New heads, TPI, or LSx?
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 437
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, Ga (2.7 miles from Southeastern Dragway)
New heads, TPI, or LSx? Hey folks,
My dad has a '76 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40, with a 350 SBC. He picked up the 350 from a shop for cheap. It had a throttle body heads, is what I've been told, and there for would not accept his carbed intake manifold...is that correct?
So anyway, my old man installs some 305 heads, with his Carter AFB 650 and his old intake, and some ram horn exhaust manifolds. Then engine runs, but I would'nt say good.
He still has those 350 heads, I'm going to pull some numbers off of them.
Anyway, i was thinking and came up with 3 ways to go.
1.) Install head cam and manifold package, keep the carb, add some headers... had something like this in mind http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CMB-08-0039/
2.) Ditch the carb, use the 350 throttle body heads with a TPI setup (from ebay).
3.) Replace the engine with 5.3 vortec LSx truck motor, use stock fuel injection.
I'm thinking that #1 would be simple, straight forward and cost effective.
#2 seem like it would be cool, but could end up costing a lot more, with lot of nightmarish details, and I don't know what kinds of gains are likely application.
#3 A modern 5.3 or 6.0 fuel injected motor would be nice. Seems very suited to this truck. Plus these motors can be had for less than the head package
I value your opinion, please fire away, even if it is not on this list. If I have something wrong, feel free to point it out. Looking for torque, 87 octane, and driveabilty.
My dad has a '76 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40, with a 350 SBC. He picked up the 350 from a shop for cheap. It had a throttle body heads, is what I've been told, and there for would not accept his carbed intake manifold...is that correct?
So anyway, my old man installs some 305 heads, with his Carter AFB 650 and his old intake, and some ram horn exhaust manifolds. Then engine runs, but I would'nt say good.
He still has those 350 heads, I'm going to pull some numbers off of them.
Anyway, i was thinking and came up with 3 ways to go.
1.) Install head cam and manifold package, keep the carb, add some headers... had something like this in mind http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CMB-08-0039/
2.) Ditch the carb, use the 350 throttle body heads with a TPI setup (from ebay).
3.) Replace the engine with 5.3 vortec LSx truck motor, use stock fuel injection.
I'm thinking that #1 would be simple, straight forward and cost effective.
#2 seem like it would be cool, but could end up costing a lot more, with lot of nightmarish details, and I don't know what kinds of gains are likely application.
#3 A modern 5.3 or 6.0 fuel injected motor would be nice. Seems very suited to this truck. Plus these motors can be had for less than the head package
I value your opinion, please fire away, even if it is not on this list. If I have something wrong, feel free to point it out. Looking for torque, 87 octane, and driveabilty.
Keep it simple and cheap. Get a GOOD, PROVEN head/cam package, a good intake mani with matching carb, and don't look back.
You'll be thousands ahead of an lsx swap, and much more simple.
You'll be thousands ahead of an lsx swap, and much more simple.
10 Second Club
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 28
#1 hands down.
#2 is good too, but why bother going through the expense/hassle of going to TPI when it is the same hassle to do LTx
#3 will be more expensive than you think. Motor mounts, headers, bellhousing, EFI fuel pump, accessories (unless it comes with them).
FWIW I have owned 2 TPI cars, and they make excellent street motors with nice amounts of torque to get them moving, but going from a carb setup to ANY EFI setup has a lot of hidden costs unless you get the entire setup froma donor car.
That $1400 kit from Summit is hard to beat for the money. You could piece together something that would blow it away but you'd spend over $2000 to do so.
#2 is good too, but why bother going through the expense/hassle of going to TPI when it is the same hassle to do LTx
#3 will be more expensive than you think. Motor mounts, headers, bellhousing, EFI fuel pump, accessories (unless it comes with them).
FWIW I have owned 2 TPI cars, and they make excellent street motors with nice amounts of torque to get them moving, but going from a carb setup to ANY EFI setup has a lot of hidden costs unless you get the entire setup froma donor car.
That $1400 kit from Summit is hard to beat for the money. You could piece together something that would blow it away but you'd spend over $2000 to do so.
