Project Darkstar 1989 CQ build thread

[Mike7447]

* FORWARD

I’ve been wanting to start this but wanted to wait on some useful information before I started.

And even though it’s not that useful in a forum where most everything that has been done to one of these cars has been done already, I believe over the next several months I’ll have more than a few things to contribute that may not be as common. 
As a fair warning, My build threads do get extremely convoluted with my need to scratch a closet writers itch, so if you’re someone who wants to skip the blather, and got right to the pics, then you’ll know what to do if you open one of my updates.

I’ll also tell you that occasionally, I’ll write some really stupid s**t, and you may actually find it entertaining. It is usually my goal to make this an entertaining, as well as informative build thread.

On one of my other build threads on a different forum, the thing eventually got to 1 million page views before I left. The thing was so cluttered with my ramblings, side comments from others, and pics, You couldn’t find anything of use after a couple of years. 
To fix that, I asked the site admin to give me the capability of creating an index, with page jumps so that someone could go past all of the crap, and get right to the meat and potatoes of what they wanted. Maybe if this thing turns out that way, I’ll be able to do that too.

But for the most part, as stated, I’m thinking it’s already been done before. So wt....,…. here goes.

THE PLAN: What I got, and what I want

I now know I’m gonna replace the factory P.S. with a manual rack. The factory stuff was removed Saturday and destroyed. ( it freaking has to weigh OVER 50 pounds including the pump, box, and linkage).

I have started cutting the center crossmember to allow the rack to mount, but I’ll need another day to get it close enough to actually put it in place. I have the double d shaft, u joints and the bumpsteer kit to complete it once I can dedicate the time.

the trans is out ( primarily for cleaning the s*** off of it and under the car,) the PO has rigged it to stay in OD, I need to look closer at the wiring. 
 

Next will be a front suspension conversion. On the last CQ I had, I cut the old struts off at the spindle mount and welded mounts onto it so that I could use fox mustang struts. the cheap C/O conversion that you can get for fox struts, and the fairly inexpensive caster/camber plates so I could dial in ride height are the primary reason for this.

Engine compartment detail comes next. The abs monster that sits behind the rf strut tower is gone, the CC contraption, and any and all unnecessary wires and hoses will go. If I can get rid of the entire ECU for the engine, I want to do that as well. The Fenders come back off, and the whole engine bay and see-able surfaces under the fenders will go gloss black urethane.

ive bought a 6 gauge digital led instrument panel with a GPS based speedo sender, that will replace the factory panel along with an upgrade for the barely working AM/FM/cassette w/a double din unit a small sub, and a nice pair of 6” component front door speakers.

The tank will get drained, a compatible fuel sending unit to work with the new gauges, and a pump upgrade will get put back in before reinstalling it. 

engine will get assembled and running next. Engine and transmission will go in as a unit. I’ve cut the upper radiator saddle mount so that can happen.

Depending on what you tell me about your tire size currently on your car, The “Optional “ plan” is that the IRS goes in favor of a disc brake fox mustang SRA. I will do a rear mini-tub to allow a 17x315 size rear tire. The ONLY way the irs stays is dependent on available tire size that I can get to fit under and whatever its’ gear ratio is. The availability of fox rears w/3.55-3.73 gears are plentiful enough, and considering I’m keeping the little fork lift engine, will be necessary to make it “fast enough”. All I’ll do with that is narrow the housing, shorten the axles ( well, Moser will, not me) and hang a set of rear single adjustable coil overs back there somewhere. How I’ll deal with the suspension is still TBD. It will be a street car.

Rear seat delete happens regardless, both seats get moved back 1-2” the retractable seat belt mounts moved right along with them, and a filler piece fabricated to fill the gap I create. battery housed under the rear seat delete.

The car doesn’t have factory paint, it has a poorly done repaint in a factory color. ( and some surprise rust) That, coupled to the fact that the fender that hit the ground when I was repairing the bottom of the front fenders looks like tail now that it’s painted in a lighter, striped rattle can version of Palermo grey will force me to deal with it before rather than after . I will repaint the car Nardo grey.

the rear will dictate wheel choice. The concern you have about trying to turn a wide front tire on a manual rack at parking lot speeds may mandate that I either go narrower than 9” front wheels, or install a Prius electric p.s. unit as I have done on the last two cars. 

I told my wife I’d have the car done in two months, that was before the “ epiphany” hit me  to make it a little more pro-touring.

She just rolled her eyes and took a drink of wine.

Maybe,…….Maybe by November?

Where I started: Auction car. Poorly represented by the seller. Car has 72k miles, basically a stock auto trans car, but wasn’t properly maintained. Radiator was full of crud, engine oil looked about the same. Front seats had seen too much sun and were dried out and hard, rear tires were done. AC system was empty and had been leaking, Auto trans shift linkage was shot, front fenders were rotted at the bottoms, and the car had a poor repaint.

I paid 12k sight unseen on the auction for the car…. 
Screw me once…..Shame on you…

I fixed the front fenders, but there was no hope in getting a paint match…

The other fender didn’t fare too well… the paint is terrible as a result of a rattle can attempt at repainting the whole thing. ( for that reason. It will not be featured in tonight’s update).

I started buying junk slowly, trying to sort out what I wanted for the car. I sent the radiator to the shop to have it inspected and cleaned( they gave it a clean bill of health).

I bought a new exhaust manifold, a new t3/t4 57 trim turbo, external waste gate, CX racing intercooler, 65mm, 50mm BOV, MS3 pro mini ecu, and a innovate WB controller…..a set of ARP head studs, Ajusa HG, 60 lb/hr LS injectors, and the related doo-dads, and wing-dings to be able to upgrade the engine.

Pulling the head revealed that this engine had rarely ever met a man with a drain pan.The engine was so crudded up, I pulled it. I bought rings, bearings, a balance shaft delete kit, .020 over forged pistons, a new mechanical non jet valve head, and had the machine work performed.

I picked up all that stuff on the 3rd of July 

Last weekend I rolled the car out of my garage and did my best to pressure wash 40 years of neglect from underneath. Once that was done I went to work removing the upper radiator saddle,

* notice the bulging white balls-o-duct tape. For anyone who has done this knows, the cut edges of the remaining saddle are sharp as s**t. Since I didn’t want to be found dead in my garage as a result of a cut femoral artery, I decided that taping up the exposed razor sharp edges might be prudent.

I removed the entire PS menagerie as a whole. That freakin thing has to weigh 50+ pounds. I needed the splined input shaft going into the steering box, so I cut that complain off and welded the remaining stump into a steering u joint.

and plugged that end into the steering column…

I removed everything else that will be “ unnecessary” 

The next “up to date” update will have pics of the installed rack, and the steering linkage. For tonight’s end, I’ll leave a pic the bare 78 dodge charger/horizon/omni rack as a “ stay tuned”.

I hope all of the above plans garner some interest,…. Enjoy.

INDEX TO SEPARATE MODS:

LED gauge conversion:
 

https://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/150921-my-digital-led-6-gauge-conversion/

REAR STEER MANUAL RACK CONVERSION:

https://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/150924-my-manual-rear-steer-rack-conversion/

PRIUS EPAS STEERING COLUMN MOD:

https://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/150951-2006-prius-electric-power-steering-in-an-89-starion-say-it-ain’t-so/

INTAKE MANIFOLD CONVERSION TO MPFI:

https://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/150916-the-frankin-take/

Edited September 5, 2024 by Mike7447

[nc_beagle]

What is the LED dash panel you mentioned? My goal is to keep the stock look but I'm curious what this looks like and how well it talks to a late-80s car?

I'll definitely be following. We're finally scheduled to pull the engine in my 89 Fiji project this Saturday. Like you, I want to clean up the engine bay (of both grime and the wiring, etc... going everywhere.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. 

[psu_Crash]

Great stuff!! 

Darkstar. being a bit of a dead head, I dig it.

[Mike7447]

2 hours ago, psu_Crash said:

Great stuff!! 

Darkstar. being a bit of a dead head, I dig it.

Uhh ck your 60’s band trivia… it was CSNY’s song.
 

If I’m not mistaken, it’s the name of the RQ-3 project Lockheed has given to the next SR-71 replacement un-manned recon plane that they terminated. It’s also the name for the not-real Mach 10 plane Tom Cruise flew in Maverick. So either way, it’s open as a name for my subsonic pavement pounder.

Im trying to see if I can find black satin Vinyl that looks like a stealth aircraft and cover the hood and roof with that. I’ll paint the lower panels Nardo grey.

Edited July 18, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

3 hours ago, nc_beagle said:

What is the LED dash panel you mentioned? My goal is to keep the stock look but I'm curious what this looks like and how well it talks to a late-80s car?

I'll definitely be following. We're finally scheduled to pull the engine in my 89 Fiji project this Saturday. Like you, I want to clean up the engine bay (of both grime and the wiring, etc... going everywhere.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. 

It’s a JEGS product. Both them and Summit sell a version. I think it’s made by intellitronix for those guys as a derivative.

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/41628/10002/-1?trk_msg=Q8ACBJ2E4AM4R08BIJ2UAKGJ3G&trk_contact=PM6FBE3U6ECFC1VEE86UI1FC5S&trk_module=pda&trk_sid=VV2QBDQ7IJJ6F70M8NF6V9E6B8&trk_link=1H7CHRGAAKM4L355GQ1RNEOD2O&ltk_offer=&ltk_offer_tier=150D&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Product&utm_campaign=Price+Drop+Alerts&utm_content=Price+Drop+Message+1+-+Customer

 

I intend to mount it on the housing and fabricate a smoked lens so you won’t be able to see the oval shape. Just the horizontal layout.

Edited July 18, 2024 by Mike7447

[psu_Crash]

18 hours ago, Mike7447 said:

Uhh ck your 60’s band trivia… it was CSNY’s song.
 

If I’m not mistaken, it’s the name of the RQ-3 project Lockheed has given to the next SR-71 replacement un-manned recon plane that they terminated. It’s also the name for the not-real Mach 10 plane Tom Cruise flew in Maverick. So either way, it’s open as a name for my subsonic pavement pounder.

Im trying to see if I can find black satin Vinyl that looks like a stealth aircraft and cover the hood and roof with that. I’ll paint the lower panels Nardo grey.

🤣 I'm not familiar with the CSNY version. I will be today though! 

Not real like the fact that the plane disintegrated at nearly 8000 MPH and Maverick survived. Vaguely familiar with the SR-71 replacement project. 

Black and gray would definitely look military, and aggressive. 

[nc_beagle]

Darkstar is definitely a better name than Deathstar. 🙂

Unless you plan to mount a planet-destroying laser on it. 😄

[Mike7447]

The Frankin-take..

For better or worse, my intake manifold conversion is pretty much complete.

 Look up close… no fuel rail, no water running through the intake, no egr, no vacuum ( except where it’s obvious). A-6 fuel distribution block feeding (4) -4 lines going to each injector. The things are each held  in place with individual fuel injector mounts I found online. The water bypass, the sensors for the MS3, and the gauges are mounted. Whether this goofy contraption works is gonna be a wait-n-see. It may work, it may starve the injectors.

For now,I’ve built a laboratory. I’ve recruited a special needs underachiever as my assistant, and taken a bunch of separate parts from disassociated sources, sewed them together via a spool gun. As soon as the next lightning storm happens, I’ll strap that dude in,… crank him to the top of the tower in my garage-o-lab, and wait  till the next lightning strikes, ( diabolical laugh) …..and then at the exact instant, yell to my humped assistant…...” THROW THE SECOND SWITCH!!!

“Yesss Master!

Welding on this thing proved “consequential”. It twisted, and crowned like mad. Despite trying to clamp it to a flat surface prior to welding on it,… I only have a spool gun.

*And a spool gun is like a garden hose in a water pistol fight…Too much, too fast, and in weldspeak,…too hot. 

It took almost .100 to get the mating surface flat again. * (for the mathematically challenged, almost an 1/8” off).

The throttle cable will run under the intake. The water runs under the intake., The rear bypass runs between the injectors and under the back of the manifold. Vacuum runs to a reservoir and a distribution block To feed what needs feedin’. The ECU needs a vacuum reference, ( ck), an IAT reference, ( ck), and a TPS position (?) to be happy. 
 

im almost there.

Da-Done Dah!

 

Edited July 22, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

The goals for today may be beyond either the boundaries of one of two hurdles:

1. The amount of time in this day.

2. My bodies tolerance for pain.

Several projects are ongoing, The LED gauge panel is really close to complete. Hopefully it’ll turn out the way I’m planning . The steering rack conversion is slated to be finished as well, it’s all a matter of some finish fab and final welding. 

The actual objective will be to do the things that are almost done and get them behind me, and then turn my attention back towards the engine compartment. With the time remaining to get the gauge panel completed, and the final fab and welding on the steering rack, getting the front of the car stripped of all lines, hoses, brakes, suspension, and various other “ what’s this thing do” widgets and doo-dads, may be all she wrote for today.
 

I intend to fully strip it and the front suspension out so that I can paint the engine bay properly. I’m going with satin black and a red and black engine detail. 
Once both struts are out, I’m going to cut them so as to remove the factory spring mounts. I want just the mounted strut housing with nothing standing proud of  the actual strut itself. Once I get there, I’ll build a jig so that I get the factory caster/camber angles locked in. Then I’ll cut the old strut away, and adapt a fox mustang strut in place.  But as stated that’ll be the next time I get out to the garage.

Edited August 3, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

11 hours later…..

The steering rack mounts are welded. Ironically I did that all while laying on my back with the welding about 18” off the ground.

*Read….I got burned the F up.

The irony is that I decided to strip the engine compartment after that, and because there is surface rust on that side of the engine compartment that I can’t get  to…( from a leaking battery I’m guessing)…

I decided to drop it.

My day would’ve been so much less third degree…as in burn.

Nonetheless, it’s done, it’s also out. The column is out, the booster and MC are off the firewall, MOF, NOTHING is bolted to anything in the engine compartment.

Except the two front corners..

What the hell do you do with this menagerie when trying to paint the engine compartment? Obviously I just can’t cut it out, but how do I determine which of these wires can be eliminated since I’m using a standalone ecu?

Down in the south we have a word for this, but the child friendly word filter prevents me from saying it….

Let’s just take a guess at the missing letters then,……. It’s a Jug f***.

The other side has the charcoal filter. I’ve unsnapped the clasp, but I can get that thing out of the clamp.

I’m about 10 seconds from hitting this thing with something that will render it unusable.

I cut up one of the factory struts, and removed the spring mount to see how far off a fox strut is from being workable.

Compressed…

Extended.

I believe I can make this work.

* spoiler alert: I’ve already done this on a previous CQ. I know it’ll work.

Before I completely cut the old Mitsu strut, I have to make the jig to get everything aligned properly. The last time I just kinda winged it. This time I’ll try to be a little less Bubba.

The gauge face is drying. I’m not happy with how it’s gonna look, but I’ll see how long I can stand it before I have to do a complete do-over. This project is already v2.0. 
 

Update complete. Whisky time.

[Mike7447]

So, another day, moving the car further away from done  as opposed to closer.The objective is to get the bay stripped enough to paint. 

I believe I’m just about there..

The wiring harness that crosses over from the relay menagerie to the passenger side got cut in half so I could flop the wires out of the engine bay. 
A point of concern though is that two brown wires were clearly shielded. Don’t know where they go, or what their purpose is, but , they cut now.

How I splice them back together either as butt connectors or I find some giant 27 pin connector so I can just plug it back together will be for another day. For now, the bay is empty enough for the cleanup sanding and painting to start.

Whatever purpose that 4 pack of relays that are on the drivers side fender apron will have to be figured out. I want as much unnecessary electo-junk  as possible gone, or out of sight.

Obviously, the old accessory mount brackets are gone. Anything I put back will be aftermarket anyway, so those brackets only add to the cluttered look of the bay.

Still left to do before any of that can happen is the passenger side strut tower need modified to accommodate a adjustable fox mustang caster camber plate.

The driver’s side is done.

Once all of the cutting and welding is completed there, I’ll focus on paining it.

Edited August 11, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

I think I’m creating so many different topics, I’m gonna have to have some of them merged. In reality, this should go under the since I’ve gone this far thread, but I’m trying to keep it all under one roof when concentrating on the build progress.

It also makes sense to me that a mod that I do to the car needs it’s own thread so someone looking for that specific thing doesn’t have to wade through a build thread to get to it.

Anyway……..* I digress*.
 

Since the engine is out and the bay is in “pre-detail” status The left side of my brain has rationalized adding a Prius EPAS unit to the column ( since it’s also out too).  In the back of my head, I know that a manual rack with a 3.6 turn lock to lock ratio is gonna be a mother to steer at parking lot speeds, especially with an 8” front wheel with a commensurate fat freakin tire mounted to it.

So today I ordered it. What used to be 75 bucks a few years ago is now 200+ though but still cheap when considering an electric power assisted steering system. 
 

It looks like I can make it work, 🤞.

[LizardKing]

Man you're elbows deep in this one! Persistence will pay off for sure!!! 

 

An 80's Ford Grand Marquis had the best power steering system I've ever experienced.  Was able to turn the wheels with one finger stoped. 

 

I agree with merging your information on the build.

Edited August 13, 2024 by LizardKing

[Mike7447]

The Prius epas isn’t that sensitive. It still will take a minimum amount of one handed effort to steer. W/ the control module hooked up to sw12v, w/o the benefit of other computer/sensors to help it,  it’s actually in limp mode. Fully functional, but w/o the benefit of speed related effort sensitivity.

[GoldStar]

Very interested to see how you tackle that Prius EPS setup, I really want to throw out the steering box on mine and go that route

[Mike7447]

In anticipation of the major PITA that trying to Frankenstein a Mitsubishi and a Toyota steering column into one, I decide to remove the dash.
Not having the first clue as to how to go about that,  I get online and find a YouTube “ tutorial”.

It comes up short.

Bottom line, I got it out….but no thanks to what’s out there online. IDK if it’s because my dash is an 89 or whatever, but bolts and screws that the vid said needed to come out didn’t need to, and the ones that shoulda came out, got revealed to me only after using the “what the hell” app.

( not an actual app,….But its the one you wished you had when you decide to remove the dash from an 89 starion). 

I’m gonna stay on the front suspension conversion this weekend, and the following weekend I’ll be in Florida at my future retirement home maybe….. that will earmark end of month for my  FRANK-n-STEER conversion.

Edited August 14, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

Soooo many things going on to talk about with this car.. I’ve decided that I’ll use this thread as a talking point, and individual modifications will get their own thread(s). Once I get enough of them, I’ll edit the front page and insert links to each one individually.

But for today, ( since I’m almost 300 miles away from home) All I can do is write/talk.When I get back home, Labor Day should get me well back on track. This is what’s going on behind the scenes:

SHIFTER MOD

I hate the factory shifter. It’s way too tall, faded from the sun, with a button for OD that can be relocated.

I cut 2” out of the shaft and shortened it. I got a kit from a C3 corvette supplier that eliminates the side button to take it out of gear, and allows the use of any manual shifter knob. Now instead of the side mounted button,  you push down on the shifter knob to move it in/out gear. I’ll get a button and mount it on the console to switch it in/out of OD.

That mod is just about done. 

SHIFT LINKAGE: Using whatever o ring/insert/doo-dad to use as a shifter linkage bushing lasted exactly one month in this car. I will be using threaded rod ends and rod to build a new linkage.

Brakes:

Im gonna completely replace the factory booster and MC with ford and Wilwood junk. The factory rusty cast iron MC with the remote reservoir is just too damn ugly. The aluminum Wilwood MC is already at the house, I’ll order a Ford Fairmont single diaphragm booster tonight. ( because the MC fits the booster).  Additionally, I’m using a Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve w/an integrated brake switch built in. 
 

VACUUM RESERVOIR: I’m using an aftermarket vacuum canister to hold vacuum for the necessary things that need it. 

PCV: Another frank-n-stein project. I’ll use the factory PCV outlet location, but with a in-line PCV valve instead. From there, 
Into, and out of an oil separator/catch can, then into the vacuum canister. The pass-thru  of the vacuum canister will pull vacuum from a “ log” that will have taps for the AC, Trans, the MAP sensor and finally the PB booster. 
The other end of the valve cover will have a T that has another pcv valve with a small filter on it that will allow the engine to vent both ways. When under vacuum the crankcase will breathe thru that pcv valve, when under boost it’ll blow the pcv valve closed and the crankcase pressure will be vented to a breather/puke tank that has an inline vent solenoid that is triggered open when it sees boost. Otherwise that path remains closed when the engine isn’t in boost.

The charcoal canister will get its normal tie-in the the pre- turbo air inlet.

* Whew! I’m glad I put that on paper, I had no idea how the hell I was gonna route all that.🤔

 

[LizardKing]

On 8/13/2024 at 6:25 PM, Mike7447 said:

In anticipation of the major PITA that trying to Frankenstein a Mitsubishi and a Toyota steering column into one, I decide to remove the dash.
Not having the first clue as to how to go about that,  I get online and find a YouTube “ tutorial”.

It comes up short.

Bottom line, I got it out….but no thanks to what’s out there online. IDK if it’s because my dash is an 89 or whatever, but bolts and screws that the vid said needed to come out didn’t need to, and the ones that shoulda came out, got revealed to me only after using the “what the hell” app.

( not an actual app,….But its the one you wished you had when you decide to remove the dash from an 89 starion). 

I’m gonna stay on the front suspension conversion this weekend, and the following weekend I’ll be in Florida at my future retirement home maybe….. that will earmark end of month for my  FRANK-n-STEER conversion.

Did you happen to video the removal of your dash? Would make a good youtube video of the do's and don'ts... 

[Mike7447]

4 hours ago, LizardKing said:

Did you happen to video the removal of your dash? Would make a good youtube video of the do's and don'ts... 

nawww too many mini-melt downs during that process there’d be 57 beeps in the vid.

[Mike7447]

Ok,…..last hurdle cleared.

All brackets cut off, most of them leaving no trace of where they used to be. Modified and Welded the passenger strut tower so I can bolt the Mustang caster/camber plate in place. Now that the engine compartment is done, the engine assembly is next.

I just gotta let this thing dry for a couple of days..

Edited September 14, 2024 by Mike7447

[Mike7447]

IDK how many amps the factory alternator is rated at, but I’m confident that it’s not 140. Having had this Ford alternator sitting around prompted me to make it work on my banger.

Actually fairly easy to do, I had to fab a couple of pieces of straight bar, to reinforce the mount, fab up a “ Mike-o-matic” belt tensioner, and drill out some small holes bigger.

The alternator is actually mounted upside down, but I don’t think it’ll mind.

The tensioner is made out of a piece of 1/2” od/almost 3/8” I’d mild steel tubing. I simply tapped the inside of the tube with 3/8” rh/lh taps, and screwed in some chinee rod ends ( that came in a kit for the remarkably low price of 16.99). I “gutted” two spare idler wheels by pressing out the bearings. What you see is that bearing serving to apply the required pressure to tension the belt.

I gotta tell ya, I’m pretty happy with the end result.

A keen eye will notice a 36-1 trigger wheel, and the slotted bracket where the crank sensor will mount. I used another gutted idler pulley bearing to give the belt the needed clearance to pass by the mount post.

So,…. In closing, if you’re like me and believe that the engineers  who originally built these overly electrically complicated cars had the sense to apply the k.i.s.s. Method to their designs, they’d have come to me first, and I’d have told them to use a one wire 140 amp ford alternator mounted upside down.🙃 

This step brings me damn close to installing the engine back into the bay. Tomorrow I’ll deal with the down pipe, and get the waste gate tied into the down pipe. Once I get that PITA step out of the way, I’ll hoist that heavy MF transmission up on an angle to drain the fluid, and get it up on a work stand so I can remove the VB so as to add a couple of 1/4” spacers Inca couple of valve passages as per Scott’s recommendation, add the PTC modified converter to the combo, and put that complain in.

[Mike7447]

Getting there….

The wiring is a big matter of guessing right now given that I cut all of the engine related  connectors away, leaving a giant wt.... on the passenger side of the car.

We’re just gonna keep plugging away until I can get power to start testing stuff. 

since I cut the upper radiator saddle away so I could install the engine and trans as a complete unit, I had to stitch it back together.

I’ll order some black fasteners from McMaster..

The one wire Ford alternator fits… it’s one of my wiring issues, the old harness had two wires going to the factory alternator due to its internal regulator. The new one is internally regulated. All I knew to do with that return wire was tie it into the 12v supply mount.

 

My throttle body was too big for a 2.5” Cobra head to fit. So I got creative and pressed a small section of 2.5” OD exhaust tubing into the TB.

[Mike7447]

Sigh….

I guess I’m updating this purely as therapy for me, although everything I’ve ever heard/read, talking to yourself isn’t supposed to be heathy.

Still messing with the wiring. I’ve got something going on in the headlight circuit. When the headlights are plugged in, the ecu buzzes, and they don’t light up, and  courtesy lights on the doors go out. Unplug the headlights, and the buzz stops and the courtesy lights come back on. Clearly there’s a short somewhere.

Granted, I cut all of the wires that came out of the passenger side strut tower, and along those lines, should not have a short, but should instead be an incomplete circuit.

im figuring it out though, I have a complete 87 service manual, and as stated before, I am “that” guy. So far, I’ve found the main ecu ground that’s part of that batch of wires  I cut that isn’t grounded. Maybe that will make my headlights behave, I’ll know soon enough.

The AC circuit wires are also there too and I’ve reconnected that too. I figure that whichever temp sender wires that need to be grounded to make the AC, OD and kick down relays work will get terminated at the same point as the ECU main ground.

 

That is all.

[LizardKing]

Man,  just reading your post gives me anxiety!! You're a brave man taking on such a project by yourself.... Brave or crazy as our significant  other might say... But as long as it doesn't pass your elbows!! Lol.   Onward 

[BKB94]

Should be nothing in the passenger side wiring harness, I removed it its all EEC.