TPI in a K5?

[wickedk5]

just wondering if anyone was running TPI in their trucks. are they worth the swap and what does it take to do the swap and how much?
thanx

"And if it ain't a Chevy don't raise it up..."

 

[chaka73]

Going with the TPI is the best thing you could do, I am looking for a TPI myself, as far as the cost it really depends if you do it your self and if you get the TPI for cheap wich we all know you wont, but you're looking at about $1000-$1500, I'm looking at about $800 for my truck but if my brother in law gives me his TPI from his Iroc, he wants to part it out and I asked him for the TPI and he said yes, so for the installation alone since I dont know how to do it and I really dont want to mess with the installation I got some estimates and they're all around $800 so good luck and sorry for writing so much.

LOVE MY GREEN GIANT!!!

 

[BurbinOR]

There are a few guys here who have done the swap. I am one of them.......did it almost a year ago onto my 79. Got a "donor" TPI unit from an IROC Z. Used the Painless Wiring kit for this, definitely makes life easier. Used the sensors from the IROC and pretty much went smooth. Gotta use a high pressure fuel pump (electric, of course). I did not do the install myself so can't tell you minute details, but it is not a hard thing to do. Follow the Painless Wiring info, that is the most important thing, and get all the key parts from the IROC (computer, sensors, etc.). WELL worth doing, by the way.........much improved drivability, torque and has a major cool factor when you pop the hood. Sounds like you might have the $$ factor taken care of with the donation of the unit, that is probably the most expensive part (I have seen the units and related parts for $1250 in the paper), so if you pay only $800 for the install you are way ahead of the game. You also get someone who can guarantee the install (I assume). Good luck, let us know what you do.......

'79 - 406 w/IROC TPI - K5#5 - a <font color=orange>sickness

<font color=blue>you never get enough of!!

 

[rezalb]

What is the difference between TPI and TBI?

rezalB

Built for a purpose.

 

[Bruiser]

TPI = Tuned Port injection, the injectors sit right above teh intake valve in the intake manifold, TBI = Throttle Body Injection, looks just like a carb, sits on top of intake has injectors that trickle the fuel down into the intake.

Vincent Michels
1978 Blazer
Bruiser (Frost white/Black top/ Light Blue interior)

 

[Blazer79]

You can find a nice explanation on http://www.thirdgen.org. Select "FAQ" on the "Tech Central" drop down menu. Scroll down through the page until you find: "What is the difference between TPI, SFI, MPFI, TBI, and CPI injection?"

<font color=blue>//////
http://blazer79.coloradok5.com</font color=blue>

 

[HarryH3]

I've got a TPI 383 in my '75 K5. It started life as an '87 'vette motor. If you're converting a carb'd rig to TPI, you'll have to replumb the entire fuel system as the stock system wasn't designed to be under pressure. I also had to drop the tank and install a new fitting for the fuel return line that comes out of the pressure regulator (had to make that line also). I mounted an external Bosch fuel pump from a Jaguar inside the frame rail, near the tank.

The TPI system is indeed impressive, but working on it is a real pain-in-the-a$$. The whole thing has to come apart, piece by piece, to do almost anything. TBI is MUCH simpler and has most of the driveability of the TPI unit.

$800 to do the complete install sounds like a pretty good price. It took 4 months of weekends to do mine, but I did it 11 or 12 years ago, long before you could buy a wiring kit from Painless. Mine uses the stock 'vette wiring harness that I grafted into the K5 harness.

I'll get some pictures scanned in and posted to my web site soon.


<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<font color=blue>http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com</font color=blue>