Hello.
I'm going to swap my original 305 carbureted engine to a 1996 350 lt1 Corvette engine. The car is a 82 Camaro.
First of all, is this a difficult task?
Should i buy a new harness?
Will the engine fit right into my car, or do I need to do some modifications?
Is it easy to destroy the lt1 engine by messing up the harness?

Thank you for good answers.

 

You'll need the LT1 wire harness, the LT1 PCM, all the sensors, the coolant expansion tank and hoses, the remote reservoir for the power steering pump, and a custom program to eliminate the transmission I/O. The engine itself will bolt in just like your original. There may be some clearance issues with the EGR supply tube at the right rear corner. The exhausts will need to be customized. You'll need an electric fuel pump and complete fuel line set to get fuel from and back to the tank. You may need an aftermarket signal conditioner to translate the 2,000 P/M VSS signal to 4,000P/M (what the newer PCM can use). Hood clearance should be no problem. The throttle cable (and transmisson cable if you have an auto) will have to be custom.

Other than that, problems should be no worse than any other swap. Search the archives for hints.

 

EGR will clear, if you don't have emissions testing, block off the EGR. Corvettes have the reservoir on the PS pump. Get a 4L60E transmission with the motor or buy one seperate if you want to go with a manual T56 from an F-body. Best thing is to find an F-body engine harness since the 'vette harness is built into the bulkhead connector and you will be spending more time modifying it, the f-body harness has around 8 wires to hook up. Hedman d-port shorties made for the 3rd gen will bolt right up and with their y-pipe everything will fit like it should and be very stock looking. Fuel lines will be different since the 'vette has the fuel intake on the passenger side vs the driver side for the f-body, may want to look into getting an f-body rail. Throttle cable from a '91-'92 TPI engine will work (like 20 bucks from the dealer) If you are going to run a 700R4 Detent cable from a '93 will work but you have to use a '93 TB and bracket from an f-body. If you go with a later 4L60E you will have to use a Cable-X box for the speedo (around 400 bucks) or swap out the dash and dash harness for a '91-'92 Z28 so you will have an electric speedo.

 

Your first challege is to find fuel injected hardlines from a thirdgen that go all the way from the engine bay to the gas tank and lines that aren't "cut" by the gas tank. Salvage yards like to cut the lines, makes getting the gas tank out easier. Get a sending unit for a fuel-injected thirdgen too while your at the salvage yard.

I also recommend the hedman d-port shorties. Kind of wish I had them instead.

 

Thank you very much for all the answers! I'm going to use a 4L60E transmission.

But one more important question: do I need the steering column and ignition from the donor car (the Corvette)??

 

No, your original steering column will work just fine. Only thing you will want to do is send the computer off and have the VATS taken out of it. I like doing that better than using a VATS bypass module.

 

A non-corvette 4l60e has to be used, right?

 

Yes, since the F-body transmissions have the tailhousing for the torque arm. Or use a non-f-body and get an aftermarket torque arm that either mounts to the floorpan, or to the crossmember.

 

So I am in trouble when I have bought a complete drivetrain package (Corvette lt1 and Corvette 4L60E)?? I live in Norway, so I can't just go to the salvage yard....

 

Does anyone know which security system a 1996 Lt1 engine and 4L60E transmission has, and how I can bypass this when I'm going to install this package in my 82?

 

well if you cant ship it out just go to a local custom car shop that does tint and stereos and remote starts... not sure how popular vats is over there but here when you get something like a remote start... you have to bypass the vat system to work they arnt expensive like 20-35 bucks most the time and you just splice it into the system... or if it will fit you could try taking the ignition out of the vette, along with all the wiring for the vatts and see if it will all fit in there its just a added security system... wouldnt hurt anything if you could make it work...