Yes $500 or so sounds bad but when your on the side of the road with a wire that went bad from a make shift harness that you cant trace or wont give the proper code lmk. I have had many customers bring cars to me because they skimp on the one thing that makes the car run. Its not like installing a bad alternator thats an easy fix. Not to mention how back yard a factory harness looks wrapped in electical tape or the extra amounts of wiring not needed seeing a Malibu is exempt from the emissions of a new car. Between cars shows and seeing them after someone has done it themselfs or bought an online ebay or such harness revamped. Theres always a problem the guy has run into not to mention if something isnt done right a fries the computer or the car itself. Like the old saying goes if your not going to do it right dont do it. If you plan on an engine swap like this you have to plan between $1500. to $3k to make it right and not a swap that intoduces a problem you will hate. Not saying you have to or will spend this much but the harness and fuel system are the two most important things in an injection swap.
I just finished the exact same swap in a 79 El camino =D> and I'm happy with the results but not the extra cost for the" donor factory wiring" and then the expense of reprogramming out uneeded crap from the computer then the expense of the "unwiring" of the original harness to extract uneeded wires etc. My advise is to get the ENGINE SWAP KIT directly from GM it comes with DBW pedal comp o2 sensors etc. If I knew how much I would spend in the long run I would have done it differantly curse_sign.gif The cost is 900-1100 but it is warrenteed by GM and from what I've heard it's plug and play with 3 wires from orig veh to operate completely. When I do my next swap I'm gonna do this. Just go to Chevy and tell them what you are doing give them all your info and they will get you what you need. Get the engine/trans trans lines all the accessories and hoses you'll be suprised how much $$$ you save already having the p/s hose ends and a/c hoses when it comes time to have hoses made. The top radiator hose is adirect fit to orig radiator/orig top hose can be used for lower hose after trimming.Trans lines can also be reshaped and used with orig radiator. :awesome: :awesome:
Yes. from what I understand it is everything needed with the exception of fuel delivery.You install the pump and it hooks into the harness and plug and play, hook up power from orig vehicle and away You go.FAST :shock:
If its the same setup as the one that comes with the engine that looks like an RamJet it bits it doesnt give you a way to check codes or give a check engine light when theres a problem. I installed one in a street rod, It gave no place to fix problems with the engine. The computer is small around 6 inchs square, For the money the Howell is cheaper and easier and can be check with any scan tool. And you use an easy to find computer seeing the yards are loaded with them and you dont have to call GM when your out in the woods broken down and have to wait to get one and still not know what happened with the engine. :x Howells is ordered for your specific car and you run one wire to the fuel pump one to the fuse box and one to key power. Done deal.I can have one installed in less than 1/2 hour I have built a Tpi car in a day fuel lines harnessed and running. I will show a picture later of a harness for TPI its clean and cheaper priced then GM and mint to work with. And you can call Howell any time you have a problem and talk to a PERSON who knows what your problem is and solve it. Not like the guy working at the counter at gm that isnt a tech and good luck talking to one at a dealer who even knows about them.
I cant see spending 4-500 for a harness when all you need is a stock one and take out the wires your not using.
Thats becuase you have never delt with an wiring issue and sitting around trying to make a new vehicle harness work 1980s wiring isnt what I want to do for days and hope it starts and doesnt fry the computer or the car. I have seen many guys that know wiring make them and have problems on start up or later down the road usually at the wrong time and theres no parts stores or a computer to be found. I can do a lot in the amount of time it takes to make a harness in my garage,That makes me more money then what the harness cost. And for the piece of mind im not going to have a problem with the car due to wiring is a plus no matter what. It would suck to have your pride and joy burn becuase you saved yourself a few hunder dollars. If this is what you want to do then would can change your mind. I have enough things going on when building a project then have to take time and pull a harness back apart to see what I missed or screwed up on. Not to mention how many wires do you think are not needed in a stock harness for a non emission vehicle. Way to much for me to waste my time dealing with wiring colors that dont match up to a Malibus harness. Im not here to convince anyone I am just saying for the B.S I wouldnt waste my time/days with a stock revamped harness.
I'm almost willing to bet they burned because of a grounded wire that wasn't on a fuse, because it was routed across a sharp metal ridge 
Bad bet because I had to fix the cars and I found were they spliced the wire melted and burned that part of the harness. After building of 20 fuel injected cars I have never had a come back. But out of those 20 5-6 of them the custom either bought a junk built home harness from someone saying they know what there doing or tried to do it themselfs to save money but only cost them more to fix what got damaged verses doing it right the first time. All cars I have had to fix the only thing the owners did right was run the wiring through the firewall with a rubber grommet around the wires or put something to insulate them from grounding out or chaffing. Like I said before my cars have a lot more and so do the customers cars into them to freak out about what a wiring harness cost. And to have a car that starts up evertime and help eliminate breakdowns or worst.
I know what you mean... I've fixed a whole bunch of hilljack things just on my '81, and that's the rustbucket
