Hose fittings:
- 1/4" male pipe to 3/8" ID hose barb. Builder's Square Waxman part number
07-811
- 1/2" hose barb to 3/8" hose barb (Builder's Square Waxman part number
07-832) , or make your own using:
- 3/8" pipe double female union
- 3/8" male pipe to 1/2" hose barb
- 3/8" male pipe to 3/8" hose barb
- Washers - 3/16" (you need about 10). 10mm washers also work if you can't
find 3/16".
- Fuel Line Disconnect Tool - 5/16" and 3/8" KD Tools #3321. The fuel
lines use a quick connect fitting that requires a special tool available at
any normal auto parts store. The tool actually consists of a set of quick
release tools for newer A/C and fuel fittings. A 6 piece set from JC
Whitneys for about $7 (p/n 89XX0707U) which works great.
- Drill bit - 7/8" or larger, or a comparably sized hole saw (used to
drill into the covers for the fuel lines).
- Assorted files
- 1/4" to 5/8" fitting for the intake to fit the new power brake booster
hose which is smaller than stock. ~$2.
- 1/4" size brake booster valve to go onto the brake booster. ~$2.
- OR Arizona Speed and Marine offers made-to-fit covers for $165 that are
polished aluminum. This will save many of the modifications listed below for
a bit of extra cash.
If you are using the plastic Corvette valve
covers, you will also need the following:
- Valve covers, old P/N 10108605 and 10108606, new P/N 12552321 and
12552322, $80 each (net)
- Cap Assembly, P/N 12554955, $3LI>
- Valve Stud, P/N 10108674 (you need eight), $???
- Bolts, P/N 10108675 (you need eight), $???
The valve cover gaskets come with the valve covers, and the crankcase
breather adapter grommet comes with the RH valve cover. You need to trim
crankcase breather hose to fit new grommet.
There are also some new injector covers available that are used on the
Corvette LT4 engines. You will still need all of the other parts from the
normal install, above, except for these different covers. The only difference
is that they have red lettering instead of the normal black letters:
- LT4 Injector covers: P/N 12552432 & 12552431, about $20 each
- LT4 Throttle Body Plate (called AIR COVER): P/N 17113211, about $10
For those of you with late '95s and '96s, GM changed the design of the
pipe/check valve/rubber hose setup over the RH valve cover to a straight pipe
design, connected to the check valve, then to the rubber hose, which now makes
a u-turn over the cover. The previous design had a small u-turn pipe that
connects to the check valve and then a 90 degree rubber elbow hose. This
design agreeably looks better than having a rubber hose run across the valve
covers. Here are the part numbers for the older, better looking design:
- 10231681 - Pipe Assembly - retail $9.10
- 10217106 - Connector - retail $3.40
- 22040805 - Valve - around $15-$20
- A brass flanged connector that converts a 7/8" male connector to a 1/2"
male connector, or female on the 7/8" side and male on the 1/2" side.
Note that if you order your parts from Bob at World Parts, you can just order P/N
N800. $39.95, to get the entire injector cover kit set. This includes all of
the GM parts required.
- Before you get started, decide if you will be replacing the valve covers
with the magnesium units from the 87-92 Vettes, the plastic ones from the
93+ Vettes, or leaving them stock. The Vette covers will prevent rusting and
quiet down the noisy LT1 valvetrain. The magnesium covers should be coated
to prevent staining (e.g. Jet-Hot). If you are using the stock stamped steel
valvecovers, then you should use the RH injector cover from the '92-'93
Corvette application (P/N 10224936) instead of the RH cover listed above.
This is because the stock valvecovers have the crankcase vent tube on the
top of the cover, as did the Magnesium LT1 valvecovers used on the '91-'92
Corvette. The RH injector cover for those years has a clearance notch for
the crankcase vent hose to pass through. You should always use the LH
injector cover from 94+ Vettes.
- Because the Corvette brake vacuum hose is smaller in diameter than the
stock hose (11/32" ID compared to 1/2" ID), you will need to change the
brake vacuum fitting in the intake manifold from the existing 1/2" hose barb
to a 3/8" hose barb type. This allows you to attach the smaller diameter
Corvette formed brake vacuum hose. The portion that screws into the intake
manifold is 1/4" pipe thread. You may want to use teflon sealer on the
threads before screwing the fitting in place. Remove the original fitting,
take the 1/4" pipe to 3/8" barb fitting, apply some thread sealer, and screw
it into the manifold where the original fitting was positioned.
- Attach the Corvette brake booster vacuum hose to this fitting and run it
back towards the firewall along the intake manifold valley, and then around
behind the LH valvecover. There you will splice that hose to your existing
brake vacuum hose with a 3/8" barb to 1/2" barb adapter made up from the
brass double female union and 3/8" male pipe to 1/2" and 3/8" male pipe to
3/8" barb fittings. Note that you can also find the correct teflon piece at
Builder's Square. This splice can be covered with the 3/4" convoluted
plastic tubing for a factory look. Be sure to locate the splice so that you
have plenty of slack to put the injector cover on.
- Another way to do this is to replace the check valve in the brake
booster with one that fits the Corvette hose correctly. You can The "HELP"
part number for the check valve is 80190 and it fits perfectly. This part
will fit the smaller 'Vette hose without modifications.
- Once the brake vaccum hose has been re-rounted, you will need to
disconnect the fuel lines at the regulator in order to re-route the main
engine harness behind the fuel lines. First, and this is very
important, you must relieve fuel system pressure and use several
rags around the fuel fittings when disconnecting them. You should do this on
a cold engine and have a fire extinquisher (preferrably HALON type) nearby.
To relieve fuel system pressure, follow the service manual guidelines, or
disconnect the fuel pump electrical connector at the rear of the vehicle,
start and run the engine until it dies, and then relieve the remaining
pressure by depressing the fuel rail schrader valve. Use a rag to catch the
fuel that will come out.
- Then proceed to disconnect the fuel line fittings with KD #3321, and
wire or tape up the fuel line ends at the firewall to prevent any siphoning
of fuel from the tank or dribbling out of the lines. Use the rags to catch
any fuel that might dribble out. With the fuel lines now disconnected and
secure, reposition the main engine harness to route behind the fuel rail
fittings. Then bend both fittings to align with each other, so they project
up at the same angle. Use a small screwdriver inserted in the steel lines to
act as a handle for minor bending.
- Now get the LH cover, and position it in place the best you can. The
purpose is to get an idea of where to drill the holes in the cover for the
fuel fittings to pass through. The holes will be much larger than the
fittings, so you can easily remove the cover in the future and slide it up
on the fuel lines without having to disconnect them. If you like, you can
notch the cover later by using a hacksaw to continue the holes towards the
rear, but it looks much better with just the holes and the fuel lines
passing through them.
- Now take the cover and drill two 7/8" holes where you estimate the fuel
lines will pass through. It is OK if you are off by a little, as the steel
lines can be bent slightly to center them in the holes once you put the
cover back on. Now set the cover over the steel fuel lines, and check for
fit, bending the lines as necessary so they are centered. You can also use a
hole saw and drill them a little bit larger, which will make the assembly
process easier.
- A nice touch is to use two rubber grommets to cover the drill marks in
the covers. They give the covers a factory-finished look, and hide any
slivers around the edges of the holes. Just slide them on over the fuel
lines and then work them onto holes in the cover.
- There is enough slack in the LH harness to make it work without
modifications. You need to take off all of the clips on the harness and
stuff it down into the injector area. You may want to unclip the leads from
the injectors and disconnect the fuel lines and brake vacuum hose to make
this easier. Route the harness behind the engine, being careful of the EGR
valve back there. This will require some major tugging and pulling on some
engines, but it should go eventually.
- You may also have to grind on the fuel pressure regulator fitting to get
the cover to seat properly, and you will have to grind a notch in the cover
to clear the fuel pressure regulator towards the center rear of the engine.
- When you are re-arranging the wiring harness to tuck down next to the
intake manifold, make sure it is positioned on the outside of the throttle
guard plate, between the plate and the valve cover. You do not want any
interference with the throttle cable. Then position the brake vacuum hose
setup, also tucking it down next to the manifold.
- Now install the metal studs in the intake manifold. It may be necessary
to use some 3/16" washers under the two studs on the LH side to raise them
enough to get the cover to properly engage. This is only necessary for the
LH cover due to the thickness of the wire and hose bundle underneath it. You
will have to do some rearranging and compressing of the wire and hose
bundle, to get everything to fit nicely with the cover on. In some cases you
will have to file down the metal fuel regulator bracket in order to get the
injector cover to seat down properly.
- After the LH injector cover is in place, re-attach the fuel fittings.
They are quick connect fittings and should just snap into place. Reconnect
the fuel pump electrical connector at the back of the car and be sure the
schrader valve cap is installed, then turn the key on (don't start it yet)
which will pressurize the fuel system, and check for leaks.
- The RH injector cover is much more easily installed than the LH side. If
you are using the '92-'93 style cover (which is required if you are not
changing to the Corvette plastic valvecovers), then you may need to trim it
in the area where the MAP (Manifold Air Pressure) sensor is mounted at the
RH side of the throttle body. Also you will likely have to bend the
transmission fill tube to clear the cover at the rear. Bend the transmission
dipstick tube back towards the firewall, and to the left towards the wiper
motor. After tucking the wires and solenoid down into the intake manifold
valley, the RH injector cover should neatly snap into place.
- The canister purge solenoid is mounted to the bracket for the triangular
resonator on all '94s and '95s. Since this bracket will be removed, you will
have to relocate the solenoid. You can get the Corvette bracket for this,
but since it is hidden, you could also take a large hose clamp, drill a hole
through the band, and screw it to intake manifold. You will see a threaded
hole that is perfect for mounting the clamp bracket directly in the center
of the RH side. Then simply put the solenoid in the clamp, and tighten it
down. Space is a little tight there, so you may want to go the hose clamp
route instead of the bracket.
- Alternatively, there is a separate bracket available (from the Z28).
It's called an emission bracket, part number 10229207 ($2.69). Pick up the
bolt also since it is very small and metric, part no. 11514607. This bracket
mounts to the horizontal hole (about 6mm) in the center of the manifold.
Trim off the little extra piece of it that protrudes upward. This allows it
to clear the manifold cover. Again, on '96 models, this will not be needed
as it comes attached to the manifold (it is no longer attached to the home
plate mounting bracket).
- After the injector covers are installed, the plastic cable clips will go
into the two holes in the LH cover, and hold the accelerator and cruise
cables close to the cover for a neat appearance, and to prevent them from
abrading against the hood insulation.
- Now you can install the throttle linkage cover. You must remove the
splash shield that is currently there, it will be discarded, along with the
bolt that held it in. Remove the LH upper throttle body screw and attach the
short "L" bracket for the linkage cover underneath it. Set the cover in
place and use one of the small screws you bought to attach it to the linkage
bracket.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
The CB will allow you to remain in contact with others and won't be an
eyesore when mounted properly in the Impala. Note that this procedure also
works for other radio equipment or scanners.
Disadvantages
You will have to drill two small holes in the ashtray brackets, or, for
some wider CB's, you can use tie wraps to attach the CB to the ashtray
mounting brackets. In either case, you give up the use of the ashtray, which
means no cupholders in 96's.
Parts Required:
- CB Radio, your choice. Around $100.
- CB Antenna, your choice. Around $50.
Tools Required
- Allen wrench
- Phillips and Flat Screwdrivers
- Power Drill
- 7mm Ratchet
- Black plastic wire ties
- wire cutters.
Optional Tools
- Plastic Dip vinyl coating
- Center punch & hammer
- Soldering iron & electrical solder
- Crimp-on blade and ring connectors
- Crimping tool
- Black wire (within size range of connectors)
- Dremel Tool & safety glasses
- Pliers
- SWR meter & 2-3 ft. length of RU-58 coax with female connectors
(available at any Radio Shack, and may be included with the SWR meter).
Procedure (from Randy
Stone and Louis Pascucci ) :
- No holes for the antenna are required. Most radios come with mounting
hardware, so you shouldn't need to buy any screws. The speaker is in the
radio, so you don't need to worry about installing a separate one, and the
only wires to run are the antenna cable and power leads.
- The antenna is, of course, personal choice, but we really like the K40.
Not only can you adjust the angle of the whip, but you can remove the whip
and cap the base with an optional weather cap ($1.25) whenever you are
worried about theft or hitting a low ceiling. The angling feature of the K40
comes in handy, as you don't have to be as careful about the whip tapping
the roof if you open the trunk too fast. In addition to its great styling,
it also has the best performance on the market. The Wilson is just as good,
but you can't angle it or remove the whip and toss it in the trunk. The K40
is around $50, and you can get an optional loaded whip for about $10 more.
This reduces the height of the antenna by about a foot, from 44 inches to 30
inches, in case you're worried about low ceilings, but trades off a small
amount of performance.
- You'll probably want to get the trunk lip mount. It is better for the
paint than the magnetic mount, and looks better too. Best place to mount it
is in the center of the trunk behind the third brake light. I've seen three
different trunk lip mount antennas, and they all come with allen screws and
an allen wrench.
- Optional: The antenna itself sits on a rubber mount, so there's no
possibility of scratches as long as you wax prior to install, but there is a
little bare metal where the clamp wraps around the lip of the trunk. You can
coat this part of the trunk mount with plastic dip to prevent the
possibility of scratches, but leave the clamping screws bare as you need
some metal to metal contact for the antenna to work properly.
- Run the cable over to one side of the trunk, anchoring the cable to the
driver's side trunk hinge with black plastic wire ties, and through the side
of the back seat. Push the seat back forward a little and thread the antenna
cable over to the door sill. Make sure you go behind the seat belt. You
should be able to push the cable under the rear plastic door sill without
having to loosen any screws. Removing the rear seat bottom may help here:
just push it back and lift the front. You can push the cable under the
plastic piece that covers the driver's seat belt, but if you are afraid it
might kink the antenna cable, thread it over the seat belt cover and then
back under the driver's door sill. Use a phillip's screw driver to loosen
the driver's door sill enough to slip the cable under it. Now thread the
cable under the kick panel by the parking brake. You shouldn't have to
loosen anything to do this, but it will be kind of tight. Now run the cable
over to the center console and use a couple of wire ties to secure it under
the dash.
- Alternately, and this requires a bit more work, you can run the cable
under the carpet right down the center "hump". You take out the back seat
bottom, and loosen the center console a little. You need to loosen a bolt or
two at the rear of the console: to get to these just lift out the
compartment tray under the armrest. There is a hole in the carpet under the
console that you can run the cable up through. While everything is loose,
pull the end connector out, under one side or the other near the rear of the
console and pull it up toward the dash (outside of the console). Here is
another benefit of the K40: You can unscrew the big radio connector end off
of the small connector which is attached to the cable. Getting this small
connector under the console walls was tight but achievable. Doing this with
a brand that you can not get the end off will be a chore. Once the cable is
pulled up to the dash, you can tuck the coax under the console walls out of
view. Now you should only be able to see a short piece of coax leading from
the front of your console waiting to be connected to your radio.
- As for the radio, there are too many choices here to make a real
recommendation, but I like the Cherokee CM5 (about $120) because it has a
dual scan feature, allows you to listen to Ch. 19 but switches instantly
over to the other 'watch' channel whenever it recieves a transmission on
that channel. Good for when you want to listen to 19 but 19 is too busy to
talk to the other members of your caravan. Other basic rigs include the
Uniden Pro 510XL (about $50), Midland, and Cobra. You can go from there
depending on what you want. The antenna is much more important than the
radio for peak transmission distance.
- If you are going to get power from the main fuse box, you may want to
tin the ends of the radio's power leads with solder to make it easier to
insert them into the fuse terminals.
- Begin the radio install by sliding out the ashtray and removing it by
unscrewing the four bolts that hold it and its bracket in. Unplug the gray
wires that go to the ash tray light. The wires run about six inches from the
ashtray and then are connected to the car's wiring by a two prong connector,
so you can unplug it there. Now remove the ashtray from its bracket by
sliding a flat screwdriver into the black plastic rails the ashtray slides
on and depressing the detents. (This is kind of hard to describe but very
easy to do once you see it.)
- Once you have the ashtray separated from the bracket, slide the bracket
back into place. Put the radio's bracket (mounting hardware should come with
the radio) on the radio and then position the radio how you want it. Note
where the radio bracket touches the ashtray bracket. This can be tricky
because the ashtray bracket has a depression in the top side on the left,
and you have to make sure the screws that came with the radio are either
long enough to reach the extra distance or else mount the radio slightly to
the left. The ashtray is asymmetrical anyway, so this isn't noticeable.
- Once you have the radio bracket position marked on the ashtray bracket,
take the ashtray bracket back out and drill the mounting holes for the radio
bracket.
- Optional: Use the center punch and a hammer to make a small depression
where you want to drill each hole, this will prevent the drill from walking
all over the bracket.
- I used a 1/8" drill bit, but your radio may require a different size
hole. Drill them a little off-center because of the aforementioned shape of
the bracket. You may have to put one of the radio bracket's adjusting knobs
in place before you screwed the radio bracket down if it is a tight fit
between the radio bracket and the side of the ashtray bracket.
- A little antenna install info: A CB antenna is composed of two main
parts: the base and the whip. The base, besides containing a coil and other
things to help the antenna function, is what mounts to the car. The whip is
nothing more than a long piece of wire with one rounded end to dissipate
static. Some antennas mount a coil in the center of the whip, but that's not
important here.
- Optional: Make a case ground for the radio. The ignition gives off a
slight amount of radio noise, and for the more anal of you out there (you
know who you are!), this can be reduced with a case ground. Cut a piece of
wire about 6-8 inches long and put a small ring connector on one end with
the crimping tool, and a blade or bullet connector on the other end.
Optionally, cut the plastic off the connectors and solder the connector,
then cover it with shrink wrap tubing) Now cut another piece of wire for the
other half of the case ground, adjusting the length depending on where you
decide to anchor it. Make the other half with the blade connector's mate and
another small ring. Attach the second half via the ring connector to any
screw under the dash that's grounded, the first half to any screw on the
radio that will ground the case. Your radio may come with screws expressly
for this purpose. Run the wire through the back of the bracket with the
other wires, and connect when you put the radio in the dash.
- Now mount the radio in the bracket. Connect the antenna cable, making
sure it's tight. Run the radio's power leads through the hole in the back of
the ashtray bracket and then over to the fuse box by the driver. Ground the
negative lead from the radio. Insert the positive lead in the #9 fuse, which
is the power fuse for the stereo. This will allow the radio to be on when
the key is in the 'run' and 'acc' modes, but not when the key is off. Insert
the radio and bracket into the dash and tighten things up. Use wire ties to
clean up any loose wires.
- Mike install: You can just leave the mike loose and set it in the pocket
of the center console, or mount the mike clip to the driver's side of the
center console. Screwe it into the carpeted part of the center console,
which has the added benefit that if you ever need to remove it the holes
won't show. This location is about an inch in front of your seat, and you
can always find it without looking. If anyone smaller than yourself drives
the car, make sure the clip is mounted far enough forward so that the
driver's seat won't hit it when they move the seat forward.
- Linear Amplifiers: While you can install a linear amp to boost
the signal, Tom at American Mobile Electronics, who has no moral objections
to an illegal amp (linear amps are apparently as common as export pipes),
feels that the high transmission power can interfere with the PCM. This
means that you're probably better off without the amp.
- Antenna Efficiency: You are limited by the FCC to 4 watts maximum
transmission power. Your antenna reflects a certain amount of this output
power back into the radio, where it is lost as heat. You can tune your
antenna so that the reflected power is at a minimum, and the maximum output
is going out over the air. Also, if an antenna reflects too much of the
radio's output, it can damage the radio over time.
- This is where the SWR, or Standing Wave Ratio, meter comes in. By
measuring the SWR of your antenna, you can tune it by adjusting the length
so that the SWR is as low as possible, preferably below 1.5. With cheapo
antennas, you would tune the radio for best performance on channel 19, which
is where you will spend the majority of the time. (Channel 19 is the
unofficial national truckers' channel, and where you will find traffic,
weather, and smokey reports, as well as connecting with other people before
going to another channel. A computer analogy would be that 19 is the main
chat room, and you would go to another channel when you wanted to have a
private conversation or just eliminate most of the chatter, like going to a
private chat room.) A cheap antenna will rise above 2.0 towards Channel 1
and Channel 40, cutting down on useful range. A modern antenna will be able
to stay below 1.5 on all channels, giving you greater transmission range on
these very quiet channels. A tuned K40 has an SWR of 1.35 on Ch. 1, 1.05 on
Ch. 19, and 1.5 on Ch. 40. (1.00 is perfect, and unobtainable in the real
world.) An SWR of 3.0 or greater will damage the radio over time.
- Tuning your Rig: To tune your antenna, connect the SWR meter via the
short piece of coax (may be supplied with the meter) to the antenna jack on
the radio, and the antenna cable to the other side of the meter (it's
labeled). Flip the switch on the meter to 'Calibrate', Close your doors,
turn on the radio and tune it to Ch. 19, and press the mike button. Turn the
knob on the SWR meter until the needle is centered in the calibration mark.
Release the mike button, flip the switch on the meter to 'test', and push
the mike button again. Follow your antenna's instructions to adjust its
length, and adjust it up or down. Now go through the same procedure again,
calibrating each time you change the length of the antenna, until you find
the sweet spot. It's best to tune on Channel 19, because a) it's near the
center of the citizens' band, and b) 19 has the most chatter on it so that
is where you will need transmission efficiency the most. K40 and Wilson
suggest a more sophistcated tuning strategy to achieve peak efficiency over
the entire bandwidth, but I've found through personal experience that I need
Ch. 19 to be at peak efficiency. If you get a K40, you can save yourself
some time by cutting 2" off the bottom of the whip to begin with. Do
not cut the rounded end! This is the top of the whip!
- If you buy a K40 but do not wish to spend the extra $20 on an SWR meter,
you can get pretty close to these specs by cutting 2" off the bottom of your
whip and then sliding it all the way into your base. Tom at AME says this is
consistent for all Caprices, and since he installs the CBs for the Manassas
police 9C1's, he has a lot of experience. Make sure you cut the flat end and
insert it in the antenna base, as the rounded end goes on top to help
eliminate static.
- The dremel tool comes in real handy here, but heavy wire cutters will
work. It helps to eliminate static if you grind or file any sharp edges.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
Lights up the door panel controls (power windows, seats,
etc.) at night. Fills in the empty triangle left for the light.
Disadvantages
You must remove your door panel and do some wiring to
get it to work.
Parts Required:
- GM # 10031003 or #10031004 bulb, which has a tiny blue silicon cap. You
can keep it or remove it. $???
- Some wire and appropriate soldering tools.
- Door panel removal tool. About $35.
- Some plastic retainer clips. GM # 10161510 (15 cents each). You almost
surely break some taking the door off. There are 6 per door.
Procedure (from Scott
Mueller for the light and Glen Novitsky for the door
removal ):
- Remove the door panel. First, there are 4 screws. One in the piece where
the door handle, lock and power lock controls are. Two are in the door arm
rest. One is under the armrest toward the back of the door. All are easy to
get too. The one under the armrest is different as it has one of those
"drill bit" ends on it. Start with unscrewing all of them first.
- After you take off the screws for the armrest, it will act as if it
wants to come off. Don't take it off: there is still a retaining clip that
holds it in place. Just let it flap around.
- Next remove the piece around the lock/door handle. This is held in by
two metal tension mounted clips. One on the front one on the back. Slide it
forward to release the rear clip, pull the rear out and then slide it back
to remove it. The lock control must be either in the LOCKED position or at
least in the middle somewhere as it extends behind the cloth when it is in
the unlocked position, making it impossible to remove the piece. The drivers
side must hang there as you (if you have MANUAL mirrors) cannot disconnect
from the mirror. I don't know about power, probably you can.
- Next, there are 5 plastic clips that hold the door on. They are located
on the sides and bottom (the top of the panel will come later). You will
probably break at least 3, so a trip to your local parts shop is in store.
You can by them at any auto parts stores, usually in packs of three for
$1.50. There are two kinds that look alike, so take one to the store and
match it up so you have the right ones or get them from the dealer.
- Now, there are only two things holding the panel in place, the top of
the door and the power window/seat (if applicable) wires. Next, to release
the door from the top around the window area, you must FORCEFULLY pull up on
the panel to release it from the window channel. There are no plastic clips
here, just metal ones and you cant break them. Just be sure to pull it up as
straight as possible. I found that starting at the front of the door helps
release it easier.
- Now, the last thing. The power window/seat bezel is held in by one metal
clip in the front and it is simply held in the back by sliding it under the
plastic. To remove it, place your arm up the inside of the door panel and
PUSH the metal clip up. That will release the whole control piece (that
holds all the switches), now slide it foward to remove it. Turn it
upsidedown and remove the plugs. The passenger side has two plugs, the
drivers side has 5. It does take some creative thinking on how to remove a
couple of them, just take your time.
- The light comes from a very small triangular hole in the door release
handle bezel in the driver's side. The hole is exceedingly small, and is not
easy to spot. Look on the upper left corner of the black plastic recessed
area where the chrome door opening handle is. You will notice a very small
triangular shaped hole right in the inside corner area. You could also
install one in the passenger's side, but you will need to make the hole
yourself.
- Fabricate a small triangular lens out of a piece of translucent plastic
from the top of a can of clear spray paint, and glue it to the inside of the
bezel.
- There is no socket for these bulbs, so solder a tail of wire directly to
each of the bulb leads. These tiny bulbs have a very long life, and will
likely never burn out at all, thus making the search for a socket seem
pointless. A socket would greatly complicate the bulb mounting.
- Mount the bulb using some small pieces of duct tape to hold the tiny
bulb in place over the lens.
- To wire the bulb up, run a wire from the dimmer module under the dash,
through the door conduit, and over to the tiny bulb. Ground is provided by
tapping into the power mirror control ground wire, which is mounted in the
same bezel.
- Reinstallation is the reverse. One hint on reinstalling, make SURE that
the two threaded clips that go on the metal piece in the door where the two
arm rest screws are lined up before pusing in the plastic clips around the
door. If you don't you will have to pry them off again to realign the clips
so the screws will be held in.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
Allows you to pull back on the multi-function turn signal
stalk and flash your lights regardless of the headlight state for signalling
traffic.
Disadvantages
Difficult (4-6 hour) installation.
Parts Required:
- P/N 26035237: Switch, Dimmer. This is a dimmer switch for a '94+
Cadillac Fleetwood. $29.75 retail / $19.98 from NAISSO through World Parts.
- Either a GM connector (P/N 12102757) ($21.99 retail / $13.29 through
NAISSO) or 2" of 12 gauge wire and a spade connector.
- A package of quick-splice connectors ($3.00 at any auto parts store).
Tools Required:
- 7mm nut driver (for removing the dash panel)
- 10mm socket and socket wrench
- 5/8" deep socket
- 5/16" open-end wrench
- 3/8" open-end wrench
- A pair of pliers
- Buy the flash to pass switch. This will flash the high beams when you
pull back on the control stick. Any GM dealer should carry the part.
- Disconnect the air bags, just in case. If one inflates while your head
is under the dash, it will give you a terrible headache! Turn the ignition
switch to "LOCK" and remove the key. Find the two air bag connectors and
disconnect them. They are located just above the brake pedal. They are
bright yellow and marked with black and yellow warning tags. GM calls the
air bag a SIR, not an air bag. Turn the ignition switch to "RUN" and verify
that the "AIR BAG" warning lamp flashes seven times and then turns "OFF."
Turn the ignition off.
- Remove the gray lower dash panel above the brake pedal. It is held in
place with two 7mm screws. When you have everything apart, you will find
some 7mm screws are different lengths than others. It would be good to mark
which screws go where. I didn't do that. I still managed to get everything
re-attached so it is not a critical error if you just dump them all unmarked
in the cup holders.
- Remove the black steel plate that you can now see above the brake pedal.
It is held in place with four silver 10mm bolts.
- Remove the large black bracket, which held the steel plate. It is held
in place with four black 10mm bolts.
- Remove the black bezel around the dash gages (Figure 3 Section 8C in the
Service Manual). It is held in place with two 7mm screws at the top. Remove
the two screws. Set the parking brake. Shift the transmission into low to
get the gear-shift lever out of your way. Pull the bezel back at the top and
it should pop out. It is held at the bottom by three blind spring clips.
Shift the transmission back into park after removing the bezel completely.
- Remove the lower dash trim (Figure 5 Section 8C in the Service Manual).
Start on the driver's side by removing the access cover to the fuse block.
The access cover pops out with no screws (it's on the end of the dash).
Remove the 7mm screw (all dash screws are 7mm) under the cover. Remove the
four screws along the extreme bottom edge of the dash. Two are located just
above the console and are harder to remove than the others. One is located
on the left side of the opening where the black bezel was. One is located on
the right side of the ash tray opening. The dash is now only held on with
blind clips. You can pop some through from the back by raising the lower
part of the clip with a screwdriver. After wiggling the dash it will come
out, hopefully in one piece.
- You must separate the connector for the ash tray light! It is
easy to do when the dash is loose. Just don't forget to do it!
- Remove the shift indicator cable, which is attached to the bottom of the
shift lever bezel on the steering column. It pulls off straight back.
- Remove the two nuts holding the steering column to the upper dash. This
requires a 5/8" deep socket to clear the end of the bolts. The column should
lower until the wheel is resting on the driver's seat.
- Disconnect the old high beam/low beam switch, which is on the left side
of the steering column. To find it, pull the control stick back a few times
and you will see the white part of the switch move. You may want to
disconnect a few other wires to make access easier.
- Remove the front bolt on the high beam/low beam switch. It is on the
left of the steering column almost on the top. Try a 5/16" open-end wrench
as space is tight.
- Remove the nut holding the rear of the high beam/low beam switch. It
takes a 3/8" open-end wrench. On a '94-'95 Impala, there is a bracket on top
of the switch! On the '96 Impala, there is not. On the '96 the rear ear of
the stock switch has its own bolt holding it to the steering column. On the
'94-'95 Impalas the stock switch shares a bolt with a solenoid bracket. The
Caddy switch still has to share that bolt.
- On a '94-'95 Impala, remove the nut holding the bracket using a 5/16"
open-end wrench. The bracket holds the solenoid that forces you to push the
brake to shift out of park. Loosen the nut that holds the bracket just
enough to get the bracket off the bolt. Then you can remove the old high
beam/low beam switch. On the '96 Impala, remove the nut holding the bracket
using a 5/16" Open-end wrench. The new switch is going to mount just like
the '94-'95 Impala switch, so you will still have to loosen the nut holding
the solenoid bracket. The new FTP switch uses that bolt for mounting.
- Make sure the FTP switch clicks. It comes with a shipping retainer that
keeps it from moving. Remove the retaining clip.
- Put the FTP bracket on the screw and put the solenoid bracket back on
top of it. Tighten the screw holding the bracket to the steering column
(5/16" open-end wrench). Put the nut back on the rear FTP mounting bolt
(3/8" open-end wrench). Don't tighten it as you must adjust the position of
the switch on the steering column first.
- Slide the rear slot of the FTP bracket under the solenoid bracket and
onto the bolt that holds the solenoid, and put the solenoid bracket back on
top of the FTP bracket. Tighten the screw holding the two brackets to the
steering column (5/16" open-end wrench). Put the nut back on the rear FTP
mounting bolt (3/8" open-end wrench). Don't tighten the nut as you must
adjust the position of the FTP switch on the steering column first.
- Put the rod from the control stick into the end of the FTP switch.
Replace the bolt in the front mounting hole of the FTP (5/16" open-end
wrench). Tighten slightly. Adjust the position of the FTP switch until it
clicks when you pull the control stick back (the headlights won't work
because you have the plug disconnected from the switch, but you can hear the
click). Tighten the front bolt and rear nut.
- Reattach the steering column to the upper dash with the two 5/8" nuts,
using your deep socket.
- Reattach the shift indicator cable and adjust the position of the clip
until it reads correctly for P, R, N, etc.
- This is a really good time to get rid of any squeeks you have in the
lower dash. Most of them will be from the ash tray assembly (metal on
plastic). A little silicone spray and they are gone. You can also spray a
rag with silicone and lubricate the padding that the lower dash rests
against.
- Reconnect the ash tray light connector.
- Put the lower dash back on the car. The metal ash tray assembly will
keep the dash from fitting correctly unless you reach up under the dash and
help the ash tray into place. Put back all the 7mm screws you removed (one
by the ash tray, one by the instruments, one by the fuse block, and four
along the bottom of the dash).
- Reconnect the wires you disconnected earlier EXCEPT THE AIR BAG
CONNECTORS!
- Replace the black bezel around the gages. The parking brake shoudl still
be set. Shift the transmission into low. Pop the bottom of bezel into the
dash. Attach the top of the bezel with two 7mm screws. Shift the
transmission back into park.
- You now need to swap the high and low beam wires in the connector shell
that goes on the FTP switch. If you don't, you will flash the low beams.
Look at the connector shell from the switch's viewpoint. There is a hole at
the top (where a new wire will go) two wires side-by-side, and one wire at
the bottom. You will swap the two wires that are side-by-side. The
connectors on the end of the wires are held in the connector shell by a
small tab on the connector that rests against a ridge inside the connector
shell. You have to raise that tab (which you can't see) enough to clear the
plastic ridge (which you can't see either).
- Look at the connector shell. The four openings in the shell should look
like little camper shells (small part on the bottom and large part on the
top). Take a paper clip and bend the small loop tighter so that it can slip
inside the lower part of the opening (under the connector). Press up against
the connector and slide the paper clip back and forth while pushing up to
bend the retaining tab up enough to clear the ridge inside the connector.
Remove both the high and low beam wires and reverse them. Bend the tabs on
the connectors out so they will catch the ridge again and stay in the
connector shell.
- The FTP switch has one more electrical pin than the old stock switch.
The stock connector doesn't have a wire there (yet). You need to get 12
volts to the new pin to make the lights flash. You can either use a 12"
piece of 12 guage wire and put a spade connector on one end, or you can do
the following.
- Remove a connector and wire from the 12102757 connector listed at the
top under "parts needed." This has the correct connector to fit inside the
FTP connctor shell. Insert the connector into the shell.
- Locate the biggest connector you can see above the break pedal. The
connector has 7 rows and 8 or 9 slots per row, depending on the row. The
wire you will connect to is the 12 gauge red one that comes from the second
row from the top and just to the left of the bolt holding the connector to
its mate. Use a quick-splice connector to connect the wire that will go to
the new pin to this red wire.
- Put the connector on the switch. If you are using the wire-and-spade
version, you will have to put the spade lug on the pin also.
- Replace the large black bracket around the steering column, using the
four black 10mm bolts you removed earlier.
- Replace the large metal plate on the bracket, using the four silver 10mm
bolts that you removed from there.
- Replace the gray dash piece and attach using the last two 7mm screws.
- Reconnect the two air bag circuits.
- The high beams should flash without the ignition on when you pull back
on the high/low switch stalk.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
Allows you to monitor your fuel pressure from inside the
cockpit, which is handy if you are running a blower or NOS. Allows you to
monitor changes in fuel pressure if you are using an adjustable regulator.
Disadvantages
Just the effort to plumb it, and the lack of a place to
put it if you have added other gauges.
Parts Required:
- CYB-8114 ($65.00) Cyberdyne gauge & sending unit
- CYB-8971 ($14.00) Cyberdyne 4AN to 1/8 inch coupling
- Start by locating the 4AN fitting on the fuel rail. On my 95 SS, it was
located on the rear of the rail, on the passenger side of the intake
manifold.
- Remove the cap to the fitting. It looks very much like the cap to a
bicycle/car tire air valve.
- Surround the fitting with old rags and release any fuel pressure from
the rail, using a small screwdriver, a punch or a toothpick. You may want to
have a fire extinguisher handy at this point. Also see the Corvette
engine dress procedure for an alternate method of releasing fuel rail
pressure.
- Using a valve core remover, remove the plunger from the center of the
4AN fitting. Some bicycle air gauges have a core remover in the stem. You
should be able to find one at a bike shop or a department store.
- Screw the Cyberdyne sending unit, into the 4AN to 1/8 adapter. Screw it
very tight, to avoid any leaks. If you want to seal the threads, use a very
small amount of liquid Teflon. Do not use tape, as it could break up and
result in a clogged injector.
- Screw the gauge/adapter assembly into the 4AN fitting on the fuel rail.
- Have a friend turn the key to the run position, while you are closely
watching the connections. If you are sure there aren't any leaks, you are
ready to run the wires to the interior of the car.
- Behind the drivers side wheel well, towards the bottom is a rubber plug.
I was able to press a sharpened coat hanger through this plug, with my wire
on the end. Not very precise, but appears to have sealed. I did not remove
the plug and pass the wire through, because I was not sure that I would be
able to reach down into the space far enough and place it back into it's
hole. See the tachometer
installation for more information on the location of this plug.
- Once the wire is passed into the engine compartment, you need only hook
up the wires on the gauge to the wire from the sender, to +12, to -12 and if
you choose, to a switched supply. This permits the gauge to dim at night,
when you turn your lights on.
- I chose to install a switch and turn on the gauges only when I needed
them. This way they will not be a source of distraction at night. I got my
+12 from the cigarette lighter and installed a switch on the flat space on
the passenger side, behind the ash tray. When the ashtray is closed
(always), the switch can't be seen.
- See the tachometer
installation procedure for information on how and where to mount these
gauges in the Impala interior.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
The stock oil pressure gauge is merely an idiot light with a dial: it is
either "none" or "some". This modification will allow you to accurately
monitor the oil pressure to take corrective action before a serious problem
occurs.
Disadvantages
Making this modification will cause the needle to move outside of the
"normal" range that is defined for the stock switch. This can be minimized
with the addition of another bias resistor, though.
Parts Required
- Police / Taxi Oil Pressure Sending Unit. P/N 10201491, about $20.
- "Long" GM oil pressure switch removal tool (about $20 at NAPA) or a
Craftsman 1 1/16" deep well six point socket in 1/2" drive (about $10 at
Sears).
- Optional: 120 ohm, 2 watt resistor, about $1.
- Black tape, miscellaneous electrical connectors, and wires.
- It helps to avoid oil spillage if you park with the rear of the car
higher than the front and the engine cool.
- Unscrew the stock oil pressure switch using either the socket or the
tool. The oil pressure switch is on the top of engine, toward the back on
the drivers side. It is mounted on a small elbow. The connector attaches
from the top.
- Install the new sender and reconnect the wire. It should just plug back
in.
- You must now either bypass or modify the resistor for the switch using
one of the procedures below.
Resistor Bypass Procedure:
- The resistor is in the tan colored sending unit wire between pin A5 of
the C1 connector at the gauge cluster and pin A in the C205 connector in the
RH kickpanel. Locate it.
- If you have the Helms manuals, start by looking at the "Instrument
Cluster Electrical Diagnosis" section and study the schematic diagram on
page 8A-82-2. This is used to identify the oil pressure sender circuit you
are looking for, which is labelled circuit 31 on the schematic. You can
trace this circuit to the appropriate connectors and pins right on that
schematic.
- Page 8A-82-3 then has a picture of the C1 instrument cluster connector,
and a chart that identifies all of the wires in that connector.
- Then turn to page 8A-82-5, where it lists all of the involved
connectors, specifically the C205 harness connector. Here it indicates that
the connector is pictured on page 201-19, figure 30. Actually the book is
slightly off here, and you will actually find the picture of the connector
on page 201-18 figure 28, and 201-20 figure 30.
- The chart on page 8A-82-5 also indicates that the connector face itself
can be viewed on page 202-4, which precisely identifies the pin numbers and
locations in the connector.
- Using this information, simply remove the appropriate wire from both
connector ends, and run your own (sans resistor).
- Cut the wire at each end and splice a jumper wire between them, or make
up a new wire with the appropriate terminal pins on each end and insert them
into the stock connector just as if the factory had done it.
Resistor Modification Procedure:
- Remove the glovebox (3 screws underneath the door) and the dash panel
around it (several snap-in connectors: pull hard!).
- The wiring harness runs along the top edge of the glovebox opening
behind the hard black plastic dash support--it's held to the support with
three small gray snap-in connectors. You can see and remove these
connectors, which frees the harness. There are two in plain sight, and the
third is barely covered by the panel just to the left of the glovebox.
- Reach up and behind the dash support about where the glovebox latch is
and pull the harness out to where you can deal with it.
- Remove the electrical tape wrap along the top of the glovebox portion of
the harness between the middle two gray connectors. Remember where the gray
connectors go (I left a little tape holding them) so the harness will go
back in without any kinks or twists.
- The resistor is taped separately in what appears to be black duct tape
(sticky stuff!). When you get down to the resistor and wires, you'll see the
resistor and two tan wires crimped together and the other end of the
resistor crimped to a black/white stripe wire.
- Cut the resistor off at each end, leaving the two tan wires crimped
together and the black wire disconnected from everyting. You can remove the
resistor from the entire circuit.
- With the resistor bypassed in this configuration, the gauge will read at
around the 3/4 mark (where it normally read before) when the engine is cold,
at about the 1/2 way mark (just before the normal range) when the engine is
warm and cruising, and at about the 1/4 mark (well below the "normal" range)
when idling with a warm engine. If this is OK, then you can skip the next
step, which will bias the needle up into the normal range at all times.
- Here is the procedure for adding a new bias resistor to move the reading
up (from Steve Das):
- Tap into the tan wire (the one with the crimp) with a new wire. The
tan wire is the one from the gauge to the sender.
- Obtain a 120 ohm, 2 watt resistor from someplace like Radio Shack or
another electronics supply store. The value IS rather important. If you go
higher than 120 ohms, the gauge will read lower and of course, going lower
than 120 ohms will make the gauge read higher. Yours might be slightly
different so you might want to try it out before buttoning things up.
- Connect one end of the resistor to the new wire tapped into the tan
wire.
- The other end of the resistor goes to a source of 12 volts that is
only on when the key is in the run and start position. Make sure of this
because if you use a source that is on all the time, it will run your
battery down and you will look for the "short" forever! In my case, I used
the pink wire going to the Twilight Sentinel controller behind the right
front kick panel. The additional resistor increases the dissipation
through the sender by about 10% so I don't think that should be a problem.
- Now, the gauge reads just slightly higher than it did with the
original sender while going down the highway at 55. The idle "pressure" is
just slightly below half way up the gauge and it goes all the way to ZERO
with no oil pressure. Be advised that the resistor will get warm so make
sure it is not in a place that this could cause a problem. I put two
layers of heat shrink tubing on mine and taped it to one of the bundles
under the kick panel. The only time the resistor even gets warm is with
the engine off and the key on. In this condition, the resistor is
connected between 12 volts and the sender which is essentially at ground
potential. Thus, the resistor is handling 1.2 watts: 100 milliamperes at
12 volts. As the resistance of the sender increases, the dissipation of
the resistor goes down. At "normal" pressure, it is well under 1 watt.
With the engine cold, the pressure goes up near the top of the "normal"
range. I think you will find this totally satisfactory.
- Tape the exposed tan crimp, tape the (now disconnected) black wire, and
then re-tape that section of the harness.
- (Clarification for above steps) It is easy to get hold of the
wrong harness behind the dash pad, above the glovebox. To clarify, the
harness needed is well-hidden up above and behind the glovebox door latch.
Make sure you're working with the harness that is held in place by the small
gray plastic nibs that are visible when the trim surrounding the glovebox is
removed. There is also a plastic guide fastened above the right-hand-most
A/C outlet that supports the harness as it makes the turn at the corner of
the dash to go down to the RH kickpanel area. Your best way to get to it is
to pull the gray plastic dash off that surrounds the glove box. You will
notice the little plastic harness connector tabs/nipples coming through by
the metal glove box latch. Squeeze the tabs, push them through the other
side, reach your fingers up behind the latch (a real tight fit) and pull the
harness out to where you can work on it. It winds around and down and is
fastened in place above the headlamp control module in the RH kickpanel
area. The schematic for the SEO vs. Base wiring is on page 8A-82-2 of Book 2
of the Service Manual (Electrical Diagnosis). Also in the same book the
following diagrams are helpful:
- 8A-201-18 for the location of connector C205 and the RH kickpanel
- 8A-14-6 for a broader schematic of the S200 and G202 connections (as
you can see, snipping the black/white wire isn't as easy as it seems since
there are a myriad of those coming together at S200). The picture isn't
very good of exactly where the harness goes, but 8A-201-20 has a picture
of the I/P harness. If you look closely, there are lines showing that the
nibs taped into the harness go through the front of the instrument panel,
but it doesn't show them routed above the glovebox.
- The other harness (the wrong one) is shown on the next page,
8A-201-21, Fig. 33, running up and along the very top of the dash near the
windshield.
- Put the harness and glovebox back into place
Back to
the index...
Advantages
Allows the installation of an oil pressure sender unit without having to
either remove the stock sending unit or to fabricate as adapter to retain the
stock unit.
Disadvantages
Requires that a non-stock gauge be mounted somewhere on the dash.
Parts Required
- 1 ea. 3/8" diameter NPT 45 degree elbow
- 1 ea. 3/8" to ?? NPT adapter as required to fit your sender unit
- 18" of heat resistant sleeve (i.e. the old asbestos tubing)
- 48" of 1/2" diameter split loom
- 5/16" short handle Allen (hex) wrench
- Teflon pipe tape
- The alternate sending unit mounting location is located on the oil
cooler adapter ring, sandwiched between the engine block and the oil filter.
On the side of the adapter ring, facing the the driver's side catalytic
converter, is 3/8" screwed in plug with a 5/16" square socket.
- File two corners of the 5/16" Allen wrench down to fit the 5/16" square
socket on the plug. Don't use a long wrench as space in the area you'll be
working in is limited.
- After jacking the car up and installing jack stands, slide under the car
so you can see the oil filter. Snake your hand around to fit the modified
Allen wrench into the socket. You only need loosen the plug slightly before
you can turn it by finger. Place a small container under the filter as a
small amount of oil will dribble out. If there is not enough room to work,
you might consider dropping the driver's side catalytic converter. With the
converter out of the way, there is lots of room to work.
- Install the 45 degree elbow. Do not forget the Teflon tape. Turn the
fitting so that the open end faces up and away from the catalytic converter.
Warning: do not over-tighten! NPT threads are tapered... And too
much muscle could crack the adapter ring!
- Install the NPT adapter and your sending unit. If you removed the
catalytic converter, re-attach it and check clearances around the sender
unit.
- Make the electrical connection to the sender unit with the appropriate
sized wire. Slide the heat resistant sleeve down over the wire until it
reaches the sender unit. This sleeve is suggested due too the close
proximity of the wire and the catalytic converter: you do not want to have
to sender unit short out and have to repeat this process.
- Slide the split loom over the heat resistant tubing, but stop it short
of the catalytic converter. The rest of the loom can be used to conceal the
sender unit wire until it hits the firewall. In the area below the brake
master cylinder, you'll see other split loom running upward from the frame.
Place the new one amongst them for camouflage.
- Run the sender unit wire into the passenger compartment by passing it
through the rubber grommet next to the brake master cylinder and wire it to
your gauge. You're done!
Back to
the index...
Advantages
- Way cool mod: all visible parts are GM, looks factory.
- Keeps back seat passengers occupied on long trips, can help end
arguments on who listens to what on the radio/CD
- Lets passengers listen to the radio/CD without turning on the main head
unit and speakers.
Disadvantages
- Cost: over $500 if you choose to not sell your original factory head
unit. You can sell your stock head unit to recoup some of this cost.
- Somewhat labor intensive: count on 8-10 hours between making a wiring
harness, removing half the interior, mounting everything, and buttoning
things back up.
- Technically, requires cutting up one small piece of the interior (namely
the center armrest vinyl). This means you will have to buy another center
armrest cover if you ever undo the mod.
Parts Required:
- Rear Seat Control from Chevy Venture Minivan (GM #16239121) : ~$125
- 97 Venture Head unit (LOOKS IDENTICAL to the stock SS head unit, but is
different internally, GM #16228471 for CD) : ~$380 trade, $520 list
- Female Metripack pins to insert into the stock SS Metripack connector on
the back of the SS head unit. Obtain the female connector used in custom
stereo installs to attatch to the stock head unit, and pull two pins out of
it. Do not buy the "easily available" connector from Wal-mart or the like :
it will be the MALE end! You need a total of two female pins with leads for
the connections on the head unit.
- Approx 20 feet each of five different colors of 18 ga wire to run from
the rear seat to the head unit. Get the pages out of the Venture Service
Manual (see below) and the colors to get will be obvious (RSA In, RSA Out,
Acc Power, Dim Signal, Parking "On" Signal colors).
- Either female Metripack connector to go on the rear-seat unit, OR just
buy the individual female pin connectors for the rear-seat unit from a local
supply store, make your own "piggyback", then slide on the connectors and
seal it all up with hot glue. I took the second route, since I did not EVEN
know where to start on buying the metripack connector for the rear-seat
unit!
- Misc wire, solder, ground lugs, and zip-ties.
- You REALLY need to get the wiring diagrams for the radio out of the 97
Venture Factory Service Manual. If you can't easily get them from a local
dealer, just email Ed Runnion and he
will fax it to you. Do not attempt this mod without the wiring
diagrams!
- Remove the lower dash according to the procedure I give in the 6H6
switch installation instructions in the tech archives.
- Before you unplug your old radio, be sure to disable the security code
in it or write it down! You will have a tough time selling a radio
with a security code enabled in it if you don't know the code! Also, be sure
that no tapes or CDs are inside the radio, since the eject button doesn't
work too well once there is no power to the head unit.
- Remove the two screws holding in the radio. Pull out the radio, and
unplug the harness and antenna. Put old radio away.
- Slip two of the female connectors into Pins C2-12 and C2-13 as shown on
the 97 Venture manual pages. You will connect two of the five wires in the
"harness" running to the rear seat unit to these pins. Do not
connect your harness to these splices yet!
- Splice into the accessory power, parking lights on, and parking lights
dimmer wires on the back of the radio. You will be connecting the other
three wires of the "harness" to the rear seat onto these splices. Do
not connect your harness to these splices yet!
- Remove the Rear seat bottom cushion. This basically is done by pushing
down and pulling forward on it to disengage from the hold-in mechanism.
- Remove the rear seatback by taking out the two screws (allen head)
holding in the left and right seatbelts. Then, lift the seatback off its
hooks and out of the car.
- Remove the four plastic trim pieces holding the back of the carpet in,
then lift the carpet up to expose the floorpan underneath.
- Once you remove the rear seatback, you will have to remove the center
armrest to mount the controls in it. Do this by removing the metal rings
holding the upholstery "flap" to the rear seat (you can use zip-ties when
you reinstall) and then removing the bolts holding on the bracket.
- Keeping track of which side of the console is the top (you might put a
piece of not-too-sticky tape on it, for instance), take the console out of
the rear seatback, and put it on your bench.
- Once you have the armrest on the bench, disassemble it. Do this by
cutting the remaining metal rings (once again, you can use zip-ties on
reassembly). Then pull out the center of the armrest (it is a plastic
container!). This will make more sense once you have the armrest out of the
car!
- Figure out where you want to place your controls on the armrest (I chose
the "top front" of the armrest when it is folded down) and trace out the
shape of rear-seat controls (behind the "face") on the plastic armrest
center. Then use a dremel tool or such and cut the hole in the plastic
container. Do NOT cut a hole in the vinyl itself of the armrest yet! You
want the hole to be the minimum size possible, so that the fit will be snug.
- Drill a hole into the back of the plastic container so you can route
your wires from the control unit out of it.
- Now you need to wire up your control unit. You will be putting the
5-wire bundle that is approx 20 ft long onto the unit, as well as one wire
that is about 5 feet long (for a "clean ground" into the floorpan under the
rear seat) and 8 wires approx 5 feet long each (to intercept the speaker
wires). For this, pre-make the wires with "female pins" on them (go to the
local electronic parts store and find appropriate parts) and heat-shrink
them to prevent them shorting out, then put all the pins in there and use
good hot-glue to seal up the entire assembly. Be sure you have everything
right, as this step is not easily undoable.
- Reassemble the center armrest by putting the plastic container (now with
holes in it) back into the vinyl). Tie the vinyl back up with zip ties where
the metal rings once were.
- Cut hole with minimum cutting in the vinyl where the rear control unit
will fit. Keep doing minimal slicing, and see if the unit will go in with a
snug fit. You will feed in the wires into the console, and out the second
hole you drilled in the back of the console. Then, simply push the rear
control unit into the center console until it is flush.
- Reattatch the center armrest to the rear seatback. Once again, you will
have to use zipties where you cut the metal rings that held on the vinyl
flap.
- Put the rear seatback (with center armrest on it) back into the car, and
tighten the bolts for the seatbelts.
- The wires to splice into for the rear speakers are in the bundle running
up the RIGHT side of the floorpan. You want to run the appropriate colors
from the FRONT of the car (i.e. head unit) into pins A1-A4 of the Rear Seat
Controls, and the wires from the REAR of the car (i.e. speakers) into pins
B1-B4. Match it all to the colors/pins in the Venture manual, and you should
be fine.
- Run the ground wire to the floorpan under the left rear seat, and
attatch it there with a screw and crimp-on lug. You may want to sand off the
paint there first, so that you are 100% sure that it is a good clean ground.
- Run the five-wire bundle to the front of the car by running it up the
"channel" along the left floorboard where the wiring for the taillights etc
is already running. You will see this when you have the rear seat out. You
may have to remove the trim along the left doors in order the reach under
the carpet and run the wires.
- Reinstall the rear carpet, seatbottom, and trim. You are done back there
hopefully.
- Your wiring bundle to the front should be coming out from under the
carpet up near the parking brake pedal. Run it up into the wiring under the
dash, and over across to the radio. If you shove it up there good and
attatch it to existing bundles with zip ties, you should have no problems
with it coming loose later.
- Attatch the five wires of the bundle to the appropriate pins or splices
on the back of the radio harness. It helps here if you've done the color
coding correctly!
- Plug new Venture head unit in, and put it into the dash (two screws on
front). Don't forget to plug in the antenna as well.
- The Moment Of Truth (tm). Turn on the radio, and tune it to a good
station. Put in a CD/tape. Now, have a helper activate the rear unit by
hitting the "PWR" button. The amber light on the rear unit should light up,
and the rear speakers should turn OFF. Now, the rear-seat passenger should
be able to listen to the "other" source in the head unit AT THE SAME TIME as
the front seat passenger is listening to the primary source. Also, the rear
seat passenger should be able to listen to anything in the head unit IF the
main unit is turned off. Note that the rear-seat unit can ALSO listen to the
same source as the head unit (i.e. a CD) but in this case the controls to
change that track/station on the rear unit are over-ridden by the controls
on the head unit (i.e. the parent is always in control of what comes out of
the speakers).
- Assuming you are real excited because everything works now,
reinstall the lower dashboard and enjoy your cool new "Ultimate Roadtrip
Mod".
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the index...
Advantages
The switch panel allows you to incorporate additional features into the
Impala using a GM parts bin switch that comes from the Caprice station wagon.
This switch fits right in to the dash of the Impala in to the "hole" to the
left of the steering wheel. Suggested accessories includes an additional
PASS-Key security feature and a handy antenna delete switch.
Disadvantages
Requires you to give up the change holder on the left of the dash. Not a
big disadvantage as the coin holder really doesn't hold much to start with.
Parts Required:
- Chevrolet Wagon accessory switch panel (p/n 10203772)
- Various lengths of wire and crimp-on connectors. Butt connectors work
fine, and you can use the piggyback splices if you want.
- Electrical male/female type connectors or (OPTIONAL: soldering iron and
solder and some shrink tubing for wiring to the panel.....NOTE: The pigtail
for the reat of this switch panel may be difficult to obtain as it is
discontiued and GM has no more)
- Remove the knee protector plate along with the five or six screws that
hold on the left portion of the dash under-fascia. There is no need to
actually remove the whole fascia. There is just enough room to work in
there. There is a screw behind the fuse panel, one at the bottom left of the
dash, two at the top of the dash gauge bezel which allow the bezel to be
removed, one screw behind the gauge bezel (to the left), and one more screw
that hold bottom of the headlight control knob/dial panel.
- The headlight control panel assembly is held into place with one screw
at the bottom and then two plastic tabs that snap into the dash frame.
Gently pull it out being careful not to break the tabs. The piece shoud
include the headlight control knob/dials (held in by three easily
distunguishable connector plugs) and the "hole" cup which easily snaps into
place. Remove the "hole" and you'll see how easy the wagon switch panel
snaps into place.
- For VATS/Pass-Key mods, use the lower switch (momentary contact switch)
The VATS/Pass-Key controller module and relay are located (mounted) on a
black plate tucked WAAAAY up underneath the dash. You will have to remove
one screw and then slide the unit (plate) out.
- Unhook the relay (small black) from the unit and the disconnect the
relay from the wiring connector. The car should not start now.
- There are four wires on that connector:
- larger diameter red = hot
- larger diameter yellow = ?
- smaller diameter yellow with black stripe = ?
- smaller diameter plain yellow = THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT!
Mitch Posner suggested using the dark blue wire that
controls the fuel-enable signal to the PCM and cuts the fuel pump switch
seven seconds after starting up the car if the circuit is open. This causes
the car to shut off no matter what after that time. However, while the
switch is closed, the car functions normally. Therefore, the car will ALWAYS
start whether the circuit is open or closed. This is an advantage, because
one who forgets to push the switch to start the car won't inadvertently keep
cranking the engine. If a valet function is desired, use ONLY an on/off
style (not momentary contact) switch for the fuel cut-off. If a momentary
contact switch only is desired for the fuel cut-off, an on/off switch must
be used in conjunction with it to override the circuit to create a valet
function. Incidentally, using a fuel cut-off switch is a viable alternative
to the starter cut-off, since that can be overridden by jumping the
connector at the source, the starter itself. The fuel switch cannot be
overridden by an alternate means as such.
- That yellow wire goes hot while the key is turned and held in the START
position when you are starting your car. You must cut that wire and wire in
a simple momentary contact switch, such as the bottom switch of the wagon
accessory switch panel.
- This momentary contact switch is governed by the smaller of the two
connector ports on the rear of the panel. The smaller port has four pins on
it. The two nearest the middle of the port are for the switch (doesn't
matter which you hook it to because it's only an open circuit completer).
The other two pins are for the backlight illumination on the switch panel.
The larger of the port has 7 pins. The 2nd and 3rd pins from end that are
note wide pins are the pins that are used by the on/off mode of the rear
wiper/washer switch. Again, it doesn't matter what pins you hook it up to.
- For the antenna kill mod, use the upper switch's left half of the
switch. The correct wire on the antenna relay (located at the top corner of
the "convenience center" under the dash against the firewall...you will have
to remove it for easier working) is the SMALLER diameter green wire. Cut
that wire and wire and wire in the switch. This will force the antenna to
the down position when depressed.
- To correctly hook up the backlight illumination, you must connect it to
the dimmer switch. The center connector (for the headlight control
knob...not the twilight sentinel or the dimmer) has a brown wire. That is
the wire that goes hot when the lights are on. Use that one and any ground
to hook to the panel.
- Double check that the twilight sentinel will also activate the panel
backlight.
The following procedure for mounting the 6H6 and relocating
the cigarette lighter was contributed by Ed Runnion:
Parts Required:
- 6H6 Switch Panel, PN 10225158, about $25.
- Various lengths of wire and crimp-on connectors.
- First you must remove the dash. Start by opening the glovebox, ashtray,
and drivers door, and remove the fuse panel cover.
- Remove the four screws holding in the ashtray. Pull it out, and unplug
the light.
- Remove the black bezel around the speedo cluster. It is two screws
pointed up, then pull it out to disengage it from the "prongs" holding it to
the grey plastic below.
- Remove the following screws :
- One on the left side beneath the bezel removed in step 3.
- Similar screw in the "fuse panel" that is screwed into the side of the
air vent
- Total of 4 screws along the bottom of the dash pointed straight up.
- One screw pointed straight up that is inside the "ashtray area"
basically below the ride side of the radio.
- Optional: if it makes you feel better, remove the two screws from the
"kick panel" below the column and remove the panel.
- Now just YANK on the panel, it should come loose from the prongs holding
it in and practically fall in your lap! Installation is the reverse of
removal.
- Now, to remove the lighter, there are a total of 3 prongs on the front
perimeter of the lighter to be pressed in, then the ligher assembly
basically pulls out. These prongs are in the same location as on your new
switch that mounts there for reference. Pull the lighter out, and unplug it.
Then unscrew the lighter from the "bezel" it is mounted in by turning the
"outside" of the part of the lighter behind the bezel.
- To remount it inside the ashtray, drill a hole basically the diameter of
the SMALLER part of the lighter on the "vertical" face inside the ashtray
recess below where the current lighter is located. Use a file or gentle
"drillbit persuasion" to make the hole big enough if necessary. Then screw
together the lighter assembly around this hole (i.e. slide the inner part of
the sleeve thru the front of the dash panel, then screw on the outer sleeve
from the back). Reroute your lighter hook-up to down below where it can be
plugged in right before you remount your dash. Don't forget to plug it in,
or you will be removing the dash again to plug it back.
- Once you have the lighter removed, installing the 6H6 switch is easy!
Here is a basic pinout of the switch:
Top
1 = On/Off Switch (OFF Switch)
2 = On/Off Switch (OFF Switch)
3 = N/C
4 = N/C
5 = light
6 = light
7 = Contact Switch (Trunk Switch)
8 = Contact Switch (Trunk Switch)
Bottom
Use an ohmmeter, and these pins will become obvious.
- There is a GM connector for it, but it is about $55 from the dealer!
Easier to make your own, or get lucky like I did and snag one off a junkyard
9C1.
- Wire pins 5/6 in parallel with same pins on the "Trip - E/M" switch on
the other side of the dash, and your switch will now be backlit. I then
wired pins 1/2 such that it "breaks" the dark green wire off the back of the
radio to the antenna relay. This will enable you to lower your Antenna with
a push of the "Off" switch on the 6H6 panel. I then tried to wire 7/8 such
that it goes between +12 and a 475 ohm resistance to pin C2-14 on the radio.
In theory this will give a "mute" switch on your radio using the steering
wheel interface, but I haven't got this one working yet (I believe Scott
Mueller has however...).
- To remove the symbology from the switches, try a couple light coats of
permanent black marker. The switch is white plastic painted black (the light
shows through the remaining white sections), so solvents or sandpaper won't
remove the lettering.
Back to
the index...
Advantages
Installing the tachometer allows you to monitor engine RPM, a feature that
is sorely missed by some 94-95 owners. Other gauges can be installed in '96
models to monitor oil pressure or voltage levels.
Disadvantages
You have to install a non-factory gauge in the interior of the car. It
requires some cutting of (replacable) interior pieces.
Parts Required:
- Replacement black dashboard instrument cluster bezel (P/N ???).
Optional, but good insurance. About $15.
- A 2 1/16" tachometer. A Cyberdyne unit is about $50 from JC Whitney or
Summit. It has two red digits indicating RPM and goes totally black when the
engine is off. JC Whitney also carries a 2 1/16" analog unit for $21 that
fits. It has a backlit white and green display (a little dim for some, but
it works fine). No matter what you get, make sure it is at most 2 1/16" wide
and no deeper than 3 1/2".
- 18 gauge wire and a length of black ribbed wiring conduit. About $5.
- Soldering iron or some method of splicing.
- Remove the black bezel surrounding the instrument cluster by removing
the two bolts at the top of it and pulling it back away from the dash. There
are three clips at the bottom in the back and two guide posts. Be careful
with the rubber ring that goes around the steering column as it is held on
by some flimsy plastic rivets and cannot be reattached easily.
- The tach will go in the right hand side of the black plastic in the
bezel to avoid interference with the turn signal and tilt levers and to
allow the sacrifice of one of the two clips on the right if need be (the
left has but one). If you're careful, you can keep both of them. It will
need to rest on or near the point where the smooth grey plastic ends and the
molded grey plastic for the rest of the dash begins. Using the tabs and
holes as a reference, find where the center of the tach should be if it
would rest about 1/8" above the lip and mark the spot on the back of the
bezel.
- Using a 2" hole saw and starting from the back of the bezel, cut out the
hole for the tachometer. If you screw it up, don't worry: the bezel is only
$15 and you can always try again.
- Trial fit the tach. If it doesn't fit, work around the exterior of the
hole with an Exacto knife until it does. Don't cut too much: it should fit
tightly.
- Cut an identical 2" hole out of the grey plastic behind the bezel. You
can re-insert the bezel and use it as a guide. The tach will angle downward
slightly, so take this into account.
- Again, trial fit the tachometer. You may need to cut into the two slots
for the clips. Make sure the tach fits in below the clear instrument cover
and does not bind. It'll be tight but it will fit. Keep trimming the grey
plastic until it does. Repeat ad-nauseum. You might need to cut into one of
the rectangular holes for the clips to make it fit.
- Once it fits in well, make sure the wires are routed so that they'll
dangle into the are below the instrument panel and replace the bezel.
- Remove the access panel below the steering wheel by removing the two
screws on the bottom of it. Then remove the steel plate behind it by
removing the four bolts and pulling it to the right. The wires for the tach
should be dangling down there, or at least accessible from there. Installing
a four-way connector here would be a good idea in case you ever need to
remove the tach.
- Tap in a "dimming" or "lights on" signal. The ashtray has both dimming
lead and a ground wire going to its light. The wires are also free enough to
work with. The grey wire is the dimming wire, and the black wire is the
ground.
- To get power to the tach, you might want to tap into one of the orange
wires at the bottom of the fuse box. Check the Helm's manuals for details:
you want one that is only hot during run.
- To get the actual tachometer lead hooked up, you need to route it
through the firewall using a factory, unused grommet. Look behind the LH
wheelwell. There is an oval, rubber piece there. Now remove the LH kickpanel
and look near the point where the hood latch cable exits. If you pull back
the insulation, you'll see the same grommet. Use a sharp point to poke a
hole in the plug in the firewall, and then squeeze the 18 gauge wire through
it. You might have to fish it through using a coathanger or something.
- The tachometer can take its signal from the black and white wire
(negative) terminal at the coil pack on the front of the LH cylinder head.
Alternatively, another member has plugged the lead into fourth, unused
female terminal on the coil. The both go to the same spot.
- Another good place to get a tach signal would be from the PCM connector
pin A13. All B/F-car PCMs output the tach signal on this pin. You will need
a terminal p/n 12084913 (for 20 ga. wire) to install in the PCM A connector
(the factory uses a white wire for this application).
- The wires should be inserted inside of factory ribbed conduit. You can
cut a short length and route to one of the factory conduits from the
firewall grommet, or route a new conduit all the way to the coil pack.
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Engine and Engine Dress