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Author Topic: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf  (Read 9635 times)

Offline etizz

1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« on: November 20, 2015, 03:22:53 PM »
SO I'm going to just edit these so it makes more sense.  I originally had 2 of these cars Saab Sonetts, front engine front wheel drive 4 speed V4 engine pretty lightweight, was getting married, didnt have the room, sold them both



got married, had a million other projects between now and then. fast forward to after the wedding, the guy I sold the cars to had a junk one that he wasn't doing anything with, and I wanted to use the body for maybe some other chassis cuz I didn't like how rusty/ unavailable parts were with the originals anyway

so phase one, go get a saab and chop the body off.





ill fill up the rest of the posts of this thread so it makes sense, obviously the responses might not haha.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2019, 08:59:55 AM by etizz »
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline digitalsolo

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2015, 03:47:50 PM »
That's a pretty neat car and build.   Cool!
Blake MF'ing McBride
1988 Mazda RX7 - Turbo LS1/T56/ProEFI/8.8/Not Slow...   sold.
1965 Mustang Coupe - TT Coyote, TR6060, modern brakes/suspension...
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Gen V LT4/TR6060, upper/lower pullies, headers, tune.
2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Stock...ish.

Offline ilovemybike

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2015, 06:16:13 PM »
I like this! Why the LS1 ECU? Cheaper than a standalone?
86 Comanche LM7 Prerunnerish
88 RX7 LM7 T56 Ronin 8.8 IRS
84 Mercedes 300D Circle track coilovers
85 Merkur XR4Ti M50 HX35 big tires

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2015, 06:40:19 PM »
Definitely cheaper, with my experience with megasquirt the ls pcm seems to do a lot of the work for you once you get a few obvious parameters in there. Plus wirings easier, I can pick up a pcm anywhere and all the sensors , and it has all the drivability things already in there like e fan control idle air control , ls1 coil wiring that stuff was kind of a pain to add to ms2 and I won't have to do any soldering of the circuit board just repinning. also the fact that it could have a obd port if somethings wrong I can just scan it, where as a standalone you're usually in the dark as to whats going on.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2015, 10:17:08 AM by etizz »
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline freeskier7791

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2015, 07:32:06 PM »
Cool build, I've always liked the saab sonnetts, have you considered looking at other hall effect sensors to use for the crank sensor?  I do love how simple ls motors are to run
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Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2015, 08:45:20 AM »
Cool build, I've always liked the saab sonnetts, have you considered looking at other hall effect sensors to use for the crank sensor?  I do love how simple ls motors are to run

Thanks! I'm not sure I understand the question.  I already have a gm crank sensor mocked up for that reluctor wheel (no picture of that yet).

as far as a CAM sensor, however, I'm still looking into some other options.  Its funny because apparently a Ford Pinto is supposed to have the same kind of distributor as far as the oil pump drive end and cam gear etc etc, just a slightly wider diameter flat base which might work perfect since ill have a mounting base for the cam sensor without having to add anything. Although I cringed when I ordered a Ford Pinto part haha being a GM guy myself mostly.

 other things ive tried have been a modern ford cam sync distributor that way all the cam sensor to reluctor engineering would be done but I've had no luck finding one that matches the oil pump drive/ length/ shaft diameter/ and gear teeth as the old distributor. apparently combining two distributor shafts is a machine shop anomaly which I mostly understand why they cant due to the hardened steel/ tight tolerance since the distributor spins so fast, it has to be true.

heres a few pictures kind of showing whats going on.




so since combining two shafts together doesn't seem to be an option I'm going to try to change only the "top" part of the shaft via adding a reluctor wheel and cam sensor to it and then locking out the mechanical advance if I get everything else to work. so we'll see how that goes once I get that pinto distributor  :barf:

WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2015, 10:04:51 AM »
Well quick update, got my ford pinto distributor, that didn't work lol. apparently the pinto's had a 4 cylinder and a v6 , I tried the 4 cylinder for obvious reasons. BUT I finally found one that fits! and it makes my life easier I think. apparently the ford 2.8l v6 is kind of a big brother of the v4, made in the same plant apparently.  SO I called a local o reillys and had them look up a part which they had in stock.  then I took my old saab distributor with me and sure enough it matched right up.  it was off a 85 bronco ii 2.8l.

now heres the beauty to this, the broncos had a TFI distributor which already has a hall effect sensor in it. so from what I can tell the wiring is the same (like any cam sensor : pwr, grnd, 12v signal) and ive seen a scope of these things as well so I think this is going to work. now the only hurdle I have here is the reluctor wheel that came on these stock have a 6 tooth pattern for a v6.  The issue is that gm's 1x cam sensor is just like a half moon. So after some more research I ordered this

 its from a 95 jeep wrangler 4.0...lol I haven't got it in the mail yet but I believe it should work because I looked at a distributor while I was at the parts store.   this car Is so Frankenstein already but its cool how this is coming together so far. 
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline digitalsolo

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2015, 11:19:04 AM »
LMAO, when this is done, you should send this to be an ASE Master Electrical Tech test vehicle.   Break one random thing and have them try to fix it...
Blake MF'ing McBride
1988 Mazda RX7 - Turbo LS1/T56/ProEFI/8.8/Not Slow...   sold.
1965 Mustang Coupe - TT Coyote, TR6060, modern brakes/suspension...
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Gen V LT4/TR6060, upper/lower pullies, headers, tune.
2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Stock...ish.

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2015, 01:18:13 PM »
Haha yeah.  What would be even funnier is to tell them to scan this for codes , and they can...haha. of course im not sure how itll work as far as what codes that will show once I get it all together, "cylinder 2,3,5,8 misfire? but it runs fine? wtf?" lol
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline cyipher

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Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2015, 02:17:37 PM »
will the ls1 pcm work on a 4 cyl or are you just going to ignore 4 cylinders?

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2015, 05:16:41 PM »
I believe the 2.2 s10s used a 0411 pcm factory I could be wrong, but that wouldn't let me use ls1 coils anyway.  that's why im using all v8 sensors/reluctors. so ill use a 02 f body calibration and ignore every other cylinder in the firing order
« Last Edit: December 02, 2015, 05:37:46 PM by etizz »
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline SuperSlow

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2015, 05:52:34 PM »
Pretty cool man. What are you going for, a different/ fun gas saver?

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2015, 11:41:59 PM »
Sure sounds good lol. I'd like to have a drive able different car just for a weekend cruiser I guess haha. I buy cheap project cars think about those things later apparently, just ask my girlfriend lol.
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON

Offline BLKMGK

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2015, 01:22:20 AM »
Make sure that TFI module is a real Motorcraft and not a knock off if you're going to use it. The junk from China is really bad. Use good paste under it too..

Offline etizz

Re: 1973 Saab Sonett with ls1 pcm control build...wtf
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2015, 07:29:40 AM »
Make sure that TFI module is a real Motorcraft and not a knock off if you're going to use it. The junk from China is really bad. Use good paste under it too..

from what I've read I don't think that ill need the tfi module, there is 3 pins that come from the hall sensor that the tfi module converts into a different signal for the ecu.  I'm going to try it anyways without it, if not I will be sure to get a good one thanks
WEIRD SAAB THING PROJECT TUBE CHASSIS REAR ENGINE V4 LS1 PCM CONTROL DBW EFI CNP IGNITION
1992 Mazda 929, 6.0/4L80E, AR5 COMING SOON