I am looking to swap a tpi setup and digital dash into my 5 speed 85 TA and want to make sure I have my parts set up right. What I currently plan on using is a tpi setup and wiring harness from an 87 z28. The digital dash I bought is supposed to be from an 87 or 88 gta. For the ecu I have a 1227165 from the 87 which was a tpi auto car. When I bought the digital dash the seller also gave me a tpi harness from an 89 gta along with another 1227165 ecu with a hypertech thermometer chip. I also have the stock chip and this second computer was supposedly removed from a 5spd car. My questions are:
1. The digital dash has a fuse for vats near the horn relay. This would mean the dash is from an 88?
2. Since my plan is to swap the setup in the 85 I need to use the 87 tpi harness not the 89 harness?
3. Which computer do I want to use. I know the 87 has no vats but it is from an auto, but the other computer is supposedly from a vats car, what do I do about this? I do not want vats in my car

I have never attempted a wiring project of this magnitude and want to have all my bases covered. Thanks in advance. Mods please move if this is in the wrong section

 

The way to tell an 87 from an 88 digital dash is to check the yellow warning lights with a flashlight. An 87 will have a "choke" light, and an 88 will have a "security" light.

The computer will be the 7165 either way. The car will run with the auto chip in a 5 speed, but as a long term solution the 5 speed chip can be modified to remove VATS.

Also, did you get the entire dashboard housing for the swap, as well as all the fancy door sensors, washer bottle, complete body harness, etc.?

 

Thanks for the reply. The only parts of the dash I have are the entire dashboard and body harness. I may have the headlight harness but I still haven't checked. I was given a box full of relays and harnesses with the deal. I do not have a ta washer bottle but I do have one from a berlinetta with a sensor in it, they wouldn't happen to be the same would they?

 

The computers are identical ; it is the tune on the removable memcal ( chip / prom ) inside that determines what it is setup for

 

Thanks, I am kind of new to tpi and fuel injection in general, this is exactly what I needed to know. Looks like I need to do some homework on part numbers to see exactly what I have.

 

Just an FYI,....

You will need the rest of the cars wiring to be from a digital dash car in order for everything to work properly. The digital dash Headlight harness, Heater harness, and Body/Tail light harness are all "specific" on the digital dash cars.

I think it MIGHT be possible for the "regular" Firebird heating/AC system to remain intact and MIGHT only require minor wiring changes in order to function properly. ( I don't KNOW that, but since the analog controller still fits so if the vacuum lines to the heater box got changed then it might work.) But the only way the Driver Information Center will work is if the other harness have the wiring the DIC needs. ( warnings for front lights, rear lights, door ajar, ect... )

Oh Ya,..... 85-87 MAF is 'more compatable' than 85-89 MAF.

 

As someone who did the analog to digital conversion, I don't see any reason why keeping the analog hvac wouldn't work as it is a separate harness from the rest of the dash and the digital dash doesn't rely on it. If you have any more questions about the swap feel free to ask me.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies and comments. They really helped me understand the gray areas that I had about the swap. and Firechicken86, thanks for the offer I will definately take it up once I get the swap going.