It's getting tough to poke around and find all the answers. Some say it's as easy as putting in the pedal assembly and the transmission. However, I know some experienced people that say there are other issues.
First one is the computer system: I was told that a ECM for an Automatic Transmission has a higher idle speed than a manual and can cause you to light up your tires unintentionally almost every time.
Second is the wiring harness from the computer to the transmission to relay this new information accurately.
FYI: the car is a 1991 Firebird Formula 305V8. It 'now' has a 350V8 in it. However, with the change-over, it might be a good idea to make sure the computer is calculating things correctly anyway; so a computer system may not be a bad idea if I can find one. I'm not keen on used parts. >( Unless they're Reman'ed. Depending on how banged up it was, you have a good chance of getting a practically new part with a reman'ed price tag.
First one is the computer system: I was told that a ECM for an Automatic Transmission has a higher idle speed than a manual and can cause you to light up your tires unintentionally almost every time.
Second is the wiring harness from the computer to the transmission to relay this new information accurately.
FYI: the car is a 1991 Firebird Formula 305V8. It 'now' has a 350V8 in it. However, with the change-over, it might be a good idea to make sure the computer is calculating things correctly anyway; so a computer system may not be a bad idea if I can find one. I'm not keen on used parts. >( Unless they're Reman'ed. Depending on how banged up it was, you have a good chance of getting a practically new part with a reman'ed price tag.
On Probation
If your 350 isn't too different, a PROM chip for a vette might do. they were offered with a manual behind a 350 in '91.
Supreme Member
So, are you asking a question?
Supreme Member
Quote:
First one is the computer system: I was told that a ECM for an Automatic Transmission has a higher idle speed than a manual and can cause you to light up your tires unintentionally almost every time.
Originally Posted by Lyniaer
First one is the computer system: I was told that a ECM for an Automatic Transmission has a higher idle speed than a manual and can cause you to light up your tires unintentionally almost every time.
I drove my car 80 miles round trip daily for the past year after the auto to manual swap without changing the chip. I just recently acquired the correct chip for my car. There was never any issue with it trying light up the tires.The truth:
If you leave the auto chip in you will have idle issues, but it's not that bad. When you start the car cold it will have a high idle (1200-1500 RPM) for several minutes. It will finally settle down to normal idle speed once it warms up if it's sitting still. If you start up the car and immediately take off in it it will still be idling high even if you drive it several miles down the road until you come to a complete stop and let the rev's drop down to normal. It has something to do with a signal to or from the VSS sensor I was told.
The main issue that is of some concern is the fact that every once in a while when you depress the clutch the car will die. Letting off the clutch while rolling in gear will start the car back up. This was an intermittent issue that I never knew when or where it would happen. It didn't happen very often, somewhere in the neighborhood of once every 2-3 weeks. This also happened to a friend's car that had undergone the swap until the auto tranny info was taken off his chip.