Good TPI mechanic in Toms River area? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

SLAYER6669 · 08-06-2006, 11:22 PM

Hey guys, first post here on NJFBOA.. I've been having some bad luck with my 91 Z28 350TPI, and I really wanna get this running before the entire summer is over.. Sofar the problems I've had were coolant temp sensor, then knock sensor, plugs got changed a couple of times beacuse of those problems but I bet need changing again. Now I'm getting this violent shaking, sometimes when it's idling it doesnt shake right away, soon as you get it out on the road it starts and feels weak when on the gas. I stop at a light and the entire shifter and dash is rattling to hell.. Last trip to the shop he goes and changes the distributor and takes off the MSD cap/rotor and puts stock stuff on.. Guess what, didn't work.. So I'm done with this guy, hes charging me a fortune and just guessing.. Anyone have any reputable shops in the area they deal with who know TPI well? Appreciate any help!

also, the motor is not heavily modded, it does have an MSD ignition but I have hooked up the stock one while it was shaking but it still did it afterwards.. The car has been running rich for what seems forever, the knock sensor was supposed to have fixed that but I still got the rich code after that.. Here's some pics and my full huge mod list.. http://www.thirdgenfbodies.com/forum...&CODE=12&CID=1

Frank

Tru2Chevy · 08-07-2006, 09:44 AM

Welcome to the club man!

Sorry to hear about the issues with your ride. I don't know much about TPI myself, but there are plenty of members in your area that would prolly be able to help you out.

- Justin

(ps - moving this to central for you....)

Ian · 08-07-2006, 12:17 PM

I just wanted to say that I've seen your car on thirdgen.org and its one of the nicest cars I've ever seen!

Fast92RS · 08-07-2006, 03:36 PM

Welcome to the board. Ive also seen the pic of your car and it is one bad ass ride.8)

baddest434 · 08-07-2006, 04:07 PM

imo take that tpi off and throw it in the ocean. i had a tpi set up on a 305 and i stwitched to an intake and carb and the car was 100% better.

i'm no fan of TPI but to each their own good luck!!!!

Cliff30thZ · 08-07-2006, 05:45 PM

earhart automotive in freehold. ask for jared. 732-780-9408

cliff

SLAYER6669 · 08-07-2006, 08:32 PM

Thanks for the comments.. baddest, I can't say that I disagree with you one bit. I wanna put in a new motor, but if you look at the link of all the mods, i've spent over $25k in this thing (including the cost of the car) and I'm just trying to justify spending all the cash it would cost for a new motor.. It's defintely in the future but I'm just not sure when..

Anyone else? Freehold isn't THAT far, but I was trying to find something a little closer considering the way it is driving.. Also I'm here alone and probably will have to take a taxi home and back there since I haven't lived here real long and I don't know anyone within an hour from here..

r0nin89 · 08-08-2006, 01:17 AM

My dad just took his vette to the most knowledgable guy I've ever met. I had a 20min conversation with him about doing my 350 swap keeping or loosing my TBI and blowing my motor. I think the place is called Brick Performance off of mantolokin road. Call him up hes a little expensive but knows his ****!

V · 08-08-2006, 01:44 AM

i'm no expert but if you were closer, i'd offer my services to come check it out and let a new pair of eyes look at it. I've worked on several of my own tpi cars and did a complete tpi swap into a 87 monte ss.

What exact code are you getting? with some little info and a step by step process we may be able to help over the internet here.

SLAYER6669 · 08-08-2006, 06:24 PM

I will look into Brick Performance, my father had actually mentioned that name the past.

Smoking - the code I was getting in the past was code 45 (o2 sensor circuit rich).. I have replaced the o2 sensor that is in the header on the drivers side.. Is there any other sensors? I have not seen the code in some time now.. I did get an SES light on the way home from work the day I got it back after he changed the distributor, but never checked it.. I was also just about out of gas at the time I got it.. the light never did stay on.. it would turn on and off as I drive.. thanks

V · 08-08-2006, 09:35 PM

if it went on and off then there is a code in the ecm. Most of the time, codes will remain in the history of the ecm for about 50 starts(so that you can get it checked out without clearing the ecm upon the next startup) I suggest pulling the code now and see where that leads you.

If it is 45 again, keep in mind code 45 does not always mean just a bad o2 sensor(usually code 13), oh and yes, the tpi cars only have that 1 o2 sensor.

Code 45- When the ecm has detected a rich exhaust condition, and the O2 sensor voltage remains at more the 0.7V for more than a minute, with the throttle angle between 3 and 40%. Look for leaking injectors, excessively high fuel pressure, leaking egr valve, bad tps and vapor control purge valve.

V · 08-08-2006, 09:39 PM

Here a flowchart I found for troubleshooting code 45...

jims69camaro · 08-21-2006, 12:38 PM

nice flowchart. are others available?

n/m, i found it: http://www.chevythunder.com/Flow%20chart%20index.htm

conlinj · 08-28-2006, 05:41 AM

Start with the basics,

Check the tps see what volts its at. While you have your multi-meter out check the ohms on your injectors. Double check your firing order a wire could be misplaced. Check your wiring to your o2 sensor make sure it didn't melt anywhere. Another thing to look for is pop the hood at night and run the car, look for any blue sparks you could have a bad wire and it's arching. Get a spray bottle and fill it with some water, spray around the tpi gaskets and see if the rpm's drop, could have a vacuum leak somewhere.

-Jim

BonzoHansen · 08-28-2006, 08:15 AM

A spray bottle that can mist water on the wires makes looking for arching pretty easy.

I can't suggest factory manuals enough. They are very useful, even if a bit expensive (you get what you pay for). You'd be amazed what you can fix on a 3rd gen with a paper clip, a decent multimeter and a test light.

Helm Manuals

SLAYER6669 · 09-01-2006, 09:44 AM

Took the car to Brick performance.. It looks like two of the injectors are bad.. they are only reading 3-4 ohms.. Any suggestions on what Injectors I could buy? I've read that the Accel injectors are junk and it seems these are the only aftermarket one's that are available.. Everyone else seems to use the ford motorsport ones which only come in 19# and 24#, when the 350tpi runs 22# injectors.. Can the car be run with the 24# injectors without changing the prom? If not, does anyone know who burns proms around here? It looks like the only option for affrodable injectors. I'm not going to just replace 2 injectors, I want to replace all of them.. If those two went out its likely the others are not far behind..

conlinj · 09-01-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLAYER6669

Took the car to Brick performance.. It looks like two of the injectors are bad.. they are only reading 3-4 ohms.. Any suggestions on what Injectors I could buy? I've read that the Accel injectors are junk and it seems these are the only aftermarket one's that are available.. Everyone else seems to use the ford motorsport ones which only come in 19# and 24#, when the 350tpi runs 22# injectors.. Can the car be run with the 24# injectors without changing the prom? If not, does anyone know who burns proms around here? It looks like the only option for affrodable injectors. I'm not going to just replace 2 injectors, I want to replace all of them.. If those two went out its likely the others are not far behind..

You need the "pink top" ford injectors. They are rated at 21/22lb's and hour and are perfect for you. There are a set on eBay now (160024393132) or you can get them from here http://www.fiveomotorsport.com/. fiveo sells them stock/flow matched/or factory pulls, just give them a call. The injectors came stock on 02-04 4.6 cars, maybe you can get them from a local junk yard, or post on a mustang site for some stock pulls, that's how I got my 19lb/hr injectors for 30 bucks

-Jim

baddest434 · 09-01-2006, 02:10 PM

i once ordered injectors from jegs for an tpi i had. the cost was close to 400 bucks. when i got them my son told me that i could get the same injecters that were for a mustang from downs ford and they only were like 120 bucks

SLAYER6669 · 09-01-2006, 09:08 PM

conlinj, thanks man! I didn't know the one's that Fiveomotorsport had were 21lb beacuse it didn't say unless I'm blind.. That's the answer I was searching for all last night

Guy at brick performance calls me and tries to tell me it's gonna cost $189 for each of the 2 injectors and I was like $189 EACH?? where is this? and he says the dealer.. I said HELL no I'll get them myself.. Who replaces just 2 injectors when all of em have 105k miles on em.. If two went bad then the other 6 sure as hell aren't going to last much longer.. While it's apart change em all!