TBI manifold and cam

[87GMC2WD]

Is there really any relatively cheap intake manifold out there for a TBi 350? and what about a cam for a 2wd TBI truck. I was going to put a 454 in the truck but i decided to go to school so therefore the big block will have to wait. I am looking to get more power out of the stock motor thats in it without going too crazy. all that i have right now done to it is dual exhaust and a TB spacer. I do have money to spend just not $1000 for an intake set up

[eventhorizon66]

I would just keep the stock manifold.  From what I understand most of the restriction occurs at the throttle body so gains from an intake manifold are minimal.  Get in contact with these guys and see what they'd recommend for your budget: http://www.cfm-tech.com/.

I would definitely ditch the factory air cleaner spacer (which severely shrouds the area around the injectors) in favor of one of these: http://marine-performance-parts.com/hypertechpowerchargerforfullsizetruckgmtbi5057.aspx.

This will probably be a good cam for TBI: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DK1102&autoview=sku.

[VileZambonie]

You can always get a decent dual plane intake and put a tbi adapter on it.

[87GMC2WD]

ok, serious question. what is a dual plane intake. probably stupid question but i need to learn.

[eventhorizon66]

A dual plane intake divides the engine up (from the carburetor's perspective) into two halves.  Each half contains cylinders which fire 180° apart from each other.  This increases low rpm / low throttle vacuum signal to the carb and tends to make the most power under these conditions.  A single plane does not divide the engine and the whole carb must now feed cylinders which fire 90° apart from each other.

This is a dual plane:

This is a single plane:

[Blue 82]

The best bang for the buck is a custom chip.

[fitz]

Edelbrock makes an aluminum TBI manifold for our trucks.

[VileZambonie]

Look at the pic in this thread I posted.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2991.0

[87GMC2WD]

the discription and words very helpful, thanks very much. i see how that would help a lot. so i will look into finding an adapter plate for it. and Blue, what about a custom chip? do i have to send out my computer and have it flashed + reprogrammed?or do we just have a pulg in chip that you can buy a new one?

[87GMC2WD]

and looking into those edelbrock TBI manifolds they seem like a stock replacement. no real performance gains. now i have an edelbrock 2101 which is a dual plane, if i find an adapter can i make that fit my truck? it says it goes up to 86 and i know obviously because of the TBI but they did make other changes to the motor so that that manifold wont  work?

[VileZambonie]

Your prom comes out of the ECM. You can have one custom made and just swap it out. I put a dual plane air gap vortec manifold (vortec heads) on my mutt project with a TBI adapter plate.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=6233.150

[87GMC2WD]

i like your set up alot. but does my 87 have vortec heads? and you said you had a vortec manifold so is that like the 2101 or is that a newer style?

[VileZambonie]

My engine has Vortec heads. If you didn't swap vortecs on there then you don't have them.

[87GMC2WD]

so i would have to find a set of vortecs to fit my 2101 manifold, correct?

[eventhorizon66]

so i would have to find a set of vortecs to fit my 2101 manifold, correct?

 

For clarification how about the terminology L31 heads (96-99 trucks, four intake bolts per side) and L03/L05 heads (87-95 truck, six intake bolts per side, middle two at different angle).  The #2101 is designed for 55-86 heads with six intake bolts per side, but all at the same angle.  If you want the equivalent of the #2101 for L03/L05 heads a #2104 is what you want.

I'm not sure if I answered any questions you had, but I hope this clarified the question of vortec vs. vortec.

L31 heads: