Compression and tbi

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

anubisani

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Posts
223
Reaction score
5
Location
MIAMI, FLORIDA
First Name
SEAN
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R/V 3500
Engine Size
454 TBI TH400 4:11 gears
HEY GUYS if I hv a 1988 gmc R3500 with TBI 454 . The ??? is if I keep all things the same but change the heads to these :
3993820....71-84...oval...OPEN...454 Passenger and Trucks, 113cc chamber, 255/114 ports
will the TBI still work with the bump in compression , or will I have to upgrade the chip, fuel pumps , and regulator.
THANKS IN ADVANCE GUYS.
:happy160:
 

philjafo

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Posts
196
Reaction score
8
Location
everywhere
First Name
phil
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
k20 scottsdale
Engine Size
350/sm465/np205/d44/corp14
It would probably run ok, but to get the most benefit out of head upgrade yes to all the other upgrades too. The speed density fuel injection system doesn't respond really well to changes and was designed for fuel economy and reliablity, not horse power. It can work but it might be easier to just go with a carb, or a new stand alone fi system like FAST or Holley. They are self learning and will adjust to future upgrades. The factory tbi computer would need to be reprogrammed after any major change.
 

anubisani

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Posts
223
Reaction score
5
Location
MIAMI, FLORIDA
First Name
SEAN
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R/V 3500
Engine Size
454 TBI TH400 4:11 gears
Thanks
 

Jims86

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
5,492
Reaction score
135
Location
Patterson,Ca
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
Shouldnt be an issue as long as you keep the stock cam, but even then, its worth a good dyno tune.
The big deal with speed density is the cam profile...you install something that lowers vacuum, and the MAP sensor will read low vac, and the ECM will fatten up the fuel big time.
 

anubisani

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Posts
223
Reaction score
5
Location
MIAMI, FLORIDA
First Name
SEAN
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
R/V 3500
Engine Size
454 TBI TH400 4:11 gears
SO WITH THE LIL BUMP IN COMPRESSION do you think it will affect the vacum
 

Jims86

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
5,492
Reaction score
135
Location
Patterson,Ca
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
SO WITH THE LIL BUMP IN COMPRESSION do you think it will affect the vacum

Shouldnt....will run better if anything. May need to run a higher grade of fuel though.
 

Irishman999

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
6,989
Reaction score
204
Location
Safford Arizona
First Name
Jason
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K-1500 High Sierra
Engine Size
305
Nasty-Z
Global Moderator
NATC Member
STS Committee
*****
Offline


NATC Member #64O
Posts: 2966
Poconos PA.
Gender: male

NATC Membership #: 640
Re: TBI AND COMPRESSION
Reply #1 - Today at 06:40:49 Alert Board Moderator about this Post! Quote All other factors remaining the same , you will notice no difference in performance with the head swap . Actually it will probably loose a bit of seat of the pants feel with the 820's .

TBI will be fine , fuel pump and regulator is always a good upgrade as all of the TBI engines were anemic at best with the stock pump/regulator .

About the only thing you will notice being different is your wallet being lighter from the $ spent to use the different heads.

Welcome to the site

TOM
 

Jims86

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
5,492
Reaction score
135
Location
Patterson,Ca
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
Nasty-Z
Global Moderator
NATC Member
STS Committee
*****
Offline


NATC Member #64O
Posts: 2966
Poconos PA.
Gender: male

NATC Membership #: 640
Re: TBI AND COMPRESSION
Reply #1 - Today at 06:40:49 Alert Board Moderator about this Post! Quote All other factors remaining the same , you will notice no difference in performance with the head swap . Actually it will probably loose a bit of seat of the pants feel with the 820's .

TBI will be fine , fuel pump and regulator is always a good upgrade as all of the TBI engines were anemic at best with the stock pump/regulator .

About the only thing you will notice being different is your wallet being lighter from the $ spent to use the different heads.

Welcome to the site

TOM

Hmmm...thats the same thing they say about swapping from TBI heads to vortec...a slight SOTP loss in TQ.
 

GreaseDog

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Posts
1,189
Reaction score
36
Location
Elkhart, IN
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
1977 K20
Truck Model
1980 K2500
Engine Size
350
Hmmm...thats the same thing they say about swapping from TBI heads to vortec...a slight SOTP loss in TQ.

I call ******** on that one. Come on over and take a ride in my K1500, certainly no torque lost there.
 

Jims86

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
5,492
Reaction score
135
Location
Patterson,Ca
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
I call ******** on that one. Come on over and take a ride in my K1500, certainly no torque lost there.

Yeah, I have not driven a vortec TBI, so I dunno. I would think the larger ports would be more detrimental than anything else. Compression is definately a good thing, as long as your available fuel/wallet will allow.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,173
Posts
950,858
Members
36,288
Latest member
brentjo
Top