tbi 350 to carb conversion....
 

The wiring on my tbi is beyond fubar'ed, I'm calling Uncle and going carbed. At least for now, just to get it to run. So here's the skinny:

I have a 1989 GMC Suburban with the TBI 5.7L motor, with the 700R4 tranny (supposedly). My father in law has several carbed 350's at his house, he said i could use whatever i need off those. I know i'll need the intake (are there different intakes that fit the 89 block, or are they all pretty much the same?), a carb, HEI distributor, and fuel regulator to choke down the fuel pressure to carb. Anything else? I've done some research online and found some people that say i need a TV Cable or something? or a switch to lock the tranny? what up with dat?? I know it's not a 4L80-E because they only offered those starting in the 91 burb, so i know it's not electronic. Am i missing anything else? Please don't start with the "why go carb, you gotta keep that tbi" threads, as i said, the wiring for the tbi is beyond jacked (missing plugs, missing plug ends, relays on firewall with no idea what they're for, nothing labeled or color coded, etc, etc.), i just want the damn thing to run for more than 30 seconds so i can enjoy it for a little bit. I'll probably eventually rip out ALL the wiring and go with a new painless tbi harness and complete vehicle harness, or something, i just need it to run, like NOW! Any help will be much appreciated.

Re: tbi 350 to carb conversion....
 

wish i could help bro but i am thinking about the same for my crewcab so I can run a big azz cam, but i have not done it before so I am in the same boat... you may try posting in the engine section as well...

Re: tbi 350 to carb conversion....
 

don't necessarily want to run a big cam, not now at least, just trying to bypass the spaghetti casserole of stock wiring that got butchered by trying to put an 08 Silverado dash with Dakota Digital gauges in. Eventually (and i mean WAY down the line, i'm actually going to drive this around and enjoy it instead of trying to do everything at once again), i'm going to put an LS1, late model 5.3, or something of the like in. Again, just trying to get it to start and run semi reliably right now :D

Re: tbi 350 to carb conversion....
 

This may not be what you want to hear, but putting in an aftermarket TBI harness might be the quickest and easiest route for you. I read your build somewhere (I can't remember where right now), and you have put a ton of work into that thing. Since you have the TBI hardware already, check out www.fuelinjectionconnection.com . Their harness is $245 shipped, and will plug into what you already have. It's cheaper than a painless harness, and you can just plug it right in. Your fuel system is already run, you already have the ECM and correct distributor, etc. You should be able to plug and play.

Re: tbi 350 to carb conversion....
 

jon, i appreciate the advice, but i don't think there's any way to convey how jacked up this burb is. There are many wires under the dash that spark when you try to test them, or push the harness out of the way. Trust me, i wanted to keep the tbi so i could keep the cruise control (i'm getting old, i wants me comfort, lol), but right now i just want it to run. You saw the build thread on streetsource, i started it back in may (a month after i was supposed to drive it home from the 2nd guy who said he'd build it), but the saga has been going on since august of 2007. Been through 2 burbs, 2 shops, i have around $20k invested in it, and right now it's a pile of parts that doesn't run. I just want the easiest way to drive it soon, i've waited long enough. I may check into that, though, but my buddy said the harness looks ok, but some of the plugs and valves are missing, there's no vacuum hoses hooked up (he doesn't know what hoses go where), he's fried 2 starters, and the ecm is probably jacked. He said today that there's like 27 different things that could be keeping it from starting, and i don't have time (or money anymore) to try to trace everything. Like i said, i just want to carb it temporarily, eventually i'll go LS1 or 5.3 or a badass built carb motor, but right now i just want it to run.

Here's the build thread, if anyone is interested....

http://www.streetsource.com/forum/11...pic-heavy.html