TBI or Vortec?

[That1997GMC]

I'm going to pick up a 1995 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 this weekend. Does anyone know if it was still TBI in 1995 or if Chevrolet converted to Vortec? I'll be able to tell when I pick the truck up, but lookin for answers sooner. Also, if I had 2 engines, let's say 1 is a TBI 350 and the other is a Vortec 350, what does it take to convert the TBI to a vortec? Is it just stripping them both down to short blocks and switching the top end and heads over?

 

[454cid]

95 was the last year for TBI. I think converting an engine from TBI to Vortec would mean a complete rebuild and would be more time/money than it's worth. You would be better off swapping the whole engine.

 

[RawbDidIt]

I'm rebuilding what used to be a TBI for my current truck, it's a bit involved. You need to swap intake, heads, fuel injection system at the minimum. As far as I can tell, there's some differences with the ECM inputs as well. PlayingwithTBI will definitely know better than i, but there vortec uses 2 O2 sensors, where the TBI only has one i believe, and the vortec also uses a MAF on the intake tube where the TBI uses an IAC. If you have a truck around with all the vortec parts you need, then that would help, but if you did, I imagine you'd just rebuild that engine instead.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

the vortec also uses a MAF on the intake tube where the TBI uses an IAC.

Yes TBI is speed density based with MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) where the Vortec is based on MAF (Mass Air Flow). The vortec has a crank position sensor which tells the PCM when to fire the plugs. TBI gets its base timing set at the distributor. There's differences between the water pumps too. IIRC you have to drill out the passage in Vortec heads to work on a TBI block (there's a bunch of threads about this) @Erik the Awful can help with this.

So, you'll need a different PCM for the Vortec whether it's the "Black Box" or upgrade to the 0411 from your 7427 (or 6930 for 95 TBI) as well as wiring harness swap. HTH

 

[Erik the Awful]

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/how-to-put-a-vortec-motor-in-a-tbi-truck.49463/

I don't comment on the fuel injection side of things, because I simply went to a Sniper.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

I think it’d be easier to get a 96-98, they already have the Vortec standard.