Ls swap wiring/ignition cylinder questions
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From: Newburgh, IN
Car: 89 Formula WS6
Engine: LQ4 h/c/i
Transmission: TH-FO-HUNNIT
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Ls swap wiring/ignition cylinder questions
hey guys, just a quick question for you all! I have an 89 firebird with an ls swap in it and am finishing up wiring but just some things that I can’t seem to figure out. When I went to turn on the ignition, I turned it to the RUN position and I didn’t hear the pump turn on and nothing lit up on the gauges. But when I rotated the key to the START position, all of my aftermarket gauges lit up and and the pump started running. I have the whole fuse/relay block for the main relay, fuel pump, and fuses for the standalone engine harness wired with a 12V battery and then used the thick pink wire that originally went to the distributor as the ignition 12V. Also, the ignition cylinder feels very mushy and spongy when I rotate it from one position to the next, so I replaced the cylinder and it feels the same way. Can anyone tell me if I have a wiring issue or also what could be causing the mushy ignition cylinder? Thanks in advance, Jeremy
Last edited by JCS94; Jan 20, 2019 at 01:31 PM.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: North East GA
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: Ls swap wiring/ignition cylinder questions
The actual switch is down on the column, its easy to damage the linkage etc if you have taken the column out. I would take the switch out and test to make sure its feeding the right pins in the right position. Then verify the cylinder is moving the switch to the right positions when you turn the key. This is driven by a metal rod down the column.
I don't have my schematics handy right now but I believe if you used the old distributor 12v wired to turn on all the relays in the stand along box, and the purple wire is going to the starter then it should at least prime the fuel pump in the run position.
The other issue could be the power that feeds the internal fuse box, is that hot all the time? could it be that you have those wired so they only provide power in the crank position.
Also did the car have VATS? if so bypass the relay in the kick panel. Or make sure the VATS module is grounded (its ground is over with the old ECM wiring) I've posted on how to keep VATS as a starter disable and the LS1
I don't have my schematics handy right now but I believe if you used the old distributor 12v wired to turn on all the relays in the stand along box, and the purple wire is going to the starter then it should at least prime the fuel pump in the run position.
The other issue could be the power that feeds the internal fuse box, is that hot all the time? could it be that you have those wired so they only provide power in the crank position.
Also did the car have VATS? if so bypass the relay in the kick panel. Or make sure the VATS module is grounded (its ground is over with the old ECM wiring) I've posted on how to keep VATS as a starter disable and the LS1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Newburgh, IN
Car: 89 Formula WS6
Engine: LQ4 h/c/i
Transmission: TH-FO-HUNNIT
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Ls swap wiring/ignition cylinder questions
The actual switch is down on the column, its easy to damage the linkage etc if you have taken the column out. I would take the switch out and test to make sure its feeding the right pins in the right position. Then verify the cylinder is moving the switch to the right positions when you turn the key. This is driven by a metal rod down the column.
I don't have my schematics handy right now but I believe if you used the old distributor 12v wired to turn on all the relays in the stand along box, and the purple wire is going to the starter then it should at least prime the fuel pump in the run position.
The other issue could be the power that feeds the internal fuse box, is that hot all the time? could it be that you have those wired so they only provide power in the crank position.
Also did the car have VATS? if so bypass the relay in the kick panel. Or make sure the VATS module is grounded (its ground is over with the old ECM wiring) I've posted on how to keep VATS as a starter disable and the LS1
I don't have my schematics handy right now but I believe if you used the old distributor 12v wired to turn on all the relays in the stand along box, and the purple wire is going to the starter then it should at least prime the fuel pump in the run position.
The other issue could be the power that feeds the internal fuse box, is that hot all the time? could it be that you have those wired so they only provide power in the crank position.
Also did the car have VATS? if so bypass the relay in the kick panel. Or make sure the VATS module is grounded (its ground is over with the old ECM wiring) I've posted on how to keep VATS as a starter disable and the LS1
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