5L swap

[twindragons187]

ok, i know this come's up alot on here, atleast once a week. but i've been searching, and everyone's swap is different. now, i have a 88gt, and a 92 lx. both r 5 speeds. now i was told the wiring harness was different. changed in 89 for mass and then again in 91 or something like that. now, how hard would it b for me to changed everything from my 88gt to my 92 lx? i have everything, plus another h.o motor out of a 92 gt(decked and blue printed) also have an extra wiring harness outa 89gt. now, what i'm in question is do i have to change the dash wiring harness? or can i get away without doing the dash? also, is the 88gt motor better to have then the 89 or later? right now also i have a smog delete, removed air silencer, and k and n filter(stock airbox). offroad h pipe,(currently no mufflers) and 3 inch tips on the gt. for the lx i have 94 dynomax lx tips(stainless steel, already installed on lx) so since i have a great donor car(daily driver, but has rust), then this swap shouldn't b too hard correct? any and all info will b helpfull. and whats the normal time length does it take to do the swap?? thanx.

Duston

 

[ibuilt1]

Use your 88 dash (gauges) and dash harness, along with 89 engine harness (cause mass air),or the 88 engine harness if changed to mass air already.

Also, while you have the dash apart, change steering columns to the tilt column from the 88, because your air bags wont work anyway due to 88 dash and harness.

I have done swap from 4cyl to EFI on two different cars. Also have changed dash harness from 89 to 91 along with gauges, now back to carbed.

Oh, btw the dash harness swap kinda sucks. Definitely the hardest part, but still only takes a couple hours.

Hope this helps

 

[twindragons187]

now i read that u can leave the airbag in the car when doing the switch because its on a different harness?? is this true? and is it true that the newer(91-93) lx's with 4 cyl. in it came with the 8.8 rear? and also my lx came with the double hump cross member? i know this is a common swap, but for someone that is mechanicly enclined, what would it be rated on a 1 to 10 scale, if u have everything to do the swap??

 

[Juiced88Coupe]

now i read that u can leave the airbag in the car when doing the switch because its on a different harness?? is this true? and is it true that the newer(91-93) lx's with 4 cyl. in it came with the 8.8 rear? and also my lx came with the double hump cross member? i know this is a common swap, but for someone that is mechanicly enclined, what would it be rated on a 1 to 10 scale, if u have everything to do the swap??

You can not use airbags so get rid of it. I have done this over 5 times and 3 of them were on an 88, on a scale from 1-10 if you have a donor car or ALL of the parts it would be 4 IMO.

 

[ibuilt1]

Juiced is right, you can't use the airbag unless you use 91 and up harness on a car originally equipped w/airbags.

If you use the 88 harness and dash gauges, you cant use airbags. Besides, you can use your tilt steering column and its much better w/tilt (in my opinion).

Your cross member from the 88 wil work

 

[twindragons187]

thanx for all the info, i'm just hopen everything goe's as planned and i can do it in bout a weekend with some help.

 

[ibuilt1]

BTW, nothing goes as planned most of the time. Also, My wife always doubles the amount of time I tell her its going to take!

 

[twindragons187]

i have 1 more question too. now i also have a complete harness out of an 89gt. my 88 don't have power windows, but the 89 harness i have does. now will a 89 harness match up to an 88 engine harness?? i want to keep my power windows, and also later swap to mass air. so i guess what i'm asking is can i use the 89 dash harness and the 88 engine harness and will everthing still work like it should? or should i just swap everything from the 88 to the 92? or should i just use the complete engine and dash harness out of the 89 and run a sd computer? will that work? and can i run an auto sd computer in a 5 speed?? this would really help me. thanx

duston

 

[ibuilt1]

As far as the power windows goes, I dont think it matters what dash harness you use. They are all equipped for those options (cuts down on wiring).


Never done SD, but you might be able to use 89 engine harness and dash harness with SD computer, then later upgrade to MAF. NOT SURE THOUGH.

If you dont have mass air meter and A9l computer, use the 88 engine harness and 89 dash harness. I think they are very close. Most of the wires should be the same.

Also, I know there are differences in auto and 5sp computers. Most of it dealing with engine timing, dont know if they interchange. Never use auto's!

 

[twindragons187]

ok thanx. i was asken bout the auto sd computer b/c alot of ppl that have the 5 speed with mass air use the auto computer i guess b/c it puts a little more fuel in or something dunno for sure, was just curious if sd cars was the same with that or not. but the reason i asked about the harness's is b/c the 88 is still in the car{i'm currently driving} and the 89 is 1 that i got offa ebay about 1 1/2 years ago. i have everything right down to the power window switche's. just thought it would be easier to just put that in then to rip out the dash harness and put into another car, {tryen to cut on the down time}. the only thing i'm lacking for the mass air conversion is the meter and computer, i have everything else. thanx

duston