454 Engine Question

I have been thinking seriously of running a big block in my 46. A buddy called today and said he had a '99 454 with T-400 tranny for $600. The engine was in a Chevy 3/4 ton truck that was involved in a roll over
I normally dont get engines with EFI. Any problem with converting it? Is it feasible to run the EFI and do I need the computer? Any help from anyone experienced in this set up would be appreciated

 

If you're into DIY fuel injection, the Megasquirt system is pretty cool. It's a simple, fairly inexpensive, fully programmable ECM.

 

That motor is a TBI set up the Intake is similar to carb style. The trans probably has an electric kick down too. There are kick down switches you could adapt to carb set up.

 

Check with glenn33 here on the HAMB for the kick down system.

 

99 would be port injection, not TBI. Port was first used in 96 on the big blocks.

If you run efi, you need a computer, not necessarily the one that came with the engine...but if you do something like the Megasquirt there is a lot of tuning to be done to get it working right.

 

Thanks for the correction Squirrel.
Port injection and TBI. I get them confused. Port injection has the look of a carb? If thats it. That's what i meant.

 

TBI has the look of a carb. I thought 95 was the last year for it? I have an intake of a 454 from a 99 truck and it sure does not look like a carb. More like this (random internet pic of 97 454 swapped into slightly older truck)

 

Lol! I should checked my info before I answered this thread. My buddy has a Suburban with the 454 TBI. It's a early 90's.

 

Great thoughts guys. Glad someone knows more about these than me. I am building a traditional coupe so I am thinking that carbs would fit that build better. So is thie engine easily adaptable to carbs??? Also is ther anything wierd on this slug, like crankshaft ignition or other wierd GM ideas. Ford did em as well. ?? I am really trying to decide if I want to buy this. I know I can get it for 500 bones

 

they used a turbo 400 in 99? I think a 99 model 3/4 ton would probably have a 4l80E, wouldnt it?

 

yup 4l80e in that one. if you can get it all run the stok computer for everything.

 

Should be able to make it into a carbured engine, they had normal peanut port heads, distributor, etc, but might not have the mechanical fuel pump stuff? is so you can just run electric.

trans should be 4L80E which is an electronic, overdrive version of the TH400, and looks like a TH400 except it's longer in the front (behind the bellhousing they added another gear/clutch assembly), and it has some big fat wire harnesses on it, and it requires a computer to shift.

 

www.fuelinjection.com these guys can help you either way you go. the can make you a custom harness and reprogram the computor (geting rid of any and all emmisions, ect. ect.) Or give you the info needed to go carberated.