1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

So after almost two years of collecting parts, my good friend Rusty (Tealman92) on this forum and I took everything apart on my 92 TA 5 speed convertible and replaced everything. A HUGE shot out to Rusty for his expertise and knowledge this project would have been impossible for me to do without him!

Here is a list of what we did:
1. Disassembled and scrubbed clean: lower manifold, runners, plenum, throttle body and valve covers.
2. Installed all new Fel Pro gaskets.
3. Installed Accel performance fuel injectors.
4. New fuel pressure regulator.
5. NOS EGR valve.
6. NOS thermostat.
7. NOS thermostat inlet neck.
8. NOS GM/Goodyear serpentine belt.
9. NOS coolant overflow tank.
10. All new sensors.
11. NOS cap, plugs and rotor.
12. NOS upper and lower radiator hoses.
13. New IAT to harness wiring harness.
14. Accel performance ignition coil.
15. NOS tensioner pulley.
16. NOS valve cover gaskets.
17. NOS pCV valve.
18. All new vacuum hoses.
19. (Soon to be installed) Pertronix HEI Billet Flame thrower distributor.
20. New clamps, new map sensor pigtail and soon to be installed new DTC timing check pigtail connector.
21. AC Delco coolant and gasket maker where needed.
22. Set timing.
23. I'm sure I'm forgetting other random things too haha!

This was a lot of work but changing all of this stuff out has totally transformed the way that the TA drives and sounds. Major improvement.

The next 4 upgrades that are planned for my car:
1. Hawks 17 inch black GTA wheels with 275/40/17's
2. NOS water pump and timing chain cover and gaskets.
3. Tokico struts, shocks and NOS strut tower mounts and wheel alignment.
4. NOS oil pan and gasket.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

For anyone doing this project, (which is very common on our cars to need to do at this point) id recommend having all of the new sensor wiring pigtails ready to go and a soldering iron available because the connectors are incredibly brittle at this point and a lot of them crack when you try to disconnect them. I wish I had know that in advance as we had to scramble to get those in order to put everything back together properly.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Also make sure to replace your fuel pressure regulator since you're in there. When we opened mine up it was completely rotted inside. And my car is an original so cal car with 62,000 original miles.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Most of the old brittle connectors can just be removed and from the wiring and new plastic put on with the correct tool.
ESP the green MAP sensor connector, that one fails pretty fast.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

It's better and cleaner to just replace connecters and not pigtail your harness. You should only use a pigtail if the harness is damaged and will be too short. Iac, mat, injectors are all pull to seat and you have to replace the terminals but everything on the tip is push to seat.
https://www.bmotorsports.com/shop/in...kgohgf18u2lh55

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

I think it's better to replace the entire pigtail. The wiring is so brittle and old coming out of the actual connector from being exposed to all of the heat that third gens create in the engine bay. We replaced the entire IAT harness too so that is a stock 1 piece set up as original. Only had to solder in three replacement pigtails (DTC, map and one other). And we did it so clean using heat shrink wrap and soldiering them in as opposed to just using wiring crimps and electrical tape like a lot of folks do.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, the map sensor tabs almost always breaks off on third gens.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

There is a company in Florida called TPI Parts who sell all of the connectors and pigtails for our cars for really reasonable prices FYI! And you can still get a few of them directly from GM.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Delphi still manufactures most of the components for making the connectors. They're dirt cheap from places like Mouser. Buying pre-made pigtails just seems wasteful.

Can't say I'd go crazy replacing sections of wiring or terminals or clamps, etc unless they're truly damaged beyond being serviceable. Much of the vintage hardware used on our cars is still higher quality with age than some of the crap sold at the local autoparts store these days. Most of the replacement parts aren't 100% accurate either.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

The pre assembled pigtails with Correct Delphi connectors are about $10 bucks each from TPI Parts. That is so cheap to me but I guess that's all relative. I guess the point of this post wasn't to debate the merits of whether or not to change the connector or the pigtail but it was to illustrate a common repair that many third gens need nowadays for people who might be interested in doing this themselves. Also to discuss the parts I used so people could see what they might need to properly complete this sort of project.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

I must say that It's strange to me that with all the work that was done, the amount of NOS parts used and the cleanliness of the work done that the only thing people have commented on is the merits of pigtail vs connector replacement. A very small detail in comparison to the magnitude of this project. The first thing I'd notice is that it's cool that almost every part used in this project was NOS GM personally.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I think NOS parts are really cool and makes for a quality repair for any car. I try and use as many as I can on my cars myself.
Along that line of thinking, why repair parts of the harness instead of using a complete NOS harness? All underhood wiring has been exposed to the same high temps, not just the pigtail sections that were replaced.
You have clearly done a good job, I just like to get reasons/ideas from others (re)builds.

JT

iTrader: (1)

Do you still have the part number for that NOS tensioner you installed? I bought an AC Delco from RockAuto that was listed as fitting the 305TPI/5-speed for my '92 T/A Convertible. But the pulley size was wrong on the one I got.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Most of the wiring is protected since they're covered in wiring loom. But the part of the wiring where it immediately comes out of the connector is exposed and on all the third gens I've had it seems like it is really brittle. But I think in reality it's probably ok to do these types of repairs either way.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Ttop350! Yeah NOS parts are so freaking cool to use on our cars. Especially since a lot of these parts are getting so challenging to acquire! They just fit and look and last and perform so much better than aftermarket repop stuff.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Absolutely my friend. I'm out of town for the holidays but I have the box with the part number on it at home. I'll post it when I get back. GM still makes the tensioner and you can give a dealer the last 8 of your vin number and they'll tell the part number you need as well.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

JT! We both have 92 TA vert 5 speeds!!! What color is yours?!?!

JT

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, let me know. When I was releasing the tension of the belt to replace my original injectors that were sticking, the ear of the tensioner actually broke. I went ahead and just swapped the pulleys between the new and original tensioner but I want to replace the pulley, too.

Mine is bright red with tan interior. Looks like you got the bright red with black interior?

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

That sounds awesome! Mine was starting to squeak which is why I replaced it. My car was actually special ordered with a black top, black wheels, and grey leather and interior. A pretty rare combo, especially with a 5 speed! It's so cool how I've met about 4 or 5 other people on tgo in the past week with a 92 TA vert! We should make a 92 TA vert page or section! It's cool that GM still has the tensioner pulleys available for our car. I bought it about 1.5 years ago and I think it cost around $65-$70 directly from a local GM dealer.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

@jt I believe the Delco/gm pn is 10055798.
http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrBT...S2OoiaUfMl2lE-

delco pulley 15-20679
Iirc there was a design pulley change.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

Here you go my friend. I think I paid around $65-$75 for it.

1992 Trans Am

iTrader: (2)

The casing on the tensioner itself does look a little different than the AC Delco replacement I installed, but it fits and functions perfectly.