ok so i have been wanting to do an lt1 swap on my camaro.... currently i can get an lt1 out of a caprice cop car for 300 bucks.... i really dont want a show car or anything like that i just want it to have some power to back up the way the car looks... that being said i am on a budget of 2000... somethings i am unsure about are these(and yes i used the search option) 1.will the oil pan from the caprice have any clearance issues on the stock engine cradle? 2.will the automatic ecu from the caprice work with the t-56? 3.will the t-56 bolt up to the lt1 from the caprice? and yes i know i need a t56 from a 93-97 4.will replacement v8 mounts make the lt1 fit in without any modifications?(i dont want A/C) 5. about the fuel lines and Power steering lines are there adapters for them or what? 6. will my t5 clutch master work for the t56... will the lines to the clutch slave even be the same? 7. will the stock drive shaft work? and i plan on rebuilding the engine, resurface the heads..etc... will the 2,000 be enough to do all this? any help with any of you guys that have done the swap already would be greatly appreciated...

1. Shouldn't have issues.
2. Yes, it will need to be reprogrammed though. And you may need to modify your engine harness.
3. Yes. Need T56 swap parts.
4. Get polyurethane mounts for a 82-92 V8 camaro/firebird and install them in your old 82-92 mounts.
5.Contact thirdgen.org member Z 2 8 R I C E R (type the name with no spaces though). He sells both fuel lines and ps lines. Might cost a little bit but its the way to go.
6. ?????? I don't know
7. Yes.

thanks for the info... about the automatic ecu i have heard that some people leave it alone without any issues?
and did you get the fuel lines and power steering lines from z28ricer?

for number 6. you need t56 parts. i don't beleive a t5's clutch will bolt up like that. for number 4. your mounts should work fine. but like firebat said, get better polyeurethane ones. for number 1. I don't know exactly but I'm not exactly sure it will fit. as for price to rebuild the engine. it all depends on what you want. If you want AFR heads, and a .30 overbore, and a stroker crank, etc. etc. no, 2000 will not be enough. if you want to keep it pretty much stock, then for about 600 you can go on summitracing.com and get a rebuild kit that's pretty simple and has forged pistons and all the goodies. if I were you though I would try to stay pretty much stock on that since budget is a little tight. re-use the heads if they aren't warped too badly, try and get a machine shop that you know is reputable but inexpensive prices. a valve and head job is really important. make sure the block is gone through really really well. and all the little sensors and conectors tend to break on a little car, and that's what can kill budget. I'm not saying it can't be done but at 2000 be very very careful when taking things off. little plastic sensors and conectors can break really really easily because of how brittle they are from being old

yea for #6 i know all tranny components have to be t56 but what im saying is if i can use my stock clutch master cylinder and if the hydraulic lines to the clutch slave cylinder will bolt on....and another thing i am worried about is wehter the ecu from the caprice which was aoutomatic work fine once i have the t56 on...
yea i have seen the rebuild kits on summit for 600...... yea i want to do exactly what you are saying i dont want anything to crazy maybe bore .30 over since some of those kits from summit come with .30 over bore with forged pistons......and yes i also wanted to get the heads resurfaced maybe even ported.........

anyone else ..... i need some help..
i might be pulling the lt1 out next week.... i know i need to get the complete harness ..ecu.. what else should i get from the car? is there any precautions i should take when pulling the engine out.. like not damaging the harness or anything like that

Mabey the fuse block but not a "have to have"

ok thanks for the heads up.....
so what do u think will happen when i use the t56 and i still have the automatic ecu from the caprice..? will i need to get a manual ecu from a camaro as the same year as the caprice... will the original harness from the caprice work on the camaro manual ecu..... i would rather not have to buy another ecu...

sorry, didn't get on for a day or two. I've heard of people using an auto ecu with a 5 speed. but I beleive to be completely correct you must get the standard chip from a standard ecu. not sure if it's such a big thing because a friend of mine had his for a while just like that and the only problem was the engine check light was on.

yea i have heard that as well some people do auto to manual swap and they have no problems...?
but from what i understand this particular computer is called pcm .... wich i guess means it control's the whole powertrain... engine and trans....
and what i am thinking is it uses the transmission of somewhat of a load sensor and it needs to know what gear it is in for the proper air fuel ratio for that particular gear.. correct me if im wrong but thats what i think.......

if anyone has a definite answer please help...
or else i guess i will be getting a pcm from a manual car unless their is a way to fool the computer without reprogramming ....

well there is a fast idle thingy for higher gears and reverse, but as long as you're on the throtle properly you shouldn't have to worry about this. if you really don't want any problems then yeah, go out, break the bank, and buy the manual ecu and pcm

If you do pull the motor, pull the trans out first. I left mine on and getting a good angle was a huge pain.

DEFINATELY be careful with the wiring harness. I had an extra and it sold on ebay for about 200 + shipping, that'd be a huge 10% knock in your budget. So far i've made a profit of $25 from this LT1 swap (77k motor) with about 1000 to go including most little random parts and the paint, etc. for underhood detailing.

So far the best thing I have ever done in this project is making a spreadsheet on excel listing the parts I have, the parts I sold off of the parts cars ('94 caprice wagon and '94 roadmaster), and the parts I still need to acquire including PN#'s (based on intense research on here and a few other sites). Think of it as an hot-rodder-accountant's balance sheet.

When you track your expenses, you don't waste money. It's really as simple as that.

The only sensor like that is the VSS or vehicle speed sensor. Since you're using the T-56 you won't have any issues connecting it like it's supposed to be.

from what I've seen on third-gens that have the engine or transmision removed. (or both) you almost HAVE to pull the transmision out. now, I said almost. it's a PITA to do it the hard way. I haven't worked on third gens a whole lot but the couple of projects that I've helped with have definetely taught me to take the transmision down FIRST because of how long the entire assembly is.

I definately believe that. I haven't pulled the motor on my bird yet, but it was REAL tight coming out of a '94 roadmaster and that thing is a real boat.

I have pulled the trans out on my firebird for a clutch job though and it wasn't too bad other than getting it back in. Also if you have a manual car already, I found that if your top trans bolts are impossible to get off from underneath, a bunch of extensions/u-joints and a breaker bar work through the shifter hole. I actually did this with a buddy under the car holding the socket where it needed to be, took the drivers t-top off and put a piece of 4' pipe on the breaker bar to get that bolt loose.

I wouldn't try pulling them out still together on a thirdgen unless I really really needed to save time.

yeah, totaly. I've heard you can do that. but unfortunately, I haven't worked on a standard car. I'm still looking for a camaro though =( unfortunately mom still doesn't want me to have one

I pulled my 305/T5 in one go. Lots of room. Just make sure you have everything disconnected. It is pretty straight forward.

I would make the fuellines myself, very easy and all parts are readily avaliable.
PS Lines area little more tricky but can be made at any hydaulic store. Just get JIC6 fittings crimped on and use the 14 and 16mm to 6an adapters on the pump and the steering box.

I have all the part numbers if you need them.

Josh

sorry, it's probably already been answered somewhere, but could you use 93-97 fuel lines?

No stock 4th gen lines will not work as a direct fit. There is a company I will get the name for you later. I am in Canada and I can get them at my local Canadian Tire. It is the factory 5/16 and 3/8 Nylon line like the 4th gens used and I can get the proper gm quick connects for the fuel rail side and the proper adapters that thread onto the fuel line that run on the drivers frame rail. Real clean look and costs less then 20 bucks.

pm me if you need more info


Josh

are you talking about using full stainless steel lines? why don't you just make your own with 3/8 fuel line rubber?

I was referring to stock 1993-1997 F-body LT1 fuel lines, I'm not sure where you're getting stainless from.

wait so how did you do your wiring harness thats my biggest fear?

hmm, not sure what you mean.. sorry

no they will not work. they are to long and they will not attach to the third gen lines on the frame rail close to the steering box.

Fenco makes the poly line like the factory 4th gen lines and the proper ends you will need. Or you can make lines out of pushlock style hose with the proper adapters.

Feed is 3/8 and return is 5/16