a couple power steering hoses, somewhere to mount the power steering resovoir.
So far i have had a problem with disconnecting the wiring connection on the driver side of the car right behind the battery that connects to the firewall, anyone know how that disconnects? And can anyone give me a list of other parts i will have to change to make this work? The tpi engine is from an 85 and came with all wiring, the trans and ecm.
Thanks again, cant wait to get this thing on the road.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
The wiring harness and "thinking" of how to do it is gonna waste all your time.
Your better option and the "easy" thing to do, is getting the EBL/Flash Ecm from dynamicefi for about $500 with HAM and multiport upgrade. Plug and play into the existing harness. This eliminates the need for harness change and allows you to run a speed denisity set up.
Drop your engine in and you can use any intake set up you want. miniram,super ram, HSR,etc.
I did this about 2 years ago and run a HSR on my 84
Your better option and the "easy" thing to do, is getting the EBL/Flash Ecm from dynamicefi for about $500 with HAM and multiport upgrade. Plug and play into the existing harness. This eliminates the need for harness change and allows you to run a speed denisity set up.
Drop your engine in and you can use any intake set up you want. miniram,super ram, HSR,etc.
I did this about 2 years ago and run a HSR on my 84
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
thanks for the reply
But, i am stuck with making this work with what i have, i cant afford to spend a ton of money on this project so anyone with expierience putting a tpi engine in an 84 please give me a list of parts and any pointers to help me make it work
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
No problem, but you are making more work for yourself and will spend more money in the end vs the ecm
Only a few guys have done this and that was years ago, you'll have to dig thru the archives and see what you can find. If your TPI is speed density it will be a bit easier since you don't have to find locations for the MAF stuff. Keep in mind to.... that the hood is different since there is duct work in it, and fitment of the MAF, air cleaner is gonna be tough.
Good luck with your project
Only a few guys have done this and that was years ago, you'll have to dig thru the archives and see what you can find. If your TPI is speed density it will be a bit easier since you don't have to find locations for the MAF stuff. Keep in mind to.... that the hood is different since there is duct work in it, and fitment of the MAF, air cleaner is gonna be tough.
Good luck with your project
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
thanks
Trust me, i would like to make this as easy as possible, but if im going to do all this work just to have it not even fit, maybe i'm better off buying a used crossfire engine and just trying to sell the tpi engine.
Any idea where i can get someinfo on other people who have done this swap, though, i've looked all over and cant find anything
Any idea where i can get someinfo on other people who have done this swap, though, i've looked all over and cant find anything
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
Trust me, i would like to make this as easy as possible, but if im going to do all this work just to have it not even fit, maybe i'm better off buying a used crossfire engine and just trying to sell the tpi engine.
Any idea where i can get someinfo on other people who have done this swap, though, i've looked all over and cant find anything
Any idea where i can get someinfo on other people who have done this swap, though, i've looked all over and cant find anything
Honestly, for the amount of work for that TPI set up, you will have very little gain at the end.
You can use that engine and just replace the intake with the crossfire if you like.
I also have had listed my old CFI engine in the F/S section. The block has 69k miles on it, but is equiped with a 268H cam, and the heads were rebuilt. I'm not trying to talk you into it. But may be something to consider depending on what you decide to do.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 31
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what i know
the car was purchased a few years back by my father in law. When he bought it, it had the crossfire in it, but was converted to a carb set up. The car itself has over 200k miles on it and the motor had major blow by. So currently as it sits it has no motor or trans in it. My father in law bought an 85 tpi engine and trans with all wiring and ecm to put in the car. I'm thinking he realized what a headache it was going to be and just wanted to cut his losses so he gave me the car to work on with my son as a project. So that is where i'm at. I just dont like the idea of throwing a ton of time and money at a car that between the purchase price and the engine and trans all ready has 3 k in it.
I need to spend a weekend at my father in laws farm going thru the scrap pile he has from when he pulled everything out of the car and see if i might be able to piece together the old crossfire and rebuild it, then sell the 85 engine
I need to spend a weekend at my father in laws farm going thru the scrap pile he has from when he pulled everything out of the car and see if i might be able to piece together the old crossfire and rebuild it, then sell the 85 engine
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
$500 compleye id think. keep the puylley brackets etc that nickel and dime stuff adds up. in the predicament youre in unless you have to go EFI leave the carb on it and enjoy