Purple 92 SS

Im considering swapping my 92 Hardtop to a LS1 conversion car. The car was once a 3.1l Fuel Injected MPFI v6, and now is a 355 CU in Carbed.. Here's my plans so far, and I want to know the hardships / what else i'll need stuff.

Purchase 1 wrecked 00-02 LS1 Camaro Z28 or SS and then Swap the entire engine, transmission Dash, Guages, Center Console into my 92.

To do this, I plan on purchasing a SPOHN Tubular K member for LSx motors, Spohn Motor mounts, as well as a SPOHN t56 Torque Arm with tranny mount and cross member.

I know I'll need a fuel pressure regulator, but would it be easier to just use the Donor Car's Fuel tank?

Dash & wiring I have questions about. Mainly, If i were to use the entire wiring setup for the LS car, how plug and play would this be? I realize the lighting would be on a different setup and all but has this been done before?

Brake Master cylinder? is it swappable? I already have a 00 SS rear end.

AC & Heater box. I realize that I'll have to cut the firewall to make the LS car's box fit.

Cooling.. I have a be cool 4 core radiator already, and i plan on re-using it.. I dont think i'll have any issue here, however my fans were hacked by the guy who helped me do the v8 conversion origionally.. I was planning on trying to use the LS car's fan setup, if possible, thus eliminating that issue of aftermarket fans too.. as i dont htink theyve ever cooled the car properly.

My 92 is a 5 speed from the factory, and I intend to go to a 6 speed conversion, will i need to still use the 4th gen pedals? how about the 4th gen clutch master/slave assembley?


The computer in my 92 is basically non existant, vats had been bypassed already, but would i need to have the ECM reflashed if im using a direct conversion? stock wise? I realize if i mod it any i'll have to reflash.. but if i dotn mod to begin with could i just go with the factory one?

Im sure ill have more questions, but i appreciate you guys taking the time to answer questions and what not. Ive done searches, and ive read alot about alot of your builds, but I felt it necessary to post this here, so thus i am. Thanks again.

cam-

Its a better tank but you have to re work the fuel lines to make it fit. LS1 fuel tanks have the regulator built in and the pump is good to 500 rwhp and the pump is in a bucket to prevent fuel starvation etc. A better set up all around. A few things to mod to make it fit but not difficult. It does bolt right in but you have to mod the filler neck and lines and a little wiring. Speaking of wiring the LS1 fuel gauge sending unit does not work with a stock third gen gauge ( If you do swap dashes this is moot ) There are some good threads dealing with the LS1 fuel tank here. In short I would recommend the tank swap for sure

It has been done before but adds quite a bit of work. Even if you swap everything over from the LS1 donor you will still have to splice in your cars chassis electrical to work. Not incredibly difficult. I used Autometer gauges and my stock dash layout and for engine wiring there are many posts but you can see my approach here as well as a few others bits of info regarding my swap

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...ll-engine.html

Again its been done there are guys on the brake board who have done it. If you have an FX style third gen master and 1LE prop valve there is no benefit to swapping this over aside from appearance. If you have a stock prop valve I would swap it but you will have line re work to make it fit.

The fans work no doubt but hard to say how difficult/easy it will be to mount them with that rad seeing as you have mentioned its been hacked in you will have to get creative and mount them. They do work fine though. The rad you have is plenty and then some. LS1's cool very well and have smaller rads than stock third gens.

I machined the LS1 bushing out and I'm using stock third gen pedals with no issues whatsoever. This is one issue where some claim you must use LS1 pedals because the throw is different etc. The main problem with using the stock third gen pedals is getting the LS1 master to fit the pin properly. The pin size is considerably different between the two both in respect to the hole in the master and the pin on the pedals. The shaft movement specs out at 15/16" for the LS1 master according to some and others claim its 7/8". I have exactly 7/8" shaft throw and again its working fine but my bushing fits perfectly there is no slop.

I'm not sure what your getting at here but it sounds like you are concerned about the stock third gen PCM??? Mines completely out of the car you dont need it at all. You use the fourth gen PCM and for that you will need to either purchase a VATS bypass module ( I have on new I never used PM me if you want it ) or get the VATS tuned out. Aside from that any performance mods you make will also require a tune.

Good luck

TPI TERR

iTrader: (9)

Check out these links from current members, tons of info and pics to give you a better idea.

http://www.mifbody.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=6202

http://www.ms-fbodies.com/jade_ta.htm


I just did the tank and followed this

green92

Hey purple, check out Hawks i know your in lex sc and they are in easley sc but this is what they are pretty much experts in they have done numerous swaps. I was up there the other day and man its awesome the parts and knowledge they have i was very imopressed im glad that there is somone so close to where i live that is dedicated to our cars.

ecetim

If you want to run long tube headers (like the only ones designed for this swap, the Hawk's/Stainless Works LT's), I'd recommend getting the Skulte LT T-56 conversion crossmember, not the Spohn one. From what I've read, it allows for the LT's to fit properly and with better ground clearance overall.

Any reason you're getting the Spohn k-member? Seems like a low bang for the buck investment to me...

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

If it were me...again...Ide probably just use my stock k-member. Only have to notch it to clear the a/c which is no big deal at all in the grand scheme of things.

Like others said... I would go with the plastic 4th gen tank. You wont need the extra regulator cluttering up the engine bay. Only have to cut the rubber filler neck a bit. The lines are pretty easy to modify from the 4th gen car, or you can just run your own lines.

If you want to use as much wiring as you can, and you want it to be plug and play, you can probably use almost all of the wiring. Since you have a camaro things like the headlights are simple to hook up. Birds have the pop-up module. But some have used the entire body harness and all. Making it pretty much 90-100% plug and play. It will be alot of work, but in the end you'll have new wire everywhere, and everything will work as it did in the 4th gen.

Brake master cylinder bolts in except for the lines/fittings. As for the HVAC box, I dont know of anyone that used the 4th gen box. Its TOTALLY difference. It would probably take more work than its worth to make it fit. I modified my stock box to accept the 4th gen evap coil. It was a lot of work, but its really clean, and works great. My stock controls work perfect and I didnt have to do anything under the dash.

If you are using the LS1 harness, your stock fan wiring is obsolete. So the hack job goes bye byes. My advise here, use the 4th gen radiator/fan setup. Couple reasons. The rad works plenty good. It has the right hook ups for the coolant vent tubes, and makes it possible to use the 4th gen coolant hoses. Plus the LS1 fans will mount right to it, so thats taken care of. Then the fans are controled via the engine harness...so all the fan wiring, assuming you use the wiring harness and fuse boxes from the 4th gen are all ready to go. Relays and all.

Just to do the LS1 swap into the car, you will need to disable VATS. UNLESS you figured out how to make the body control module from the 4th gen work, and you used the 4th gen steering column and all that. Some other things you might need to delete are the A.I.R., EGR, and rear o2 functions.


J.

cam-

Dont swap in the fourth gen rad. Yeu already have a far superior BE COOL rad that can easily have a fitting tigged on for cheap for the steam tube if need be. Mounting a fan/s is not all that difficult and you will have cooling galore. As for stock fan wiring harness being obsolete? All I had to do was run the trigger wire from the LS1 PCM to my stock third gen fan relay and left ALL the stock third gen fan wiring and plugs in place and it works like a charm. A lot easier to run one wire splice that to fit new fans and a rad and then still have to wire them up.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Arrrrrrggggggghh! I've had thoughts of an LSx swap in the back of my head for a little while now, & this could be a deal-breaker for me, as I strongly want to retain VATS. Is there any way to do that, short of what's described above???

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

I dont know enough about either the 4th or 3rd gen system to help out much more than that... If the 3rd gen system uses the ECM at all, then maybe it would be easier to just make the 4th gen stuff work. So you dont need to keep the ECM around. If the 3rd gen system doesnt use the ECM at all, you can just retain or retrofit the stock 3rd gen system into your car. The 4th gen system uses the BCM and PCM to perform its job.


J.

MrDude_1

dont worry.
the VATS module is 100% independent of any engine controls.

with no PCM or ECM, the starter kill still works.


hook the ONE VATS signal wire to the LS1s PCM, and poof... you have a working VATS system again.


people mostly remove it because they dont take the time to learn about it.. more people would keep it if they realise how simple it is.... my LS1 car still has it.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Very cool, & much appreciated.

Doesn't the VATS module require a +12v & a ground also, or not??

Thanks again MrDude_1...