Len Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 I have a 96 Lt-1 out of a Firebird with a T-56 tranny. I bought a 78 280Z (now this is where it gets interesting). The 78 280z is regestered as a 1972 240z (it has 240z serial numbers!) All I can think is that years ago maybe it was stolen and serial # changed. Its doesn't run parts stolen off engine etc.I paid $400 for it. My question is since it is regestered as a 72 240z when I install the Lt-1 into it I don't have to bother with all the smog controls on the engine/exaust etc. right? But if I take off all the smog control can I make the Lt-1 run correctly. Or will I have problems making the ECM work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 i dont know much about oklahoma dmv -but i would get the car titled in your own name before starting any work on it.the lt1 ecm can be reprogrammed to ignore parts ommitted .i am swapping a 94 lt1 into a 66 nova -i had a company called tpis reprogram ecm to work without VATS ,egr,air.if you dont reprogram you will have trouble codes and car wont run correctly.painless wiring has a fi harness for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted October 18, 2001 Share Posted October 18, 2001 I'd echo that - get it registered first and make sure it's kosher. I wouldn't be telling anyone locally about the discrepancy either (ahem). Check into LT1-Edit too. The 96 isn't covered but they have a package coming out that ought to cove it I think. That ECU is flash programmable and as such you can do a WIDE variety of edits to its programming much like an aftermaket ECU. That's a very powerful software package that might come in pretty handy for you. Ought to be one very nice car when you're done. congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 18, 2001 Author Share Posted October 18, 2001 I had the 280/240 registered in my name 2 weeks ago when I purchased it. That's what surprised me when I saw the title; I talked with the man I bought it from. He said he bought it at the auto auction 5 years ago & thought at first he bought a 240z. But after examining it closely found it was a 280 (he has his dealers licence and about 40 Z cars, I bought three). Everything went fine for me at the tag office. With regards to the ECM. A while back when I first bought the LT-1. I at first planned on installing it in a 78 El Camino (until I saw the light!). I called around to Street & Performance out of Mena Arkansas, to Mark Campbell. If I remember right he pretty much said that my computer wouldn't work (off the 96 firebird #16214399/16230131 86BSDSK152631090 ) with their wiring harness. My ECM wouldn't allow me to put in their chip they burn to put into the ECM. I needed a ECM out of a earlier car 92 or 93 vette (#16159278) or a 94/95 camaro(#16188051). The other option was to trace out all the wiring using the service manual. So I purchased the service manual thinking I would save around $450 for wiring harness and $150 for a computer chip along with buying another ECM from an older car for $150. THAT WAS FOR THE 78 EL CAMINO. NOW with the older 240 not requiring smog control, hopefully my prayers are answered! Being able to NOT use all that smog stuff. Except it still sounds like; from you guys that I would still need to buy a wiring harness from painless, is that right? Also would I need to buy a different ECM or can I use my old one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 18, 2001 Author Share Posted October 18, 2001 BLKMGK I re-read your reply; yes the title has been "rabbinnikly blessed!" at the tag office; into my name Lt-1 Edit and "Flash Programable" for my 96 ECM, that sounds interesting. I am not too computer smart. Although I have seen & heard of people using a laptop to reprogram, adjust and fine tune their ECM at the dragstrip. Is that what you are talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Len, do you feel good about this? If you feel ok about it, just go ahead with the car, but if this gives you the willys, then dump it like a hot potato. I can think of a few legal scenarios and a few illegal ones of what might have happened with the vin # discrepancy. Personally, I would rather have the 280Z chassis to do mods on, but that is just IMO. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Yes, I'm talking about flash programming the ECU for mods. The 96 is an OBDII ECU I believe but the folks who made the LT1-Edit software are coming out with one that I believe will work for that ECU. You'll still need wiring mind you but that ECU is powerful and if I'm correct will allow you to make whatever changes you want. I wish I could figure out how to slap one on an older car but the Opti-spark is an issue. Oh, and if it goeas bad like ours just did it's $450 from GM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Justin Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 quoteI called around to Street & Performance out of Mena Arkansas, to Mark Campbell. If I remember right he pretty much said that my computer wouldn't work (off the 96 firebird #16214399/16230131 86BSDSK152631090 ) with their wiring harness. My ECM wouldn't allow me to put in their chip they burn to put into the ECM. I needed a ECM out of a earlier car 92 or 93 vette (#16159278) or a 94/95 camaro(#16188051) If I'm not mistaken, the only LT1's you could actually buy a chip for are the 93 and older ones... from 94 and up they soldered the chips into the ECM therefore not letting you swap it out. But you can ship the whole ECM out and get it reprogrammed. I don't know his number off hand, but I know Ed Wright is pretty highly regarded in this department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 DavyZ Yes I do feel good about this. I hear what your saying but you should see the car. The engine has been canibalized. It is worth only or less than the amount I paid which is about $400 Maybe about 15 years ago it may have been worth something, but time has taken its toll if it had been stolen years ago and if the guy could see what his car turned out to be I feel he would agree! Also how would you find the original owner without the original serial number? Remember even the Department of motor vechicles don't have a clue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 Justin Who is this Ed Wright fellow and where can I contact him. I get the same information you have regarding replacing and burning in a new chip If he has an idea then I would be happy to hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 BLKMGK Who are the folks that are making the Lt-1 Edit? If It needs a wiring harness then I can bite the bullet on the cost of a harness if it will solve my problem and increase the extra power strangled by the smog devices. What is "Opti-spark" and what happened with your car to cost you $450 from GM? Also I remember reading about your trials and tribulations concerning headers. What brand did you finally come up with that will work for my situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 len-the 96 had obd2-mucho sensors like gas tank pressure sensors,cat monitor o2s,purge flow sensors and more.the nova i am working on i bought gm manual and am hooking up oem harness.because of amount of extra sensors for obd2 most guys stay away from these.they prefer 94/93 engines.engine will run with 94wcm & harness if optispark(another name for expensive distributor) is changed.these engines are big bucks to play with because not much fits them.the nova i am building has $1200 in serpentine belt drive & alternator from street & performance-brackits & pulleys made from polished billit aluminum.for info goto www.tpis.com.the nova has most of their 405 hp kit except for headers.the reprogrammed the ecm for this engine and omitted what i deleted from engine + vats .after dealig with all the wiring mess if i put a lt1 into z i would probably just hook sds efi up to it-easier wiring and easier programming.by the time you buy software or have ecm reprogrammed and the price of a harness you are close to price of sds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Len, as I said, If you feel good about it (like everything will ok in owniing it) no worries; buy it!! Have fun with your new ride! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 DavyZ I already bought the car 2 weeks ago, I registered it with the DMV 2 weeks ago. Last week when I received my title back from the DMV (with the black tag)& saw 1972 240Z on the title; that was when I called the guy I bought it off of and he said It went thru the auto auction 5 years ago when he bought it. I really have no other options except to do what I'm doing. I even talked with a police friend. He said you can't find the real owner if there is one without correct serial #. If it was a nice car; then things would be alot different but he saw the Z (called it a pile of junk which kinda offended me and my loyalty to any z)and said its not worth the effort. Who knows someone may have owned both cars at one time and one was wreaked and he swaped parts to make one good car (like I did on my 280ZXT) and changed serial # so he didn't have to pay as much to tag it each year. Who knows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 19, 2001 Author Share Posted October 19, 2001 randy77zt when you say oem harness you mean the original wiring harness that came with the car? and what you are doing is omitting all the sensors not needed (like the fuel tank, exaust etc.)Now I understand about "optispark" that's the distributor behind the waterpump at front of engine. Are you working with a 96 ecm also? are you keeping your "optispark" distributor? I know what you mean about the sensors I've got two armloads of wiring! What is sds electronic fuel injection? I know this is just one step; talking to street and preformance they mentioned when I have planned on putting Lt-1 in the El Camino I would have problems with the air cond compressor (lower pass side) fitting because of X member. In the Z I figure I will also have problems fit wise. At least I won't neet that Cat converter on drivers side right after header. I can possibly buy hugger headers so Lt-1 will fit easier. along with figuring out the mods on the pulleys on serpentine belt that you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted October 20, 2001 Share Posted October 20, 2001 hedman & street & performance make block huggers headers for lti.ports are d shaped-thats why there are special headers.if you are just going to run the alternator you can probably build a low mount brackit and run a real short belt-there is no water pump pulley/you could pivot the alternator to tension the belt.street&performance will probably want to sell you a 94 ecm and their harness-bucks.sds is a stand alone efi computor that you program with a hand held programmer box that comes with the unit.goto www.sdsefi.com-very good website.the sds uses gm sensors.you would have to mount magnets on crank pulley and mount a pick up for them.the opti spark will be working as a distributor only.the buddy i am working on the nova for wishes he would have waited a few more monthes for the 350 ramjet efi crate motor-ecm is mounted to motor and all you do is add b+ and fuel .if you can get alot of money for the lti i would trade it for ramjet crate motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 20, 2001 Share Posted October 20, 2001 Sorry if this has been said, I got impatient. Before you assume it's stolen, consider that a previous owner might have taken the #s off his junk 240z for the same reason you're excited about it -- to avoid emissions tests. I have strongly buying a trashed 240z for its #s, to put them on my 76 280z for this very reason... but in the end I'm just gonna be legal about it. If I put all the emissions stuff on (Cats, air pump) then I SHOULDN'T have any problem getting through, but you never know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 20, 2001 Author Share Posted October 20, 2001 dewzenol I agree. I guess I at first expected the worst case sineario. But what you said or even what I said in my last reply to DavyZ could have happened. I think I'll be wondering for a long time because at this point in time there is no way to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Posted October 20, 2001 Author Share Posted October 20, 2001 randy77zt WOW! that sdsefi.com website looks like it has the answer to my problems. But double WOW! the price of the EM-3E is $1040 base before all the needed add ons. Now I see why you mentioned possibly selling my Lt-1 and looking into the crate motor you mentioned in your reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinCA Posted October 20, 2001 Share Posted October 20, 2001 Hmm, how much effort would it require to switch the numbers? I may be aquiring a 240Z soon here that is in nowhere near the condition of my 77... and i would rather use the car that I know isnt rusted out than one that i am pretty sure has... In all fairness. i dont think that it would be all that difficult, swap the vin plate, and the plates. I dont think it is the most honest thing in the world to do. but then again... it is the DMV whom I wish to fool. Whom tried to revoke my license because i waited too long to get my motorcycle licensing taken care of... oh yeah.... some jerk on my street called up about my 77 Z being parked, under a cover, in front of my house for 3 days. the cops put a 72 hour notice on it, and marked the tires... I am not sure if the checked mileage.. because my speedometer doesnt work at the moment, so my mileage isnt going to be changing... well... grr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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