Yup...I turned the key and about 5 seconds later...it started
I have a few issues to deal with but hopefully soon enough, I'll get to take it for a 'test drive' WOOHOO!!!!!

 

I'm jealous.. weather has still prevented me from putting mine in... perhaps in the next 3-4 days..

Have fun!

 

Actually, I wasn't expecting to try and start it so soon, but parts came in earlier than expected. I have a leak which I half expected at the rear fuel lines from the tank. Since the car was originally a 4bbl car, the oem lines had hose over them with clamps and flowed less fuel pressure. Now, because of the higher pressure(I'm guessing), they leak at both the fuel supply and return. Also, I couldn't find the VSS on the t56 last night...I was way tired and couldn't find a plug on the trans that resembled the connector I had. The most shocking thing about starting it up was how it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be with the open headers. Good luck J.

 

I have a quetion for you.. when you lifted in the LT1 did you put in the motor and tranny separately or all together? There is a debate in my camp right now as to which is the least PITA to do.. we have a cherry picker, load leveler, jackstands.. no access to a lift..

thanks any info is great..

 

I put the motor in first. Then bolted the bell housing to the block and finally the trans. I really don't think they'd go in as a unit unless you could leave the front of the car on the ground and lift the rear way up and then put it in on a major angle. I used TPIS's Happy Hooker for the motor and it worked great. I alo put in a t56 at the same time. By the way, for those of you in need of an ECM for the motor, you can use one from a 9c1 Caprice and then don't have to deal with the VATS issue. The junk yard I got mine from had literally a dozen of them sitting around and I only paid $30.

 

actually the first time we put my engine in was with the transmission attached. Looking back it would have been alot easier to raise the rear of the car, but we already had the nose off the ground so we left it. It made life alot easier to use a forklift to lift the engine with a come-along to angle the tail down. Slid right in with no problems. But we figured out real quick that was the pain-in-the-a** way to do it, now we drop the engine straight in and then bolt the bell housing then transmission up like Trans Am #5 said.

 

does the painless kit come with decent instructions?

I am currently installing a 94 vette LT1 in an 89 v6 firebird (looks just like yours, black and silver, but with different wheels and v6 hood) and I haven't decided if I should get the painless kit or try and wire it up with the stock harnesses. what would you recommend?

 

Yes, the instructions are very easy to follow for the Painless harness. If there is anything you don't understand, they have toll-free tech line to help. The only thing I should have done in regards to that is get the longer one because I ran everything in the original place the car had the harness going to, which is in the passenger side fender over into the passenger side of the dash. It's going to be a slightly tight fit, but it will work. The stock harness is another option. It would require you to sit down with both harnesses out of the car and manuals to both the car you have and the one specific to the engine. If I do it again, I'll probably try and figure the wires out by splicing the two together. Although the Painless kit did make things very easy. Basically, what you'll need from your original harness is the charging, cranking & gauge stuff if you go the Painless route. I still have some wires to move out of the way of the way of the headers and need to put the rear end in prior to taking it for a spin. Good luck.