Mazda B2200 TBI Conversion?

[JCampbell]

Anybody have any experiece adapting TBI from a GM 4cyl, such as an S10 or Cavalier to a non-GM 4cyl?

My son recently bought a super clean 90 Mazda B2200 for his first truck. They are cool little trucks, and I owned a few as a teenager and early 20something. The rush of nostalgia is fun, but I'm starting to have nighmarish flashbacks of the finicky electronic carb that these little rigs came with.

It's been 20 years since I messed with these trucks and a lot has changed since then. I've been doing some reading and it seems like FE3 (2.0l Kia Sportage) swaps, 1.8l Miata swaps, and rotory engine swaps are all fairly common. Even the old Weber 32/36 is still a popular mod.

I got to thinking, how hard would it be to adapt GM TBI to the venerable K3 2.2l Mazda? Fuel delivery and management seems like it would be relatively straightforward, but what about the timing aspect? Mod a GM 4 banger distributor to a Mazda dist shaft, or run a fuel only swap and rely on the factory Mazda vacuum-operated advance to handle ignition and timing?

Curious to see what others have done or learned throughout the years.

[dave w]

Some of the early non-GM EFI conversions were fuel only.

GM TBI can be triggered by using a MSD 6A Ignition Control Box (square wave Tachometer signal) https://www.ebay.com/p/1222074102?ii...SABEgIVK_D_BwE

Many of the Mid 80's GM 2.5 Liter / 151 cubic inch 4 cylinder engines were single barrel Throttle Bodies. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Throttle-Bo...4AAOSwwfFd-jXW

dave w

[steveo]

if you dont need to tune it and you just want injection without a ton of trouble, there is a fuel injected 2.2 that mazda made in later trucks. at one point i had both engines and they were damn similar

i wouldn’t put much effort into that thing as it struggles to make 100hp on a good day

the stock carb runs surprisingly well with everything unhooked and all vacuum ports capped off if you want to try that.

my truck ended up getting the weber carb and i ripped like 50 pounds of hoses, wiring, and sensors crap out of that engine bay

[JCampbell]

if you dont need to tune it and you just want injection without a ton of trouble, there is a fuel injected 2.2 that mazda made in later trucks. at one point i had both engines and they were damn similar

i wouldn’t put much effort into that thing as it struggles to make 100hp on a good day

I’m aware of the 2.2l EFI engines. There are a few reasons I’m not considering that conversion. One being Mazda B-series EFI parts are hard to come by in the JY and relatively expensive to buy new. Secondly, the aftermarket support for GM TBI exists…Mazda, not as much. Third, I’m familiar and comfortable with GM TBI.

Yes, at 85 HP, the 2.2l is not a massive powerhouse. This conversion is simply for improved reliability and drivability. I’m not a giant fan of carbs in general, and feedback carbs I find particularly annoying. That being said, I did consider a Weber 32/36…and it’s still a possibility…but I’d much rather run EFI.

[steveo]

definitely go for it then!

if you score a 2.2 efi distributor that might make a better trigger? and run proper ecm controlled spark

things like the coolant temp sensor will be the least of your issues; maybe you can grab an npt brass pipe plug, then drill and tap that to make an adapter

[JCampbell]

You know...I didnt even consider adapting the stock FI Mazda distributor.

Good call.

[JCampbell]

Some of the early non-GM EFI conversions were fuel only.

GM TBI can be triggered by using a MSD 6A Ignition Control Box (square wave Tachometer signal)

Many of the Mid 80's GM 2.5 Liter / 151 cubic inch 4 cylinder engines were single barrel Throttle Bodies.

dave w

Thanks Dave. I think I can make this work. The coolant temp sensor might be sorta tricky. The GM unit being 3/8” NPT, whereas the Mazda uses M12x1.5 thread size. I could run a stock Mazda CTS if it operates under the same general parameters as the GM unit.

I’d love to explore this with you further one of these days.