camaro87-alex

Hi there..

I am in the middle of an TPI swap to my 87 Camaro. I have a 305 carbed (LG4) engine that I am swapping to TPI.

I have bought a wiring harness for a 88 Camaro that have had an 305TPI engine. The wiring harness came with ECM and PROM.

I have lined up the main harness from the ECM and to the Engine room and around the engine. I have connected most of the relays.

On the middle of the engine there is a wide connector. What does this go to??
It's about where the Distributor goes.

And another thing. My fuel-pump back-up switch that goes down to the engine block should be connected to the wiring harness. I don't have any connector on my harness that fits my backup switch?..Are the different types of backup switches??...

What about the wipers on my car. The connector on the TPI harness doesnt fit the connector on the wiper-motor, or the washer motor.

This is a MAF system by the way...Can anyone help me out here..Somebody have any pictures or diagrams that can help me out here...I need as much info as possible...

vette9190

iTrader: (2)

Wiring Diagrams are availble in austinthirdgen.org in the tech section somewere. I used them for my TPI swap.

camaro87-alex

Ok..Thanks..I have been looking for that diagram for a while....
I guess I will figure it out as time goes by...But is here any other that has done the same project or have a picture of their harness?

BigBadLou

iTrader: (3)

http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=19

vette9190

iTrader: (2)

Thanks bigbabylou for posting the link. Its been so long since I did this I couldn't find it for him

Dyno Don

iTrader: (7)

[quote]I have bought a wiring harness for a 88 Camaro that have had an 305TPI engine. The wiring harness came with ECM and PROM.[quote]
You can't plug a '88 TPI harness into a '87 LG4 body connector(C100), the wires do not match up.

camaro87-alex

[quote=Dyno Don;4042227][quote]I have bought a wiring harness for a 88 Camaro that have had an 305TPI engine. The wiring harness came with ECM and PROM.Everything fits excpt the washer motor..So I have been told also...Please don't come tell me now that I have started on a project that is not going to work, because I have asked a LOT people and done some research and there is not much difference on 87 and 88 years on the wiring harness except that in 88 they used Serpentine belt setup so mayby that will incorrupt a little..

vette9190

iTrader: (2)

I think and "I could be wrong" what Dyno Don is saying is the pinouts for different things on the connector are in different locations which is typical of our cars. But if he is saying that the physical connectors don't fit I would believe him he is one of the more knowledgable thirdgenners arround.
I had an 87 a while ago and when I stripped out the wiring I thought that the connectors were the same and it was just the pinout locations that change.
If the connector are different you could use the connector from your engine harness and build a connector. That is what I had to do bc the harness I got for my TPI swap had that connector missing so I used my TBI connector. I know on that that i had to really check my pinouts bc matching the wire color was not enough. My car is a 91 and the harness was from a 90. The diagrams on the site we gave you will also have the connector pinouts on it for various years as stated above it is known as C100

vette9190

iTrader: (2)

I also have a TPI setup from an 89 and the connectors physically fit but the washer harness pinouts are all different. Thats why I rebuilt the 90 harness instead.

camaro87-alex

Ok..This is not good since my project is going very well...But I have to finish it anyway...The connector to the firewall in front of the dashboard where all the realys are looks like the same so everything fits perfect there..But if the pinouts is worng of course that is a problem..

And the Connectors that connects to the wiring harness right next to the ECM also connects without any problem.

What do you suggest I have to do?..Change the pin-outs and some of the connectors?...Or just walk a couple of miles far away from my car all alone and scream some BAD words??..

camaro87-alex

Isn't there anyone that can help me out on this one???

I need help here...Serious help...I have like I said an 1987 Camaro that was originally a 305 carbed engine. Now there is a 1988 TPI wiring harness in it and a 88 TPI setup...What do I have to change?..

I can't find any diagram for the C100 bulkhead connector in 1988. Only 87 and 89.

Can someone tell me what I have to do?...Can I take some of the connector on the old 87 Harness and switch over to my 88 harness?..

And what do I have to do with the body harness???....Please help me out here...

Rod Behring

Someone else may have a better idea but I'll tell you what I would do in this case.

Leave your current bulkhead connector in place. Then cut the connector from the 88 harness. Then using a diagram take only the wires needed for the engine harness and cut and connect them one by one to the 87 bulkhead connector. This way you can leave the wiper/washer and other non ECM items as is.

As for the wide connector by the distributor it is probably the ESC which should be on the relay bracket.

Hope this helps.

camaro87-alex

Thanks a lot for the help...Is it ok I ask you a couple of questions about TPI swapping?...You explained very well and that was very nice....

I have found out that the wide green connector is for a 88 Wiper motor...
They are a little bit different than in 1987...So if I want to make this work I have to take the connector from the old harness and cut off the green one and use the old one....

Mayby cutting the bulkhead connector will be the easiest way to do it...
I have combined theese to bulkhead connectors and looked at them and it doesn't seem so very big difference but I am not sure...

Rod Behring

Some of the wires will be different colors and some circuits go through different terminals on the c-100. You'll have to compare the 88 and 87 diagrams. Things like the wipers and brake switch should be left as is, in fact you can leave the fuseable links connected to the starter and alt., then you wont have to cut the power (big red, orange,purple) wires at c-100. Then you only have a few wires to cut and match up. Then just remove the left over wires from the 88 harness to clean up the engine compartment.

I'll try to answer any questions you have, I dont get on the computer too often though. There are many others here that will also be glad to help.

Good luck with the swap.

camaro87-alex

Ok...thanks again...I am not 100% what you mean that I don't have to cut the power source on the c100...Because if I am going to use the 87 c100 connector I need to cut everything and change the connector..Then I guess there will be some few wires left over....And I guess one of them will be to the injectors??..I just imagine that the injectors are fuseable or am I wrong??...

Another thing...Is here anyone that have the diagram of an 88 C100???
On austinthirdgen I can only find for 87 and 89 but I need to look at the difference on 87 and 88.....

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Don't just hack into the C100............. Your just making WAY to much work for yourself by doing that !


When it comes to the wiper system simply cut the 4 wires under the dash before C100 ( PINS C5, C6, C7, D5 ) and cut the original wiper motor harness from your 87. Better yet - get a spare 84-87 wiper plug and pigtail harness from a junkyard. Then just splice the 87 harness thru the firewall and your done. ( You might need to add some length to the wires - no big deal )

There may be a couple other minor differences in the 87 and 88 harness if the cars didn't have the same type of tranny - but even those issues can be overcome WITHOUT HACKING the C100 connector !

I've got a diagram of the 87 C100, but not the 88.............




The other connectors you should look close at is the pair that connect the engine harness to the dash harness near the ECM. ( C07 I think ?) Compare the wires on each harness/plugs and if there are differences in wire colors/ Pin assignments than figure out what each wire is for. If you need power for the injectors or power to anything else your 87 harness doesn't have a plug for; just Tap into the fuse-box or to the accessory junction box behind the kick panel on the drivers side. ( you can get constant and/or 'switched' power from the junction box. )

camaro87-alex

thanks for the respond here....I have been researching for more hours now and I think I know what to do..I have combined the to diagrams I have for the C207 connector and for the C100 Bulkhead connector. I have diagrams for 87 and 89 to them...

When it comes to the C207 connector they are all the same...87 and 89 were just the same so then 88 will be that do.

The only thing I need to do here is to take 2 wires and line up for the injectors. And connect them to the fuse panel since there are to fuses marked with injector #1 and injector #2.

Then the C207 connector should be fine...

When it comes to the C100 connector there are some small differences.
When it comes to the lights, I use the old harness connector there so everything should be in place there....I think I have to modify somethings on my fuel pump but I am not sure...I have a connector behind the rear seats that connects to the fuel tank. The wires from there goes along the drivers side and front to the dash board..But I haven't found out yet were they are going and where should the wires go compared to TPI.

I know that the fuel pump relay is next to the C100 connector and is mostly controlled by the ECM...But the fuel gauge should be connected somewhere I guess?...Mayby just let it be like it is from the Carb setup??...

Other than that everything should be fine I guess...

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

You might be lucky,... some 87 carb cars had in in-tank pump. The connector behind the rear seats leads to the tank and has wires for pump, ground, and gauge. You WILL need to replace the sending unit with the right one with the correct TPI pump - but you might not have to splice any wires as the plug from the tank sending unit might be a direct fit to the 87 harness. ( unplug from under the car when the tank gets dropped ! )

Nice - A very "clean" installation !

Keep up the good work !

camaro87-alex

Thanks for the respond...I have already dropped the fuel tank and changed the fuel pump inside the tank. My Camaro was delivered with an in-tank fuel pump so the only thing I needed to do was to take out the fuel sending unit and modify the bracket just a little and then the Walbro pump fits perfect. So i just plugged the stock 87 wires from the fuel sending unit direct to the connector behind the rear seats. The tank is now in place again under the car.

I think I have to check under my dash harness and find the Tan/White cable that comes from the fuel pump. I don't know where this one goes but I think it goes to the ECM?..Mayby I am wrong. Does it go to the C207 connector mayby?..And further to the relay that is being controlled by the ECM???

The other wire that goes from the connector should be going to the gauge?? I mayby wrong with all my suggestions here but I think I might have it under control...Who knows...

PerthZ28

How did you go? Did you get it sorted out?

camaro87-alex

Well..I am not finished yet...I have wired up the connectors so now they have power when key is ON..

Other that that the fuel pump is priming when I turn the key on...
Other than that I think I have to wait until I try to start the car, but I will tell as soon as I know..

KTMAC

Austin Third Generation Organization has many wiring diagrams BUT THEY do NOT show the 85 IROC TPI wiring for the engine. Anyone have that year available?

Mac

Zipacna

I know this thread is dead and I hope the OP got it solved. For anyone who comes across this in the future and needs it figured out I found the 1988 c100. It is different than the 1987, but it can be re-pinned.

http://berlinetta.info/C100.htm