88 TBI build ideas, opinions

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crazycuda
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88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by crazycuda »

Wanted to get some input / opinions. I inherited an 88 burb 4x4 with a worn out 5.7, been tossing around the idea of tossing a cast crank short rod 383 stroker in it and runing a stock 94 lt1 cam, or just going back stock rebuild and using the lt1 cam.
Basically trying to clean out the shop of spare parts and keep it on a tight budget ( yay covid and lack of work) and get some towing grunt out of it without killing fuel economy. I know those old pcms are slow and I really don't want to go through a handful of chip burning. I thought about just going carb but the wife will be driving it and her and carb = nightmare for me, plus If i have to sell it off I don't want to be loosing $$$
Sorry if I ask alot of questions, but you never stop learning if you ask questions
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mt-engines
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Re: 88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by mt-engines »

Use Dynamic EFI EBL which is a flashable pcm
Throw a single pattern hft cam in the 210-218@.050 108 lobe center and go have fun. It will make more power and sound cooler than the lt1 cam.
crazycuda
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Re: 88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by crazycuda »

mt-engines wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:27 pm Use Dynamic EFI EBL which is a flashable pcm
I thought about that, ( I still have my old chip burner somewhere too) going that route adds 400.00 + to the cost and trying to keep this as economical as possible but using up as much spare parts as I have.
Sorry if I ask alot of questions, but you never stop learning if you ask questions
F-BIRD'88
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Re: 88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by F-BIRD'88 »

The GMPP 350 Ramjet motor hyd roller cam will work very well for you in a TBI truck motor.
Elgin and Melling has a copy lower cost.
It is an efficient cam for that application.
dfarr67
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Re: 88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by dfarr67 »

To make decent power- you're all in or stock.
- TPI freshened up with burned chips
- vortec variant
- 454 TBI

Or find some decent heads, decent cam and burn a chip.
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Re: 88 TBI build ideas, opinions

Post by donforeman »

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53477

The 94-95 computer is a lot better, faster and more resolution on the tables that matter. Not too hard to swap over to early tbi. I used ramjet cam and a set of small port aftermarket Vortec heads. I love that combo for towing, compared to oem. You will have to tune it. gearheadefi is a great place to learn. The engine after all that was actually pretty good for towing. It was the worthless gear spacing on the 4l60e that made me sell the van and look for a big block and 4l80e combo. With the 4l60e second was a long way down from 3rd. So when towing in the mountains. I mostly had to stick in 3rd and leave it there or drop to second and slow down. I may have a starter tune you can try if you go to the faster computer, ramjet cam and Vortec heads. I have to see if I saved any of that stuff as its been a few years. You would not take all the tables, most likely start with the transferring the fuel and ignition tables and match the rest to your application. You will have to tune it even if you get close with a sample tune and you will need a wideband to data log. Just an fyi though. I get just about the same mileage (11mpg) towing the same load (my mobile dyno and gear) in Oregon's mountains with an 8.1L 4l80 Suburban as I did with a hopped up tbi van towing and the 8.1 does it better. The TBI van was a fun project though.
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