Ok well I've had my camaro for almost 3 years now and i decided its time to switch some things up, like the whole drivetrain. I just joined the army and managed to fall into a bit of money so the ls2 was my first choice

What i need to know is just some basics on the swap, like exhaust option, wiring etc. Ill be getting the full LS2/T56/ECM/ wiring all in one package, purchasing a modified K-member from spohn, and crossmember for the t56 as well. So i have some thing figured out but a few im perplexed on..

1. Wiring. How would i go about re plugging my interior harness to match up with the LS2's? My only concerns are keeping my radio and interior lights functioning. Also am I gonna have to setup 4 o2 sensors?

2. Gauges. my cluster is gonna be swapped out for a 3 gauge setup, autometer tach, gas, and speedo. What would be the best way to make the autometer gauges interface with my new motor/tranny setup? ive got my oil pressure, voltmeter, and engine temp bolted up above my radio pod, the temp is a capilary tube setup and it just replaced the temp sensor but im not sure if i can get away with that on the LS considering its OB2, the oil ive got tapped into the block in back but i gotta find a good spot on the LS to hook it in w/o screwin anything up

3. Exhaust. I JUST finished my headers/ 3 inch exhaust before i enlisted, obviously the edelbrock airtubes are gonna have to go, i need to know what style headers people used to make this work, worst case scenario i can fab up a set but i really dont want to, the ideal situation would be to find a set of LS2 headers i can just slap on and mate up to my y-pipe, not sure if its possible but its worth a shot, heres my current setup; http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-68752/
not the exact opne but basic concept of it. Any ideas here?


ALSO! one last thing, when i swap the ls2 in do i HAVE to do a DBW setup? I have no clue how i would go about doing it or if i could just make it a cable connection like i have now? what are my options here? Anything else im missing here?

tried posting this on LS1tech....but no bites lol

 

Read the LS swap sticky, it covers most of that stuff

Exhaust matching up is highly unlikely

DBW or DBC is user preference. DBW entails adding a new throttle pedal and wiring it up in addition to the engine harness. Several builds on this forum use it with great success. Do a search

 

id prefer DBC, and as far as the exhaust goes i just read through the stickies.... greeeat deal of work ahead of me, gonna fab up the y pipe since my catback is hand fabbed anyway, gotta get a set of headers tho and go from there but i dont feel like dropping $800 on hawks set.....

ive been reading thru the stickies, my main concern like i said was the exhaust, but it looks like i get to either pay a shop or have a fun trial/error/ swearing session lol the wiring harness is gonna be sent off to a local shop to be replugged

 

My first thought was, "I hope it was a good bit of money."

"Feelings" don't have much place in the cost discussion. You need to get comfortable now with what it's going to cost to do this so you can enjoy the feeling of the LS2/T56 when it's running. Not fully counting the cost is probably the #1 cause of project failure. To say nothing about the swap taking longer than expected.

Probably the #1 regret after the project is complete is not spending what you should have to do it "right". It's rarely less expensive to do something twice.

 

Well before i read your post i pretty much came to terms with that lol i spent some time researching "drews" cross member and i went through, sketched it out for my friend whos gonna make it, did a sketch of how the exhaust will fit up on the car and boiled it down to having to go with hawks headers. Oh and yes it is a "good" bit of money lol my car will be government funded, woo hoo

For my rough idea i figured go with the headers, put 2 cats on with a set of flanges, run the pipes along the tranny on both sides, meet them behind the trans with a Y fitting, and just slightly modify my catback straight to the y fitting with a flange so if i need to work on it, the exhaust can be broken down into 3 main sections, the headers, the cats/ypipe to the y collector and then from the y collector back. ill scan my sketches and put em up for review its kinda hard to explain it lol

so far the exhaust itself has come to a tab of $945.73 plus shipping costs. Its pricey but at this point im not sacrificing anything, i was gonna use the spohn cross member but after checking my options, drews style seems the best plus, ghettocruiser made on that turned out well for him so i figure a little more fabbing wont hurt me, plus ill save my money rather than throwing it down to hack up the new part

 

Make a little more sense? feel free to give me any pointers, some of its a bit redundant, i had to draw it out and explain it to my fiancee cuz she wouldnt stop asking questions, so id go off on a tangent of what id need to do and shed be like...wait wait show me first lol not sure why unless she secretly does fab work....

EDIT** I just realized i got a little overzealous with the crossmember, after reviwing other modded crossmembers with a little sleep in me ill have to re-do the x- member drawing

 

hawks has a cross member for the t-56

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/tr...t566speed.aspx

 

wow im an idiot lol ill go with that then lol thanks for pointing that out to me lol


so how am i supposed to mount a factory torque arm to the t56? is there a mounting location?

Merry christmas to everyone

 

There are two through holes on the back of the t56. These two holes are used for the stock torque arm mount. Never had a 4th gen t56 car but the rear suspension in the 4th gens are nearly identical to the 3rd gens. If the 3rd gen 5-speed mount wont bolt up then just get one of a 4th gen t56 mounts. If you have the money there are other options for a torque arm or just relocating the torque arm mount.

 

Wow... That sucker looks kinda flimsy...

 

Looks like 1/4" plate. Plenty strong enough to hold the tailshaft still

Next time you replace your trans mount, try to move the tailshaft around by hand. Its surprisingly easy. The front motor mounts hold the majority of the weight, the trans mount keeps it lined up

 

All F-body T56's have the torque arm mount. My 88' torque arm fit the T56 mount perfectly. Make sure you get the mount with the T56, because they mount to the trans differently than a T5 or 700R4. Dean

 

the issue is the motor/tranny is bein ripped out of a GTO...hence the ls2 and all that so maybe ill have to weld an adjustable tq arm to the cross member like some of the guys at LS1Tech did

 

What they are trying to tell you is, save yourself some time and frustration.
Whoever is pulling the LS2 from the GTO see if they will pull the mount along with it. Im willing to bet it will bolt right up.

 

GTOs have no TA mount as they are IRS cars

He either needs a Fbody tailhousing, or to build a mount that attaches to the crossmember

 

Pic of a mn12 (t56) from a 2004 gto. If this tailshaft housing looks similar to an f-body t56 then you are golden. Get a 4th gen mount and your done. If the bolt hole spacing looks different then you need to go the other route.

 

ok just go with me on this i which mount? the TA mount?

and other route meaning?? the adjustable TA fabbed to the x member? I dont have an issue with fabbing if ive got to, it shouldnt be too much work

 

I meant buy one with the mount already on the crossmember or fab up your own.

 

ok so where am i gonna find a t56 cross member with a ta mount that is similar to the hawks one, the issue is i need to route exhaust past it which is why i think i may have to fab it unfortunately

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...gine-swap.html
post #49

 

hmmm now thats a thought, im gonna need SFC's anyway with the T-tops, BMR sells the "trak-pak" which is what he used but damn is it pricey, oh well im goin for the LS2 no matter what lol ill just throw it on the bill

that works out perfectly because i can just use the hawks crossmember still and avoid any issues thanks for pointing that out!