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Thread: 84 K5 build... converting to tbi

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    84 K5 build... converting to tbi

    Hi all... I'm currently building a 84 K5 Blazer... my donor was 88 V1500 suburban... pulled complete 350 tbi motor, 700R4 trans, and NP208 T-case... including wiring harness and ecm... was wondering if anyone could inform me on how to wire the harness into the main bulkhead(fuse block) from the factory or how to do this with out tearing up all the wiring from the truck... also swapping over the gas tank with the in tank fuel pump, and fuel lines with the powered line for the fuel pump... any advise will be greatly appreciated
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    RIP EagleMark's Avatar
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    Does your 84 have a CCC carb? Those can be done. Still lots of wiring... but they have an ECM to start with, wiring to CEL, Pk/N switch, VSS behind speedo etc...

    If it's a carb truck then lots more wiring... may be easier to make your harness a stand alone which takes at least ten hours work but then your down to grounds, 12v power and ignition power. Or buy a stand alone harness for around $300.

    Have you checked with guys at CK5? There's guys there that know these trucks inside out.

    1990 Chevy Suburban 5.7L Auto ECM 1227747 $42!
    1998 Chevy Silverado 5.7L Vortec 0411 Swap to RoadRunner!
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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    The 84 was ccc Carb but the motor and tbi came out of tbi truck... all the wiring came off with the motor... just have to plug it back into ecm and to a fuse panel whether factory or aftermarket... other than that plumb the fuel system and run power to the fuel pump from what I was told anyways... I have a bunch of wiring diagrams but trying to make heads or tails of it is kinda frying the brain... lol was hoping to make it look stock from the factory though... would hate to have it look like a rats nest under the hood but everything else be nice... lol
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! jameslleary's Avatar
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    Im lurkin here to Cali!
    Tis the place to be!
    One bit of info...My Burb was the same CCC setup. there isna white plug behind the glove box that plugs into the original harness. That plug has the key power and constant power wires,to tap into for the ECM. I ended up using a relay for the switched key power, because you are going to be running the heavier injector power wires too.
    Check your PMs.

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    I really wish I lived closer... lol if you have a reason to head down this way feel free to drop by... lol I'm good with nuts bolts and wrenches... wiring has never been my thing... the diagrams are Greek to me... if i had some training in emissions or auto electrical systems I'd feel better but I keep hearing this swap is pretty easy to do even for a efi beginner
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    RIP EagleMark's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by caliphatman8123 View Post
    I'm good with nuts bolts and wrenches... wiring has never been my thing... the diagrams are Greek to me... if i had some training in emissions or auto electrical systems I'd feel better...
    I remember saying the same thing and fighting it for years. It's not that hard to learn!

    Just remember if you let the magic smoke out the part is no longer any good...

    1990 Chevy Suburban 5.7L Auto ECM 1227747 $42!
    1998 Chevy Silverado 5.7L Vortec 0411 Swap to RoadRunner!
    -= =-

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    OK here's where I'm at... lol
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    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    ....
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    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    NP208 has been installed
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    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    .... hitch is going on the K5 too... lol swapping as much as I can...lol
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    Last edited by caliphatman8123; 11-19-2012 at 10:39 AM.
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    Last edited by caliphatman8123; 11-19-2012 at 10:51 AM.
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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    Fuel Injected! kunsan1987's Avatar
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    When i converted my 83 i went with a standalone harness.it was really a bunch less work i think.the wiring diagrams
    mark has here were a big help converting my harness.

  13. #13
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    Not sure how much help this will be, but I converted my K5 from carb to EFI (TPI) so pretty much the same steps.

    Suburban is the same firewall except the minor changes based on year differences. First thing you need is an '88 Suburban wiring diagram. You MIGHT be able to figure all the stuff out yourself without it, but it's not going to be fun.

    When I got my TPI harness and dumped the box on the ground, I almost cried. It was so overwhelming, all these plugs and wires with no idea where they went. After staring at it for a few days, and then comparing with the wiring manual, I got a pretty good handle on what went where, and now I could probably ID everything on the wiring harness if it was back in that pile. It just takes time.

    Since you have the fuse panel, remove your dash pad and steering column. Replace the fuse panel. Don't cut wires, anything that doesn't have a connector, can be de-pinned at the termination end. It's unfortunate that it looks like you have a fair number of cut wires, depending on what they are for, prepare to splice. That means solder/heat shrink, no half-a$$ garbage like butt connectors or those crimp-tap pieces of junk.

    On my truck I didn't have the hole in the firewall for the ECM wiring (was a diesel truck) so I opened up the heater wiring grommet, depinned each wire from the ECM connectors, and fed it through the hole. You can probably remove the CCC wiring and re-use that grommet. Again, don't cut anything. At least until you are CERTAIN you aren't using it (AIR is a good example IMO) Cutting things = cutting corners, and simply means you will either have unexplained/near impossible to diagnose problems later, or a random failure at the worst possible time.

    BTW, being CCC, you MAY be able to use the '88 ECM holder in place of the CCC holder. GM had a few setups early on (ESC/EST, CCC, then TBI) in the trucks and not all of them mounted the same way, but my '85 had the mounting tabs for the ECM holder that TBI/TPI used.
    Last edited by dyeager535; 11-21-2012 at 09:29 PM.
    "Frankentruck" is a "1985" K5, TPI 350 '165/6E (Vortec Heads, SDPC2000 base, roller cam, headers), 32 Spline SM465, 205 w/VSS, 10b/14SF, 3.42's and 33" tires. Soon to be boxed frame, '87 sheetmetal, and TPI w/ '727

  14. #14
    RIP EagleMark's Avatar
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    Just take your time, do not rush or plan to do it fast. It all looks overwhelming. Take one wire at a time! It will all come together.

    1990 Chevy Suburban 5.7L Auto ECM 1227747 $42!
    1998 Chevy Silverado 5.7L Vortec 0411 Swap to RoadRunner!
    -= =-

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    Fuel Injected! caliphatman8123's Avatar
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    Is there any difference in knock sensor? It showed 2 different ones for year of motor but only one for the year of Burban... and all 3 were different... help please... lol
    84 K5 Blazer(350 tbi conversion in progress)

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