Non ECS to ECS Conversion

[Hannibalzero]

I posted this on 3si, but I figured I should check to see if anyone over her is familiar with the conversion. I haven't been able to find any specifics about this process. Has anyone tried (or know someone who has tried) to install functional ECS struts on a non ECS car? Can you share your insights or point me in the right direction for more information?

[My92Stealth]

This may tickle your fancy:
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=399615
If not to buy, then to know what it takes.

[Jeff V.]

The trick is weather or not the body harness has all the necessary wiring. I'm pretty sure the harness for the front body (firewall forward) has them, but I'm not so sure about the one that goes from the firewall back, or for the dashboard.

If you have to change body harnesses, it's gonna be a LOT of work. Honestly, having owned and driven ECS equipped cars, it's not really worth that amount of work involved if all the wiring isn't already there.

[Hannibalzero]

Before changing the body harness, I would be inclined to lay my own wiring. That seems like it would be a less complicated solution.

Next time I visit my car, I am going to take a look in the trunk to see if there is a connector for the ECS computer. I don't think there are connectors in the front though.

[Hannibalzero]

[quote=""My92Stealth""]This may tickle your fancy:
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=399615
If not to buy, then to know what it takes.[/quote]

Yup. I saw that ealier. I should be good on parts, but I wouldn't mind letting someone else do the dirtywork first.

[vr4]

im in the middle of completely ripping out all my ecs wiring. so far it looks like the wiring should be there for a non-ecs car too. just how its ran and what ive found in mine. (couple unused wires going to the taillight harness for a 3000gt not used in my stealth.)

[Monochrome]

[quote=""Gatecrasher""]The trick is weather or not the body harness has all the necessary wiring. I'm pretty sure the harness for the front body (firewall forward) has them, but I'm not so sure about the one that goes from the firewall back, or for the dashboard.[/quote]

All the wiring is there. The swap is literally plug & play. At least on a 1G it is...

You need the struts, strut harnesses, control box, and dash switch. I don't think you need to add any fuses.

[Hannibalzero]

[quote=""Monochrome""]
You need the struts, strut harnesses, control box, and dash switch. I don't think you need to add any fuses.[/quote]

G sensor?

[Jeff V.]

It's under the drivers seat and tracks the vertical motion of the chassis.

The ECS system isn't just an on/off system. It's literally active suspension. It'll tweak the damping rates based on the kind of road you're driving on.

I just don't think it's fast enough or has a wide enough range of adjustment to really make a difference.

[Hans_GZP]

The passenger side front strut plug is located on the engine harness (if I remember correctly) and most non-ecs cars don't come with those (if they are non-turbo). For all of the time and money, you could just get a set of Tein's with the FLEX system LOL

[Monochrome]

[quote=""Hannibalzero""]G sensor?[/quote]

Is that shared with the ABS? So if you have ABS, shouldn't it be there?

Hans, now that you mention it, the swap I did was on a TT. I'll have to double check my parts car (94 RT non-ecs) to see if the plug is there, but I believe it is.

[Jeff V.]

No, the G-sensor is isolated to the ECS system.

The ABS wouldn't have any need to know anything about the bouncing motion of the chassis. Our ABS is so primitive it's lucky to understand the wheel speed sensors

[Monochrome]

[quote=""Gatecrasher""]No, the G-sensor is isolated to the ECS system.

The ABS wouldn't have any need to know anything about the bouncing motion of the chassis. Our ABS is so primitive it's lucky to understand the wheel speed sensors [/quote]

What? Maybe I'm on crack, but I'm pretty sure it does use it to detect if the vehicle is still lunging forward when the wheels are not moving.

*opens up manual*

[Jeff V.]

http://www.stealth316.com/images/stim/tim_02-09.gif

G-sensor description. It's not capable of detecting fore and aft movement.

[Hannibalzero]

[quote=""Monochrome""]What? Maybe I'm on crack, but I'm pretty sure it does use it to detect if the vehicle is still lunging forward when the wheels are not moving.

*opens up manual*[/quote]

Eh, I don't have ABS anyway.

[Hannibalzero]

[quote=""Hans_GZP""]For all of the time and money, you could just get a set of Tein's with the FLEX system LOL[/quote]

I agree...



...which is why I bought a Tein Flex system last summer. Now, I have a bunch of spare ECS parts I can throw in my other car. All I need to buy is a new pair of front struts and I am set.