Can someone throw me a bone here

[DriftSpecial180]

Okay, i've been going through multiple engine swap "how to's" but i'm having a little trouble. Everyone says the wiring is the hardest part. This is my question, "if the motorset included harness and ecu, do you just remove the KA ecu + harness and replace with the CA ecu+harness? why do you need to change up wires and plugs?"

I'm hoping to get my a motor soon and want to research the swapping task as much as i can to see if i can do it myself or if the wiring would be too difficult. I'm sorry if this is a noobish post but i just cant get a grasp on it. Any help is appreciated.

[Not_a_sr]

i actually think wiring was the easiest part of the swap.

the harnesses plug in exactly the same but what wires do what in those plugs has to be changed around a bit. its mostly color matching and is fairly simple.

Jon

[asher4857]

if i remember correctly, it is basically plug and play but there are some stock 240 plugs that will need to be plugged in still and some parts of the harness will need to be extended.

[float_6969]

http://www.srswap.com/faq/index.asp

Great site, with basically all the info you need for the swap. I know it's for SR's but the CA swap is basically the same.

[DriftSpecial180]

if i remember correctly, it is basically plug and play but there are some stock 240 plugs that will need to be plugged in still and some parts of the harness will need to be extended.

Thats what i've having trouble with. If its a CA harness+ECU why do you use KA plugs? I work on my S13 all the time and have done mechanical work. But i've never done Electrical work. I'm not scared to swap the motor just worried about wiring.

[asher4857]

no, im saying, there are still a few plugs from the KA that are used at some point IIRC... I think there's one on the powersteering lines that needs the stock KA harness part..

[float_6969]

Thats what i've having trouble with. If its a CA harness+ECU why do you use KA plugs? I work on my S13 all the time and have done mechanical work. But i've never done Electrical work. I'm not scared to swap the motor just worried about wiring.

To quote from Heavy Throttle; There are 2 plugs on the end of the KA harness and 3 plugs on the SR[CA] harness that run up behind the stock battery location. Although the plugs do initially snap together, the wires do not line up and you have to cut the plugs off and connect the wires using the table below. Cut the 2 main KA plugs off the KA harness and splice them onto the SR[CA] harness. Not to be a jerk, I don't understand what is confusing about that. If it is confusing I'll draw you up something on paint. Just lemme know.

You can run into some problems if you didn't/don't get a lower harness with your motorset. If you've got to use the KA lower harness things get a little more complicated. Not horribly, but if at all possible, use a CA lower harness.

The last thing is that if your car originally have a SOHC KA in it, there is no wiring for the knock sensor in the chassis or the lower harness. You'll have to find a plug for the knock sensor and run the wire directly into the engine harness. It will have to be sheilded.

[DriftSpecial180]

Not to be a jerk, I don't understand what is confusing about that. If it is confusing I'll draw you up something on paint. Just lemme know.

I just didn't get why you'd have to use anything KA in the first place if you get all the CA harness and ECU. I guess you'd have to use the KA fusebox's. In my head i was picturing (if you get all the CA harness + ECU) take everything from the KA out, and replace with CA.

Anyways, i appreciate the help. I was wondering if anyone had expierence with wiring specialties? They do all the harness work for the CA for $100