SMEC Conversions

[The S is Silent]

I have noticed latey that a LOT of people are converting their L-bodies to SMEC. I think putting the information in here will be a huge help later down the road when other people are doing them. So...post up what you used, what you found, and some step-by step stuff.

I'll post a write-up on doing a P-body harness as I do all the cutting later this week...right now I'm still trying to figure it all out.

[briceturbosports]

used a 1988 dodge omni efi harness and a 1989 lancer 2.2 turbo harness removed omni engine wires from harness and put the lancer turbo wires in works great

[WVRampage]

I had done 2 84 rampages one was done with 88 new yorker wiring and the stock rampage the other was with 89 caravan and the rampage, I got a pin diagram from a local garage for the fire wall plug ins and took the 2 harnesses apart leaving the chassis wiring on the rampage and removing the rest oposite on the other harness. Using the diagrams I just cut and spliced the wires matching them up to what the others were, just had to run a wire for the fuel pump both are still running today and one has been done for 5 years.

[iTurbo]

I have done it two ways. The first time, I used an entire underhood harness from an '89 turbo Caravan, and modified it so that it would work with my '86 Omni GLH Turbo. Most of the work involved the bulkhead connector. I had to remove the 50-pin connector and put a 40-pin connector in it's place so that it would plug into the Omni's firewall. Then I had to mount relays and solenoids because they weren't in the proper location for an L-body, and cut and splice on the right headlight connectors. It works great, and looks pretty good too. It's easy enough to hide the excess wiring length since the Caravan engine bay is much larger than the L-body, although I do have some extra connectors that aren't being used underhood such as extra turn signals, A/C condensor fan plug etc..I first used this harness in my '85 Omni GLH (H.O.) and later my '86 Omni GLH Turbo with no additional mods, although I did have to add wiring for the in-tank fuel pump for the '85 H.O. GLH.

The second time was a custom harness I made for a guy in PA. He had an '88 Omni which was TBI and he wanted to convert it to Turbo II specs. He sent me his '88 Omni TBI harness and an '88 TII Daytona harness. I converted the '88 Omni TBI harness with parts from the TII harness. This worked out much better than my modified Caravan harness because the harness was already configured for an L-body. I didn't have to mess with relocating solenoids or relays, swapping headlight connectors or anything like that. I simply added the fuel injection/sensors needed for the TII setup, and used a TII SMEC. I didn't have to mess with the bulkhead connector either, but I did have to cut and splice on the 14 and 60-pin SMEC connectors from the turbo harness onto the Omni's harness in order to use the TII SMEC.

[Russ Jerome]

Another easier option is to simply unbolt the two half's of
the SMEC, mount the Logic side in car and Power side under
hood. Need a foot of donor SMEC harness to splice the
ends.

[Mario]

Another easier option is to simply unbolt the two half's of
the SMEC, mount the Logic side in car and Power side under
hood. Need a foot of donor SMEC harness to splice the
ends.

Isn't that what Carl is/was running?

[Russ Jerome]

I think Gary had done it on the Reliant, Chad's car
in the for sale area is converted as well http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1880

Couple wires to add, nothing high tech. Compared to actualy
converting harnes''s like I did on the Turbo Dakota from SBEC
to SMEC it is far less work.

[bobr19]

I had done 2 84 rampages one was done with 88 new yorker wiring and the stock rampage the other was with 89 caravan and the rampage, I got a pin diagram from a local garage for the fire wall plug ins and took the 2 harnesses apart leaving the chassis wiring on the rampage and removing the rest oposite on the other harness. Using the diagrams I just cut and spliced the wires matching them up to what the others were, just had to run a wire for the fuel pump both are still running today and one has been done for 5 years.
Big +1 on the 88 NYer SMEC on an 83 Charger carb set up--almost word for word as VWRampage---bobr19

[TurbododgePirate]

I used the bulkhead connector from a 1987 Dodge charger, and a wiring harness from a 1989 Caravan. I did all the research and work, soldiered every wire and shrink wrapped it.......

But Now I'm going megasquirt so I guess I shoudl put it in the forsale boards.

[WVRampage]

Big +1 on the 88 NYer SMEC on an 83 Charger carb set up--almost word for word as VWRampage---bobr19

The newyorker fits much beter in the L body than the van harness.

[iTurbo]

Any of you guys try an SBEC conversion on an L-body? I have an underhood harness from a '90 Omni TBI, and a couple spare turbo SBEC harnesses lying here collecting dust. If my modded turbo Caravan harness wasn't working out so well in my GLH, I'd probably convert to SBEC. Maybe I'll use it to install a TIII in my Omni someday.

[Russ Jerome]

Any of you guys try an SBEC conversion on an L-body?.

It would be neat to do if only for crisper smoother idle of the
sequential fire. But you will be limited to aftermarket cal's.
SBEC cals are out there but not nearly the numbers SMECs.

SBEC was used early on on L-body's wasnt it? Like 89 or so.

[iTurbo]

I think the SBEC only came on the last year of the L-body ('90); that's what year my Omni SBEC harness is. I may do the turbo SBEC conversion to it since the modified turbo Caravan SMEC harness I have is pretty bulky for an Omni....or if I decide to go TIII (unlikely but I have everything needed....hmm).

[Subliminal]

I've been working pretty hard core on my wiring harness swap lately.

Here's the skinny...(This is all going into an 85 600ES):

I replaced the engine with an 88 T1
The 413 was replaced with a 92 523
The harness is from an 89 Caravan
The SMEC is an 88 T1 5 speed

So, I started out by butt connecting the bulkhead, last year. Got about 50% done with it, and gave up, until about 3 days ago.

Since then I've cut all the butt connectors off and soldered the joints. Might as well do it right, no?

I think I have the wires together pretty much correctly. I left out anything unneeded, like speed control, ambient temp sensors, stuff like that.

I also had to cut off all the windshield washer/wiper/hood light stuff and solder the original wires from the car on. The caravan components are located in the engine compartment, so the wires are very short. The 85 harness had a big rubber grommet that goes through the top of the firewall, and then about 2 feet over to the components.

I also had to cut the wires for the map sensors and extend them about 2-3 feet. The caravan harness put the map sensor on top of the rubber fuel lines. Not a good place. I relocated the map to the front , right about the vapor canister.

I had to cut the wastegate solenoid wires and extend them the same 2-3 feet, as they ended up at the same place as the map. They are also now in front of the strut tower on the pass side fender.

My next major objective is to relocate the long rail of solenoids (maybe 5 or 6 of them on a long skinny piece of metal) that, in the caravan, goes right by the SMEC. In my 600, room is a little more scarce and right now they would have to sit in the same room taken up by the smec and the battery tray. Not optimal. Not sure where I'm going to put those fellas.

Anyway, just figured, since people are talking about the swaps so much, i'd give a progress report!

[2.216VTurbo]

I cheated:evil: I just yanked out every bit of L body wiring, and laid the whole Spirit RT harness in after pareing out the rear door wires and PW,PM,PDL stuff. It was over 20 lbs of 'extra' elctrical wires/plugs:thumb:

[The S is Silent]

Alan, I was planning on doing the same with with an 88 CSX-t harness. Except I ran into one minor problem...there is no bulkhead connector on the P-bodies. So I have to find all the connectors in the FSM...and some of them are there, but a couple aren't. The ones in question are only shown on the electrical diagrams, and they don't tell you what the wires are. They just plut into the bottom of the steering column.

Oh Schist. This just keeps getting better and better.

[Subliminal]

Eh, don't be a weenie....grin

Lemme see if I can find that diagram for ya.

[Subliminal]

Hmmm, can't find it right now. I think I have that pinout at home, though.

I'll look for you again later.

[The S is Silent]

Lol...the way I see it, if it takes me a year, I'll still have it done in a third of the time it took you to do it. :p

[Subliminal]

Sigh...

You speak nothing but the truth.

This GTS isn't helping matters either. I keep grabbing parts from the project car to put on the daily.

First the clutch cable

Then the rad/ic

Then last night the injector setup.

Sometimes a guy just can't win!

[2.216VTurbo]

I cheated with the steering column too:p Just used the RT one. Tilt steering in an L body is NICE:thumb:

[iTurbo]

Wow, it actually bolted up or did you have to adapt it somehow? Sounds cool, I'd love to see it.

[2.216VTurbo]

Not exactly a bolt in. Had to shorten it, cut off the mounting 'ears' and reweld them in a different location, and create a sleeve style bearing for the steering shaft but it was not really all that tough. Crossing my fingers for Topeka this year but so much paint and bodywork to do before I take it anywhere with that many TD critics;)

[Marcus86GLHS]

what are the performance advantages of a SMEC over the logic module/power module arrangement in an L-body?

[sorry if that was a dumb question]

[TurboGLH]

what are the performance advantages of a SMEC over the logic module/power module arrangement in an L-body?

[sorry if that was a dumb question]

Faster ecu with more cal options. I built a smec conversion for my glh so that I could use any of the later computers. With the stock 86' wiring I was either stuck l-body computers, or I could change a couple of wires and use 87 computers. Either way there are more options for the smec then the power-logic.

[Marcus86GLHS]

"...Faster ecu with more cal options...."

does this translate into more power/better engine management? or, does it result in only more adaptability to available cals?

my understanding is that mopar went to SMEC for cost, reliability, and packaging advantages, but was there a pronounced performance benefit? i hadnt read of that.....

what i was wondering was, all other things being equal, will a SMEC equipped L-body out-perform the same car with the original dual-module arrangement?

thanx.

[Alberta_Daytona]

thats a great question.

I would also like to hear the answer....how does it result in more performance?

[iTurbo]

Good question but I doubt it. The reason I did the SMEC conversion for my Omni is because I had also converted it to 2.5L TI and wanted to use the right factory cal.

I figured I'd rather do that than convert to GLHS electronics and then get a custom calibration or be stuck running the 2.5L on 2.2L electronics. Also, I'll be converting the car back to 2.2L here soon, and I'll have to do is plug in the TII SMEC. Unlike the LM/PM setup, turbo SMECs are easy to find for either 2.2L or 2.5L.

[TurboGLH]

"...Faster ecu with more cal options...."

does this translate into more power/better engine management? or, does it result in only more adaptability to available cals?

my understanding is that mopar went to SMEC for cost, reliability, and packaging advantages, but was there a pronounced performance benefit? i hadnt read of that.....

what i was wondering was, all other things being equal, will a SMEC equipped L-body out-perform the same car with the original dual-module arrangement?

thanx.

I don't think so. The faster ecu was simply a matter of the times, a few years had passed and the proc used in the original p/l setup was dated and a newer faster one was available for a similar price. The real benefit is from the wide range of cals. There are a few options available for p/l, but the majority of the work being done by both vendors and by the guys at chem and d-cal are smec based. In addition I went with one simply for the cleaner wiring. I liked that I got to plug a large hole in my firewall, and that I went to a 4 wire o2 (not that you can't do that in a p/l car, you'd just have to make the wiring changes)

[APalmer]

It would be neat to do if only for crisper smoother idle of the
sequential fire. But you will be limited to aftermarket cal's.
SBEC cals are out there but not nearly the numbers SMECs.

SBEC was used early on on L-body's wasnt it? Like 89 or so.

You may wish to check this link, too:
http://www.turbododge.com/forums/showthread.php?p=948658&posted=1#post948658
- Andy

[TurboJerry]

Yikes, I lost count on how many I played with......... My friends Pinto with a 2.3, SBEC comp/harness, C-4 trans, 8 3/4" Mopar rear, ran 10.20 at LACR with 2.94 gears. Driven everyday for 4 yrs....... Very fun street car for a ford.....