I currently running a 305 86 Z28 but I am planning on swapping in different engines in the future as I plan to use this as a test car.

Because of this situation I am planning on removing the computer and the wiring harness, as none of the engines I plan to run will be fuel injected or computer controlled.

I was wondering if:

A) anyone can think of any concerns I may have overlooked (ie systems that will no longer function other than engine related things)

B) A good place to aquire some sensors to attach to standard gauges, oil pressure, thermosat, etc etc (as the computer is attached to the dash via intergrated circuit, the stock dash gauges would have to go, I think)

 

no it'll be easy to remove the ecm and harness, no problems. all the gauges will work and all the senders will work, they having nothing to do with the ecm.

 

Well...kinda. The oil pressure, temp gauge, and windshield wiper for example are part of the engine harness. They don't use the ECM, but the wires are buried in the harness.

If you have an auto transmission, the torque converter clutch is managed by the ECM and you'll overheat the trans in short order without it. There are kits available to operate the TCC without an ECM present.

 

the gauges and sender wireing i beleive would be in the harness going ot the firewall connection and all the ecm controls are in the harness going to the right inner fender firewall junction. besides it's not like it's one big wire, start sorting it out, it isn't like you have to work for NASA to figure it out.

 

Then again, if you study the success/failure rates at NASA recently, maybe that agency isn't such a good yardstick for measuring skills and abilities.

Since the car will be a test bed, you probably don't have a lot of concerns over the ECM controlled electric cooling fan, A.I.R. diverter, EGR, and fuel pump, right?

 

The A.I.R. and EGR systems are already removed, and I already have a work around for the cooling fan.

However I was unaware that a 1986 Z28 had an electronically controlled fuel pump. It was online attached to the engine and the fuel lines. No wires or sensors. Just the mechanical pushrod in the block and the bolts hold it on. Are you certain its computer controlled? Remember this was off a carbureted motor.
motor.

 

My bad. Apparently, you have one of the last carbed engines with the still-mechanical fuel pump (they went to bed in '87). I assumed you were working over an injected-engine car, in which case the in-tank pump is controlled mainly by the ECM.

Do me a favor and slap me the next time I make an assumption, will ya?