carb to TPI
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
From: Indiana
carb to TPI
I just acquired an 84 the Original owner took off the quit fire and put on a holley carb...It needed new heads so I put some aluminum 2.02 valve 200cc heads on it. It has a 550 lift comp cams cam in it...I have a complete TPI set up from an IROC, all but the wiring harness. So my question is, will I need to change the computer ot will the 84 computer work? I assume there is a difference do to the quit fire junk being different than the TPI, I do have a computer from a camaro but It is stock as far as I know. So I would think I would need a computer that has programming for the bigger cam. I am old school I can build the old SBC but I do not know a whole lot about these computerized engines.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 302
It's a different computer and wiring harness. It's also not a straightforward task.
Back in the day when people were swapping TPI's into older muscle cars, they'd often get a "swap" harness, allowing the system to run stand-alone from the rest of the vehicle. On a factory TPI car, other systems are tied into the ECM as well... A/C, cruise control, transmission torque converter lockup, etc. You'd have to consider the rest of the car and how much of it is dependent on the current computer (if any of it was left intact). Could get complicated.
The other thing to consider is tuning... sounds like your engine is modified with cam and heads. Once you get the TPI on there, you're going to have to get the computer re-tuned.
If you're intent on port fuel injection, you might consider an aftermarket system too, which often has self-learning capability. Since you're like to wire this up as stand alone no matter which option you choose, the aftermarket system may be the better option. My suspicion is you don't have to worry about emissions based on your description of the situation. Plus a factory TPI manifold will pretty much kill off any upper rpm power you currently have.
Lastly, if you go TPI, I'd probably get a Corvette computer rather than a Camaro... that way you can put it in the engine compartment. It'll make your wiring job a bit easier.
Back in the day when people were swapping TPI's into older muscle cars, they'd often get a "swap" harness, allowing the system to run stand-alone from the rest of the vehicle. On a factory TPI car, other systems are tied into the ECM as well... A/C, cruise control, transmission torque converter lockup, etc. You'd have to consider the rest of the car and how much of it is dependent on the current computer (if any of it was left intact). Could get complicated.
The other thing to consider is tuning... sounds like your engine is modified with cam and heads. Once you get the TPI on there, you're going to have to get the computer re-tuned.
If you're intent on port fuel injection, you might consider an aftermarket system too, which often has self-learning capability. Since you're like to wire this up as stand alone no matter which option you choose, the aftermarket system may be the better option. My suspicion is you don't have to worry about emissions based on your description of the situation. Plus a factory TPI manifold will pretty much kill off any upper rpm power you currently have.
Lastly, if you go TPI, I'd probably get a Corvette computer rather than a Camaro... that way you can put it in the engine compartment. It'll make your wiring job a bit easier.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 21
Likes: 9
It's a different computer and wiring harness. It's also not a straightforward task.
Back in the day when people were swapping TPI's into older muscle cars, they'd often get a "swap" harness, allowing the system to run stand-alone from the rest of the vehicle. On a factory TPI car, other systems are tied into the ECM as well... A/C, cruise control, transmission torque converter lockup, etc. You'd have to consider the rest of the car and how much of it is dependent on the current computer (if any of it was left intact). Could get complicated.
The other thing to consider is tuning... sounds like your engine is modified with cam and heads. Once you get the TPI on there, you're going to have to get the computer re-tuned.
If you're intent on port fuel injection, you might consider an aftermarket system too, which often has self-learning capability. Since you're like to wire this up as stand alone no matter which option you choose, the aftermarket system may be the better option. My suspicion is you don't have to worry about emissions based on your description of the situation. Plus a factory TPI manifold will pretty much kill off any upper rpm power you currently have.
Lastly, if you go TPI, I'd probably get a Corvette computer rather than a Camaro... that way you can put it in the engine compartment. It'll make your wiring job a bit easier.
Back in the day when people were swapping TPI's into older muscle cars, they'd often get a "swap" harness, allowing the system to run stand-alone from the rest of the vehicle. On a factory TPI car, other systems are tied into the ECM as well... A/C, cruise control, transmission torque converter lockup, etc. You'd have to consider the rest of the car and how much of it is dependent on the current computer (if any of it was left intact). Could get complicated.
The other thing to consider is tuning... sounds like your engine is modified with cam and heads. Once you get the TPI on there, you're going to have to get the computer re-tuned.
If you're intent on port fuel injection, you might consider an aftermarket system too, which often has self-learning capability. Since you're like to wire this up as stand alone no matter which option you choose, the aftermarket system may be the better option. My suspicion is you don't have to worry about emissions based on your description of the situation. Plus a factory TPI manifold will pretty much kill off any upper rpm power you currently have.
Lastly, if you go TPI, I'd probably get a Corvette computer rather than a Camaro... that way you can put it in the engine compartment. It'll make your wiring job a bit easier.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
From: Indiana
i agree with all the considerations above... while i haven't yet done any C4 swaps, i have done a lot of engine swaps of all types in 3rd gen f-bodies... even on those there is some considerations in how the rest of the vehicle works with the ECM on instrumentation panel, etc... fortunately pretty straight forward in those vehicles. with your 84 vette it still is pretty basic computer control and integration compared to further on in later C4s, but you would need to consider how the signals that drive the digital dash are derived for example (now maybe with having the Carb you already have this working)... an original factory service manual will be a great friend if you are going to take this type of project on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
At this point your best bet is to sell off the factory 84 ECU and gauge cluster. Take that money and put it towards an aftermarket ECU with a stand alone harness and either use a Holley dash or go Intellitronix for gauges. Nice thing with the Holley is you just plug one small cable from the ECU into the dash and everything works. No separate sensors needed. This way you're not dealing with hacked up 40 year old wiring. I think a better option though would be to sell the TPI you have and just buy a Holley Sniper system. It comes with the harness and ECU. They can support a lot more power than a TPI can.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
From: Indiana
well I managed to get the timing set and fired it up,,it wont idle and a lot of smoke from inside the engine. I noticed that not all of the lifters are pumping oil. I dot think this holley carb is in very good shape....Idle set screw does nothing have to feather the gas to keep it running. Solid lifter adjusted to cam card specs. All the valves are working. I am done for yhe day.
