need oppinions

[madseacow]

thought I'd share my project with your wonderful forum.

it's an 1986.5 na (duh)
I bought this car cause I was friken sicka driving FWD econoboxes. had I looked at this sight and realized what a pain in the ass I was buying (bhg rod knock.... you name it) I probably would have gone for something else. tried to sell it but I could not give it away. so I took it out to the local soccer field and proceded to unleash the dogs of hell upon the engine. very worth it.

I pulled the engine and proceded to look for a 7mgte. found one and paid out the ass for it (jdm blah)

much time, blood, sweat, and tears (I don't swap engines..... ever)

I've pluged the EGR and various lines. many bolts are questionable. and I'm flying by the seat of my pants. I'm still part searching but the list is getting smaller. plus I found a turdbo rear end for 40 bux. and my list is as follows, igniter, FMIC, AFM, Gauge Cluster, elec fan, IC pipes. so since I'm an idiot please give me any advice on what parts to get. what type of intercooler should I get? how much should I pay for an AFM any good connections on where to get this crap? all praises or flames welcome.... cheers p.s. is it possible for me to keep the CEL from comming up? or should I just go ahead and cut that SOB when I install the cluster

 

[lagged]

no! the CEL should NOT come up if you have functioning equipment. DONT CUT THAT WIRE!

you NEED the CEL to diagnose your car. this isnt a gsr swap in some HONDA.

as far as intercooler choices and what not, i would reccoment keeping the car STOCK until you get it running right. then start modding it.

for ALL your 7mge to 7mgte swap information, go here: http://4cefed.com

 

[madseacow]

I have no stock IC. I just was thinking since I'm buying the part might as well get the best part I can right? also check out this muffler that came with the car. it's a tanabe (if that means anything)

worth keeping? I mean it's friken obscene. but then again so is the car. how about this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7968150965&category=33742
too much?

 

[Supra Blues]

Just curious, why do you want a whole other gauge cluster?

All you need to do is do some modifications to the tach and everything should work just fine.

I literally just got done with the exact same swap three weeks ago.

If you need help, lemme know.

 

[madseacow]

I figured since my wiring isn't the most reliable and that way I've got a boost gauge already. but fawk yea I need help, my e-mails madseacow@gmail.com I've got plugs that have no where to go. and god bless my neighbors... but they're rednecks, we got the rear end in 5 minutes but we've done more drinkin and staring than working

 

[lagged]

heh i hear ya on the drinking and staring part! ive learned to leave that till after the car has been started.

ok, as far as wiring, you shouldnt have to do ANY in terms of a splice n' dice!

pick up a wireharness for whatever year computer you are using. connections for SOME sensors on the thermistat hosing may be different depending on the year of the motor. the only other plug you might have to splice would be the reverse lights, but thats an easy to wires to figure out. just get a multi meter and see what lines what when you have the shifter in reverse.

if you are gonna get an aftermarket IC, youre gonna have to figure out what to do with your IC pipes. meaning deciding if you want to use stock IC pipes for now, aftermarket ones, or custom pipes.

seriously though, check out the link i posted earlier, almost all of the information you need is right there

especially helpful with the year to year notes regarding what ECU to use and what not.

 

[madseacow]

I've already got and ecu (89) and harness as far as the reverse light, I can't even find the damn plug on the chassis (one of my many problems, we had a fuel line MIA for a coupla days.
splice and dice is cheeze compared to seek & destroy, but aside from that. finding parts is my major concern right now, I'll get to trouble shoot later.
I've got a tig welder (one of the advantages of having a dad as a contractor) so I can accuire any piping I will need and do anything I want to ti it's just a matter of will I over kill the IC? I mean I've spent too much already and I've got big parts left.
I hear the 5.0 elec fans will fit.
also... on the JDM therm house I have this plug

which is supposed to be a bvsv I think
but I have no vac lines anymore since I have no need, I plugged 'em all, see why I'm concerned about the CEL
now I have a brand new bvsv
so I don't mind using it but will I need to re-install all vac lines just for this lil basterd?

 

[shaeff]

I figured since my wiring isn't the most reliable and that way I've got a boost gauge already.

the wiring behind the dash shouldnt be a problem. the stock boost gauge is horrible. its incredibly slow to react. stick with your gauge cluster, and do the tach rewire from www.4cefed.com, OR, get the electronics from a turbo tach, and pop it in. it takes a total of a half hour to do the entire thing if you're handy. get an aftermarket boost gauge. they're faster to react, and only like $50.

I've already got an ecu (89), it's an 1986.5 na

pick up a wireharness for whatever year computer you are using.

no, you need the wiring harness and ECU to match the chassis of the car, either pre89 or 89+ (if you wanna get technical, 87-89.4 and 89.5-92, they changed mid year in '89.)


MAD: what you need to do is this: your chassis is a pre 89. the engine harness for the 89+ cars WILL NOT WORK. there are different numbers of wires.

the 89+ harness will plug into your 89 ecu, but it will NOT plug into the body harness of the car, and your car wont run. (no, you cant just cut the connectors and resplice them, it wont work, there's odd numbers of wires between years) trust me, as i unfortunately know from experience. you need to sell your '89 ECU, and buy an 87-88 ECU, and engine harness that matches the ECU, regardless of the year of your motor. you can always splice on the connectors to the new engine harness, its only a few.

you'll also need an external HAC sensor too, because the pre 89's didnt have it built into the ECU.

i believe that plug on JDM motors is for the A/C fan temp switch. you dont need the BVSV, especially if you remove your charcoal cannister, because thats the only thing it operates.

-shaeff

 

[madseacow]

ok, I looked and I'm still good, it's an 87 ecu. since I'm using an electric fan I don't need that plugged in I'm guessing. how the hell do I pull the little metal clips that hold the circ board to the tach without breaking this sombich

 

[shaeff]

ok, I looked and I'm still good, it's an 87 ecu. since I'm using an electric fan I don't need that plugged in I'm guessing. how the hell do I pull the little metal clips that hold the circ board to the tach without breaking this sombich

good, make sure you get a pre '89 engine harness too. well, its always good to have the A/C fans plugged in, as they turn on at a set temperature, and we could all use a little extra cooling. that being said, mine has never worked. wiggle the tach board back and forth, make sure you unplug the (if i remember,two wires) wires first though. i believe it's three little clip things that hold it in. ya just gotta caress them out by wiggling it back and forth.

-shaeff

 

[bob-monk]

I found this thread during a search, and i think it's helped me with my problem too.
I've just swapped an 89+ motor into a pre-89 car,(both GTE's) went out and got myself a pre-89 harness, connected it all in, and it still won't start. It turns over, but there's no spark. Trouble is, i've only got the 89+ ECU. Would using this ECU cause my problem?
I've tested my coilpacks/igniter/leads/cps and all the wiring/connectors on the engine side of things, and they all test out ok.

Secondly, could someone please tell me where the HAC sensor and it's wiring are??? (so i can check if my car has one or not).

incase you hadn't guessed, i bought this car wth a few bits missing.

Thanks for any help, and sorry for the thread hijack Madseacow, but it is on the same subject.

 

[shaeff]

I found this thread during a search, and i think it's helped me with my problem too.
I've just swapped an 89+ motor into a pre-89 car, went out and got myself a pre-89 harness, connected it all in, and it still won't start. It turns over, but there's no spark. Trouble is, i've only got the 89+ ECU. Would using this ECU cause my problem?
I've tested my coilpacks/igniter/leads/cps and all the wiring/connectors on the engine side of things, and they all test out ok.

Secondly, could you go into more detail on the HAC sensor Shaeff? i've tried searching, but "HAC" is too short a word for the search button.
I don't even know what a HAC sensor is. :icon_frow

Thanks for any help, and sorry for the thread hijack Madseacow, but it is on the same subject.

ok, if you have a pre-89 harness, you cant use an 89+ ECU. it just wont work. the colors of the plugs MUST match. (grey to grey) or (yellow to yellow in your case) did the 89+ ECU even plug into the pre89 harness? i cant imagine that it would, as i believe the plugs are different, so that could very well be your problem.

check the 7.5A IGN fuse in the drivers side kick panel, mine was blown after i did my swap. check it for continuity, as mine was blown even though it looked perfectly fine.

the HAC sensor is a 3 prong sensor that plugs into PRE 89 HARNESSES ONLY. all 89+ cars have the HAC sensor built into the ECU.

so, considering you have a pre89 harness, somewhere along the ECU plugs, (a little further back on the main part of the harness) you'll have three wires coming off with a three prong plug. that goes to the HAC sensor. HAC stands for HIGHT ALTITUTE COMPENSATION. basically, it allows the ECU to adjust the Air/fuel ratios for different altitudes. if you dont have one to install, it wont really make that much of a difference unless you live in the mountains.

-shaeff

 

[bob-monk]

Thanks Shaeff,

I have just one 3 prong plug near the ECU, but it only has one wire running through it(black/yellow) but if the HAC sensor doesn't have to be installed, (ie: if it won't affect my starting problem) then i won't bother with it, as i live at pretty much "sea level".

My car is an 89 model,and the engine was from a 90 model so i believe that it could have been a mix of the wiring combinations, as the ECU plugged straight in, and both the plugs and the sockets are grey.

The car which i got my harness from (which fitted my car's wiring)was an 87 model, but also had grey plugs for the ECU.

Incase this has got you as confused as me, here's a quick recap of what i have used for my project.

1989 GTE:

• Car (with original dashboard wiring)

1990 GTE

• Engine
• ECU

1987 GTE:

• wiring harness

and it all has grey plugs, and connects together.

I'll check that fuse tomorrow, and llet you know how i get on.
Thanks again

 

[shaeff]

Thanks Shaeff,

I have just one 3 prong plug near the ECU, but it only has one wire running through it(black/yellow) but if the HAC sensor doesn't have to be installed, (ie: if it won't affect my starting problem) then i won't bother with it, as i live at pretty much "sea level".

you'll be fine then. dr. jonez has been running without one with no ill effects for quite some time.

My car is an 89 model,and the engine was from a 90 model so i believe that it could have been a mix of the wiring combinations, as the ECU plugged straight in, and both the plugs and the sockets are grey.

ok, 89 is a special year. it should always be treated as its own special year. (See: www.4cefed.com under conversion info)

The car which i got my harness from (which fitted my car's wiring)was an 87 model, but also had grey plugs for the ECU.

was the car you got the harness from a turbo-swapped car? an '87 should have yellow connectors. all cars from 86.5-89.4 have yellow connectors. all cars from 89.5-92 have grey connectors...

yeah, give that a check and get back

-shaeff