Another 350 Swap ?, but with a twist

Sooner92RS · #1 02-26-2005, 10:26 PM

Hello all, Here goes, I got a 92 RS with 113K. It came with bad rings and valves, what a deal. 305 TBI, all stock. Anyway, I found a donor rig, but here's the twist. I was planning on rebuilding the donor. Its a 350 from an 89 Cadi. Its got a TBI on the top too. (The TPI would be later in the project) So do I just yank the Cadi computer and all will be fine or is there something lurking in the woods that will squash my plan. It would be a very unique car afterwards... a Camaro with 350 and TBI. Any ideas on performance or will it just feel like a new 305? Any help is appreciated.

BTW great forum, I've been a visitor for months now, but figured maybe I can give something back.

FormulaLT1 · #2 02-27-2005, 01:52 AM

Welcome to the forum sooner. I am just wondering why you aren't going to go with a TPI set up now?

Sooner92RS · #3 02-27-2005, 09:10 AM

That is a good question. I suppose you're right. For some reason I can't track down a TPI locally at present, but if I am following your logic, I'd probably save more $$$ in the long run doing the TPI with the rebuild. So with the Cadi long block, its just a 350 anyway, and if I can find the TPI with harness all should be good? Thanks. I'd like to leave the thread open though for a bit to see if there's any more feedback

Morley · #4 02-27-2005, 09:29 AM

Is that a TRUE caddy engine or were thay just GM coroprate engines then? GM corporate is chevy. If it is a true caddy engine..TPI manifold won't fit.

FormulaLT1 · #5 02-27-2005, 12:22 PM

By 89 they used GM engine's. All the 350 blocks I know that were used in the Brougham, Deville, Fleetwood, esc are interchangeable but you can also verify this with a simple call to a dealership or by checking this search engine for a replacement www.car-parts.com and they should have TPI induction systems on that site as well and ebay should have some. Good Luck

John

89IROC&RS · #6 02-27-2005, 12:54 PM

EBAY!!!! do a little shopping, you can probly find a complete TPI 305 or 350 for a very reasonable price, or get a junkyard doner to build up and buy the TPI setup, Ive seen both MAF and Speed Density systems on ebay that went for reasonable prices.

Sooner92RS · #7 02-27-2005, 01:03 PM

Thanks for all the feedback. Alright to answer some questions, when I was looking at the Cadi engine, the salvage yard cross-referenced the engine with a "Hollander" catalog and the engine can be used or was used in the 92's. How about the distributor? Will the one in the 350 or the 305 work or should I be getting one with that works with the TPI. Ignition has never been my thing. This car is light years ahead of the '76 Jeep J-10 project a couple years back. Lastly, when all is said and done. This won't quite be a true 92 or will it? What is the baseline I use when I walk into AutoZone/Advance AA and they ask me what year my car/engine is? Is the year of the computer the year I go with?

Sooner92RS · #8 02-27-2005, 01:14 PM

What am I looking at in price for TPI setup, minus the long block of course, ball park. Also, when the motor is rebuilt, should the TPI unit go to?

89IROC&RS · #9 02-27-2005, 01:17 PM

well, id love to help ya with the cross referencing of parts but i just dont know anything about the caddy V8, i dont know if its a direct plug and play or if they changed a few things here and there to cause a pain in your ass. As far as the distributor issue, youre gonna need a small cap HEI, this is the one with a remote mount coil rather than the one in the cap, a big cap wont fit without notching the firewall. other than that, i cant imagine what was different. If you get a TPI setup, you will use the TPI computer and wiring harness and will scrap the caddy harness. so if you get the caddy engine, all youre gonna want is the hardware, that being the engine itself, minus the intake system. and youll simply put it in the car, put on the intake, run the wiring and sensors, and put it all together. because your car already had a 305, this should not be that difficult of a project. just time consuming.

Morley · #10 02-27-2005, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89IROC&RS

. As far as the distributor issue, youre gonna need a small cap HEI, this is the one with a remote mount coil rather than the one in the cap, a big cap wont fit without notching the firewall.

Recheck that. I have an 85 TPI with coil in cap and a 91 remote coil and they are completely interchangeable

89IROC&RS · #11 02-28-2005, 12:38 AM

really??? well then i stand corrected, i have never seen a large cap HEI in a third gen Fbody, from the factory they got the small cap for clearance issues, But if youve got one that prooves me wrong, i certainly wont argue with it. i know the vettes got the Large cap, is it a replacement engine?

Morley · #12 02-28-2005, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89IROC&RS

is it a replacement engine?

Nope, From the factory..1985 & 86 had coil in cap, 87 started the remote coil

89IROC&RS · #13 02-28-2005, 07:46 AM

I officially stand corrected, ignore my statements about the in cap distributors not fitting.

but now im curious, do you know the reason they swiched from the in cap to the remote mount if not for clearance issues? just for my own knowledge.

Morley · #14 02-28-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89IROC&RS

I officially stand corrected, ignore my statements about the in cap distributors not fitting.

but now im curious, do you know the reason they swiched from the in cap to the remote mount if not for clearance issues? just for my own knowledge.

No idea why it was done, possibly because all of the other engines they were producing used a remote coil. Also the later plenums were made a little longer and may have had clearance problems.

Sooner92RS · #15 03-05-2005, 01:28 PM

Alirght, now I know some of you will be mad at me for doing this, but I am sticking with the TBI for now. Yes, the TPI will remain on the to do list. I am still going on with the 350 under the TBI though. And my question is this: Do I use the computer off the 89 cadillac w/ the 350 TBI or my original 92 305 TBI computer? I have also heard that the fuel pressure is different between the 305 and 350 TBIs, is that true and if so, how do I remedy the problem. Any other gremlins I should know about?

For me, the TPI can come later, I'd rather be driving my RS than having it staring at me everytime I get in my truck and drive away. Plus, although Oklahoma has no sniffer test, the 305 right now puts out some serious fumes and smoke.

For anyone interested in the merits of 305 TBI
http://www.goingfaster.com/spo/modthel03.htmlsted
I went here to find out if I was "trying to make my car breath through a straw."

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