AMC 360 tbi swap

jeepn-jason

jeepn-jason

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Greensboro
Im starting to gather parts for my junkyard tbi swap on my cj. So far ive got the good computer 1227747, harness from an 89 2wd truck, and all the sensors and throttle body. Still gotta get a fuel pump, lines and block off plate.

I am going to try to do this with fuel only control. from what ive read i need a tach filter, to send the signal from my tfi coil to the ecu. What does this consist of?

Anyone that has done this got any pointers?
 
I've read that info. There's some good stuff there. Wasn't that guy on the board? I'd like to talk to someone that's done the swap to see what's best. Spark control or not?
 
In my opinion do the spark control too. Get the full benefit to the system. Im running the TBI setup on my 78 F150s 351M. It starts within 3 revolutions cold and quicker than that if its warmed up, no matter what the outside temp is. Idles smoother than the carb ever did, and doesn't flood/stall when bouncing or on hills anymore. One of the top three best mods ive done to the truck.

You can pm me if you have any questions about it and I'll see if I can help you out.
 
Awesome, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Did you change the prom out or do a custom tune or what?
 
I foresee a 99"wheelbase Jeep dancing on the rear axle!
Look forward to seeing the new aspiration in action!
Nothing sucks more than a carb crapping out on a incline!
 
jeepn-jason said:
Awesome, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Did you change the prom out or do a custom tune or what?
Click to expand...

Well I figured I may have to do some custom tuning but I was amazed when I got it all hooked up and hit the key and it fired right up and idled smooth. The computer I'm running is the 1227747 with a AWSD (I think) Prom its for a 88-91 GM Truck with a 350 and a manual transmission, since my truck is a 4 speed. I got the computer from Ragged's Auto Salvage on EBay. He has a store and is a junkyard in New Jersey. He has hundreds of Proms and computers for sale, so you could get a Manual Trans computer or one for a truck with a th400 if you have a 3 speed auto(If you used a 700R4 computer it may throw transmission/torque convertor codes). The whole computer from him was $60 but you can get just proms for $20 so you can use the computer you've already got.

I got everything hooked up like on the Chevy truck. The computer controls the vacuum to my EGR valve, I have the O2 sensor in a bung on one header, but the sensor is actually a 4 wire from about a 96 Buick Lesabre so It will have the heater since the stock tbi is one wire. I'm using a 88 Bronco fuel pump (E2000) to feed the system with a resevoir and an extra low pressure pump like the broncos came with from the factory but if I had it to do over I'd just run Walbro pickups in my fuel cell. Ive also got a 88 bronco VSS in my 205 Tcase with a matching cable to run the speedo.

The ford/bronco VSS is 8 pulses per revolution and the TBI needs 2 Pulse/rev so I've got an Abott ERA (Electric Ratio Adaptor) wired in to change the signal to what the computer would need. I had the ERA laying around since I sold my mustang so I used it but I believe you could use a GM VSS Buffer to accomplish the same thing if you didnt want to spend $140 on the ERA. You may be able to find a compatable sensor that will fit you Tcase also maybe from Jagsthatrun.com or search for speedometer world on Google. For a full function TBI without custom tuning you'll want a VSS. It helps control the Idle speed and keep the IAC motor calibrated. It also plays a part in EGR operation if you use that and spark timing.

Other than that I just locked out my factory ford duraspark distributor which is similar to the jeep autolites by tack welding the centrifugal weights and capping off the vacuum can. Then I wired the ford pick-up coil to the GM ignition module and mounted it on a piece of aluminum on the firewall. It triggers the computer and fires the GM coil. Got the knock sensor threaded into the block.

Sorry for the long post but thats the basics. Let me know if you need more info.
Tim
 
My Motor is stock for now BTW except for long tube headers so the stock TBI seems to work well for me. If you have more than a RV/4wd cam then you may need custom tuning to get it to run and idle correctly. I plan on eventually building this motor and putting in one of those cams as well as possibly stroking it to a 400 cube motor so I'll have to figure out if it will adapt or if I got to custom tune then but stock for stock it works great.
 
upnover said:
I foresee a 99"wheelbase Jeep dancing on the rear axle!
Look forward to seeing the new aspiration in action!
Nothing sucks more than a carb crapping out on a incline!
Click to expand...

You foresee that very right chip! Hopefully i can get all this together over the winter and have it tuned in for next year of riding.

I was always impressed with my motorcraft carb until harlan. Ill be ready for next year! I still ran everything i wanted to, well except for lions den, but i chickened out when i looked at that drop off going in.
 
Tim C said:
My Motor is stock for now BTW except for long tube headers so the stock TBI seems to work well for me. If you have more than a RV/4wd cam then you may need custom tuning to get it to run and idle correctly. I plan on eventually building this motor and putting in one of those cams as well as possibly stroking it to a 400 cube motor so I'll have to figure out if it will adapt or if I got to custom tune then but stock for stock it works great.
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure my engine is all stock. Im really not sure, as it was a 100.00 jy find. It runs great, im just wanting better. I really want to keep this as simple as possible, and was wanting to not do the spark control if at all possible. Sounds like it will be my best option though. I have the same duraspark distributor in my jeep as you, so the wiring should be the same. Did you use a standard hei module or was it one out of a tbi truck? Also is the egr really nesecary?
 
The module is the same one straight from the distributor of the tbi donor truck. It looks just like the one in the picture in one of the links above. It has two small pins under the cap that you hook the duraspark pickup wires to and a two wire connector that sticks out of the gm cap which plugs into the coil and a 4 pin connector sticking out of the cap to plug into the ecm.

EGR isnt necessary it may not even throw a code but you may want to plug the solenoid in just to be sure even if you dont hook vacuum lines to it. Im running it cause it helps prevent spark knock and allows the use of lower octane gas without really hurting power since it doesnt work at WOT. The computer can control it more accurately than the old vac switches and amplifiers and stuff the truck had originally which caused surging and other problems at part throttle. When I first hooked up my system I plugged the vac line off to the valve cause it was the wrong kind of valve and had no codes or drivability issues, but I got a new positive backpressure EGR valve and hooked it up just so everything works like its supposed to. Im a little anal about that kind of stuff since I work on cars every day.
 
jeepn-jason said:
from what ive read i need a tach filter, to send the signal from my tfi coil to the ecu. What does this consist of?
Click to expand...

First off, what distributor/ignition are you running?
  • If you're still running points, now would be a great time to swap in a Motorcraft electronic ignition
  • If the Prestolite (plastic distributor body), throw it away NOW!
  • If you're running the later model Motorcraft electronic igniton (metal dizzy), you need NOTHING other than disabling the mechanical advance and wiring the pickups output (purple/orange) into the EST (normally under the GM dizzy cap)...

jeepn-jason said:
Anyone that has done this got any pointers?
Click to expand...

See the link below... LMK if you have any questions!

Tim C said:
In my opinion do the spark control too. Get the full benefit to the system.
Click to expand...

Double Ditto!

Can't find the write-up here, but found the copy on ORC

21(00) Gun Salute! Goodbye old friend

BTW, you might not be able to reach Aaron871 right now He does have the abilty to erase/burn the OEM chips (PITA!), but I modified the ECM to accept larger capacity/MUCH cheaper 27SF512 chips... no real benefit other than the ability to stack tunes and much easy erase/programming on my Moates Burn-II burner.

:beer:
 
Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. You will definately want the computer ro control the spark also I tried mine without it and was not happy. If you have the duraspark distributor it is simple to do. If your motor is stock you should have no problem with the computer adjusting. you just need to run the closest size injectors. Mine are from a 4.3 and mine is a 4.2 inline. computer had no problem. You will need injectors from a 350. I got alot of info from bustedjeep.com which the don't have the link up anymore but if you search it they have posted it elsewhere. I will look tonight but I should have the complete pinouts and everything you need at home.
 
Not sure if you caught the link within my writeup, but 100% of my swap info was gained from the Binder Planets (formerly Binder Bulletin) Injection tech forum.
They are ALL very helpful and have data on TBI'ing everything from twin-cylinder B&S powered lawnmowers,
to Corvairs (used 2 single barrel TB from a 'Vette & a homebuilt distributor-less ignition!),
to multi-fuel engines of all displacements.

Plus, the Binder folks aren't nearly as obnoxious as the Jeep hating Toy crowd! :flipoff2:

Once he makes it back online, Aaron has a very nice AMC 360 bin (prom/tune) that a bud is running in his Jeep... completely pleased with the performance.
 
Caver Dave said:
Not sure if you caught the link within my writeup, but 100% of my swap info was gained from the Binder Planets (formerly Binder Bulletin) Injection tech forum.
Click to expand...


X2 Thats where most of my info came from as well since most of the ford boards I went to were gm tbi haters (calling it a glorified electric carb, even though we know that isnt true) they wanted me to swap on a ford 351W multiport efi instead using custom intakes with welded on injector bungs and stuff.

I wanted the TBI cause it is a simple setup and the GM OBDI computer systems are a little easier to diagnose if I needed to on the trail. I wasnt concerned with all out performance or maximum milage which was the most common excuses I got on the ford boards, I just wanted something that would run great no matter the angle and not flood out.

Its not really much more work to make the spark control function, just a few more wires to hook up and the knock sensor really.

BTW Carver Dave the write up you posted was really good too.
 
ok....bringing this back from the dead....
Still havent swapped my rig over to this yet but will be soon, although we just installed one on my buddies amc 401. Everything went pretty smooth, except for the stuck injectors. He has a 401 with edlebrock preformer cam running tfi coil otherwise stock. We started out with the timing set at 0 degress with the mech advance locked out and vaccum unhooked on the dist. It ran but not very good. I bumped the timing up to around 6 degrees advanced and it seems a ton smoother but still not perfect. Ive got a chip on the way from aaron....ma engineering hopefully this will cure the rest of our issues with the system. I will say the wiring was super simple and the rest of the swap wasnt too bad either. Thanks guys for all the info on this btw!
 
Out of curiosity, what adapter did you use?
I had the same issue! Everybody says 0* BTDC to allow the ECM a good range of control, but couldn't mine to run well (outside of the OE 8*BTDC)... until Bill H. massaged the timing tables.
Have you logged any data yet?
 
Back
Top