tgraham77

My 16 yr old son and I are pulling a tight 305 out of a 92 camaro and putting it in an a 89 chev 4x4(5 speed). Car is mine, 4x4 will be his. Does my transmission need the computer to shift? Is my speedo electric? Can I use my distributor and existing wiring harness? Can some one explain the computers actual functions and where it is found on my 92? The 350 is 350 hp carbed engine that will get sprayed with a 100 shot !! Then this winter it will come out for a revamp. Chris can run the 305 till he gets some dough then maybe look at building and engine for his truck!

camaronewbie

Kinda confused...

You are putting the 305 into the truck - got that. You'll need the ECM, wiring harness, etc from the 305 for the truck if you are keeping the FI system on the 305 when it's in the truck. You could {illegally} carb the 305 in the truck, depending on local emission laws and inspections, and then no need for the ECM, harness, etc from the Camaro.

Tranny - are you putting the Camaro tranny in the truck as well - or are you keeping the 5speed in the truck? I don't think there's anything computer related with the 5 speed - but I'm surely no expert. I know the only thing computer related with the automatics is the TCC lockup, and that can be controlled with aftermarket controllers if desired.

Maybe clarify exactly what's going where.

tgraham77

The 700 transmision is staying with the car. cant we use the harness etc on the truck? The fi system looks the same. Is the speedo electric on the car? Thanks for the help

camaronewbie

If the truck was a 6cyl, then you'd need the ECM from the car to go with the 8cyl motor - There's going to be a completely different set of timing tables, fuel tables, etc. Firing order will be different. Electronic Spark Control will be different. Wiring harness mght be useable, I just don't know. Never heard of anyone swapping a V6 for a V8 without either carbing it, or using the entire computer/wiring harness for the V8.

The speedo is electric on the car - won't make any difference with the truck swap since the tranny is staying in the car.

Also, if the truck was a V6, I believe the bellhousing on the truck's tranny will need replaced to accomodate the V8 block. I know you can't attach a V8 to a V6 auto tranny, so I asume the same with the 5speed.

Motor Mounts will need to be fabbed as well, or at least mounted differently (if the trucks had a 305 option, then there might be bolt holes in the support for the V8 mounts).

Anything is possible, with enough cash, time, a big enough hammer, and a welder - but I don't think this will be an easy plug & play swap. You'd get better answers to this at a forum that deals with those trucks - we can tell you how to yank the 305, but that's the easy part - installing it into a truck is better questioned on a truck forum.

Irockz

iTrader: (1)

Nothing personal,but the majority of this information is incorrect.
First things first,to my knowledge both the car and truck in question left the factory with TBI injection.That said,the trucks wiring harness is a direct plug in,although I would still advise using the ECM from the car,I feel like keeping the engine and ECM married is a solid way to ensure a hassle free life.This is true regardless of which engine the truck had originally,4.3 up through 7.4,the only exception would be the 6.5 diesal.IF you are swapping from a 4.3 V6,the transmission will bolt straight up,and while the motor mounts will need to be swapped for V8 units,there is NO fabrication needed.You will need a radiator and shroud from a V8 pickup,but otherwise V6-V8 in the 88-98 pickups is a no-brainer.The only other detail to deal with is a flywheel,and any 4.3,5.0,or 5.7 flywheel for a 1 piece rear main seal block will work.

I have done this swap several times over,it's a cakewalk.

tgraham77

I am not sure where all the v6 talk came from we are putting the 305 out of the camaro into a 89 chev that currently has blown 350. I thought this should be plug and play, but I have to say i am not completely aware of the functions of the ecm. Some info on this would great.

camaronewbie

V6 talk would be my fault - I'm sorry. I had in my head (for whatever crazy reason) we were talking about a S-10, and most of those were V6 - my bad.

350 - 305 I would thin would be simple. Maybe need the knock sensor from the 305 - I know when we swap 305 for 350 in the F Bodies the ECM can remain the same but the 350 knock sensor gets used, so in your case I'd guess the opposite. Might be same for injectors.

Anyway - sorry for creating the confusion