Ryknow86

I just have a few questions regarding the removal of the ECM on a 84 LG4, 5-speed. I am going to be putting a non-computer controlled 350 in the car in the spring. I already have the ECM out but i was wondering where the wires go from the ECM? So far i know they go through the firewall and behind the fender? correct? i took a look behind the fender and what i saw was all the wires going into a snap connector which looks like a plug. Does this plug go through to the other side of the firewall and connect into the ECM. i just wanted to be sure before i mess something up. When i tug on the wires in the engine bay i cant see the other wires i took out of the ECM moving at all. I just wanted to know if anyone has done this and if that is in fact where the wires pass through the firewall? also an orange wire comes out of the harness in the engine bay and connects to the starter cable on the battery, i would also like to know if i remove this with the ECM if that will matter. I know some of the wires that i need for gauges and whatnot are intertwined in the engine bay. I just didnt know if this was like an igntion wire or somethin. Thanks for any replies. If you want me to take pictures im sure i can dig out the digi cam and snap some photos for you guys. thanks alot...

ede

all ecm harnesses i've seen go through the left side kick panel and feed up to the inner left rear upper fender. it's pretty big about 1" diameter. either start at the sensers and work back to the ecm or at the ecm and work to the sensers.

RB83L69

Where they go through the windshield cowl, that isn't a plug, exactly. But it comes out of the sheet metal the same sort of way. It has a plastic U-shaped clip thing that slides over it and fits in a groove.

Once you have that out, the whole harness will slide out of the interior and into the fender well through the hole. Then you can feed all the wires from the engine back toward it.

DO NOT cut any wires!!! IT isn't necessary. The whole thing will come out easily as one assembly. Coil it up and put it in a box, you never know when it will come in handy. You can remove each of the sensors and things that you won't be using (ESC module, MAP sensor, baro sensor, etc. etc.) and plug them into the harness and keep thm eith it so you can always find it. You can do the same with vacuum lines and things.

I removed the computer-control system from my 83, in about 88 or 89; and at the time did as I described, just on general principles. There the hearness and all that stuff lay for the next 10 years. It made re-assembling the car much easier when I accepted a job in southern California in 2000, and it came around to be time to go through "enhanced" emissions inspection, where they checked for every device, wire, hose, etc. to be installed and connected, and ran the car on the dyno with the sniffer, and all that.

Ryknow86

is the U-shaped clip on the interior or exterior of the car? i tried to see where the harness goes through on the inside but cant seem to trace it all the way to the sheetmetal, i can clearly see where that square plastic piece is behind the fender, under the black dust guard lining the wheelwell. thanks alot to anyone who replied!

RB83L69

interior

Ryknow86

ok thanks ill go give it another try, i appreciate it, thanks...

430T/A

I yanked the computer wires on a 2.8 MPFI a year ago. It is just a matter of unplugging every thing and pulling the wires out. The engine/headlight harness is completly separate and no wires intertwine. Its a pain in the ***** snaking the wires out though.

Ryknow86

hey again, do you know what the orange wire is that comes out of the harness and goes to the positive battery cable? I was thinking that its just a power for the ECM. So every wire that came from the ECM can go? thanks alot to all people who helped.

RB83L69

Yes the orange wire that hooks to the battery is battery power to the ECM.

Yes every wire to the ECM can go.

Forget you even own a pair of dykes. Gently and carefully peel them all back and keep your harness intact. You don't have to sodomize it to get it out.

Ryknow86

yeah, thats what i was planning on doing... Like you said, ill never know if ill need it again, thanks alot for your help. i still havent found the plastic clip on the interor that holds the harness on, ive been busy i checked for it today but it seems buried back there. ill try tomorrow i have work off, thanks....

Ryknow86

oh another thing, the easiest way for me to get the tranny out was lay under the car parellel with it and sort of bench press the tranny down. its about 100 lbs at the max. im also 6'4" and 240 lbs, so it shouldnt be too bad but make sure you have a grip on it.

Ryknow86

Once the tranny is out when the engine is able to tip back you should be able to reach the top bellhousing bolts with an extension and a few sockets, just make sure when you lower that jack the distributor is clear up top, dont go too far down with it.

Ryknow86

disregard the last 2 posts i got this post confused with another, sorry...

Ryknow86

hey i got all the wires from the harness out but there seems to be alot still. every wire is out of the passenger side. I have the starter wires left, which need to stay, but i also have another loom connecting from the drivers side firewall in the corner. This also looks like a few plugs went into it to pass through the firewall. I was just wondering what i need to keep on this side of the engine.

Ryknow86

one of the looms on the drivers side go to the starter and the other one goes for the headlights, but i dont know what the others are for, i have 2 burnt spade connectors from the headers, and another plug hanging with blue, gray, green and another. anyone know what this is.

Need4Speed1387

When it's time for the new engine to go in, is there any kind of wiring harness that you need to buy for it? i recently did the same thing as you in taking my ECM and the computer wiring harness out but i have no wires going to the battery for my power windows or headlights or anything. did i take off too much or do i need to buy a wiring harness for a non-computered car? thanks for any help!

Ryknow86

there should only be 2 wire looms coming out of the drivers side that go to the headlights, starter and the wiper motor.

Need4Speed1387

So where does the battery power hook up to? my car's wiring was already somewhat taken apart when i got it and the battery was not connected to anything.

Ryknow86

the battery cable hooks to the big prong on the starter.