When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Trying to clean up my wiring and free up space for a fuel pump relay and power distribution block.
I don't use computer controlled features on my motor...it has aftermarket mallory ignition and eldelbrock carb with no emissions equipment.
Looks like a pre-88,........ Since your driving a stick car you can remove the ECM & you don't even have to deal with TCC lock-up. Because you are already running a non-CC Carb, Distributor and no ECM you can get rid of the ECM harness entirely. ( check local laws ) This is a PM I wrote to another member this week........ Should help you get going on your engine bay clean-up.
The easiest way to deal with the ECM harness is to start working it out starting under the pass side of the dash. Remove the lower 'hush' panel, unplug the ECM harness from the dash harness and remove the pass side kick panel. You will see where the ECM harness passes thru the body into the area behind the Pass fender. Remove the clip on the ECM harnesses' plastic thru-body "housing" and just push the housing into the area behind the fender. ( don't get to involved in trying to push all that stuff thru yet,... just get it started. )
The "easiest" way to continue is to remove the front tire and the pass fender liner. With them out of the way you will have a LOT MORE room to work. You can remove most of the liner screws and turn the wheel, then bend the liner out of the way and you will have room to get your hands behind the fender - but I take off the tire and liner to make things easy. ( 5 extra minutes of quick-work are worth not struggling for 45 minutes ! ) There is a large plastic harness clip that holds the harness to the body behind the fender ( reach up ) once this clip is released the harness will be free. Go back under the pass side of the dash and finish pushing the harness behind the fender,..... then you can start pulling it from behind the fender & up into the engine bay. It can be tricky to feed the ECM harness thru-body "housing" thru that last hole / open area at the top of the engine bay,... but it will pass thru there.
Once the ECM harness is fed thru the fender & into the engine-bay you can just start unplugging, unbolting,& removing everything connected to the ECM harness; just pull out everything connected to that ECM harness and you're G-T-G !
P.S. Think that sensor on the far right is a BARO sensor.
Wow, great info - thank you!
However, I do have an automatic (unfortunately).
The car is a 1985 T/A with WS6 (and other packages listed in RPO codes) and has the posi diff. I swapped out the 305 with a 350 many years ago and later put in a lunati bracket masters cam, Edelbrock performer intake, Edelbrock carb (700cfm I think), mallory comp 9000 ingnition, and mallory comp110 electric fuel pump.
I really want to clean up the wiring and rewire my fuel pump using a relay vs just a switch.
What would I do differently considering these facts?
Not a bad idea to look into a Lock-up kit for the tranny TCC. There are aftermarket electric or Vacuum kits and the older the 700R4 ( based on Year ) ,... the more it needs TCC lock-up.
I went way over my budget on a full UMI suspension kit so I can't afford much of anything extra right now. Is it possible to just remove the parts of the harness/ecu that I don't need for now?
The ECM is still in and connected.
But all the computer controlled items(carb, distributor) are swapped and not connected. Curious if the computer is still performing the TC lockup?
Does the stock TCC work ?? ( does the TC Lock-up when it should - or at all ? ) If you don't know how to be sure, the first thing to check is to see if the 4-prong connector ( 4-prongs, 3 wires ) is plugged into the tranny. If it ain't plugged in,... it ain't workin' !
Car will run/drive just fine without the stock TCC plugged in. Lock-up was REAL important during the early 700R4's because they were said to overheat without lock-up. Later year 700R4s were not as prone to this problem,...... I'd owned/driven at least 1/2 dozen ( 84'-87' ) 700R4s that didn't' have Lock-Up function wired-up and I never had a problem. Lock-up can be restored by simply installing an aftermarket kit.
Thanks John, I'll check the connector tomorrow. I honestly don't know if the TC is locking up correctly or not. Under power braking the tires break loose around 1600 rpm if thats any indication?
BTW, does it matter that my car originally had the quadrajet carb with electronic metering rods and NOT TBI/TPI?
I went way over my budget on a full UMI suspension kit so I can't afford much of anything extra right now. Is it possible to just remove the parts of the harness/ecu that I don't need for now?
What kind of money did you spend on that suspension kit?
Okay, I went ahead and dropped the coin on the TCI 376600 TC lockup kit. My trans pan is leaking anyways and needs a new gasket(and probably rear output seal).
Edit: Looks like I'll send the TCI kit back and am going to get the Monster Transmission kit - it doesn't require a vacuum line and looks alot simpler to install. If anyone wants the TCI kit I'll sell it for what I bought it for with free shipping.
Never done any tranny work. I hope this isn't too involved?!
If I'm not mistaken, I should be able to remove the entire computer and harness from the passenger side now, right?
Started removing wires starting with connectors that have been disconnected since I swapped to a carb. However, in the passenger side wire loom there are several wires I haven't been able to identify whether or not they are needed. Do you happen to know if I can disconnect any of these and/or what are they used for?
Both of these connectors:
When I took out the AC I fab'd this box for the heater. I didn't know what these connectors/wires were for so I added them to my 'box'. Are they needed?
This appears to be holding the large passenger side loom to the driver side by way of this one connector. Do you know what its for or if I can safely disconnect it?
Keep all the wiring shown in the first 2 pictures,... it's all HVAC related.
I do not recall off the top of my head what the 2-wire connector was for. Just about fairly confident that they can be disconnected without causing a problem when the ECM is removed.
Anyone happen to know what these wires go to and if I can get rid of them as well?
I think these are all thats left holding the passenger side loom in!
One set is tan/blk, light blue, and purple'ish. The other set is blk/wht, tan. Both sets come from passenger side loom and appear to go behind then engine somewhere.
These two are grounds and come from the passenger side loom.
Think I got it figured out...though I haven't tested it to see if everything still works because I need to drive 40 miles to get a battery. ;-)
Looks loads better and frees up alot of space.
There were two connectors under the dash coming from the driver side which connected to the ECM wire loom. I disconnected those but have no idea what they do?!
More Better !
P.S. IMO ----> you should replace the air cleaner,... almost anything is better. Those things have a real bad REP(utation).
This, and lose that plastic fuel filter on the pressure side of the fuel pump, When it breaks, plan on instant fire. If you are using a mechanical pump on the front right side of the engine, put the filter on the suction side of the pump. If you have an electric pump, cut the steel line somewhere in the rear, flare it, and put a good metal filter in back by the tank.
Air Cleaner: due to hood clearance issues at the time it was the only thing that would work. Switching to the performer manifold helped but I plan to go to the air-gap intake or similar...regardless, I did order a cheap mr. gasket 2" cleaner for the time being until I can figure out a new hood or mod mine to fit my plans for the motor ;-)
Fuel filter: funny coincidence, my new glass style filter just arrived today. I swapped my mech pump for a 110gph electric(mounted near the tank) many years ago. I have a standard filter preceding the pump and will now use the new glass filter at the carb. I will order up a metal filter for the one the before the pump.
Valve cover t-bolts: I know...lol! I was young and thought they'd help keep me from over tightening my valve covers - that was 20 years ago. I will go back to the standard nut style.
Thanks so much for your input guys, really appreciate it!
Glass filters have led to the destruction of many cars over the years. Glass is not a good material for any situation where a stress crack can cause a fire.
And again, if you had read the swap guide you would know what that connector "I disconnected those but have no idea what they do" are
Glass filters have led to the destruction of many cars over the years. Glass is not a good material for any situation where a stress crack can cause a fire.
And again, if you had read the swap guide you would know what that connector "I disconnected those but have no idea what they do" are
Which swap guide? I read several and don't recall anything about those particular connectors.
And what transparent style filter would you recommend to use at the carburator?
The real problem IMO is where the fuel lines are. It's never a good idea run a fuel line directly over the exhaust manifold. ( even the factory line ran to the front corner of the block and up the face of the engine into the front of the carb. ) While it's obvious that an attempt was made to protect the fuel lines from the heat & damage,..... You should probably re-work those fuel lines for safety-sake. ( rubber fuel line is 'safer' over the intake manifold than it is over the exhaust manifold ! ) Glass fuel filters are 'cool' cause you can see into them, but there's really no need. I've used glass fuel filters several times in different cars over the years and NEVER had a problem, but honestly; why risk it.
When your ready to change the filter ( or sooner ), it's not a bad idea to have a metal replacement filter waiting as well as a plan to re-route the fuel lines.
01-26-2020, 12:09 PM
) This is a PM I wrote to another member this week........ Should help you get going on your engine bay clean-up.
More Better ! 
