What has to be changed? Is it hard to do? What if yo aren't very good with wires. How do you know what ones to put where? Do you have to rewire the whole ALDL? Can it all be done from above the passenger seat or do you have to take the dash apart? Sorry for all the questions thanks for answering them. Would I be better off with the Painless?

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I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

What has to be changed?
if you re going from a computer carb to TPI quite abit will have to be done. if you have nothing, and you are going to do the project i'd say you have to spend $1700-2500. labor would be about $800-1000
Is it hard to do?
general mechanics knowledge.
What if yo aren't very good with wires?

get a 90-92 camaro service manual
How do you know what ones to put where?
a good harness wil pretty much dictate the position of where.
Do you have to rewire the whole ALDL?
the ALDL usually comes on new harness.
Can it all be done from above the passenger seat or do you have to take the dash apart?
we make an external harness using the 91-92 weather resitant computer costs more but you wont have to reroute electrical systems.
Would I be better off with the Painless?
they are ok, you just better have a good working knowledge of what is going on, they usually cant help on tech support.

 

well I got a GM harness and I hear that the VSS hs to be rewired and a few other things. My car was originally equipped with cross-fire injection. I wonder if that would make it easier?

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I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

If you can find a camaro that came with a TPI, then just remove the engine and wiring, taking note of where it all goes. For the most part, there is only one place anything can go. The most difficult apart would be connecting up to the fuze box. But really there is only a few wires to deal with.

First find a car to get the TPI from.
Second get the GM manual and wiring diagram that matches.
Lastly take your time.

If you are scared of the wiring, then an aftermarket one from the likes of painless are suppose to be well marked.

Mark.

 

I already ahve everything. I have the intake, harness from the computer to the motor and the ECM. I am just worried about the wiring from the comp to under the dash

------------------
I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

Tell me what year the TPI is and what year the harness is I just did the change over.(see sig.) I can probably help.

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Chronologically challenged. But still kicking!
'92 CAMARO RS
305 TBI 5/spd (now TPI)
B4C Alt.
'69 camaro-BB/Lenco,1050 dominators, /Pump Gas/no drugs 8.97-150+/3200lbs.
SoCal Thirdgen F-Bodies

 

it is all from an 86. Does anyone know if me originally haveing Cros-fire will be a problem?

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I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

I am about to do the same thing but from what i am getting from people this is not going to be fun. Change the fuel pump, relocate heater hoses,rig up the fuel lines,disconnect the wiring harness,reconnect the new harness set the ohms,test the volts,tweek the injection, and the list sounds scarier and scarier. This is definitly gonna be a MAJOR PITA i have a feeling.

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92' Camaro RS/Black,T-tops/350 TBI Targetmaster Comp.engine/5 spd/march underdrive pulleys/hedman hedders/3" dynomax exaust/hyper tech stage 2 chip/3.42 gears/K&N air filter/MSD blaster GM coil.......currently setting in my garage impatiently waiting for installation....TPI !!!!!

 

To install the stock harness the big hurdles are the connectors that connect to the dash harness and such. If these connectors do not just plug into the mating ones in your car then you must cut and splice the wires. As you can see changing from an 88 TBI to an 88 TPI is plug and play. For your car I do not remember right off hand so it is probably easiest for you to check what is in your 83. If it does not just plug in then you can cut the connectors off and splice the wires to the appropriate places. You will need the electrical service manual for an 86.

As far as how hard it is to do this I would not sweat it much if you already have some basic electrical troubleshooting skills. I do not think I would choose this project as my first learning experience.

If you are not knowledgeable about wires then you might think about an aftermarket harness. These are typically clearly labeled and less complicated to install than the factory harness.

Aftermarket harnesses are usually labeled. The factory harness develops a shape that leads you to where things go. Critical plugs are unique.

For the factory harness you would need to wire your ALDL in since the ALDL is part of the dash harness.

The only time I have taken the dash apart is if someone pulled the bulb or the light driver box. You can even integrate your old SES light without pulling the dash apart by splicing into the wires at the light driver box.

When I looked for a wiring harness to use in my shop I looked for the following:

Multistranded chemical resistant high temp wire. Basically TXL SXL or GXL by Packard or equivalent.
Well labeled both on the tag and on the wire.
Easy hook up basically one battery power, one ground, and one ign power.
Appropriate relays and fuses.
Either machine crimped or hand crimped with Packard tools AND soldered.

Any company that can offer you these has a good harness that should be trouble free.

I am biased. I use Painless in the shop. I sell Painless to the public. I handpicked them out of the crowd to supply us because I do not want to do it over. It also helps that Painless stands behind there harnesses with a lifetime warranty against defects.

My $.02 HTH

John

Heart of Texas Power and Performance

 

So basically as long as they plug into each other than they don't need to be spliced? What do I do about the VSS? I will be running a T-56 with a set of Nordskog digital gauges. Will the VSS be alright?

------------------
I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

If they plug in and the wires match(color) you should be ok. I would check to see that you have power at the right times at the right places before actually plugging in the computer. Usually GM made the harnesses pretty much the same to make them interchangable during manufacturing (Harnesses not related to the engine were not engine specific.)

The 1227165 computer expects a 2002 PPM signal input. The t56 will not give this signal. You will need a DRAC to convert. I am not familiar with that speedometer I would ask the manufacturer about the type of signal his speedo needs and how they generally go about producing it. You need to be able to provide both the speedo and the computer with the correct signal.

John

Heart of Texas Power and Performance

 

Does the Painless harness come with a VSS connector? How do the people that retrofit these things do it? I might just go with the Painless it seems like it might be easier.

------------------
I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

What made it easy for me was the L69 / LG4 dash wiring in a Camaro is just like a Monte. I just used the 86 Camaro Helms and added wires where needed.

http://www.monte-list.nu/tech/tpi/86..._dashplugs.txt

shows the diff's.

Obviously, I had to add a wire to the sending unit for the pump also. Not too rough. Also need to add 3 wires for the ALDL (I have added 2, need to add one more)

It's not too bad...

 

The painless is definitely easier. You kind of have to weigh that against the added cost. Most people either buy a painless or spend some time staring at the wiring diagrams. How much time is based upon how well you know electrical diagrams.

The painless harness requires you to splice the labeled VSS wire with your factory VSS wire, a Painless VSS or the connector of whatever VSS/DRAC you are using.

John

Heart of Texas Power and Performance

 

Maybe I should go with the Painless because after looking at that link I don't know what it means.


------------------
I WOULD RATHER PUSH A CAMARO THAN DRIVE AN IMPORT

1983Z28 350w/ edelbrock performer RPM power package , dynomax shorty headers, 700R-4 with shift kit, 750cfm carb, edelbrock 3" exhaust system, 16" IROC rims and ASCD SS hood.

future mods:
completely done over suspension, black paint with flames,
T-56 almost ready to go in, TPI swap coming up

Wifes new car:

95Z28, AT, leather, T-tops bone stock for now.

future mods:
header to tailpipe replacement and a cold air intake. Then I am just going to leave it alone

 

did the vette in 1986 come with digital speed ??? if so then many of the hassles with speedo could be averted

 

Here's a sketch of the wiring inside the car that will have be added to complete the swap.

 

When I did the conversion on my 83 (went from 2.8 v6 to tpi 305, then to 350), I bought a whole rolled over IROC for 400$. I needed everything (tpi, gas tank, fuel lines, wiring(I changed every wire in the car, ensuring it just plugged right in), tranny, suspension etc.... I really didn't think it was that bad, did it the summer before I turned 16. It is just time consuming. In your 83, I would recommend buying a whole unit on ebay, then getting odds and inns like fuel lines and stuff salvage. By whole unit I mean the complet intake with most of the sensors. I would buy a 90-92 ecm on ebay(50$) and get the harness from a company like painless. The swap isn't rocket science, but you will encounter some probs.