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383 Advice

S

sandcrab74

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Oct 3, 2006
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Location
Denair, Ca
So here is the deal. I acquired a 383 from my brother that he never installed in a truck.
The motor basics are:
1990 TBI 350 Block
Skat Steel 383 crank
World Sportsman 2 Head w/ 202 SS valves and bench flowed.
Full roller w/ Comp Cam 08-304-8 (computer controlled smog legal)
9.5 to 1 JE pistons
He was going to run a Edelbrock MPFI had 19 and 29 # injectors but the 29s got burned up in a fire. So all I have are the 19s which I don’t think will be enough.
I am putting this motor in to a 1976 Blazer w/ Turbo 400, NP205 tc, and 4.10 gears. No smog needed
Here are my questions.
1. Try and run the MPFI and have to purchase a computer (Dynamic EFI), Chip Burner, and new Injectors. About $1000
2. Get a TBI manifold and a do all the TBI mods and hope its enough air and fuel. About $600
3. Put a carb manifold and carb on it and run it. Can I run a computer controlled cam with a carb? About $ 600 if I don’t have to change the cam.
This is not going to be for economy, just a good play truck. I would like to make it EFI but its starting to become a pain in the ass and im not even sure if I can get all the performance out of a the EFI. Would make it a lot easier on me to be able to slam a manifold and carb on I wont have to run a big fuel pump, put O2 sensors into my Thorly headers, and take the time to tune it all in.
So what do you all think? I’ve spent the last week reading up on all this MPFI stuff and now I need to make a decision and do it. I need to get this thing going. This motor has a lot of negative history with it ( I could be typing all night) but it never really ran so we are very curious how its going to do.
 
From your description of the engine and your options i say throw a carb on it and tune the piss out of it and run it. If you go with any FI you WILL need to play with chip tuning and fuel pressure and injector sizing. Throw a 650 carb on it and make it run.

Oh, no need to change the cam either.
 
Carburetors rule! (Nah, they don't but I don't know anything about injection and it costs more $$$)
 
Your in Calif so unless your truck was originally a deisel it does need smog. Smog exempt is 75' and older.
 
Yeah I have been playing the smog game for too many years. There are a few counties in North Cal that dont require smog and it just so happens my blazer lives at one of these addresses.:D

Im really thinking going with a carb for now at least because Im doing a full build ( blazer is a unmolested 76 with 70,000 miles) so I can get it on the road and start punishing it. Plus I think going with a budget FI is not going to be easy and not enough for this motor.

Thinking of going with a Jet Performance Q jet. Had great luck with a Q jet on my last K5. Ive also used a Truck Avenger on my last Jeep and liked it but I hear alot of people are haveing problems with them.

I guess I should take some pics and start a build thread.

Hey 4X4High You think this cam will be ok with a Carb. I tried to post a link to the specs but I dont have enogh post yet.
 
sandcrab74 said:
Yeah I have been playing the smog game for too many years. There are a few counties in North Cal that dont require smog and it just so happens my blazer lives at one of these addresses.:D
Click to expand...


I never herd of it being a county thing, thought it was a California thing, state wide. You sure???
 
Positive. I have done it with my AMC 401 CJ 7 (farctory it was 258 inline six) for the last 10 years. There is a web site that will tell you all about what smog requirements are needed in which county.
 
Some counties don't even have the fume capturing pump nozzles, but they're generally rural or in the far northern part of the state.
 
yes there are counties within the state of California that don't do emissions testing. My buddy has a couple of his vehicles registered in one of the counties at his grandmothers cabin.
 
Q-jet! I've been watching too many guys get upset with their TAs lately, and I still hate Holley from the old days.:D(And it would be cheaper)
 
sandcrab74 said:
1. Try and run the MPFI and have to purchase a computer (Dynamic EFI), Chip Burner, and new Injectors. About $1000
2. Get a TBI manifold and a do all the TBI mods and hope its enough air and fuel. About $600
3. Put a carb manifold and carb on it and run it. Can I run a computer controlled cam with a carb? About $ 600 if I don’t have to change the cam.
Click to expand...


Here are two more options:

4) Keep the MPFI intake, pick up a new set of injectors and put a MegaSquirt on it? It would be cheaper than any of the above options.

5) Keep the MPFI intake, pick up a new set of injectors and run it off a TBI computer. Didn't Holley or Edelbrock sell a kit to do this?
 
sandcrab74 said:
Well Im going with a carb for now. What do you all think, Q Jet or Truck Avenger?
Click to expand...

If you want to go Qjet, I have a rebuilt one here that was tweaked by one of the best in CA for off road, I don't need it anymore I have no trucks to put it on.
$200 and you could be running.
 
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