Swapping a 1988 engine into a 1990 wagon RT4WD

WagoneerWagoneer Band Wagon
in Engine & Drivetrain
What parts are the 1988 engines missing that the 1990's have? I have two extra wires and I know that they go to something. I swapped an 88' RT4WD engine with PGF-I intake into my 1990 RT4WD shell and found that the drivers side harness's are different. because of this I'm repining the 88' engine harness into a 90' one. The only problem is that the 88' engine harness only has 6 wires and the 90' has 8 wires. The two extra are black/yellow and blue. Can anyone tell me what these wires are for and if I need to run them?

Comments

  • SikocivicSikocivic Wagonist
    You are going to be WAY better off if you just look around and buy the correct harness for your car. If you start cutting wires or repinning stuff to try and "make it work" you will just be setting yourself up for future problems. It makes no difference what motor you swap into the car you ALWAYS want to keep the original motor harness. You should be able to buy a 90 MPFI harness for less than $100 and you can sell the other harness to get most of your money back.
  • 91_wago91_wago Wagonist
    ya you need the stock harness for the car. or any 89-91 harness that matches you model car. 88s have different engine harnesses. where are the two extra wires at on the harness?
  • evol911evol911 familEE
    FITV valve probably
  • 88jdmcivic88jdmcivic Band Wagon
    Wagoneer wrote:
    What parts are the 1988 engines missing that the 1990's have? I have two extra wires and I know that they go to something. I swapped an 88' RT4WD engine with PGF-I intake into my 1990 RT4WD shell and found that the drivers side harness's are different. because of this I'm repining the 88' engine harness into a 90' one. The only problem is that the 88' engine harness only has 6 wires and the 90' has 8 wires. The two extra are black/yellow and blue. Can anyone tell me what these wires are for and if I need to run them?


    if your civic is the 6speed then you can get the engine harness off the hatch or crx si 89-91 and should be plug n play.
  • WagoneerWagoneer Band Wagon
    it is a six speed.
  • WagoneerWagoneer Band Wagon
    Hey guys this post has been up for a bit and I still have not really had my question answered. I could really use your help in my time of need. The space where I am working on this car has a deadline which is fast approaching. So can someone please tell me what different parts are on the 1990 engine that I need two extra wires for on the drivers side harness, which the 1988 does not have. I can not get another harness, they are tough to find around here, therefore I am going to splice a 1990 8 wire plug into the 1988 6 wire harness then run the extra two wires and buy the parts that they go to. ?????
  • peekoopeekoo New Wagonist
    why didnt you just reuse your 1990 harness? the engines are no different from each other so you should have been able to use your 1990 harness.
  • JakerJaker familEE
    His harness went with the motor he traded in to the wreckers to get his new motor.
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