Newbie: where to begin?

[34blazer]

If I could go back and do it over again, I would start with the very basic maintenance and preventative maintenance items, just to bring the car back to good running condition. Drive the car for a season or two and figure out what I didn't like or desired to have. If budget oriented, consider small projects at first, and only one thing at a time. Once the car is running well as it can, I would invest in some tuning gear, or at least something to read the datastream with, just so I could learn how the ECM is running the engine, and figure out how to make adjustments for any modification in the future.

You already have the most important first step covered(IMO), you joined a knowledgeable forum where people can save you a lot of headaches and $$$ before you have to learn it the expensive way.

HTH

I have also seen people suggest Vortex buicks for good reading, I still reference the tech articles at gnttype.org.

 

[standupjskiguy]

Well I'm doing it, blah blah blah.
It is not a direct swap! Maybe it'll run but it's not a direct swap.
Why would this guy do a write up if it was a direct swap???????

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/ecmsensors/8487ecm.html

Just a few points.
As I said the maf is different.
There is an air temp sensor in the 87, not found on the 85.
And I know my scan master won't work on my 85 ecm.
Geeesh.

 

[turbonut85]

Well I'm doing it, blah blah blah.
It is not a direct swap! Maybe it'll run but it's not a direct swap.
Why would this guy do a write up if it was a direct swap???????

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/ecmsensors/8487ecm.html

Just a few points.
As I said the maf is different.
There is an air temp sensor in the 87, not found on the 85.
And I know my scan master won't work on my 85 ecm.
Geeesh.

All things that are remedied by specifying when ordering a TT chip as those guys have done.

 

[standupjskiguy]

Yes,,, you need the TT chip so it is not a direct swap.
One guy says he is running an 87 maf on his 85 with no TT chip.
Nobody mentions to the young man to check what maf he has on the car.
Maybe somebody already put an 87 maf on it. Maybe it has a translator.
So if he buys an 87 ECM and has a chip burned to stock 85 stuff it won't work properly.
All I'm saying is people shouldn't blurt out incomplete info to a 16 year old who
is inexperienced. He'll wind up wasting money and time.

 

[turbonut85]

Not sure what is incomplete info..? All these are questions that TT requires to be answered before a chip is made. The MAF would come into question at that point. I don't think anyone said "this is a direct swap"...but maybe I just didn't see it?

 

[cwmccray]

Yes,,, you need the TT chip so it is not a direct swap.
One guy says he is running an 87 maf on his 85 with no TT chip.
Nobody mentions to the young man to check what maf he has on the car.
Maybe somebody already put an 87 maf on it. Maybe it has a translator.
So if he buys an 87 ECM and has a chip burned to stock 85 stuff it won't work properly.
All I'm saying is people shouldn't blurt out incomplete info to a 16 year old who
is inexperienced. He'll wind up wasting money and time.

Yes I am running a 87 Mass Air with a stock 85 Computer. This is a temporary fix to get my car moveable. I am going to order a TT Chip for car due to 55lbs injectors, TE61 turbo and 3" downpipe....

I get your point. However, if his car is going to go ANYWHERE, he will need a 87 ECM and a TT chip, IMO.

 

[Toby_Goodmk]

Thanks for the help so far everyone. And yes I have done quite a bit of research and I'm anxious to get out to the shop to get some more work done. 10 inches of snow and below zero temp's are not what we are used to in Kentucky. Keep the info/advice coming guys, I'm gonna need all of it I can get. Thanks again!

what part of KY? I am in Cincy and could show you a thing or 100 that I have learned the hard way over the past 2 years