Alright, found a possible engine candidate for the 84 z28. The donor is a 2010 Silverado and its all aluminum 5.3L LC9. I happen to work for a salvage yard, so I see a hell of a lot of LS type engines come through and this week's find was a short block with surprisingly little wear. No way to tell why someone bought an engine for a 2010 truck already, but based on my findings I'm led to believe it was something to do with the common 5.3 oil drinking issus or some other dod issues.

Anyway I tore down the heads and inspected the cylinder walls and valve train. Cylinder walls have no measurable ridge at the top, and factory hone marks are still visible. Only issue I saw was a hell of a lot of carbon buildup in the combustion chambers. Turns over fine, and tomorrow I will pull the oil pan off and check the mains and rod bearings.

Now, being a 2010 we all know about the DOD and electronic throttle bullshit. I have already found a cable throttle from an 01 truck, as well as a matching harness and mass air sensor. After doing research on the displacement on demand system and the various delete kits, my question would be do I NEED the delete kit, the cam, and the reflash if I use a matching harness, maf, and ecu from a 2000-2002 with this engine? I don't mind if I have DOD or not, but I want to make sure this swap will be a success either way.

Any advice or knowledge would be appreciated guys thanks

 

Unless you modify the hood, you can't use the truck intake, it sits too high to my knowledge.

 

I too have an LC9, and I bought it for my '84 Trans Am. I talked with Texas Speed and Performance, and I went with their recommendations. They were very helpful. I bought a 220r cam on a 114 LSA. It's supposed to work well on 5.3L engine, and it will also work with forced injection if I decide to add boost later. I also got a DOD delete kit and a VVT delete kit from Texas Speed.
The LC9 has a 58x reluctor. Most 58x ECM's will only work with a drive by wire throttle body. The Holley HP EFI will work with 58x and a cable throttle body. That's what I intend to use.

 

I did see a guy "make" his fit under the stock hood. Said it took some hammering but it closes. Wish I could find the link.

 

It should come with 799 or 243 heads, so you've got a nice little bonus for a core engine

Since it needs a rebuild, Id suggest finding a machine shop that can press on a 24x crank reluctor and use a LS2 timing cover/cam sprocket. That way you will have a 24x/1x engine and the older LS1 electronics can control it, so any TB and trans option is available

AFM, VVT, DOD are next to impossible to get working with a swap. Id dump all of them. LSx are very efficient runners already, so the extra stuff isnt going to help that much

 

I already got it sitting under the IROC-Z hood on my '86 Camaro, with a bit of work. Maybe not worth the hassle, but it can be done for free, especially considering the cost of even an LS1 intake manifold with fuel rails.
I am using the first-design truck intake, not the better TBSS version.