Carb to ECM questions

[MadManAndrew]

If you have any experience with ECM's please look through my questions and try to answer what you can. Any info is helpful. If you don't wanna read the preface about my project just skip to the bullets.

I have a 1980 Custom Deluxe that I'll be restoring this Summer. I plan to take the old carb'ed 350 out of it and put in a 6.6L Duramax LBZ Diesel. Problem is, I had NO idea how this ECM stuff works.

From what I've gathered, you have an ECM that controls the motor, taking inputs from a sensor on the pedal and telling the engine how fast to go, then communicating such to the TCM and getting info back such as speed, and then sending all this back to the gauges. For a simple explanation, this is correct, right? Now my questions that are left unanswered are...

• Where do I get a pedal for DBW?
• What wiring has to be done? Just from the stock engine harness to ignition? Or is there a lot more here I'm not thinking about?
• Does anybody know if a Duramax setup would be similar to an LS setup? (In terms of throttle control, computers, wiring, etc.) If so where's a good LS tutorial?

If you have any help please post. Thanks, Andrew.

[cableguy0]

Theres a ton of info in the ls section about wiring etc. The modern diesels have close to or the same amount of wiring as a gas engine. Your best bet is likely to have your engine harness reworked for simple hook up. Theres quite a few companies that will do it for you and tune the computer at the same time. You can either get the pedal out of the donor vehicle or find one in the junkyard. There is a lot of wiring involved but for the most part you only end up with a few wires that you need to hook up aside from the engine itself.

[MadManAndrew]

I'd like to get a custom harness but the ones I'm finding are $1000+ bucks and that's just rediculous. Do you know a place that sells them cheaper? I'm guessing I'm more looking about an explanation of what has to be custom wired. If I'm running the motor with the stock engine harness seperately from the actual vehicle harness, what on the two actually has to be tied together?

[cableguy0]

You will need a way to power the engine harness. You will need your grounds. You will need to power the computer etc.A lot of stuff usually needs to be eliminated from the harness. Im not at all familiar with the wiring of the duramax itself but being a modern diesel it will be very similar to a gas engine. The antitheft if equipped will need to be removed from the computer. Wait4meperformance has good prices on computer tunes and wiring harnesses. I would check with them. I havent ever seen duramax wiring advertised. Its becoming a more and more common swap but still not exactly mainstream.

[MadManAndrew]

Kay, thanks for the info. PPEDiesel advertises Duramax specefic harnesses but that's just about the only one I've found. Thanks.