Hello all. Well I recently picked up an 88GT 3800sc ('03 engine/tranny). I bought it as needing NOTHING. Well that's not the case and the first thing I want to get working is the Tachometer. The car is an auto with factory gauges. Could anyone tell me what to first check for the tach issue? The PO NOW tells me it never worked after the swap. It had a "pro built" wiring harness for the swap. Apparently not too "pro" if it didn't work. Any ways. Since I may just have to run a new wire for the tach should it drive off the DIS, or ECM? Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks

The tach runs off the white wire on the coil pack.
Find out who the "pro" was that built the harness or car. as much help on your end will help us.

Year of engine? year of car?
Pics?

3800 Ign Cntrl Module plug pin E to Fiero C-500 C3

The sub harness for the crank and cam sensors, ICM and main harness connector should have the wire in it, the engiine harness probably doesn't. The wire position in the engine harness/ sensor harness plug should be the outtermost wire on one side of the plug. Chances are the sensor harness side will have a white wire and the engine harness side will be missing the wire.

Show us some PICs? I wana see how the pro's do it.

I didn't do mine but I have added a few touches here and there.

[This message has been edited by nosrac (edited 03-27-2012).]

That's nice!!!

quote Originally posted by revin: The tach runs off the white wire on the coil pack. Find out who the "pro" was that built the harness or car. as much help on your end will help us. Year of engine? year of car? Pics?

It was an eBay deal. Kinda got screwed.... The engine is an '03 Fiero is an '88GT. The harness looks decent. They must have "forgotten" a wire somewhere?

[This message has been edited by BAD88GT (edited 03-29-2012).]

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: Nice and Tidy!! Wish mine looked like that!! I've got some work to do......

You have come to the right place. People are friendly, knowlegable and ready to help.

quote Originally posted by nosrac: Any pics? What are the MODS? What size pulley? It should NOT fall on its face after 40 even with the a stock muffler. Does it have a PLOG? http://shop.zzperformance.c...nless-Power-Log.aspx Do you have a scan guage as it may be getting massive KR and that is what causing it to fall flat?

Only mods are a 3.4" pulley.... Just feels very slow compared to my last swapped Fiero. It had a cam, headers,3.2 pulley, rockers etc though.....

The power log, or headers was going to be my first mod.

I have a new PCM from ZZP coming as well as a scan gauge and proper o2 sensor...

When I got the car it had the cel on. I asked the PO about it and he said that it was probly because it had a bosch o2 sensor..
I reset the CEL but the car still feels just as slow......
. Maybe the o2 sensor is causing a lean condition therefore causing knock? I hope that's all it is....

This is the show but no go car I bought....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymot...84.m1439.l2649#v4-40

[This message has been edited by BAD88GT (edited 03-30-2012).]

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: Not sure how to post pics on this forum. I don't have a picture host....

photobucket is picture hosting and is free.. on where your coils mount u should see a connector at one end.. the connector is lettered.. a b c etc.. look for e its a white wire...now passenger side look for a connector that has wires leading toward the engine... thats the c500 your looking for a white wire out of that connector. they need to be connected... the wire out of the coils is probably hooked the pcm it shouldnt be fieros dont work that way.. get some good pics up of the whole engine bay thatll help out

[This message has been edited by black88fiero (edited 03-30-2012).]

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: Just really ticks me off to no end. I bid over $8k for this car. The description said "no expense was spared" in the conversion... Yeah right! They never mentioned the things that didn't work, and need re-done! Temp gauge not retrofitted, Tach not working, HVAC not working properly, exhaust SUCKS. Stated that it had a 3" exhaust, but has a stock Fiero muffler..No wonder it falls on its face after 40mph.... Then I find that it was originally a 5spd, then converted to a 4.9 then the 3800 SC auto...

Was it that nice LOOKING red one? *Edit* Nevermind, just saw where you posted eBay link to car. Was the one I was thinking about. Was listed the same time I bought mine...

I recently did the same thing @ bought swapped car off ebay. I was fortunate enough to know of Escrow.com, a partner site of eBay. I got the car before any funds were released AND got an inspection period (you can choose up to a month but I chose 5 days). If car hadn't everything the seller said it was, I could've sent the car back at owner's expense AND got all my money back out of the escrow account.

Not to worry, though. You'll get it together in no time if you hang around the forum long enough. Aesthetically, it's awesome. How much do you think it'll take to get it where it needs to be?

[This message has been edited by akademikjeanius (edited 03-30-2012).]

quote Originally posted by black88fiero: photobucket is picture hosting and is free.. on where your coils mount u should see a connector at one end.. the connector is lettered.. a b c etc.. look for e its a white wire...now passenger side look for a connector that has wires leading toward the engine... thats the c500 your looking for a white wire out of that connector. they need to be connected... the wire out of the coils is probably hooked the pcm it shouldnt be fieros dont work that way.. get some good pics up of the whole engine bay thatll help out

Oh ok. I'll look tomorrow. That's another thing is they left the coils mounted on the motor right against the firewall when they should have gone where the battery is..... Makes sense though. Thanks a ton!!!

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: Only mods are a 3.4" pulley.... Just feels very slow compared to my last swapped Fiero. It had a cam, headers,3.2 pulley, rockers etc though..... The power log, or headers was going to be my first mod. I have a new PCM from ZZP coming as well as a scan gauge and proper o2 sensor... When I got the car it had the cel on. I asked the PO about it and he said that it was probly because it had a bosch o2 sensor.. I reset the CEL but the car still feels just as slow...... . Maybe the o2 sensor is causing a lean condition therefore causing knock? I hope that's all it is....

Did you build you last Fiero? If so I would Drop the engine and give it a performance refresh. I know a few have done just that.
MstangsBware built my swap and as you can see Hooked me up Royaly. Not only does it look good but its fast as Hell.
Your Fiero's exterior looks great though and if you get the engine cleaned up, painted, etc it woll be all arounf awesome.
I would be interested in what's in that ZZP PCM program. Did you know there are guys on the Forum that can reprogram it for you.

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: There is no original harness left in the car from what I can see. All the wires come through the firewall to the PCM behind the glove box... Should I be looking elsewhere?

The engine harness also plugs in at C500. It is located over by the battery box on the sidewall.

The white wire from the tach output of the ICM harness needs to be connected to pin C3 of C500

quote Originally posted by nosrac: Did you build you last Fiero? If so I would Drop the engine and give it a performance refresh. I know a few have done just that. MstangsBware built my swap and as you can see Hooked me up Royaly. Not only does it look good but its fast as Hell. Your Fiero's exterior looks great though and if you get the engine cleaned up, painted, etc it woll be all arounf awesome. I would be interested in what's in that ZZP PCM program. Did you know there are guys on the Forum that can reprogram it for you.

No I didn't. I eventually want to drop the cradle to swap cams and to the rocker upgrade though. I wanna take this car to the max..... Just wish this one was as fast as it looks. My '86 was a notchback with a crappy paint job. Was fast as hell though. Took alot of cars by suprise bigtime. I don't even dare race anything fast in this '88 (past 40 anyway)
The car has a programed PCM but from what I understood he only had it modified so it would work in the Fiero. I don't think anything was done to increase performance. I am hoping the PCM from ZZP will wake the car up some... (If they ever ship it to me ......) I guess on the bright side I don't need to worry about cosmetics on the body....

quote Originally posted by BAD88GT: No I didn't. I eventually want to drop the cradle to swap cams and to the rocker upgrade though. I wanna take this car to the max..... Just wish this one was as fast as it looks. My '86 was a notchback with a crappy paint job. Was fast as hell though. Took alot of cars by suprise bigtime. I don't even dare race anything fast in this '88 (past 40 anyway) The car has a programed PCM but from what I understood he only had it modified so it would work in the Fiero. I don't think anything was done to increase performance. I am hoping the PCM from ZZP will wake the car up some... (If they ever ship it to me ......) I guess on the bright side I don't need to worry about cosmetics on the body....

The body is STR8.
Swap cam and upgrade springs or 1.9 Rockers/Stock springs. zzp XP or VS cam is da sheet!
So when you shift to Second it just falls on its face? It seems like it cutting fuel when you hit the rev limiter. And since the Tach dosen't work that may be the issue.

quote Originally posted by nosrac: The body is STR8. Swap cam and upgrade springs or 1.9 Rockers/Stock springs. zzp XP or VS cam is da sheet! So when you shift to Second it just falls on its face? It seems like it cutting fuel when you hit the rev limiter. And since the Tach dosen't work that may be the issue.

Not totally, but it is pretty good off the line untill 2nd gear then it just feels like it looses some power. I replaced the hoses to the boost control valve and solenoid because they were hard and cracking, but didn't make much difference.
Hopefully the scan gauge will Identify the problem if It ever gets here...... I'm also hoping the proper o2 sensor will help. Maybe its leaning out by the time it hits second and pulling a ton of timing? Just doesn't even feel like the stock 240 horse right now...

The white wire on the back of C500 C3 runs up to the dash - C3 Pin 18

[This message has been edited by phonedawgz (edited 03-30-2012).]

So pull the cluster out to get to that harness then?

if you take the back panel of the gauge cluster you can get to the connector for the tach and unplug it with out removing the cluster. the back panel has 5 screws i believe they are 7mm with t15 or t20 torx in the middle you can use either tool..

ok. I have pulled the front bezel and top cluster cover and plastic cover along bottom of column. I can see the clear connector but cant seem to get a grasp on the harness its tight in there and.... I have big hands....

[This message has been edited by BAD88GT (edited 03-30-2012).]

ok you should have zero ohm from the connector to the icm connector

I've got 0.7- 0.8 ohms.(using very small gauge wire). from the c3 terminal (female side) to the white #18 tach wire...?

[This message has been edited by BAD88GT (edited 03-30-2012).]

you got a bad tach it sounds like..

That sucks!
The PO probly knew it was bad and I just wasted a bunch of time.... Oh well I'm getting to know the wiring. LOL

Maybe The terminal/harness being so filthy between the engine harnesses is blocking signal... I'll clean it up and put it back together and test again. Just to be sure.

[This message has been edited by BAD88GT (edited 03-30-2012).]

ya its possible. mine did that once... try this while its runing and everythign connected wiggle that 500 around, my tach would come and go as i drove. i cleaned the terms up a bit and took care of it.. i found it by accident i bumped the connector with my hand while it was running and the tach went out then came back.

ok. I cleaned up the terminals with contact cleaner and a fine wire brush. They're gold again! Should I get some more of that black gummy crap to seal it up again, or just use the dielelectric grease? I think that terminal block got very dirty because the screen has been removed under the grill above allowing more elements in....