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Welcome to the TECH PAGE. This is where you can get updated information on tech articles that resulted from the MODS that were performed with the cars that are featured on this site.

Posted 4/12/03 Tech article #1:
My conversion from analog to digital dash in my 1989 Formula 350.

---The way most people do the swap to digital is to remove the entire analog dash system entirely from the car. This is to include disconnecting the mod block from the firewall(this is where all the wires go from the inside to the eng bay area).
---Make sure all wiring thats disconnected is marked so you know where they connect to. You have to have both Helms shop manuals for a 87/88(digital/analog) and an 89 Firebird(analog)for this project. The wiring diagrams in these are very valuable to do the swap. Do wiring configuration or cross referencing on paper or copies of the schematics before anything is physically done(VERY IMPORTANT).
---Next install the entire digital dash system in place of where the analog used to be. Connect all of the wiring. The wiring will be slightly different due to some extra circuits for the DIC, lighting etc.. The mod block, fuse block will have circuits that would have to be modified or relocated from one pinout to another. Lots of patience here. You will have to run new wiring leads to all the checkpoints where you want the sensors to operate(hatch, doors, front/rear lights, coolant, windshield washer).

---The way I did mine was that I removed my analog system and kept it. I had an entire digital dash system that I stripped of all its specific digital dash wiring/components. I even seperated the entire harness to get the specific wiring I needed. I ended up with alot of duplicate circuits that I didnt need and trashed them.
---I also didnt use the push button A/C controls that the digital dashes came with. The pushbutton control circuit needed alot of modifying of vac lines etc from an A/C system (from a digital dash car) that I didnt have on hand.
---I then cross referenced all digital circuits to the analog circuits of the same systems. Most systems in both digital and analog was identical in wiring color or pinouts in connectors. Some were different and circuits needed to be added or modified etc.. Very in depth stuff.
---This project took two months on the bench doing the converting when I had the time. Most digital dash circuits would run identical to the analog so thats when I "piggybacked" the wiring. Basically I tapped onto the analog system with my digital system for the most part. I rebundled the entire modified harness and reinstalled it onto the dash system. I marked EVERY WIRE so as to have no confusion to where one wire went to another.
---The reason of me tapping onto the analog system was to be "different" as well as creating an "dual option". If something ever happened to my digital dash and I needed to repair it or just wanted analog again, I could pull the digital cluster assembly, fish out my two analog connectors, plug in my analog cluster assembly and have it WORK. This wont work if you just swapped from the analog to digital system only.
---I reinstalled the entire dash system and checked it out to make sure everything worked. IT DID. It was so cool to see this project accomplished. It was well worth it to me.

---The most important part of this project is in the prep work(diagrams setup etc....) Be very patient and triple check your work(almost got caught on that one). Ill post pics of this project as well as more info going thru a sort of step-by-step session soon enough. Hope this helps you in one way or another. Thanks, STEVE Z