Viking

OK, I probably have the highest mileage engine on the boards, and there is no getting around it, one day I'm going to have to replace it (although it runs amazingly strong still). I have 2 questions for those in the know.

1) My car has T-tops, I've heard that maybe its not such a good idea to run real tourqey motors with T-tops because of the possibility of twisting the car. Is this something I should worry about and if so, whats the hottest engine I should consider?

2) Maybe jumping the gun with this question becuase it is dependant on the answer for Q1, but the crate engine ZZ4 seems like a good buy, and enough HP / Tourqe to keep me happy, can this engine take my original TPI setup and will it mate up to all the sensors ect that original wiring harness is looking for?

powermite

Viking,
I got the ZZ4 bug also and like you I have the 305TPI,so i'll be very interested to read your replies.
As far as I can find out,our TPI will run but will be down on power.I think it needs bigger injectors and some manifold and runner mods.I thought of buying a whole new TPI set up from TPIS but the price put me off a bit.

PM

pskel350

the zz4 engine wont hurt a t-top car as long as you have SFC. I am gonna run a healthy 350 with my t-tops and SFC.

Viking

pskel350, I guess I"m having a brain cramp, but what is SFC?

black83z

Subframe connectors. It solidly connects the unibody suspension of the F-bodies. Stops squeeks and rattles and whatnot. Spohn has a really good set, you should hit up his website. Shoot him an email and he'll tell you purdy much whatever you need to know bout your suspension. You should do a search next time before axin these questions tho, they've been beat to death.
Matt
edit: oh yeah, his site is one of the links at the top of your page in case you didnt realize. Its spohn.net too, in case you were wondrin.

powermite

Subframe Connectors.I have them in my car,stiffens up the chassis loads
PM

CamaroMike

ZZ4's L98 heads will not have a compatible bolt pattern with the TPI base. The ZZ4's heads have bolts that are all at the same angle. On TPI engines, I believe the center bolts are at a different angle than the bolts at the manifold ends.

Z_Ghost

There is no crossover passage in the heads to feed the EGR, you either have to forget about EGR or run the exhaust like the vettes did off the rear manifold or header. You will need the vette intake or an after maket one to do that.
You can get the ZZ4 short block and put better heads on the motor if you wanted to go that way.
I just got the ZZ4 Monday and I am putting the SuperRam on it, have not got to work on it yet, but I am going to be putting the sensors in this weekend and maybe dropping it into the car.

Schwantz

Looking back I should have opted to buy a ZZ4. I put the 330 horsepower (350 HO) without the aluminum heads crate motor in my 85 Camaro. It has been a nightmare all of the stuff I had to buy for that engine. The ZZ4 comes with all of the stuff that I had to buy such as : water pump, distributor, intake, flexplate, and harmonic balancer. Nothing was the same. I wish I would have known because I would have gotten the ZZ4.

The ZZ4 puts out 25 more horses and 20 more ft-lbs of torque than the engine I have. With that said I have a T-Top car and havent had any problems with the car twisting.

86IROCNJ

Well, the subframe answer has been tackled, so....try a search i guess. This has been beaten to death as noted. Not flaming, just saying you will find tons of info on this set up. If i could do it over i would buy the short block and build it up from there. I still have the manifold, distributor, and i sold the water pump recently from the motor. I went with the FB385 and miniram. I bought everything new so it cost me some $$$! I did not expect to go this far with it so i went the expensive route. Oh well, can't go back and change things. It is one of the best selling engines and it is a proven performer. Most thirdgens with just the zz4 and very little other mods turn 13s all day. Not a bad upgrade for a brand new motor with reliable power. good luck

Parrydise7

iTrader: (1)

If you want an emissions legal package, GM used to sell (yes, past tense) an emissions legal 350 HO package that included the ZZ4, a dual cat exhaust, tranny upgrades, etc. Although GM discontinued that package, when I talked to Scoggin-Dickey a couple of months ago, they still had one or two of them in stock.