1994+ Motor in 1990-93 Car

[SSDwellah]

I tried searching first but I couldn't find the topic I am looking for. I have a car which is wired for a 1993 VH45DE motor. I bought a 1994 VH45DE to swap into it, without knowing that the CAS is different. Now I can see that the cas is physically different so I can't just swap the old one from the '93 onto the 94. What other headaches am I in store for. e.g. I heard that the ignitors are different on the 1994 plus, but I can probably get away with swapping the 93 ignitors and/or the entire valve covers onto the 94 motor...

Is there anyway to adapt the 90-93 CAS onto the housing of the 94+ CAS? What about wiring etc...

What else am I in store for? O2 sensors and MAFS are on external parts so no problem there. Do the VTC solenoids have the same wiring/connectors? Is the CTS (coolant temp) etc the same (probably or at least easily adaptable). I really don't want to have the car rewired because I am not doing the work myself and time is money.

[SuperHatch]

Do you have the harness from the donor car?

You cannot swap the valve covers, but you can swap the spark plug covers, ignitors, coils.

I know that a 90-93 ECU will work in a 94-95 car, so I would like to say that you could use the entire donor harness if you have it. It is really not that hard to swap at all. Also, you can probably use the plug for the 94+ CAS and swap it onto your harness if you have it.

[SSDwellah]

I don't have the 94+ CAS (or at least the one I have is damaged) nor do I have it's pigtail/connector so I can't even splice it onto the 90-93 car harness (assuming it was even pin compatible). This was a just motor... I don't have a donor car. I DO have a 93 working CAS, with it's harness connector, but like I said it doesn't fit the 94+ motors. Am I hosed or has someone worked through this before.

I guess, if I can't find a way to adapt the 93 sensor to the 94 head, then the shortest route is to find someone with a working 94+ CAS and pigtail and some wiring instructions. Anyone willing to part with theirs?

[SuperHatch]

I don't have the 94+ CAS (or at least the one I have is damaged) nor do I have it's pigtail/connector so I can't even splice it onto the 90-93 car harness (assuming it was even pin compatible). This was a just motor... I don't have a donor car. I DO have a 93 working CAS, with it's harness connector, but like I said it doesn't fit the 94+ motors. Am I hosed or has someone worked through this before.

I guess, if I can't find a way to adapt the 93 sensor to the 94 head, then the shortest route is to find someone with a working 94+ CAS and pigtail and some wiring instructions. Anyone willing to part with theirs?

You MIGHT (And this is completely speculation on my part) be able to use the LH upper timing cover from the 93 motor on your 94 motor. However, the 93 motors use bolts for holding the valve cover on and the 94 motors are studded. If the mounting points are the same, you might be able to swap the studs from the 94 cover onto the 93 cover and make it all work.

Like I said, this is 100% speculation, I'm just trying to give you ideas.

[SSDwellah]

Okay thanks again for the great tips. I saw gs14racer's parts for sale so hopefully he has what I need still.

Plug gs14racer's sale to earn brownie points zerothread/321981

Hopefully I can get the 93 wiring to work if I do the following:Use old 93 igniters/coils plug-n-play into existing harnessUse old 93 TPS (hopefully old style throttle fits new style IM)Use 94 CAS spliced into 93 harness (how?)Use 94 VTC solenoids (plug and play to 93 wiring?)Use old 93 MAFS (shouldn't be a big issue because this does not directly attach to the engine)Use old 93 O2 sensors on old manifolds (again this is not directly bolting into the engine so as long as manifolds bolt up we're good)Use old 93 CTS on old coolant pipe (hope this pipe bolts on, otherwise not a big deal to screw into new motor's pipe)

Am I missing any engine controls? Oh yeah, knock sensors? I presume these are the same.
Modified by SSDwellah at 12:02 AM 4/24/2008

[SuperHatch]

Coils/Ignitors swap just like you said.

The throttles are interchangeable as well, no worries there.

To swap the CAS you will need to use the FSM's to determine which wires are the same functions between the two sensors, and then just splice them together accordingly. Make sure you solder and heat shrink these.

VTC solenoids are the same and will PNP

Just use the 93 MAFS

Use the 93 O2's

The coolant pipes are interchangeable, but I think it would be easier to just swap the sensors.

From what I recall, the knock sensor harness and injector harness are the same on both years, so just leave the 94 stuff there.

[craigztoyz]

Granted this is not needed info to me now, but I am sure that this will be very important to know later.

[SuperHatch]

The coolant pipes are interchangeable, but I think it would be easier to just swap the sensors.

From what I recall, the knock sensor harness and injector harness are the same on both years, so just leave the 94 stuff there.

I had a bit of a brain fart here, but the CTS for the ECU plugs into the KS harness, and the CTS for the gauge plugs into the Injector harness. Leave the 94 sensors there and just plug the 94 KS and Inj harnesses into your 93 harness, it should all work. If not, you will need to swap the KAS harnesses and Inj harnesses. But the 94 injectors use the oval plug and the 93 injectors use the rectangular plugs, so you'll have to swap injectors too. The KS's are the same on both years.

[craigztoyz]

UPDATE< PLEASE. What did you have to do on the CAS?? I am in the same boat roght now. thanx Craig

[SSDwellah]

Splice a 94+ connector onto the 90-93 harness. They have the same number of wires, just different connectors.

[elwesso]

Splice a 94+ connector onto the 90-93 harness. They have the same number of wires, just different connectors.

are the wire colors the same?

[craigztoyz]

I made a post on it, and will make one in Q forum of how to...

the connectors are laid the same, from right to left, black, black/white, and then 2. Connect in the matching order. Whatever is next to b/w goes to the one beside the b/w. one on the end, goes to the one on tbhe end.