CamaroX84

I have an 84 Camaro with the stock dash in it right now. I want to put in the entire dash that I have from a 92 Camaro. I converted my 84 to speed density TPI, and I have an aftermarket vehicle speed sensor (VSS) hooked up to my speedo cable gears. My question is, how can I hook this up to the 92 dash so that the speedometer works? I haven't the slightest idea. Anything else I need to worry about? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

CamaroX84

Anyone know?? I'm sure someone out there has done this. Thanks again.

cdoyle

Hi,
I have an 84 also, and want to do this exact swap.

Did you ever get it to work?
The speedo thing is the only thing stopping me from doing the swap.

Thanks
Chris.

Kat

iTrader: (4)

Ditch the cable VSS and get a stock VSS that plugs into the tranny. You might have to get new speedo gears tho.

When ya goto the parts store tell them you have a 90-92 camaro and you need a VSS form one of them years.

As for the wiring.. Uhh I think that the way ya have it now should do it. Just add the connector for the VSS and you "should" be set.

Kat

collin0825

we've done the swap many times at our shop (thirdgenparts.com) and there are a few things. First change the VSS like mentioned above. Second- the side mounts are different. You will need to get them from a 90-92 or just leave out the upper nuts.The 7mm across the top are enough to hold it in place.

cdoyle

great, I'm glad to hear that this has actually been done, I was hoping I wasn't the first.

Some people have told me that I would need to get a buffer box out of a 86-89 firebird to hook the VSS cable to the buffer box, then from the box hook it to the ECM, and to the cluster (I think that is what they said). I guess the firebirds went to a electronic speedo, before the camaro did, and these years have the same ECM as my year camaro.

Is this true? Is this needed, or do you guys just hook the VSS cable only to the cluster?

Do you happen to have any pictures of this project as its being completed?

any other things to watch out for?

Thanks again
Chris.

Acceld Z

I'm sort of in the same situation you're in. From what I understand, you'll need to run the VSS signal through the ECM in order for the cluster to be able to use the signal. The 730(SD) ECM's have the "buffer" integrated into them. Am I right? I hope i'm not because just hooking the VSS signal up to the appropriate points on the cluster would be much easier.

collin0825

yes you wil need the buffer box "IF" you're running a tbi motor. Sorry we don't have any pic but we do have a box if you need one. In a camaro they are yellow and located behind the dash on the passenger side. They are very easy to splice in.The two wires from the electric VSS go directly to it. From the box you go the the ECM and gauges. I'll havew to take a look at one tonight to remember which colors go where. BUT on a tpi you don't need the box because from the VSS the wires go straight to the ECM then to the gauges. If you follow the wire from the VSS on a tbi engine harness you'll find they run to the bulk-head plug at the firewall. On the tpi harness they run straight to the ECM.

Acceld Z

So, on a TPI car car the ECM acts as the buffer? All I have in my '92 Z28 is a gauge cluster and VSS. What do I need to make my speedo work? The previous owner removed the factory ECM and installed a DFI system. All my other gauges work. Will the signal that the VSS run the speedo or is something needed to "translate" that signal?

cdoyle

so on my 84 v6 carb engine, i don't need to worry about the box?

If so, that just made this project alot easier!!

collin0825

on a carbed car i'm not too sure. But i would say yes you'll need it if you plan on using the 90-92 dash and gauges. Due to the fact that the 90-92 gauges use an electric VSS, you'll need it to make the speedo work but you don't have to wire it to the ECM "obviously".

collin0825

Acceld Z yes you'll need the box to translate the signal on a tpi car the ECM does it.

cdoyle

Actually that wasn't top 'obviously' to me

I knew I needed the VSS for the speedo, but its been mentioned in other boards that I would need to hook to the ECM, but I never mentioned before about my engine being a carb either. So I guess that's my fault.

If I don't need to hook to the ECM, this project just got a bunch easier.

Acceld Z

Would the translator that Dakota Digital sells be able to do the job?

collin0825

I've never worked with the Dakota gauges before but from what i've been told, Yes the translator will do the same as the buffer

Acceld Z

Great, thanks for the help

cdoyle

I was thinking about this swap, what would be helpful would be a list of what needs to be replaced.

So on my 84 V6 carb. Let me know if there is anything else I need to replace or do.

1. New dash
2. Instrument Cluster (duh)
3. VSS cable/wire (where is a good place to get this?)
4. Buffer box?
5 Rewire the 2 harnesses on the 2 plugs on the back of the cluster to match that of the 91-92 configuration


Is that it? or am I forgetting anything?

Thanks again for all your guys help on this.

Chris.

cdoyle

Is that all I need to get?

I think it is, but I'm not sure.

collin0825

actually the best thing to do would be to get a complete dash with wiring from a 90-92. That way you'll have everything including the buffer box. Check with Jim at thirdgenparts.com We don't have any right now but I think we'll be getting one with in the next week or two. Also by doing it this way you shouldn't have to splice as many wires if any at all . Just unplug yours at the firewall and plug in the new one. Just make sure it is a complete harness to the tail lights, you'll use it also. Trust me it makes it alot eaiser.

cdoyle

I've actually got a whole dash on the way. I believe all the wiring is intact.

I have been told that the wiring for the 2 harnesses that plug into the cluster are different from 84 to 90. So you had to do some modifing to make it work. If I remember right, he said there was only 1 pin that was the same and that was the ground.

Here is the diagram he posted that compared the 2 harnesses.
http://www.camaro.dnsalias.com:8008/...%20Wiring.html

You guys have never had to do any modifying to make it work?

collin0825

Sorry about that . See, we usually don't buy carbed cars, so no I haven't had to deal with that. Once again sorry. But as far as splicing the plug for the gauges is not too difficult. Just aggravaiting. I hate wiring. I've got a little to do my self with my LT1 swap.

john5.7 87Iroc

Maybe you guys can help me out here sort of the same thing Im doing. I have an '87 Iroc with auto trans and cable speedo. Now I know the original question asks about using a speed density tpi but I have the stock 87 MAF system on my car.

Here is what Im doing. I need to convert to an electric speedo/vss so I can run a 4th gen speedo in my car (doing 4th dash swap).

Heres what I know, the 3rd gen guys doing the 4thgen dash swaps who have the SD 90-92 cars can just pull their old speedo out, and match up the wires to get the 4thgen speedo to work.

So I figure if I set up my car to accept 90-92 speedo then the 4thgen speedo should also work in my car then.

What confuses me is the original qustion in this post talks about starting out with speed density so I don't know if all your answers apply to me since I will be using maf system. (I don't know how much the computer has to do with the speedo operation???)

So I guess my question is, what all do I need and how do I convert my '87 Automatic Iroc to electric speedo and vss on my MAF car?

collin0825

On your case because you have a speedo cable your Ecm doesn't have the vss you'll need the buffer to convert the signal, then splice the output wires in to the 4gen gauges.

mylittlemule

So, If I have an aftermarketcable VSS with on a TBI motor. Then, I need to get the buffer box and splice it into the VSS wires, then hook up the wires in parellel to the ecm and 90 gauge cluster? Is this correct?

mylittlemule

Guys and Gals? I need to smoke somebody.

collin0825

that's correct. It's easy to do, just 5-6 wires

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

Eh, i wouldnt listen to that collin guy, i think he drinks a little tooo much of the funny stuff if ya know what i mean...

collin0825

very funny Tommy. But your usually there with me..

5.7DropTop

I am having the same trouble with my car except mine was a TBI and I converted it to TPI with a harness out of a 90 Iroc 350. The problem I am having is I have the buffer box and I need to know how to eliminate it. Any ideas? Does anyone know what wires from the computer are the speedo ones?

Thanks again,


Jason