86 engine in a 85

Matchbx · 11-04-2008, 10:38 PM

I'm wondering if there are any differences between these two engines as far as wiring or sensors.

Papo J · 11-05-2008, 12:40 PM

There should be no differences at all if they both are from the same model car.

muffinman · 11-05-2008, 12:56 PM

what he ^ said

Matchbx · 11-05-2008, 12:56 PM

They were both from N/A cars. The 86 was an auto and the 85 is a manual (which, unless they used different injectors, shouldn't make a difference). I knkow the 87's had some differences from the earlier generations, but I didn't know if the 86 had any different sensors. If the 86's are the same as the 87's, I hae an ecu from an 87 that I could use. I'm just need to know for sure whether or not the 86 engine will be compatible with the 85 ecu.

Thanks.

muffinman · 11-05-2008, 01:07 PM

85 and 86 are the same, 87 i believe had a different ECU (more codes)

Matchbx · 11-05-2008, 01:16 PM

Cool! That's what I was hoping for. Thanks alot.

MR III · 03-15-2009, 10:45 AM

'85 and '86 are the same,.I own both of them.
The models from '87 have a Upgraded engine and set up and more compression.
It is not so difficult to swap that engine in to a '85 ore a '86 model.
Just use the old inlet manifold and injector system and old engine boom from the '86 ore '85 4A-GE.
Don this on my '85 model and give it a '89 red top and he is way faster and fuel efficient now

Matchbx · 04-09-2009, 08:10 PM

Well, I've run into one issue. On the transmission side of the engine there are 3 round plugs at the end of the harness that don"t go to anything I have in my 85. The engine is from an 86. I checked my 85 engine and I don't see those plugs at all. HELP!!!!

Matchbx · 04-09-2009, 09:05 PM

One thing I forgot was that this engine was coupled to an auto tranny before. It's now connected to a manual tranny. Do these possibly hook up to the automatic tranny??

Papo J · 04-09-2009, 10:47 PM

Use the original engine's harness.

Matchbx · 04-10-2009, 08:47 AM

Actually I found the thread from a while back that explained how to get around it. I may try to swap the harnesses tonight, but the engine is in the car and it's kind of a pain in the butt.

Thanks guys.

Matchbx · 04-13-2009, 12:56 PM

Tried the patch for the wiring and nearly melted the wiring harness trying to start it. I yanked the wiring harness off of the new engine and am going to grab the wiring harness off of the old aengine and swap it out. I was hoping to avoid doing that since it's a major PITA!! But now I'm gonna have to after watching smoke rise from the trunk on saturday.

11-04-2008, 10:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	86 engine in a 85 I'm wondering if there are any differences between these two engines as far as wiring or sensors.

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11-05-2008, 12:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Papo J 6SPD GTE Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 588 Thanks: 2 Thanked 50 Times in 49 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	There should be no differences at all if they both are from the same model car.

11-05-2008, 12:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
muffinman U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 5,877 Thanks: 52 Thanked 282 Times in 271 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	what he ^ said

11-05-2008, 12:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	They were both from N/A cars. The 86 was an auto and the 85 is a manual (which, unless they used different injectors, shouldn't make a difference). I knkow the 87's had some differences from the earlier generations, but I didn't know if the 86 had any different sensors. If the 86's are the same as the 87's, I hae an ecu from an 87 that I could use. I'm just need to know for sure whether or not the 86 engine will be compatible with the 85 ecu. Thanks.

11-05-2008, 01:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
muffinman U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 5,877 Thanks: 52 Thanked 282 Times in 271 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	85 and 86 are the same, 87 i believe had a different ECU (more codes)

11-05-2008, 01:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Cool! That's what I was hoping for. Thanks alot.

03-15-2009, 10:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
MR III No Skills Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Holland Posts: 39 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	'85 and '86 are the same,.I own both of them. The models from '87 have a Upgraded engine and set up and more compression. It is not so difficult to swap that engine in to a '85 ore a '86 model. Just use the old inlet manifold and injector system and old engine boom from the '86 ore '85 4A-GE. Don this on my '85 model and give it a '89 red top and he is way faster and fuel efficient now

04-09-2009, 08:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Well, I've run into one issue. On the transmission side of the engine there are 3 round plugs at the end of the harness that don"t go to anything I have in my 85. The engine is from an 86. I checked my 85 engine and I don't see those plugs at all. HELP!!!!

04-09-2009, 09:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	One thing I forgot was that this engine was coupled to an auto tranny before. It's now connected to a manual tranny. Do these possibly hook up to the automatic tranny??

04-09-2009, 10:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
Papo J 6SPD GTE Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 588 Thanks: 2 Thanked 50 Times in 49 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Use the original engine's harness.

04-10-2009, 08:47 AM	#11 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Actually I found the thread from a while back that explained how to get around it. I may try to swap the harnesses tonight, but the engine is in the car and it's kind of a pain in the butt. Thanks guys.

04-13-2009, 12:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
Matchbx Just ahead of the dust... Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 98 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Tried the patch for the wiring and nearly melted the wiring harness trying to start it. I yanked the wiring harness off of the new engine and am going to grab the wiring harness off of the old aengine and swap it out. I was hoping to avoid doing that since it's a major PITA!! But now I'm gonna have to after watching smoke rise from the trunk on saturday.