TBI junk carb time

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danman6677

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Looking at swapping to a carb, now I want to know what I would have to do with all the electronics. Also the distributor and what about the fuel lines.
 

Swims350

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get rid of them lol.

honestly. need more info on year and such.

The 60 and 80e trans and such need feedback from some of the electronic stuff and tps and such have to be kept.

the 700r4's don't need all that crap and in that case I'm pretty sure most all underhood stuff can be left unhooked or removed. You just need the trans part of the computer for lockup function and such. I don't think they are seperate from the computer for the engine.

fuel lines, if you want to reuse the in tank pump and such you need a bypass style reg. then you have to adapter them with fitttings to that pressure reg.

If your block is fully machined you can run a block mounted pump and do away with all the electronics for the in tank pump.

fastorange, or blackk20 i think he is now, has more info since he went from a tbi v6 to a carb'd v8.

I know there were also several threads on here about it as well.

The dist. can be changed to old school hei IF you don't need to leave the electronics for the trans and such.

Not sure on reusing the one you got, I'd think it needs info from the computer and other sensors to reuse it.
 

Swims350

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that helps alot then.

do you want to run the in tank pump or do you want a mechanical block mounted one? I would guess that yours is machined, mine is, but only one way to tell for sure, pull the fuel pump plate off the block and see if it's machined for the fuel pump push rod. if so you can get a fuel pump push rod, fuel pump, gasket etc. then clamp on a piece of rubber fuel hose if you want, or maybe compression fitting and cut the flare off the old flex lines, something like that and run your fuel lines to the block mounted pump. Then you can remove the intak, or leave it in place, You can unhook it's relay and fuel pump fuse and it won't get power, as far as I know the gauge will work fine doing this, my monte carlo did.

If not then it's time for a bypass style regulator. Figure out what fittings and sizes you need to connect the old lines to it. I have no clue on them.

You also do know that you need a new intake for the carb right? I'm not sure what issues you'll run into with the bolt holes for the stock braces on the accessories doing so. if you do away with them and run old style v-belts then it's not an issue. or you can upgrade to the alum. style brackets and it bolt it fine, the alum. ones are from the newer trucks 90 or 91 and up, and that will let you use or keep most if not all of your accessories you have now.

Going v belt would require a standard rotation fan and water pump, as well as alt. or maybe pulley change, and then power steering pump and/or pulley swap.

You may be able to find an intake with accessory holes and it work for the braces, not real sure on it.

I know to go with an hei type distributor you need to find what wires you need and change them, cut splice, run new whatever. I am curious on what exact wires it is and what needs done because I may do it myself at some time to my 88.
 
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danman6677

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well these sensors are ****** me off and Ive always drove carb trucks. I might just keep my intank pump and run a regulator. The acc. bracket is the aluminum one of a 90.
The distributor is confusing because ive heard that HEI dont fit with the engine being close to the firewall. And gettin a new intake/carb is easy as craigslist or swap meet.
Now can I put the regulator under the cab by the filter and get fuel fitting for the carb?
 

Fobroader

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well these sensors are ****** me off and Ive always drove carb trucks. I might just keep my intank pump and run a regulator. The acc. bracket is the aluminum one of a 90.
The distributor is confusing because ive heard that HEI dont fit with the engine being close to the firewall. And gettin a new intake/carb is easy as craigslist or swap meet.
Now can I put the regulator under the cab by the filter and get fuel fitting for the carb?

Is the truck giving you problems or do you just not like fuel injection. Driveability is gonna go in the crapper, throttle response will go down, fuel mileage is going to be worse and youre going to be down on power with a carb.
 

Swims350

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I would think so. You need a bypass style though so you can hook up the return line.

hei might not fit due to firewall I haven't done it but I'd think it's work. if not you could run an old style non computer with external coil, summit has them.
 

danman6677

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i cross my fingers every time I start it, "What code will popup today?" With a carb its so easy to diagnose running rough, turn a screw. Ive run carb GMs and never had had to worry.
 

Fobroader

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Hmmm, my truck would light up the check engine light every time it was below -35, till she warmed up. I think that was more of a "what the **** is wrong with you, why are you trying to turn me over at -40?!?!!??!" :D I guess Ive never liked carbs, to me they are just going backwards......
 

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I'm in the same boat as you brother. I fix computers for a living but I hate having them control mechanical devices. All sorts of sensors and modules on the motor...I had a situation where the motor was running rough at idle. I unplugged a module and BOOM, it starts idling like a champ! If you put it in gear though, it would fall on its' face. TBI is garbage in my mind. I'm not saying that all fuel injection is garbage, I'm just not a fan of the whole TBI crap. The lack of tuneability etc. stinks too.

Personally I'm going with a Quadrajet on my 7.4. They can be had for cheap, shouldn't be too expensive to rebuild. Disabling the in-tank pump and wiring in a cheap electric pump rated for carbs should be fine. A regulator would be even better to fine tune it.
 
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