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  Manual to Auto tranny swap on an 87 4cyl with an 88 ECM and wiring harness

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Manual to Auto tranny swap on an 87 4cyl with an 88 ECM and wiring harness by aceman
Started on: 04-13-2003 11:04 PM
Replies: 5
Last post by: Synthesis on 04-14-2003 12:01 PM
aceman
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Report this Post04-13-2003 11:04 PM Click Here to See the Profile for acemanSend a Private Message to acemanDirect Link to This Post
Hey,
I'm looking at changing my 87 4cyl 5 speed to a auto transmission. I would have available an 88 4cyl automatic as a donor car. Will the wiring harness and ECM from an 88 2.5L work just fine in a 87 2.5L?
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theogre
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Report this Post04-13-2003 11:26 PM Click Here to See the Profile for theogreClick Here to visit theogre's HomePageSend a Private Message to theogreDirect Link to This Post
It should.

The 87-88 L4 ECM's are all 1227748. The PROM and some wiring to the ECM is differant depending what tranny is in the car. Specifically, the wire that runs the shift light in a manual car runs the TC lockup in an automatic. The Auto ECM wiring also gets at least one signal from the auto's neutral safety switch.

The Whole engine bay (500 zone) harness would need changing. There are interior changes you may also need to make. Since you apparently have the entire 88 harness I'd take the whole thing.

I don't know exactly how much interior differance there is. GM has a habbit of jumping and/or hiding plugs you don't need for certain options. Just for safety... I'd take the entire 200 zone, that's almost everything from C100 (front compartment interface) back. That will give you all the TC lockup wiring from the brake pedal and so on. It's a good chunk more work but it would eliminate splicing and dicing to make any needed changes.

Note: the 300 zone "cross car" harness doesn't need to be changed unless the 88 has door options you want... Power Windows, locks, mirrors, etc. (Wire Zones are explained in the wire reading article in my cave.)

extracting and installing wire harness is more time consuming than difficult. (I've done it on far bigger things than Fiero.) If you think you might forget stuff use a digi cam and/or tag stuff as you take it appart. Most connectors only fit one way and one place so it's not rocket science by any means. (The car makers all do that on purpose. It means the average git on the assembly line can't screw it up.)

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RIP Crew of Columbia. 01-Feb-03

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Paul Prince
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Report this Post04-14-2003 09:17 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Paul PrinceSend a Private Message to Paul PrinceDirect Link to This Post
Did an 88 V6 manual to auto last lear. Theogre is right about the engine harness, you will need a complete auto engine wiring harness. The C500 connector will need to be repinned to start the car. The auto start switch and the manual are pinned differently. You will need to pin A4 on engine harness to E2 on C500. I think it is large yellow to large purple.
The auto has a park/lock safety cable in the console which connects to the ignition switch on the column, that will have to be installed. You will also need to rewire the TCC lockup. On the manual that connection is to the shift light. A Pontiac service manual shows the difference.....Paul
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Fieroguy65
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Report this Post04-14-2003 10:59 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Fieroguy65Send a Private Message to Fieroguy65Direct Link to This Post
aceman,

What kind of shape is the tranny in? I know somebody that might be interested and we are local. Let me know. Thanks in advance!

Greg

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Fieroguy65
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Report this Post04-14-2003 11:00 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Fieroguy65Send a Private Message to Fieroguy65Direct Link to This Post

Fieroguy65

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Member since Jan 2003
aceman,

What kind of shape is the tranny in? I know somebody that might be interested and we are local. Let me know. Thanks in advance!

Greg

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Synthesis
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Report this Post04-14-2003 12:01 PM Click Here to See the Profile for SynthesisSend a Private Message to SynthesisDirect Link to This Post
The 5 speed is spoken for.
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