TBI for Buick 350

[sean Buick 76]

I've thought about the TBI setup for the Buick 350v8.

Has TA Performance built a 350v8 Intake Manifold Fuel Injectors setup?


I've thought about the TBI setup for the Buick 350v8.
How many members have used it on the 455v8 Buick engine?

I would like the added horsepower of the setups, what would it cost on the average?

Special gas tanks required?

Thanks, Mac

Good question! I am doing a Multi-port EFI setup on my Twin Turbo 350 build using a megasquirt computer. Yes it requires a modified fuel tank, expensive high pressure fuel pump ect. This is a pretty expensive option however it wil be the best for the 700-1000 hp range I wil be at.

I am using a custom intake for the MPFI however here is a TA intake modified for MPFI in this thread:

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=193177

This is the easiest way to get EFI on your jeep:

http://www.professional-products.com/EFI_3.php

Another option I am working on now for the stock type 350 is using a GM TBI unit and a Megasquirt to control. The TBI is only 480 cfm so it will not be a high rpm race setup but for a Jeep it would offer improved drivability, and most likely fuel milage. There are also 680 holley TBI units that can be found used as well as marine application GM TBIs that are also higher cfm than stock. Another highlight of this setup is that with a simple adapter it could be used on the stock 2bb intake you jeep people have.

Using this type of setup requires far less fuel system modification due to the low fuel pressure required. This is the cheepest option but takes more time and work than the others:

http://www.mez.co.uk/ms1.html

http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_articles/how_to_megasquirt_your_chevy_smallblock_v8_v6.htm

[swampedge]

Take the guts from an GM tbi distributor and put it in the Buick dist and just use the chevy 350 or 454 tbi. Plug and play. Simple right. That's what I'm going to do. If I have to I'll just machine a billet dist or make adapters to use the chevy dist.
Jim

[Tim N.]

Take the guts from an GM tbi distributor and put it in the Buick dist and just use the chevy 350 or 454 tbi. Plug and play. Simple right. That's what I'm going to do. If I have to I'll just machine a billet dist or make adapters to use the chevy dist.
Jim

Interesting. Have you done anything on this project yet?

[swampedge]

I'm just getting to the point where I can sit down and do some engineering on this. I've looked all over and can't find a factory distributor that can be crossed over and dropped in so it appears I'll have to make something. I'll keep you guys posted. Keep prodding me as sometimes I end up on a tangent and forget where I really need to be.
Jim

[TheSilverBuick]

Check out my distributor on my Thread. I'll copy the post over.

[TheSilverBuick]

On to the EFI swap!

After boiling the carb at the track so bad I needed to be towed on the return road :ball: It ran like crap the 100 miles home. So I figured it'd be a good time to swap the intake over and finish wiring in the megasquirt.

I mounted the MegaSquirt ecu on the heater box under the dash. You don't even really see it unless you are looking. This picture was taken with the glovebox removed, but it doesn't interfere with the glove box at all.
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/135/l_1f6810acbd7143aeb06c43232269ddff.jpg

Decided to use the airgap on the SPX for the wiring.
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/31/m_435a778c9b2e4bc28789d345c3926629.jpghttp://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/12/m_7b4e5403f8154fc4ad37ae04706aa8ca.jpghttp://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/60/m_50f6a8bb385c4302948b3f1811a6d517.jpg

Installed on the car. You can see the relayboard from DIYautotune.com in the background. I still ran a standard 4-pin HEI at this point with mechanical and vacuum advance.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/3/l_09b292135dd84ab094e7cd1988dc804c.jpg

I installed a fuel return port in the fuel tank sending unit. As well as ran a steel return line from the engine bay.
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/10/l_e648cc462ee14e32a1ac701d89dbe855.jpg

I installed a surge can/pipe where the carbon canister used to reside. There is a ford high pressure pump below it. Even though it's a 5/16th feed through it it hasn't seemed to be a limitation. It's supposibly capable of 80psi and I have the regulator set at 43psi, and WOT at 5500rpm in 4th I had a 10.5 AFR, so I haven't reached it's limits yet. Now that I know this system is proven I'll eventually move the whole thing to back by the gas tank, but for now it resides there. I have an OEM mount bracket for the ford pump now too.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/16/l_9b76a80874234614b312979cb8089c1a.jpg


All hooked up and running. I ran the power wire to the fuel pump along the hose going from the fuel rail to the high pressure pump so in theory if something were to take the hose out it will also break the wire or at least pull the plug on it. But it's mostly behind the power steering pump.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/60/l_8a975d4be51c4ee685e362aa43d342da.jpg


When I first made the jump to the Megasquirt controlling timing I bastardized a 4-pin HEI (the original oddfire 231 distributor no less!!), changed out the pick up coil for a 7-pin V8 one (uses a different plug than the 4-pin) and changed the reluctor out for one I think was off and Olds or Cadillac because they were more common to find. Then I drilled and pinned the mechanical advance. Worked pretty good for what it was.
Here is a quick video of checking the timing controls. The check is to command three different timing settings, like 20*, 35*, 45*. I pushed for 50* at 1200rpm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLeG1TQY84M

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/14/l_905a32240fac406aa68d561c6249f7b0.jpg

Eventually I took the same distributor and had the pickup coil feed a signal straight to the MegaSquirt, and have the MegaSquirt send a trigger signal to an MSD 6AL-2 box. It could trigger the coil directly, but I wanted the box (and the two step rev limiter, which I have wired to the clutch pedal's neutral safety switch).
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/149/l_db72c7be2ba54a1aa6a65c9c16c4761d.jpg

I also put a new radiator hose on the engine and swapped the accessory brackets over to the ones off the 231 V6 so I could run the OEM A/C compressor so I can get the A/C working hopefully before summer ends =P It's a Buick, it ought to have A/C :laugh:
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/119/l_4fad2171b03749f5a0ffb73d4c31bd2c.jpg

I'll make a third post for the latest developments.

Just replace the high pressure pump with a Universal TBI pump.

Here is a picture under the hood of my '67 Thunderbird with a 428 FE engine. I used a Holley 670cfm Throttlebody and 85lb/hr injectors. I don't know if I'm injector limited yet, I have voltage issue in the charging system wrecking havoc on my tuning (after some testing today I'm fairly certain my alternator is the culprit).

I have the mechanical pump on the block pumping to a surge can buried on the right (same style as my Skylarks). You can see the first fuel filter just to the right of the radiator cap (between the mechanical pump and surge can), and the second one just after the electric fuel pump mounted on the A/C bracket.
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/151/l_ccfdf6aa3da84921adcce20a671496cd.jpg

[Tim N.]

Did you use an HEI distributor?

[TheSilverBuick]

The Ford runs a stock points distributor with Pertronix, the megasquirt doesn't do any ignition control (yet) on the Ford. The Buick 455 runs the odd-fire 231 HEI distributor with the pick-up coil, reluctor and distributor gear swapped out to work with the 455. The Buick 350 could use the same distributor gear as the 231.

[swampedge]

This is what I was thinking but wanting to some how keep my 4 lead module in my dist instead of externally mounted on a heat sink. I have a stock chevy ecm and a moates modified unit as well. My Jeep has already run TBI but with a Duraspark distributor as a trigger when I had the AMC 360 in it. Thanks for the post over.
Jim

[sean Buick 76]

Just replace the high pressure pump with a Universal TBI pump.

Here is a picture under the hood of my '67 Thunderbird with a 428 FE engine. I used a Holley 670cfm Throttlebody and 85lb/hr injectors. I don't know if I'm injector limited yet, I have voltage issue in the charging system wrecking havoc on my tuning (after some testing today I'm fairly certain my alternator is the culprit).

I have the mechanical pump on the block pumping to a surge can buried on the right (same style as my Skylarks). You can see the first fuel filter just to the right of the radiator cap (between the mechanical pump and surge can), and the second one just after the electric fuel pump mounted on the A/C bracket.
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/151/l_ccfdf6aa3da84921adcce20a671496cd.jpg

Great info!!