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LS1 conversion in Chevelle with a sad ending....

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Old May 23, 2011 | 03:17 PM
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Default LS1 conversion in Chevelle with a sad ending....

Here is my story, in 2006 I had a shop convert my 454 71 Chevelle to a built LS1 T56. I wanted this done because I blew the 454 again for the forth time and was tired of my car sitting ont he side of the road broke. I had a complete donor car a 2000 z28 Camaro that I wrecked.. BOo me.. SO I had the idea hey lets do the conversion but I had no place to work on my car. That is why I had this shop do it. The owner said he had done a few before and said it was no problem.

Well I had him finish the conversion he put the heads and cam in the LS1 and a week later boom I destroyed the drive shaft going eighty down 95.... Luckly I have an X pipe or I would propobalby not be typing this today.

Shorty after my clutch blew.. The funny thing was I had him install a brand new stage 3-4 ram clutch can't remember.. This thing is rated for really high HP so I was a little leary about that.. He gave me the old clutch back.. I gotta say it didn't look like it had a couple hundred miles on it it was f'in fried.. But I was young and dumb and didn't know.. So he put in another clutch at my expense..

THen my little bro stole my car and drove it to the beach and burned second gear in it somehow.. He said he didn't do any burnouts or anything.. Ummm Yeah.. So I got it towed back to the guy and he actually sent the tranny out.. Thank god to a good tranny shop and they installed Viper interanals..

Well since all these breaks happen I then ran out of money and had to max my credit card out just to get the car back on the road.. Well the temp, gas and tach gauges didnt' work when he gave it back but I was going to have custom gauges put in but since all that other stuff broke I couldn't afford it anymore.. He said they all worked when he ran all the wires out but now it doesn't.. But not to worry when I get the money together for the custom gauges everything will be fixed.. Well that was five years ago..

About two weeks ago I tried to figure out the gauges myself.. I currently have a garage and tools and began taking the entire interior out of the car and oh man a wiring mess.. I had orginal Chevelle wiring, I had all of the Camaro wiring behind the dash and under the seat... Well I cleaned everythng up fixed the rust spots on the floor, layed down the sound deadner installed a nice stereo.. But I couldn't figure out for the life of me how the hell to fix the gauges. Becasue he layed out the harnass I had no idea what anything was and spent hours learning and going thru the wiring diagram.. Well The temp, tach, and gas gauges are stilll not fixed... I decide to just scratch trying to fix it the car stills runs tip top and just put the interior back together. WEll while Zip tyin the wires all back up and making every neat and clean so everything was hidden the car decided it didn't want to start anymore.. I was a couple of hours from cruising and now my car won't start.. The starter doesn't even click, I hear the fuel pump and that is it... I pull the dash back apart.. The car ran fine when all the wires were exposed I most have messed something up while I was tucking the wires back in.. Now I'm stuck I checked the ignition, the clutch pedal and its connectors, I checked the computer but there are wires with connectors that are not connected but who the hell knows what they were... The only thing I can sorta think it is is the Theft Deterant.. But how did it all of a sudden get messed up it worked the whole time.. There is power to the wire going to it.. One of the other connectors on the Theft Deterant also clicks at the body module when I touch it.. No clue.. Also I dont' notice a light on it anymore.. Beffore it had a flashing light....

Anyways, that is my story sorry for the length I just wanted you guys to know all of the **** I have went thru with this car an dth money I have dumped into it and it still sucks and doesn't work properly.. I could own a new Z06 with all the money I have dumped into this car over the years and this car still doesn't function correctly...

What do you guys think about the wring problems? How do I figure out this Theft Deterrant thing.. It is driving me nuts and i'm about to just rip this **** all apart and put my 383 back in it and be done with this wiring mess...

PLEASE HELP ME..
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:12 PM
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Throw away the camaro wiring, have a new harness made, start from the beginning.
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by chuckd71
Throw away the camaro wiring, have a new harness made, start from the beginning.

If you do , Wanna sell the camaro one...?
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:35 PM
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Thanks for responding guys. Isn't a new harnesse like a grand? I wish there was a harness witty just the wires a connections that I need
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:38 PM
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It isn't Hard to do . PM me if you need help .
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:51 PM
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Pm sent should I just remove the entire harnass from the car and go thru it and reinstall? I am hoping not to do this
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by grafking
Pm sent should I just remove the entire harnass from the car and go thru it and reinstall? I am hoping not to do this

Take some pictures , and post them up ...
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:59 PM
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I got a harness made and the things I didn't need tuned out of the computer (which was also included) for just over $500. Anyone charging you a grand for a harness is probably ripping you off, people make their own harnesses all the time. It just doesn't seem worth continuing to throw money at a mess you don't understand. At least that's my take, but I'm biased because I'm going to rewire my chevelle sometime in the next year. It's a disaster.
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:06 PM
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you are correct i don't understand this whole computer thing... The only thing though is that I want to learn. If I never learn I can never fix it and I will always be at the mercy of this car......
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:08 PM
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i'll post pics soon.. THanks guys for all the input and help... maybe i won't rip this computerized motor out and go old school again..
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by grafking
i'll post pics soon.. THanks guys for all the input and help... maybe i won't rip this computerized motor out and go old school again..

It isn't that hard. But If you have no patience it's as hard as you let it become.
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:30 PM
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the thing is the damn thing worked fine and then poof nothing at all... Do you know if the Theft Deterant is working then the red light should be blinking on it???
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