Engine, tranny and computer = What to do!

[jokerman1963]

Ok here is my dilemma, any and all help is asked for and appreciated. I have a 94 Chevy Silverado with a 350 tbi engine and 4L60E Trans and the engine head gasket blew and the Trans was making a funny noise so I decided to rebuild it since it had 188,000 miles. When I took it apart I seen it was a 2 bolt block so I bought a 4 bolt roller block and had it bored and balanced, tanked and magna fluxed. I bought new Vortech L31 heads for it and a new roller cam and lifter setup. I bought a 700r4 trans and had it completely rebuilt with all new heavy duty servos and Kevlar bands and clutches I also bought a new torque converter for it. Now for my problem I bought the 700r4 to get away from the computer shift control setup and am installing a Edelbrock rpm air gap intake for the Vortech heads so I can go carburetor instead of computer controlled tbi so how do I hook up the fuel lines and fuel pump since it is electric and in the gas tank and I am using a carburetor instead of the fuel injection? Also since I am using a 4 speed 700r4 with a lock up converter how do I go about hooking into the lockup converter so it shifts properly when towing my camper? Last but not least, what do I do about hooking up a distributor, since I am not using the tbi distributor that runs off the computer? Also if you have any suggestions or think of a better way to go when it comes to this setup please feel free to share your opinion. Sorry for my bad spelling & Thanks for all the help ahead of time. Tim = Jokerman1963

[quaddriver]

keep the computer stuff - better running, lower emissions, better mileage.

just swap for a 93 and older ecm where the shift functions are not in there.

you need to have a 700 lockup periodically or else it will fry itself, unless you mnake changes to the valve body

[firefighter2cu]

what year is the tranny? if it is pre 1988 you can make it lock up with a pressure switch in the 4th gear circuit. if newer then 88 it is computer controlled only. i agree, use the computer controls.

[badguy in bowtie]

If you insist on running a carb instead of fuel injection you will need a pressure regulator that will drop the pressure to about 9 psi. I personally don't know one right off but you might try calling Summit or Jeg's and see what they say.

[Rbraczyk]

You'll need a different fuel pump and regulator.

[KHBOWTIE]

im in the process of doing the same thing... you need to purchase a fuel pressure regualtor and you can still operate your stock fuel pump.. u can choose what psi you want to run depending on hp and modds youve done

[formulaross]

Just a thought regarding using the original TBI fuel pump and dropping the fuel pressure with a pressure regulator to a carb - The original TBI fuel pump is cooled and lubricated by the fuel passing through it. The system was designed with a pressure regulator at the engine that bypasses any excess fuel back to the tank. If you go to a conventional pressure regulator to feed a carb, you will not be bypassing any fuel back to the tank. With a lower fuel flow, the pump will run hotter. Will this overheat the pump causing premature failure? Don't know, but you will be making the pump operate in a manner that it wasn't designed for. Just something to consider ......

My view: Electronic controls are a good thing (other than a backyard mechanic has trouble working on them). Why not go high-performance via newer, electronically controlled systems? They are available. Going to a carbjust just seems like one giant leap backward. Just my 2 cents.

[badguy in bowtie]

I'll agree with furmulaross on that one. If you have all the components to run tbi, you will have better throttle response and better gasmilage then with a carb. And later on when you have the cash there are aftermarket kits to swap over to tpi that will work even better. As far as the regulators, they do make them with return lines.