brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

Hey everybody, I've been thinking about doing an LTx swap since I got my car thinking it was all I could afford, but now I fell into a complete 5.3L with the 4L65E and all the wiring, sensors, and even the steering column out of an '01 Chevy Silverado so now I'm going the LSx direction. The truck should be making its donation tomorrow afternoon, so I will start taking pictures and document the swap as it goes along. I will be a guinea pig and use the Trans Dapt motor mounts so I will let you guys know how that goes.

The goal for the car is to have a good, reliable daily driver and fun bracket car for the weekends. I'm planning on taking it on Pour Tour this year and possibly DragWeek. Right now I'm working 3 jobs and putting in about 60+ hours a week, but have a GM world class technician to help me through it (my dad) and a drive to get it done, so progress may be slow at first, but i'll make sure to take plenty of pictures.

PS TGO ROCKS! i'd never be able to start the swap without all the info on here.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

We all look forward to your project being completed!

Don't forget; you can sell all of your factory TPI/700R4 stuff here and on eBay to make up the difference and keep your budget in check!

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I have a friend with a 69 Chevelle convertible that is going to buy the whole motor and trans/wiring/computer for about 500 bucks. not bad when I'm getting all of my swap pieces for 700. I'm thinking about getting the headers from hawks if the budget allows. I'm also thinking about an SS hood, but I need to get the motor in and running before I make it pretty. I'm hoping to have pictures of everything the donor vehicle is giving up tomorrow. And hopefully I will be able to tear into the good ole IROC tuesday since I have the day off and dont have to work until evening.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Heck yeah!! I definitely think that the 5.3 is right at the "sweet spot" as far as performance/dollar goes - and from what I've seen around here, you scored a helluva deal (congrats)!

Definitely document it as well as you're able, you'll likely be able to cover something that's so far been left out, even if it's just showing something from a different angle, or something thirdgen-specific.

Heck - here's a hell of an idea! (If I do say so myself... ) Have your dad note little tidbits or ideas to make the process easier, or the car easier to maintain, etc... If he's got all that experience, it'd be a crime to waste the opportunity!!!

BTW, good luck w/ the swap!

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I will try to note things as much as possible. He's going to pull the donor truck apart tomorrow, I drove it tonite and it was quicker than I thought, it's going to be a TON of fun in my thirdgen thats almost 2000 pounds lighter. It's also nice having complete access to any info I'd ever need on any repairs or pinouts I will need. I'm using most all the truck parts and I have a cowl hood I'm going to throw on if I need to. I'm also going to try to make the column work with the car (may be going to a 4th gen dash as well) that way i can keep the VATS.

Brisk

iTrader: (25)

very interesting swap.. I'll be keeping tabs on your progress!

Klortho

remember, you won't be able to use the intake or accessories, you will have to swap to a regular LS1 intake and f-body (or vette) accessories in this swap. You will also have to swap to an f-body oil pan as well.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

If those oil pans are cast aluminum (like the one in my service truck) can't they be modified? How much are F-body oil pans?

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

Another LSx swap begins! GREAT move on ditching the LT1, youll never look back.
----------
F-bodies pan run anywhere between 100$ and 250$. Check ls1tech.com in the classified sections.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

For a hundred bucks, I guess I'd swap it out. For 250 I'm breaking out the tig and the cut off wheels...

fenton06

ACTUALLY...I heard the truck pan itself is ok, it just hangs down lower, but we may be wrong.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

I keep looking at my rear sump pan in the van, and it doesn't look that bad...

Does anyone know why it doesn't fit?

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

My understanding is that the truck pan is pretty similar to the F-body pan, it just hangs down lower, & with our cars' lowered ride height, there's a concern that it could scrape or hit on speed bumps. I haven't checked myself though...

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Yeah... {sardonic laugh} Good luck with that! I've had "wanted" ads up for weeks on LS1Tech, my local craigslist, & the craigslist for the nearest/next-largest city to me, & all I've gotten is one guy who promised that he had what I needed, & then PCS'd to a different city & hasn't shown up on the board for weeks...

Anyone contemplating this swap needs to KNOW that they're going to be competing for parts not just with other F-body swappers, but street-rodders, A-body guys, & seemingly anyone else who's doing an LSx swap. I'm getting frustrated enough to punch through an engine block & bite through a driveshaft...

Hopefully it'll be better where you're located...

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

You have to be fast!

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

I say, take some measurements from your car, buy a new oil pickup tube from GM (it can't be THAT much) and then cut/weld your truck pan to match.

Just my opinion, it's what I'll do when it's my turn.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

if you need lsx parts, check out my local fbody/ybody/gm truck shop and junk yard

JJ's automotive

www.lsxperformanceparts.net is the site and forums, just ask around for what you need, they will have it

5.3 is a great motor. LS1 intake on it and your good to go. my buddys 94 camaro had the 4.8 truck motor with a 224/236 cam and wetn 12.6's at 112. went 11.65 on a 150 shot i think it was. not bad for a 283!!

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Dang! Why didn't I think of that??

Actually, if you'll read my post again, it says that I've had ads up for weeks, but haven't gotten any responses (exc. for the one where I thought that I had a deal pending with the guy)... Being "fast" is certainly useful, but only if there's something to be fast in response to...

Klortho

If you aren't good at welding, and don't know how to use a tig machine to weld aluminum, you will end up more in the oil pan than you would if you just bought one.

I know this for a fact since my uncle is a welder.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

I've also done thick aluminum Cummins oil pan repairs with a mig spool for aluminum. Oil pans aren't bad; they seem to be so rigid that they don't warp much. The steel ones are the hard ones to mod. You need an old block as a jig so that you can bolt it down while you are welding it up.

I'm just offering an opinion, that's all...

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

Well, no welding for me, I found this and my problems are solved!

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P1037C121.aspx

woot woot!!!

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so after looking closer at the trans dapt mounts I decided to go with the Spohn units, having the old style motor mount would not be a good deal for me, because i'm planning on hitting this thing with some nitrous for track fun and i dont want to be ripping motor mounts. also, since i currently have a 700R-4 in the car, do I need the swap crossmember from spohn? or can I make the stock piece work?

Anyway, actual "nuts and bolts" progress is that the front clip is off of the donor vehicle, and my dad is going to bring some special hangers home from work to help make pulling the motor out a lot easier. hopefully I will have some pictures tomorrow of the motor sitting on the floor and then Wednsday get to start on pulling the engine and trans out of the IROC. I may just pony up and get most of the brackets new through GM...they may be a little pricier, but at least I know that I can get them.

Anyway, i just ordered the spohn motor mounts, and will probably just make a crossmember if the stock piece won't work. I'm really starting to get excited, The store manager at the parts store i work at will be coming back soon from training so then I will have some more time to be able to work on the ole girl.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

IIRC, a number of people have been able to modify their stock tranny x-members to work with the newer transmissions. But my memory isn't 100% on that, I'd either get confirmation from someone who's done it, or you & your dad take a good look & see what's required.

I DO know that several people have built their own x-mems from square or rectangular iron, & so far I haven't heard of a failure...

(I seem to recall that the mounting point on the new tranny is about 2", maybe 2.5" farther back, but I wouldn't swear to it...)

Klortho

If you want to keep the stock torque arm, you will have to change out the tailshaft for an f-body unit. buy a new torque arm that mounts to the floor of the car. or get the crossmember/torque arm from Spohn that the torque arm bolts to the crossmember.

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

hey guys, no real news as of yet, working 12 hour days makes me pretty tired and unmotivated by the tiime I get home. The overtime will make it easier to do some other things. O yeah, and just so you guys know, the accessory mounting brackets are VERY reasonably priced going through the dealerships, thats where i'm getting mine. Hopefully I'm going to have some motor mounts by the end of the month, the trans dapt ones are on back order but I'm going to go that way and try to use the clamshell style mounts, hopefully it works.

I'm going to be modifying the stock trans crossmember or making one I think, If the funds are there, i will buy a spohn, but thats money i would rather be putting towards an LS6 intake and a cam kit.

Klortho

If you don't get an LS1/LS6 intake, then you'll be putting money out for a cowl hood so it will clear, might wanna save up some more.

fenton06

we just got an LS1 intake as the LS6 intakes are $$$. Like he said now we are just awaiting parts....

1987earthquake

iTrader: (5)

I made my own motor mount brackets to use the old style motor mounts. I went off the s&p bracket style. Also I used the truck intake. If you go this way You will get more torque out of it. It breaths better. here are some pics of mine in the car. I got a 6" cowl hood for mine for $200 and a stock hood. Here is a couple shots of mine sitting in the car. By the way my car is an 87 too! Use the fuse box from the truck. Put it in the opposite battery tray. You will have to modify the bottom and sides of the fuse box but it looks great. not to mention there's only about 8 wires to cONnect then. you can even use all the relays starter relay and all. way better than running a lot of current inside the car. it all stays under the hood. less of A fire hazard.

89RsPower!

a 6 inch cowl? damn.. that must look huge! I think personally I'd swap to an ls1/6 intake to keep it street legal..

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

From what I hear, the truck intake really IS a good "street-type" manifold, if it wasn't so tall I suspect that a LOT of people would be using it. I could be wrong, but I think you'd probably be OK with just a 2- or 2.5-inch hood...

Anyone have any more info on this?

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

wow, that REALLY sticks up there, i'm glad i ordered that car intake, I really didnt want to have to steal the cowl hood off of my berli.

I was planning on using that truck fuse box, and i also get the headlight wiring, and will be going to the corsica style headlights. The truck fuse box looks awesome

fenton06

The truck manifold offers better low end torque...and I would probably use it if it stood a chance fitting under any decent sized cowl.

chevyowner02

iTrader: (3)

GM Parts direct has them for $162.57

1987earthquake

iTrader: (5)

It is street legal. It would probably work under 3" or so but I got a deal on this one from someone I knew. I couldn't let that pass me by.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Don't the truck oil pan & accessories mounting brackets not fit, our 3rd gens? Maybe the truck oil pan is the reason the engine has to sit so high?

1987 Earthquake...Care to run a string across your fenders, and tell us how much the intake sticks up over it?

Klortho

Truck accessories and oil pan won't fit, the pan will sit too low below the crossmember.

FYRCHKN

It would probably be worse in a 'bird, the Camaros don't slope in the front as much as our cars.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Yeah...The question is....How MUCH do we need? Would a RAI hood do the trick?

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm, I just picked up a fairly inexpensive RA-II hood (used), & I'm planning on buying an LQx engine for my swap. If no-one else does, I might just mock it up in my GTA just to see/photograph how the truck intake fits with the fenders, & then again with that hood...

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Inquiring minds wanna know how it fits a 'bird!

fenton06

Than pan fits...like you said it sits pretty low...BUT...it won't sit any lower than his air dam, and that never hits the ground as it is...

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

hey guys, the 5.3 is sitting on the floor of the shop, and my dad and I will be stripping the cruise control and all the other goodies soon as well. I'm also possibly going to make the truck gauge cluster work in my 3rd gen dash, they are about the same size and shape, so if i do that there will be a thread over in the interior forum.

I'm going to try the stock truck pan, and I'll take some pictures to see how low it really does sit, if its too low i guess an f-body pan will have to be coming my way. Looks like they're not too expensive anyway.

I ordered the trans dapt mounts yesterday, and they're slated to ship on the 17th, so hopefully I can get the motor in this thing here in the next couple weeks and let you guys know how it feels.

89RsPower!

I don't know about that, the way it sticks up in the front looks like you'd have to run something huge, it's the throttle body in the front there that looks like the biggest problem of all.. you'd need a hood that shoots up in the front there to make it work it looks like.. it is kinda hard to tell with the pic though.. if you cold measure from the fender over to the top of the tb and figure out how high the hood needs to be at the tb you might be able to figure out how much higher it would end up at the cowl somehow.. as far as legal I know 2 inch is the legal limit in NJ..
----------
was that a joke? the air dam never hitting the ground?

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

his car is still at stock height, and he doesn't seem to scrape it often, if ever, but i'm going to throw the truck pan in there and show you guys EXACTLY how it fits with my mounts and all that. if I think its too low and unsafe, i will buy a car pan.

fenton06

No, it wasn't. Our cars aren't lowered, and I NEVER scrap my air dam, and we live in podunk Iowa and drive on gravel.

Maybe you need new springs.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I never hear my air dam scrape either, and visually, there is no recent scrapes showing. But I'm careful on speed bumps, don't pull up close to curbs, etc.

So, if the truck pan it no lower, I'd be OK.

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, so there is a little snag in the financial end of things, cut down a tire on the way to work so i had to buy a pair, so that was close to 250 bucks that would've gone towards the engine swap. that's life i guess.

89RsPower!

weird, I've never owned a lowered 3rd gen either, but I've had 6 non lowered third gens and they all scraped going into some driveways.. weird.

1987earthquake

iTrader: (5)

One reason for my tb sitting as high as it is is due to the fact there's no tranny in it yet. I will see if I can get my buddy to get a string stretched across it and get the measurement for you guys. I did change my pan to a car pan. the truck pan was way to close to the ground. the k-member was like a good 2.5" above the bottom of the pan. I know it would have torn a hole in the pan. I haven't been able to work on my car for a while now since I 'm in school. I'm like 4 hours away from it. It's at my buddy's shop back home. Oh yeah don't for get you will need a car throttle cable. mine came from a 2001 TA. I got it from a guy on ls1tech.com. $20 shipped. I'm still conteplating on exactly where I want my pcm to sit tho... as of now its just sittin on the driver side wheel cover. no slack in the wiring to put it inside the fender... Any ideas. I dont want to cut each wire and extend it. May just build a cover out of aluminum plate and cover it on the fender.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Why would no tranny have anything to do with the way it sits now? If the engine is bolted down on the motor mounts, a tranny wouldn't affect the way the engine sits in the car, except for tilting forward & backward, if there is nothing under the engine, to prevent it from tilting.