I'm curious how much difference there is between the 98-02 f-body motors, and the newer GTO motors. I'm thinking the swap would be just as easy, but there's gotta be some differences in wiring / hydraulics / accessories. Anybody know? Wondering about this as I was set on getting an '02 LS1/t56, but the '04 GTO setups are starting to show up here and there.

I have also seen the 04 gto pakages and that is what i will probably use. My understanding is the differences are slim to none, just little stuff here and there. Mostly locations. You cant beat a 800-1k mile engine and tranny from an 04.

I would wait and see how many '05 owners wreck their Goats/'Vettes/SSRs.
LS2=better than LS1!

Interesting nobody (that I recall) has gone for an LSx crate to swap in.

Why go for the overpriced crate when a pullout with the trans, front drive acc, wiring, etc is available for the same price ?

Same type of question as why bother swapping into a 3rd gen when you could go buy a 4th gen or GTO with the engine/transmission you already want. Matter of taste & preferences (which I do understand).

One reason for a crate - it's brand new. And, you can get an LS6 crate. Amoung other reasons.

Of course, there are always guys doing outrageous things to their rides in magazines. Most of those features have more money in their paint than I have in my car. (Just getting a pullout with the trans, front drive acc, wiring, etc would do that for me as well.)

Don't want to hijack this thread, but just as the GTO was suggested as another source for LSx engines, I've been wondering why nobody has gone for the crate - and cost vs. used is certainly one reason that I assumed. GM has 4 varieties in the $5-6k range - certainly less than many have paid to have their cars converted for them. Or a new 6.0l Escalade engine for a grand less.

Mainly because of all of the extra parts needed to use the crate, and then the only benefit being that you need to break it in, or for those that have it in their head that they NEED a new engine, luckily nobody around here has jumped in that boat with the LSx swap yet.

The 05 is alrdy out with the ls2 and it has 400 hp goto tremek.com or ls1gto.com there are some nice vids.

guys....i just got some bad news, i'm hoping that its wrong, but i wont know for sure,
i just picked up a great deal on a 04 gto motor.
bad news is, my friend at the pontiac dealer tried to look up the oil pan, motor mount brackets and such so i can do the swap.... for some reason the casting numbers between the blocks is different, and the pans are extremely different...... i think i might be in some trouble.....HAS anyone used an 04 GTO motor yet for their swap?????? i'm like shaking b/c my motor is sitting in the shop looking all nice and mean, and now i might not be able to use it......parts guy is tellin me that they redesigned the block to fit the GTO......but i don't get it why?? i hope he's wrong.....

i always thought the blocks were the same, just the pan was different, having a different block wouldnt make anysense to me. Try posting or searching over on ls1tech.com, they would have a better idea. Hope everything works out for ya.

Justin

ok i took a better look at my motor today, it looks like it has multiple areas to mount motor mounts on the side of the block..
the only thing i see that might be a problem is the oil filter location. anyone got good pictures of their ls1, closeups of the side of the block? maybe some of the oil pan, and filter locations. i don't believe gm would go through all the trouble of redesigning a motor just to put it in a different car.

pic of gto pan...hopefully it shows...

looks like they reworked the oil pan to fit the gto frame...

I will try and take some pics of an ls1 tomorrow. I have a couple sitting at my work. Also I would like to state that the ls2 block has the same dementions as the ls1 ls6 etc. There are a couple differences though. Ls2 motors put the cam sensor in the timming chain cover. And if you use the intake. Witch I wouldnt recomend. It relocates the map sensor. Oh and I for got it relocates the knock sensors.

They did NOT redesign the motor for the GTO LS1. Nor is the LS2 all that different, mostly being the things grover85 mentioned.

In fact, you can do like I did and get an LS2 shortblock and put an LS1 heads, intake, fuel rails, oil pan, PCM, wiring harness, and all the LS1 accessories on it.

You can also use the LS1 knock sensors in the LS2 KS locations with a little custom-fitting, or there are proven alternatives for mounting them in other places on the block.

But fear not - an LS1 is an LS1 is an LS1, except for the accessories, and the LS2 is only superficially different as far as fitment issues are concerned.

see this is what happened....
i told my buddy that still works at the pontiac dealer i used to work for to get the parts guy to look up the parts i needed. looks like he told the parts guy what i was doin, and the parts guy afraid that i might return the parts if they didn't work said that they wouldn't work..... what morons, they almost gave me a heart attack when he told me..... whatever they lost my buisness and the other pontiac dealer got it. i'm tellin you, when u need something done right you have to do it yourself. i got the parts on monday, everything checked out ok, so all i'm waiting for now is my k member and trans crossmember.

That is a front sump oil pan and it won't work in a 3rd gen due to crossmember interference. Try to get a full size truck (4.8, 5.3, 6.0L engines) oil pan and pick-up tube, which has a deep rear sump. You'll need the windage tray and dipstick/tube that goes with the truck pan also.

You can't just use a F-body LS1 pan?

Do not use a truck oil pan it will hang to low on a 3rd gen, use the f-body oil pan.

i already picked up the older f body ls1 pan and pickup, so i'm ready to go,
the only thing i ordered my ls1 k member and trans crossmember from thirdgenresource.com and it's been 3 weeks, and i still have no word on whether its been shipped or not. supposedly its drop shipped from the manufacturer, their supposed to give me a call back with status, but they were also supposed to call me 2 previous times and didn't, i'm probably nuts b/c its only been 3 weeks, but they already took my money so, hey i'm allowed to be right?

absolutely man blkdth87. I don't use JC whitney anymore because of how long it took to get ANY update on my order. All they are is a middle-man and i don't like em. i bought a new grant wheel from them and they didn't send me an adaptor plate. so I say go Monkey-**** on em till they answer you.