Advice for those of you with converted '85 cars..

[Berman]

My car is actually an '85 with '87 drivetrain in it. (i thought it was an '86 before I actually got the title hence the incorrectness in my sig).

Anyway I've had a nightmare of electrical problems. Because whoever did the conversion 15 years ago (and it was done 15 years ago) didn't get a new interior harness, just hacked into it with stupid butt and crimp on wire connectors. I had one weird problem after another. Car turning off when making a right turn. Car randomly stumbling when it feels like it. A rev limiter half-way through 1st gear that would stay on for a split second. One annoyance after another.

I just replaced every butt and crimp-on connector and the car runs unbelieveably now. Every problem is gone. Before you buy new coil packs, new crank sensors, etc, like I did, change old wiring connectors!

 

[TType85]

If the car was a 85 TR, you don't need a new interior harness. I just did the conversion to my 85 and the wiring was simple. I pulled the stock harness out and put the 86 one in. No problems, everything worked.

It hooks into the fuese block, and into the ECM and another part of the interior harness on the pass side. all plug-n-play.

as for the other issues that come up with the conversion

your better off getting a 86/7 donor car than piecing it together. I stole a bunch of parts off my 86 thats down.


Both of the chassis fuel lines are different. The filter is on the chassis of the 86 and the return line (fitting) is a different diamater.

Theres a few ways around the feed problem.
1. Donor car
2. Classic Tube (found out they have them after I did #3)
3. Put a fuel filter in where the rubber lines come off the tank.
4. Braided lines

I did #3 for now. I got a filter off a 86-93 mustang, 2ft of 3/8 FI hose and 4 clamps. and plumbed it into the feed line and mounted it where the stock muffler used to be.

The return I just used the 85 return line from the motor and bent it a bit to fit right.

i'm not sure about 84's but the 85 has the inner fender metal part dimpled where the 3 relays go on the DS of an 86 so thoes just needed drilled out. The inner fender only has one mounting boss for the PS resovouire.

easy way.. get a 86/7

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

oh no swap flashback

i didnt think it was too bad but i had an 87 t to get everything off of..

soon i'll be swapping it out of my ttype into a plain 87 regal .... sounds like fun..huh.

the 87 harness was plug n play in my 85 also and looks like it will be plug n play in the non turbo regal too just wont have boost or tack lights.

 

[49-blues]

is there any difference between the 84 gn and the 85 gn wire harnesses?

 

[TType85]

I dbout there is a difference.

 

[laz]

berman is your car a white t-type with t-tops with red interior?

 

[Geoff87]

Good info! I may be doing this in the near future.

Is it feasible (or possible, for that matter) to remove the fuel lines out of the donor car as well?

 

[TType85]

Originally posted by Geoff87
Good info! I may be doing this in the near future.

Is it feasible (or possible, for that matter) to remove the fuel lines out of the donor car as well?

I think so, but I think the best route would be classic tube and get new ones, they arent that expensive and alot eaiser to do

 

[49-blues]

chris-what differences are there?

 

[Geoff87]

Originally posted by TType85


I think so, but I think the best route would be classic tube and get new ones, they arent that expensive and alot eaiser to do

Thanks Chris!

Is it because it's a pain in the ass to remove the old lines? Or, are the new lines upgraded?

BTW, I bought a COMPLETE rust bucket '87 T (blown head gasket), that I can pull parts from!