454 TBI doesn't like operating temperature!!!

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Mike Harrington

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Does the 89tbi use electronic spark control? I ask because that sounds like the problem i had recently with esc. Once the engine got to temp it would have similar problems. It was pulling time due to faulty esc controller or possibly the knock sensor, never found out just deleted it.
It may not even use it but what I found suggest that it does have esc. If none of the other suggestions work its worth a look at esc.
No the 89 454 does not have a ESC or a knock sensor. The small blocks do
 

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No the 89 454 does not have a ESC or a knock sensor. The small blocks do


Ok. I was seeing them listed all over the place as having them so thought id check. Im probably seeing misinformation or poorly explained threads. Hope you get er licked brother
 

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Well, it’s running fine and they say “don’t mess with success”, but it’s worth noting your fuel pressure is double what it’s supposed to be.
 

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It
Well, it’s running fine and they say “don’t mess with success”, but it’s worth noting your fuel pressure is double what it’s supposed to be.
It was running that high, but I switched pumps and put the original back in. It's now 30 psi
 

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It

It was running that high, but I switched pumps and put the original back in. It's now 30 psi

I thought the TBI fuel pressure should be between 9-13PSI except for the 94-95 454's.... Do you have a later TBI unit on your 89?
 

Mike Harrington

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I thought the TBI fuel pressure should be between 9-13PSI except for the 94-95 454's.... Do you have a later TBI unit on your 89?
Yes I do. It is from a 95 but I've got the injectors from my 89 in there. According to Brian Harris from TBI mods these TBI 454 engines run better with the 155lph fuel pump from a 96 vortec engine. That's about 43.5 psi so I'm actually a little lower than he suggests...but I have to agree it made an instant improvement on overall performance of engine.
 
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Bextreme04

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Yes I do. It is from a 95 but I've got the injectors from my 89 in there. According to Brian Harris from TBI mods these TBI 454 engines run better with the 155lph fuel pump from a 96 vortec engine. That's about 43.5 psi so I'm actually a little lower than he suggests...but I have to agree it made an instant improvement on overall performance of engine.

That doesn't seem right either... I don't think a 96 is different than my 97 L29. The factory pump is an EP381 that runs at 55-58psi stock. The older TPI, and LT1 engine ran at 3 Bar, the newer LS and L29 454 vortec motors run 4 bar.

So you are running a 95 computer with the older injectors, or all older computer and everything with a 95 regulator to bump up the pressure? Just for clarification, I'm not saying what you are doing is wrong, because I have no experience with TBI personally. I'm just curious(although I am saying your pressure numbers for a vortec 454 pump are wrong).
 

Mike Harrington

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That doesn't seem right either... I don't think a 96 is different than my 97 L29. The factory pump is an EP381 that runs at 55-58psi stock. The older TPI, and LT1 engine ran at 3 Bar, the newer LS and L29 454 vortec motors run 4 bar.

So you are running a 95 computer with the older injectors, or all older computer and everything with a 95 regulator to bump up the pressure? Just for clarification, I'm not saying what you are doing is wrong, because I have no experience with TBI personally. I'm just curious(although I am saying your pressure numbers for a vortec 454 pump are wrong).
No I'm running a 95 TBI 454 in a 89 truck with factory computer but a tuned prom. The fuel pump is what came in the truck but it's putting out 30 psi so it's close to the 155lph(43.5) psi that a 96 vortec pump puts out as an upgrade recommended by Brian. I had the injectors from the 95 in there with a pump that was putting out 75 psi but it was getting way to much gas. I put the 30 psi pump back in and the injectors from the 89 and it seemed to like that combo. Oh and I have an adjustable regulator on the TBI unit as well
 

Mike Harrington

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At one point I even tried a brand new pump that put out the 18-20 psi but it really ran like crap with both sets of injectors so I ditched it. I'm still in the learning process here and by no means claim my setup is right
 

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