Put a 2001 engine in a 1998 grand prix..help!!! Wires smoking

**Djstanley** · 03-31-2012

My sons engine locked in his 1998 grand prix supercharger and I got a 2001 supercharger engine in it..had to replace the alternator due to the brackets were all different..once we got everything hooked up we put the battery in it and the wires and plugs and Ecuador unit started smoking so we unhooked battery..is there a difference in these ecu's or why the smoke? Help??? I have already dropped alot of money in this car..any ideas?

**matt5112** · 03-31-2012

wires smoking = short?

spilt fluids?

**Djstanley** · 03-31-2012

No spilt fluids.. cannot seem to locate a short anywhere...I'm floored on where to start

**Elite6** · 03-31-2012

You hooked battery up properly right? What about alt? Mixed up neg and pos?

**Swiggles** · 04-01-2012

Did you hook the starter wire to the ground by mistake?

**Djstanley** · 04-18-2012

This was a ground wire problem! fixed!!!!!!! now we have a new problem.. the cars alternator wasnt getting enough power to keep car running.. bought new alternator and still having problem.. took to someone to see what was going on.. apparently the computer ECU has a short in it and a wire is pinched underneath.. pinched wire is fixable but computer shorting out is a huge problem.. been told that in order to get new computer its expensive then you have to have it programmed to the VIN number.. any ways around this?????? or ideas????

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

Yep...find someone with a pcm and programmer.. It's very common. Heck..I'd do it for you, but I don't have any pcms on hand and won't have a chance to fetch any for over a week. Toss up a post in the wanted section. I'd call it 98 PCM with stock programming to my vin. then when someone has the ability.. toss them your vin.

**Djstanley** · 04-18-2012

@ billboost 37.....Ok so.. My Name is Heather.. I am on my husbands computer.. he is beyond frustrated with this car and I am a complete dumb dumb with cars.... my sons car is a 1998 but we put a 2001 engine in it.. did not replace the "computer" when we put the new engine in it.. so now if the computer is fried are you saying we can get a new computer and someone can just program it? and where or how do we get a new computer? we are soo broke fixing up this car ... or can we just replace a wire short and reprogram computer????

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

I hopped onto car-part.com to see what they called it. They seem to call it an "computer box engine", "Engine computer". I noticed some of them in Indiana as cheap as $10. If you didn't need to worry about emissions but wanted one that would drop in and work with the incorrect vin number you could find one from a 1998 Grand prix with the 8th digit of the vin number being a 1 by calling around.

Or you coudl buy any of those cheap ones, have it shipped to someone like myself who has a DHP tuner and have the programming and vin number properly done for your car.

**Djstanley** · 04-18-2012

They did not get a 2001 computer with the engine.. so I need to look for a 2001 computer and then someone can program it ...this doesnt sound as bad as the phone call I got this morning.. my husband called me and said car is done.. to buy a new computer the guy told us to call a dealership and get a new computer thru them so they can program it.. and thats gonna be more than the car is worth.. ok i will try to post a wanted ad.. thanks and possibly see if someone can fix a wire as below post said.. WE ARE STRESSED to the max.. over this car!!!! My husband is actually handy and so is my step son..my step son is the one who put all this together but knows nothing about the computer.. and last question from the dumb girl who sits on her butt at a desk all day for a reason.. does it matter this engine is called a supercharger? I no the old engine and new one is supercharger... I have to thank you all for responding.. I have been a freaked out mess.. my son loves this car its in awesome shape physically and he loves this car but I was afraid we were toast on this .. the dealerships tell us cant get a used one has to be new.. so.. whoa!!! thank you guys so much for all the help!!!!!

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

PS.. Relax, take a few breaths...they are in the home stretch and if you ask about things that are going on, likely someone on this forum knows where to get the parts at a much better price than most mechanics because we specialize in these cars.

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

Hi Heather,

Did they get the 2001 computer with the new engine? If so, that one can be programmed with the 1998 info of the car. Otherwise I would suggest looking at car-part.com or posting in the wanted section here. Ask for the computer and programming.

I had some extra's laying around, but have sold them. When I sold them, I sold for $50 shipped. Because it only takes about 8-10 minutes to program the computer with the correct info and vin from your 1998 car.

**MoarkatsINmuhtrailer** · 04-18-2012

you may be able to fix the wire and MAYBE it will be fixed....MAYBE

Do what bill said and make a wanted thread that states you NEED a 98 PCM programmed to your vin number. then just give them whatever dollar amount they want for the service and problem solved.

**MoarkatsINmuhtrailer** · 04-18-2012

best option^^ or go to the junkyard and pick one out to

**Djstanley** · 04-18-2012

GREAT.... thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!! while I am on here ..for obvious reasons I have another question..I know this is for grand prix but I have twins the one twin has this grand prix and the other twin has a 78 GMC 4 wheel drive.... does anyone have any idea where I can get a 400 transmissin that had a 205 transer case on it from a 78 to 85 gmc or chevy 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive??? I got one on craigs list but it went to a 203 transer case and the shaft on something was to long... I no this isnt the right forum to place this one on but you guys been a huge help and this woman wants control over these vehicles and we are struggling.. I cant afford to do a rebuild all the ones around here want 800.00 to fix!!!! augh!!!!! So now i have a broken tranny and a rebuilt nice one and still broke truck!!! any suggestions on this one or where to go?????

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

Heather...

1. You are looking for any 97-03 computer to be programmed to a 1998 with your vin OR
2. You can find a 1998 computer from a Grand prix with the 8th character of the VIN# as a 1. You could connect this computer and start the car w/o programming. The only possible issue would be if you have to go through emissions inspection the vin# would not match the car.

Depending on where you are in Indiana, you could possibly contact PRJPerformance.com or TripleEdgePerformance.com and either of those two places are extremely Grand Prix friendly. They would both know exactly what you need and what needs to be done. If you go this route..tell them BillBoost says hello.

If you have trouble locating a computer and are close enough to Indianapolis, I may be able to have one delivered to you by a buddy who lives there.

**matt5112** · 04-18-2012

98-02. 97 is 97 only, same with 03.

**BillBoost37** · 04-18-2012

Heather..

Car-Part.com is the listing for almost all junkyards. I find it to have almost everything a person or family of four can need.

and the page with the * next to it has the lowest price when you are looking at parts.