I switched my stock 3.1L v6 outta my 90 Camaro rs and replaced it with a built 350 bored .040 over. My computer and everything that came electronically in the car is the same...when I first had the V6 replaced in the car, The mechanic had cut a lot of the wires under my hood. Now my speedometer, my fuel gauge, and my temperature gauge no longer work... is there a way that I can trace the wires back so that my dash cluster works in its entirety? If so can somebody please give me step-by-step instructions on how to do that.. Also can someone please better explain how to read the wiring diagram that is shown in the Haynes repair manual? I'm just trying to get a better understanding of how to read the repair manual, as well as how to do the job myself.

Thanks to all who reply in advance

 

I did the same thing

 

It's not really possible to give a step-by-step guide on how to fix your wiring. Sounds like it's been hacked by the previous guy (lets not call him a mechanic if this is how he left the car), and it's impossible to know what's been cut or damaged without being there to look at it.

You'll have to take it to an auto-electrician, or better still learn to trace it yourself. If you're an electrical noob, the Haynes manual is a bit of a dead loss with it's confusing spaghetti lump of monochrome circuits trying to span multiple pages, criss-crossing over the spine. Something like the following is a lot more helpful:

http://92b4crs.tripod.com/86wiring/86wiringindex.html

These are copies of pages from a full GM manaul, in this case for an '86. Open up a few of the links - you can see the wiring is shown more or less physically - each coloured line corresponds to an actual wire in the loom. Much easier to read and grasp the concept for a beginner.

In your case, it sounds most likely that the various senders were not hooked back up after the engine swap. You'll need to find where the appropriate coloured wire for each gauge has been cut in the engine bay, and hook it back up to the appropriate sender.

 

You found a bunch of cut wires under your hood? Maybe, the guy who did your engine swap, also did mine. Just cut it out instead of disconnecting things. I hate stupid/lazy people.

Not a helpful post but my

 

I have a 90 camaro rs that had a 2.8 v6, engine and trans was not in the car when I got it, none of the wiring either, I put the wiring harness in the dash and the engine compartment, I am not new to cars at all, I am stumped on this though. Everything in the cluster works except the fuel guage, does the ecu/ecm need to be plugged up in order for the fuelguage to work? Wires are connected at the fuel sending unit and connector under the carpet inthe back. I have checked all fueses in fuse box. Does the grey wire going to the ecm need to have power? Anyhelp would be awesome, I thank you ahead of time! Tim

 

no the ecm does not need to be kooked in order for the fuel gauge to work.im thinking the wiring inside the fuel tank or maybe the floater is missing

 

Thanks the floater is in the tank, took tank down to clean and remove fuel pump, I have found how the wiring goes, have'nt had time to mess with it due to weather and work. Thanks for your response.