Stand alone controller

[lakedrifter]

Good Morning Gents, its been awhile. I was just wondering if anyone knows of a thread dedicated to just using and ECM as a stand alone transmission controller.

[DavidBraley]

This site comes to mind for controlling the 4L80e: http://mattw.dyndns.org/4L80E/

He uses the 7427 PCM to control the transmission in conjunction with another ECM for the engine. Without having any experience trying something like this myself, I don't see why you couldn't make it work on a non-efi engine. I'm guessing you would need some sensors like the vehicle speed sensors (both), a throttle position sensor, a manifold pressure sensor, and possibly a coolant temp sensor to keep the 7427 happy. Just a guess, but maybe others here will have more experience and chime in.

I don't want to stop you from trying this, but...

The aftermarket stand-alone transmission controllers are not that expensive. Good used ones come up on Ebay for a real savings. When you add the cost of all the tools you will need to program a new eeprom for the 7427 PCM (ALDL cable, chip holder, eprom programmer, and tuning software), then buy all the sensors and DRAC/VSSB needed for the conversion, the cost of making special brackets for things like the throttle position sensor, and what it will cost for a custom harness, you will come very close to the cost of a new aftermarket stand-alone controller compared to using the 7427 as a stand-alone controller.

I too was originally only after a transmission controller for my own project when I stumbled across the link above. But after I spent a fair amount of time researching what it would take to get the 7427 to do the job, it became obvious to me that what I really needed to do was convert my older engine to EFI as well. Using the 7427 would do it all!

And, I don't think you could find another place anywhere that will be as helpful as Gearhead-EFI.

I hope this helps.

David

[lakedrifter]

So in a nut shell. He piggy backed all the inputs he needed from the curent ECM to the 7427 and then ran the wiring from there out to the transmission. Then he flashed the 7427 to what ever vehicle he need it for.

I have the right ECM and CHIP already (no flashing required), Damn near "plug and play" :). Technically I probably should just swap ECMs but I don't like to get to far ahead lol. I like being able to go back to where I came from if needed.

Thanks for the info.

[DavidBraley]

Maybe a short conversion harness so you could swap between the ECM you are using now to another PCM that would control the transmission (and engine). That way you could try both without changing the rest of the system? I know I've read on this forum before how people have done this... Just a thought.

[lakedrifter]

Maybe a short conversion harness so you could swap between the ECM you are using now to another PCM that would control the transmission (and engine). That way you could try both without changing the rest of the system? I know I've read on this forum before how people have done this... Just a thought.

That's not a bad idea either!