new motor problem - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

UserName · 05-15-2009, 03:24 PM

well as u might guess i have an 85 trans am that usto have the 305HO carb. well i blew that motor around jan. i didnt have a place to swap motors so it sat at work till i was able to get a garage to do it at. well i found a kid that would rent it to me for the month at 150. well 12 days into it he gets into a arument with the owner and tells me that i got to get the car out by the 13th. well i didnt want to lose my car so i towed it back to the job. before he kicked me out i was able to put in the new motor in but from a stock 305 carb to a 355 carb is more work then i thought. i was suppose to have help from a friend but he bailed early in the game. now im stranded trying to get this car running but i keep running into things that i know should be cake but i dont want to just start cutting without the know how. im short for cash and short for time. any suggestions?

UserName · 05-15-2009, 06:07 PM

Wut wires can I snip

//<86TA>\\ · 05-15-2009, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UserName

Wut wires can I snip

nothing until its running, if thats the priority.

What components did you remove that you now need to remove wires?

deadtrend1 · 05-15-2009, 06:25 PM

if all you are doing is swapping out the long block bottom end. There really should be no difference in the wiring.

Its hard to give advice on the wiring since you more or less gave a descripion of your situation, not the motor. Can you post a pic of the wires and locations you are confused about?

BobonaStick · 05-15-2009, 10:47 PM

i just went through the same thing about a week ago with my 88 GTA... If you literally pulled the bottom end out and are gonna put everything the same back on top you should have no problem gettin that thing to fire back up especially it being a carbed motor.

UserName · 05-16-2009, 09:05 AM

Well there's abunch of wires that came from the carb

Tru2Chevy · 05-16-2009, 08:25 PM

So you switched to a non computer-controlled carb?

If that's the case, did you also switch to a non computer-controlled distributor?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then you should be able to remove all of the wires that come into the engine bay through the passenger side fender behind the tire. Since getting the car up and running seems to be your #1 priority, I would just fold them up neatly, toss a couple of rubber bands around them, and leave them stuffed in the corner of the engine bay for now. You can also unplug the harness from the ECM that is under the dash, on the passenger side.

- Justin

UserName · 05-17-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

So you switched to a non computer-controlled carb?

If that's the case, did you also switch to a non computer-controlled distributor?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then you should be able to remove all of the wires that come into the engine bay through the passenger side fender behind the tire. Since getting the car up and running seems to be your #1 priority, I would just fold them up neatly, toss a couple of rubber bands around them, and leave them stuffed in the corner of the engine bay for now. You can also unplug the harness from the ECM that is under the dash, on the passenger side.

- Justin

I got the same dist. And I know the wires for that.

Tru2Chevy · 05-17-2009, 05:01 PM

From your short response I gather that you did switch to a non computer-controlled carb, and kept the computer-controlled distributor.

I am not 100% sure, but I do believe you can get the ECM to run the engine this way, but you are gonna have more work to do. If no one here knows how to get that setup, check on TGO.

Personally, since you ditched the CC carb already, I would pull the entire ECM and install a non computer-controlled distributor. It will make your life much easier.

- Justin

//<86TA>\\ · 05-17-2009, 05:37 PM

if you are going with a non CC setup, you can remove ALMOST all the wires from the passengerside fenderwell. There are 3 wires in that harness for the torque converter lockup, 2 for the speed sensor, but i think you have a cable driven speedo so those 2 may not be there.

I think thats it.

UserName · 05-17-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

From your short response I gather that you did switch to a non computer-controlled carb, and kept the computer-controlled distributor.

I am not 100% sure, but I do believe you can get the ECM to run the engine this way, but you are gonna have more work to do. If no one here knows how to get that setup, check on TGO.

Personally, since you ditched the CC carb already, I would pull the entire ECM and install a non computer-controlled distributor. It will make your life much easier.

- Justin

Yea I might do that but how much is that going to run me. I got another thead bout the fuel pump. I need to get this car running .

UserName · 05-17-2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by //<86TA>\\

if you are going with a non CC setup, you can remove ALMOST all the wires from the passengerside fenderwell. There are 3 wires in that harness for the torque converter lockup, 2 for the speed sensor, but i think you have a cable driven speedo so those 2 may not be there.

I think thats it.

Wut bout if I got a 5 speed

Tru2Chevy · 05-17-2009, 05:56 PM

'85 TA should be a cable driven speedo, not electronic. Easy to check on that, just look at the trans tail housing if you aren't sure. And the lockup you will have to either wire up to a manual switch, get an aftermarket kit to control lockup, or leave the TCC unlocked all the time (you'll just generate a bit more heat in the trans on the highway and mileage will suffer a bit).

- Justin

//<86TA>\\ · 05-17-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UserName

Wut bout if I got a 5 speed

well, if you have a 5 speed, you dont have a converter lockup, so scratch those wires, speedo is cable driven.

Only things left are the reverse lights and neutral safety. Im not sure if those wires are in the harness or come through the shifter area. you will have to get under the car and see whats there and where it goes.

UserName · 05-17-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

'85 TA should be a cable driven speedo, not electronic. Easy to check on that, just look at the trans tail housing if you aren't sure. And the lockup you will have to either wire up to a manual switch, get an aftermarket kit to control lockup, or leave the TCC unlocked all the time (you'll just generate a bit more heat in the trans on the highway and mileage will suffer a bit).

- Justin

My car had a 5speed from the begin with. Can't I just conect it back the way it was?

//<86TA>\\ · 05-17-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UserName

My car had a 5speed from the begin with. Can't I just conect it back the way it was?

yes

UserName · 05-17-2009, 07:15 PM

Ok cool

Tru2Chevy · 05-17-2009, 07:40 PM

NSS and Reverse are controlled by microswitches on the shifter in an A4 car, I would assume that would be the same for an M5, but the NSS would be the clutch switch.

- Justin

UserName · 05-17-2009, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

NSS and Reverse are controlled by microswitches on the shifter in an A4 car, I would assume that would be the same for an M5, but the NSS would be the clutch switch.

- Justin

???

Tru2Chevy · 05-17-2009, 08:06 PM

NSS = neutral safety switch, which is basically what is on the clutch pedal to only allow the car to start when the clutch is depressed.

Is that what you didn't get?

- Justin

BobonaStick · 05-18-2009, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

NSS = neutral safety switch, which is basically what is on the clutch pedal to only allow the car to start when the clutch is depressed.

Is that what you didn't get?

- Justin

His car has been M5 not a swap to a M5 from the A4.

As long as you only changed the carb and that's all you can connect everything back that way it was a pull the wires that originally went to the computer controlled carb off to the side.

Tru2Chevy · 05-18-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobonaStick

As long as you only changed the carb and that's all you can connect everything back that way it was a pull the wires that originally went to the computer controlled carb off to the side.

The ECM will run the car with no issues without the carb plugged in and no other changes?

- Justin

V · 05-19-2009, 07:39 AM

CCC quadrajets work with the ecm and dizzy to adjust itself, and also used the TPS sensor to relay info back to the ecm for the timing advance. running with it just unhooked is not the ideal way to do it. Since the carb is already swapped, i will just assume you have gotten one with an electric choke. Only wiring you need for that is one that has 12v only when the ignition is turned on. Now about the dizzy(distributor), I would recommend a basic vacuum advance model with an HEI cap. hei cap is one with the ignition coil mounted up top. On the models, you just need two wires is i remember correctly, one 12v battery source and the tach signal wire(maybe just a 12v ignition source too on some). Hook up the vacuum canister on the dizzy to a correct port on the intake manifold or carb, you may need a t splitter/fitting if none are open. As for the ecm wiring, i am pretty sure all of it can be cut with a T5 tranny car. The other wiring you will see is for the engine sensors which run through the drivers side harness to the dash. You'll have one for oil pressure and one for water temp(drivers side head i believe). Basically any wairing going up into the passenger side fender/firewall will be obsolete.

Speedos went electric in birds in 86, and in camaros in 90, so thats not an issue.
The oem tach wire will easily read the analog signal from an hei dizzy.
Fan should be mechanical one so no wiring needed there.
Fuel pump is also mechanical so thats an easy one.
O2 sensor(s) are useless without ecm so that wiring is obsolete.
NSS is off the clutch pedal and just ties into the ignition system under the dash.
Reverse lights are off a switch in the side of the trans and wiring should come up from under the car on the drivers side of the trans tunnel.

UserName · 05-21-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

Speedos went electric in birds in 86, and in camaros in 90, so thats not an issue.
The oem tach wire will easily read the analog signal from an hei dizzy.
Fan should be mechanical one so no wiring needed there.
Fuel pump is also mechanical so thats an easy one.
O2 sensor(s) are useless without ecm so that wiring is obsolete.
NSS is off the clutch pedal and just ties into the ignition system under the dash.
Reverse lights are off a switch in the side of the trans and wiring should come up from under the car on the drivers side of the trans tunnel.

first of all u guys are life savor . i would not be able to do not even half of this without u guys. but my fan is electronic not clutch driven?
i got the same distributor that the car ran with . this motor,carb,fuel pump, and distributor all came off a brown 83 camaro z28 i believe. only diference is that it was an automatic and now i put my trans on it.

UserName · 05-21-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

NSS = neutral safety switch, which is basically what is on the clutch pedal to only allow the car to start when the clutch is depressed.

Is that what you didn't get?

- Justin

thats exactly wut i was asking . bu i wired everything back the way i had it on the trans. the only thing that im drawing a blank is on the carb and fuel pump.

the pump has 1 inlet and 1 outlet. the old one had 2 outlets. i wanted to know how i go about connecting it right.

the carb has 2 vaccum line from what it look like . then i dont know how to connect the throttle cable to the carb right i dont want to bs that. also how do i go about connecting it so it gets an eletronic choke.