Alright so I'm getting close to doing some engine and electrical work on my 82 camaro. Before I owned the car a couple mice had gotten into and messed up some of the accessory wires. I've also found that all the fuseable links put on these cars are always in the worst places and are almost impossible to replace without adding a small fuse block. So my plan is to replace my whole wiring harness, I like electronics stuff and I don't think it'll be a huge headache. But since I also want to upgrade my 305 4bbl, I wan't to know what the ecu does for a carbed engine. From what I know about engines it doesn't seem like it should really be necessary? What does it actually control? Any help would be great, thanks.

 

two main things would be the carb and distrubutor

 

So does the h.e.i. distributor need the ecu to work properly? Cuz I thought it was mechanically controlled. And I plan on putting on an edelbrock performer carb. So it seems like I could go ahead and get rid of it.

 

Depends on the distributor. The older large cap distributors were normally a self contained unit only needing a good power supply while later models had computer controlled modules in them. The newer small cap systems are computer controlled.

I've worked on late model trucks with Vortec engines that were converted over to propane fuel. The ECM was still kept to control the electronic transmission but the computer had no control over the fuel entering the engine. The injector harnesses were simply taped up and left on the intake. All the other sensors were kept in place and the computer still controlled the ignition.

In order for the transmission to shift properly, the TPS still had to be used so that the ECM knew how much throttle was being applied. If converting to a carb, there's ways to adapt a TPS onto a carb if you have an electronic transmission.

 

Well I'm almost completely sure that the transmission in mine is a standard TH350 with a standard valve body, I just don't know if its a forward or reverse pattern. Though I would have to look at my distributor a bit better to check on it. There seems to be a couple wires on it going to the ecu on the wiring diagram I have. I just kind of need to see how that goes. I'm not around my car right now so that'll probably take me a little while.

 

Unless it's an implant, the 82 doesnt have a TH350. It would have a TH200 (may be a TH250, cant remeber for sure). The large, internal coil HEI distributors went to EST, or computer controlled timing starting in the late 70s on some GM cars. Cadillac was the first to use this system. The F-bodies went to EST in 82 on both carb and FI applications. You can identify the EST dist by the additional four pin connector coming from the base of the unit. The self contained(mech advance) HEI didn't have this.

To eliminate the ECU in a CCC carbureted application, you need to install a non feedback carburetor and a mech advance HEI dist. Your fan on the 82 should be mechanical as well as your fuel pump.

 

What constitutes a non-feedback carb? and yes right now I do have the mechanical fuel pump and mechanical fan. I do plan on switching to both electric, but on their own controls. I guess I was remembering wrong on my transmission, I'll have to look at that and my distributer when I get home for winter break.

 

I would definitely stick with the mech fuel pump for carb application. Electrics are alot more trouble. By non-feedback, I mean a standard carb with no computer controls. If your 82 is still OE, it has a feedback carb. You can tell by the 2 electrical connectors at the front of the carb. One is a 3 pin and is the TPS. The other is 2 pin and is the mixture control solenoid. This carb will not function properly without the ECM. You will need to replace it with either an earlier Q-jet or an aftermarket unit(Holley, Edelbrock)