TBI spare parts

[gmbellew]

Funny, that's the exact one I purchased. I have the adapter Installed after fuel filter and set our psi. I have purchased an in-line fitting and gauge I was thinking of permanently installing instead, but really need to have section of fuel line shortened by hydraulic shop to keep something permanent in there in order for filter etc to mount back into place correctly. But once psi set why do I need to do that? I got issues.

there should be a flex line downstream of the filter. i just flexed it to install a similar adapter from actron and I've left it in place for a couple years now with no issues. i did find a threaded cap at the parts store to fit the test port to keep it clean.

 

[dusterdude]

Pm answered

 

[Fat 454]

I suggest anyone who has a TBI vehicle to get this Harbor Freight Fuel Pump Pressure testing kit. Many Fuel Pump or Fuel Injection service kits do NOT come with the TBI adapter. This cheap $44 kit does. There is no pressure tap on TBI engines to test for fuel pressure. So this fitting goes inline using the threads to the fuel filter. Then you can attach the pressure gauge to the fitting.

The last TBI truck I worked on, ran like hell. The guy that started working on it was a parts changer and just started changing things and never found it. I'll admit, we both and another mechanic said, it's not the fuel pump. We knew it had been replaced a couple years ago and had very few miles on it, and it didn't act like a bad fuel pump. In most cases, they either work or they don''t and the truck ran, it just ran very poorly. Finally I said for ***** and giggles, we need to do a fuel pressure test. Turned out to have 4psi. That's not enough for TBI.

What pissed me off more than anything, was I told my dad, don't let that shop iinsall anything but a Delphi or AC Delco pump, I don't care if they have to buy it at a dealership and spend big money on it, but don't get a crappy AirTex pump from one of the discount chains. He was out of a town at his house, and I couldn't get to it for a few weeks. But now we have this problem. Turned out to be a POS discount auto fuel pump that I said NOT to install. So I did get the Delphi pump at Advanced Auto believe it or not and the truck has been fine since. We didn't regret replacing all those sensors and cleaning the EGR and ICM etc. The truck is a 94 model and never had a thing done to it, except plugs and wires changed once, a clutch, a fuel pump, alternator and several batteries. That's it. So we also changed plugs and wires again, cap, rotor and distributor, an AC Delco distributor. That thing has to have well over 200,000 miles on it and runs like new, not a bit of smoke which blows my mind. I'd expect at leat valve seals to be leaking by now but we've never been in the engine either. I expect if anything goes anytime soon, it's about time for a timing chain and gears.

But yeah, get this $44 Kit from Harbor Freight. https://www.harborfreight.com/basic-fuel-injection-service-kit-64939.html <<<<<LINK to Kit.

Hey thanks for this. - Just ordered one from evilbay/US site Coming from Florida ( via china ) - so I guess this will have circumnavigated the globe at least once if not more by the time it gets "down under" - oh yeah that's right, we don't make 'nuthin here no-more .. RUN ..

 

[Fat 454]

can't even "sell" it here apparently either - cool that I have to buy shop tools from the other side of the world that we can't buy at the local store down the road ( ???.... )

And are cheaper than local, even when shipped 000's miles, taxes, exchange rates, and delivered to my door !.. ( WTF )

 

[Ricko1966]

can't even "sell" it here apparently either - cool that I have to buy shop tools from the other side of the world that we can't buy at the local store down the road ( ???.... )

And are cheaper than local, even when shipped 000's miles, taxes, exchange rates, and delivered to my door !.. ( WTF )

It's going to get that way here if we don't start paying attention to where we spend our money. I know everyone thinks I'm chicken little,or the boy crying wolf. I've seen too many local and American businesses fold because that can't compete on price.Everyone only thinks about saving a dollar today,not about what's going to happen down the road.

 

[Fat 454]

Dude - the fact that you even have local businesses that have the ability to make stuff is a true "miracle" in today's western world. That should be reflected on what that means, and celebrated whenever you have the chance.
Business needs a favourable local government environment too - ie. you cant be in business if your government is actively trying to stop you ( zoning, taxes, regulation, labour laws, energy costs etc. etc. ), so remember that too when you and your neighbours vote...
I'll get off my soap box now ..

 

[HotRodPC]

can't even "sell" it here apparently either - cool that I have to buy shop tools from the other side of the world that we can't buy at the local store down the road ( ???.... )

And are cheaper than local, even when shipped 000's miles, taxes, exchange rates, and delivered to my door !.. ( WTF )

That really sux. People in America or spoiled azz peeps. Here, won't don't bish about not being able to get anything. We bish cuz it's made in China. Used to China only sold crap but we'd still buy it since it was cheap. Now days though, There's some of that China junk that's actually pretty good stuff. Why? GREED !!! Many companies send their stuff out to China for manufactuing and it's so cheap on the labor, even with shipping via container coming back to USA, the companies still make bigger profits. Snap On would be a good example of that. And they just make bigger profits, they don't lower their prices because there is idiots that'll pay just for that name on a tool even though it's made in China. Not Me !!!

 

[stvaughn]

This thread has gotten completely off topic. Alll I wanted was advice on what TBI parts I should have on hand as spare parts. Let’s get back on topic and please be specific about what parts I need.

Thanks, Steve

 

[HotRodPC]

I wouldn't say completely off topic. If you don't want the tools needed, just let me know. I'll delete it all. Sure would hate to see you get your donkey overloaded with to much info.

 

[Rusty Nail]

If reasonably close a pick and pull yard. Have seen most of the parts you list on vehicles in a yard near me. Only item that is always gone are the TBI units themselves. Those are apparently in high demand, not sure why.

I was very VERY close to attacking mine with a grinder AND a different one to play with - seemed like a not bad idea.

 

[quaddriver]

late to this game but....

short of melting the TBI itself in an engine fire, or running it over with a dump truck - they themselves dont go bad.


however........

The FPR, injectors, IACM/V and TPS do go bad and every one is still available in mass quantities.

All TBIs are not drilled equal. there are differing bore sizes, most notably SBC vs BBC (and or marine applications) Ditto injector pintle size, ditto FPR set point (marine for example uses nearly twice the fuel pressure of the truck...the TBI 350 was 305hp crank vs what 210 in the last years of the truck - you cannot get to that difference on 13-14psi.

The IAC thingies have differing mounts, even on the same engine FAMILY (i.e. gen1 vs gen1 + vs marine. Screw in vs flange AND, the pintle size AND shape are differing and lastly the TPS - at least 3 orientations I know of, and internal vs divorced drive.

Finding and keeping used ones that are any good is basically a function of how much room you got in the shed. when I closed the shop I took tubs of 'cant find this anywhere anymore' stuff to carlisle my last year of vending there and fire-sale'd it.

In this instance there is little advantage to hoarding.

This was the summer of flakey TBI for me, the 90 square and the 97 boat are long out of print, but once I sorted who needs what - for real - it was easy. Volvo Penta quoted me - with a straight face mind you - $354 for a replacement IACM, so..... by using investigative powers I found that the truck (454 TBI) uses the same damn one, for around 50 bux.

Guess which one I ordered, 2 days on my doorstep from the rock.

And even tho the boat 350 and bus 454 have the same SIZE TBI, the TPS on both were worlds apart and to make matters worth, both use a non standard set of fuel/spark tables in the C3/P4 ECM (the boat has to make do with no O2S and IAT and the truck is one of the 179 R2500s GM made in 1990 with the actual commercial duty emissions in a vehicle you could never hit the GVWR unless you put the seats down and filled it with cylinder heads(and I have the VECI to prove it!).......yet both have KS and the no longer available anywhere tuned ESC module....thems were surely cowboy days at GM....

Its a dying art. I have been futzing with this crap for at least 40 years now and everyone that I would call, are long retired if not dead. Just keep it tickin and do no more, the cost/bennie ratio is screwed.

 

[fast 99]

short of melting the TBI itself in an engine fire, or running it over with a dump truck - they themselves dont go bad.

Generally true, only have seen a couple fail. One of our trucks both of them failed at the same time. Incomplete diagnosis led me to a failed pump. After the new pump not fixing it dug a little further. It's the only time I have seen both fail at once. Never happened again. Assume they received a voltage spike and burned them out.

 

[quaddriver]

Generally true, only have seen a couple fail. One of our trucks both of them failed at the same time. Incomplete diagnosis led me to a failed pump. After the new pump not fixing it dug a little further. It's the only time I have seen both fail at once. Never happened again. Assume they received a voltage spike and burned them out.

well I actually meant this as in the case of the TBI bodies...the 4 things I mentioned that bolt on and electrical or mechanical in nature, are what fail

 

[fast 99]

well I actually meant this as in the case of the TBI bodies...the 4 things I mentioned that bolt on and electrical or mechanical in nature, are what fail

Yes, I agree most drivability issues are not the actual TBI injector failing.