Putting Fuel Injection in a 1978

[dsnyder]

Hello Everyone-

I have a 1982 wrecked donor car that I am taking out the fuel injection components to eventually put in my 1978. Before I get rid of the donor car, I want to make sure I've removed everything I might need to convert the 1978 Carb to Fuel Injection.

Thus far I have removed:
2.0 Engine and Transmission. (The fuel injection parts bolted to the engine there too)
The ECM and the harness (passenger side through firewall wires) that goes from the ECM to the Engine
The Air Cleaner/Air Flow Assembly
The Gas Tank, Fuel Filter, Fuel Pump
Downpipe with Oxygen sensor

I have the dash totally out so I could remove the entire wiring harness and put that in the 1978 or can the two be spliced together? I am wondering if I need to take the driver's side harness out of the donor... I think those wires are mostly for the gauges but I'm not sure just yet.

I am really good with wiring but I've not done this upgrade personally.

Should I cut the air filter bracket out of the donor car and weld it into my 78 or is there some other way to set up the mount?

Finally, the donor car was a turbo but someone took all of the turbo parts. I do have a turbo that I am thinking of installing after the fuel injection is in and running. Thoughts on that?

Thanks in advance for the upcoming advice!

Dave

[redcars]

I would take out the positive battery cable with the brown wire that goes to the double relay and don't forget the double relay and maybe the tray that it is on. I would get the brackets for the ecu and weld them and the bracket for the air cleaner in your car. That's all that I can think of now.

[dsnyder]

Could I switch the cross beam that the ECU Brackets are attached to? Do you think they would interchange? By cross beam I mean the beam inside the car, under the dash that bolts to the side of the car in front of of the door hinges... not the beam that the engine sits on.

[wizard124]

My thoughts:

There is an in-line fuse and separate wiring for the fuel pump.
Oxygen sensor light and related wiring and mileage counter.
Electronic ignition and a wire that feeds from the distributor to the ECU harness.
Fuel return line along the driver's door sill.
The wiring from the ignition switch is likely different.

I would pull the entire harness from the '82. Even if you have no intention of installing the Oxygen sensor light, you may need a connector or some part of it for functionality of the FI.

It may be easier in the long run to completly swap out the wiring harnesses than to trace and splice in the FI side to the '78.

[GeorgeT]

Get an FI wiring diagram and make sure you have all the components; don't forget the thermo time sensor and the temperature sensor (which requires is mounted in the coolant flow pipe at the top of the radiator).

[vandor]

If you look at my personal page in my sig line you will find an FI conversion guide for Spiders.