LM7 in Z28 need advice
09-29-2013, 01:18 AM
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LM7 in Z28 need advice
Hey guys I have an 87 Z28 with a 350 qjet and I'm not really happy with the power it's putting out right now. I wanted to put an LS engine but that's too expensive for me right now. My option was to put a big cam and heads on the car but it wouldn't pass smog star here in California. So I was thinking about putting an LM7 5.3L with an LS1 intake manifold and a cam would anyone be able to give me some options or advice. Cause I want to put out a good amount of power but stay legal because I don't want to get pulled over and have to take my car to get smogged and change everything back to smog controlled and take it to CHP for inspection. Can I get some pointers? Please and thank you.
09-29-2013, 09:40 AM
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Re: LM7 in Z28 need advice
The rule in CA is that if you swap in a newer engine, all its emissions features must remain intact. For the LS type motors, which include the LM7, that would include the fuel system and exhaust. Other than making sure of things like that, not too much different from anywhere else. Not sure if exchanging the manifold and cam would be allowed; I'd suggest either finding people that have already done it and see which way the referee ruled, or putting it in as-is and getting that approved first and worry about the other things later, especially the intake (they can't see the cam).
09-29-2013, 08:03 PM
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Re: LM7 in Z28 need advice
The rule in CA is that if you swap in a newer engine, all its emissions features must remain intact. For the LS type motors, which include the LM7, that would include the fuel system and exhaust. Other than making sure of things like that, not too much different from anywhere else. Not sure if exchanging the manifold and cam would be allowed; I'd suggest either finding people that have already done it and see which way the referee ruled, or putting it in as-is and getting that approved first and worry about the other things later, especially the intake (they can't see the cam).
10-12-2013, 12:15 AM
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Re: LM7 in Z28 need advice
Ramair21 has done the CA legal LS1 swap in his 3rd gen. It's really not that hard as it seems. It takes a little more effort than normal but it's all worth it in the end. You can run ported heads, and a baby cam and still pass CA emissions. I'd suggest an LS6 intake though instead of an LS1 intake. There have been the 224/224 563/563 114*LSA cams that pass smog with flying colors as does the LS6 cam which I'm running. Or even a custom grind cam will pass.
10-12-2013, 09:41 AM
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Re: LM7 in Z28 need advice
I'm not in Cali, but it seems to me the tall truck intake manifold would be far more of a red flag than swapping on the car manifold. Plus the truck manifold would require replacing the hood. And for the cost of that you can get the car manifold with rails and injectors, used, off Ebay. I'm planning to cut a hole through a stock, flat, boring, steel hood, but I'm not sure Cali allows that.
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