is anyone running this set up? if so, how is the power? does it seriosly choke the motor? Im asking because im considering going back to fuel injection when the 400 gets built. I have my stock TPI set up still, was thinking of using it, modified of course. or building an FI set up from a carb manifold.

 

I'm running a superram with my 408. I think if you want to inject it, you'd be fine.

 

I ran a MiniRam on my 406. No complaints, power was excellent. However, I dont think you could ever get the stock TPI manifold to flow enough for a 400.

Just my 2cent

KM

 

How much money do you want to spend. Stock tpi will choke it down. Mini ram, super ram, custom carb'd job, or lingenfelter has a new one, or I like the hilborn set up for efi. check out their web site if you have the money. Or some weber carbs adapted to efi is a sharp looking set up. Do an internet search for weber fuel injection and Hilborn. Either way good luck

 

I wouldnt actually run a 'stock' TPI. I know it will have to be heavily beathed upon! Anyone running a really hogged out TPI on a 400???? I know theres some guys running a fabricated/homeade style intake and they are making great power. I cant afford the accell intake, its a bit out of my reach, so my options are: carb, hogged tpi, or that lingenfelter injection kit for a carb intake for my car. I have to budget things for the 85 cause it needs alot of other work (paint, interior, seals, etc.) the 400 is going to be minimum 10:1, looking for 400-500 hp out of it. i have a friend thats putting one(400)into his 63 ss duece and hes kind of researching the feasability of running a low cost FI alternative to the regular carb set up. So Im passing all this info on to him also.

 

I think there is physical limatation how big you can get the TPI manifold base, runners. That's why I say I dont think it can be done. I dont even think a tuner ever got much more than about 375HP+/- with it ported.

But if you do go through with it, I bet it would make a ton of TORQUE all the way up to 3500RPM. Hell I bet Dodge Rams would hold there heads down in shame. :)

Either way, I think you'd end up with a fun motor. It'll just run out breath a little quick. What kind of heads you got in mind? The stock L98 heads would be Waaaaaaaay to small to call it a performance setup.

JFYI

Kelvin

 

Dodge rams! yeah! they better watch out! ha! seriously, im just trying to get info if anyone has tried it or not. OK! I got the message. dont have to hit me in the head with a brick! I was leaning towards the kit from lingenfelter, where you can build your own FI manifold from a carb intake. the price seems to be right. I think Im going to use vortec heads and have them machined to work with the 400. or i could just put the tpi on it, take off the back hatch and put Z71 decals on the quarters, and some 31x12.50's...........yeah, yeah! thats the ticket!! look out you friggin suvs and trucks! :crazy:

 

I am considering the same setup for my 85. I have AFR 190 heads though, which will help w/ the breathing. I am going to at least get a high flow base (accel probably), and probably get the superram later. Maybe I'll just use ported runners and plenum. I will also probably use 30-36 lb injectors.

 

If you have some older hot rod magazines from the mid- late 80's laying around, Summit ran some adds in them. They had a 400 or a 406 TPI crate motor on sale. I cant remember the power they advertised, and have no idea if they modded the TPI, but I would have to guess that they did.

I will have to dig one up...

 

I know it sounds crazy, but we ran a GM TBI in a Firebird with a 406. We opened up the intake a little, used adjustable pressure regulator, flow matched injectors, larger fuel pump, and custom chip. The engine had World Product heads, a 260 cam, headers and lower gears. It did run out of steam at 4500 rpm, but felt like it was pulling the front wheels up to that rpm. This was primarily a street car, so we had a lot of fun with it. It was my sons car and he drove it like this for two years before we pulled it to go in the next project. If you want to run higher rpm than 4500 you will definately have to find bigger ports than a stock TPI. As many aftermarket parts as there are out today I'm sure you can make a TPI work, just not going to be easy to do on a budget. Hershey :chevy

 

I'm currently running an edelbrock base that I ported quite a bit; then slp siam runners that I also opened up a bit more and the stock plenum port matched to the runners and a 58mm tb. It runs out of steam by 5000rpm. I've got a sr sittin on the bench right now-it goes on after I get the new tc and dana44 swap back in it!

 

The big power is found by converting a carb intake to FI. You just need to work out the air filter issues and a few others. Not impossible by any means.

 

From what I've generally read over on the thirdgen.org website, all the mods that you can possibly do on the TPI still will hold a 350 engine down to 5500 rpm max. If you add another 50 cubic inches to that, it's hard to say, but I wouldn't imagine you'd get much more than 4500 rpm out of it, maybe 4800. Anyhow, the torque would be outstanding. So if it has to be TPI, then get a torquey cam for it that matches that kind of range and forget about the 6 inch rods. You wouldn't need it on a 4800 rpm engine. 5.7 would be fine. Just build it as a torquer.

Contrary to popular belief, torquey engines are EXTREMELY quick off the line and can shut down most street cars, and still do a respectible job at the strip. Mid to low 13's shouldn't be a problem.

So go for it.
Or you can try something else. Something that I've thought about doing on a tired old 3rd gen Trans Am someday. Destroke my 406 engine sitting in my garage (getting seasoned) to 377, put long 6 inch rods in it, AFR high flowing heads with large valves, and build it for around 9:1 compression with a standard head gasket.

That way you can raise the compression to 9.5:1 with a steel shim head gasket while you save money for the supercharger, and then lower it to 8.5:1 with a Felpro thick head gasket when you do get the blower. Plus, the supercharger will force feed the engine up beyond the typical 5000 to 5500 you'd normally get on a 377 with a hogged out TPI. Probably see 6500 rpm no problem,

And a long rod 377? Man would that thing love to rev. Like a 327 with 50 more cubes.

Whatcha think?

 

I have an Edelbrock supposedly"hi-flo" base, heavily ported upper and runners. The car just chokes at 4750RPM. It pulls very good at mid RPM's tho.