VZ commodore dilemma

[chriscoulter1980]

I have just bought a VZ commy (standard) and it has 2 cam solenoids and 2 cam sensors on both sides but one of each both sides aren't connected. SO I have found out that the engine has been replaced with a 190kw but I don't think the ecu was changed. Does anyone have any advice please???

 

[Fu Manchu]

This will do your head in.

There will also be a inlet air flow adjustment motor at the back of the intake that has no plug as well. (If they used the LY7 intake)

Effectively you can’t get this working properly unless you do a full harness swap, ecm, bcm, pim, key head change from a higher end model (like Calais or SV6) to match the motor.

Effectively it’s like swapping another motor altogether. Like a V8 swap.

The problem you bump into when changing the harness is once you get inside the car to the bcm etc, is the wiring can be different for the dash, climate control, and the gear box was a 5speed on the LY7 motors.

Leave it as it is and it won’t run at all, or very well.

Short answer, remove it. Put an LE0 motor in.

 

[chriscoulter1980]

I don't mind doing the full harness swap, ecm, bcm, pim, key head. It gives me something to achieve with cars. So are you saying that the computer wont recognise the existing gearbox or is there something more complex with sensors etc? I suppose it's possible that the gearbox was left on the ly7 motor making it easier for the exchange. Is there a way to check this?? Could I adjust the plugs for the dash, climate control etc???

 

[Fu Manchu]

If the gear box was on it wouldn’t work.
5 spd won’t work if the car thinks it’s got a 4spd.
Is this thing running?

 

[chriscoulter1980]

It's not running but I thought if the transmission was left on the 190kw sv6 motor when it was installed then all I'd need is the full harness swap, ecm, bcm, pim, key head change ... Correct???

 

[chriscoulter1980]

Oh is the bcm and pcm the same as the ecu or are they separate on the commys???

 

[Fu Manchu]

The modules mentioned are all linked and have different jobs.
Engine management, body control functions, security functions.

You need them all to be operating on the same setup, with same VIN assigned to them. The key is also an important part of that.

The pin outs on a bcm from a high end model fitting with the LY7 are different to low spec models.
Airbags is another aspect to consider. The rabbit hole will go deeper and deeper.

Just swap the motor out for what should be there.

 

[chriscoulter1980]

OMFG Fu Manchu. Why didn't they use the same airbags in the sv6? So even with different sv6 computers they still need the same VIN. What I'm getting at if I replace everything from another sv6 into the sv6 motor and gearbox in mine it wont work because of the airbags even??? It will be ok if I replace the harness from another sv6 with the correct plugs and all eh???

 

[Fu Manchu]

It’s about the number of airbags.
As long as the doner stuff has the same number of airbags, should be all good.

 

[Fu Manchu]

If you have a base model with an LE0 motor, you’ll have drivers and passenger airbags.

SV6, Calais had side impact airbags in the front seats.

So you’ll need all the harnesses to support that.

The various computers can be from a different car, but BCM really needs to be the trim level that came without SV6 or what ever you are using. They all need to have matching VIN and a key head.

Best to have a donor car to use.

Will need a 5speed auto gearbox.

SV6 etc had paddle shift on the steering wheel.