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LTX and LSXPutting LT1s, LS1s, and their variants into Third Gens is becoming more popular. This board is for those who are doing and have done the swaps so they can discuss all of their technical aspects including repairs, swap info, and performance upgrades.
I picked up my first 3rd gen f body in June of this year. After driving it for a while i decided that the tired 305/700r4 wasn't going to do the trick. This is my first project this big. I decided on the LT1. Im using a 95 LT1/Harness/PCM. I also decided I wanted a standard transmission. I wasn't able to find a t56 locally that wasnt crazy expensive so i ended up buying a full 90 firebird for the trans swap and a few other parts I needed.
Planned Mods;
58MM Throttle Body
Ported intake/heads/valve job
Comp CC503 Cam
Lunati dual valve springs
Comp NSA 1.6 Roller tip rockers
Trick Flow guide plates
Hedman shorties and y pipe, cat delete and 3 inch magnaflow cat back
EGR/AIR system delete
3.23 posi/disc brake rear end (from a 4th gen)
I had the bottom end rebuilt at a local machine shop. I had another shop do the porting and valve job on a set of aluminium heads i bought. I'm expecting to pick up the heads this week and finishing the engine assembly.
Nice Firebird. I had an 89 Iroc once, and I like that year model.
Reasonably priced T56 transmissions are indeed hard to find. I eventually spotted one on Craigslist, but it was in Oklahoma (I live in Texas). So, I did a road trip and bought it. A little while later, I learned that LT and LS T56’s are different. Whoops! I took it to Texas Drivetrain Performance for upgrades and the LS style conversion. A long road but worth it.
thats an unfortunate lesson to learn but at least it can be fixed. I still have my eyes open for the T-56. If I can find one for the right price within 12-14 hours driving distance ill jump on it. Unfortunately the only ones that turned up so far were 3500+ just for the transmission, then I would still have to find the rest of the parts for the swap and do the ls to lt conversion.
I considered the T5 option. It’s a controversial subject as some are convinced that the T5 are too fragile. T5’s are cheap, and a company called G-force makes upgraded components and trans case. The case is what usually fails when engine power is upgraded. Most of their products are for Ford Mustangs. They do make GM versions but they don’t advertise the price. The Ford case is $300.
I did consider g-force. I'm hopeful it will last long enough to find a 6 speed. Theres lots of guys local to me running T-5 on SBC and LS swaps without issues. They all say the same thing, avoid doing 5k clutch dumps and power shifting. But, if it goes, then ill have to figure something out. I'm also keeping my 700r4, just in case I blow up the t5, that way the car doesnt have to sit for weeks!
I'm doing this exact same swap almost down to the same car. Although mine got put on hold due to buying a house. I was luckily enough to find and drive home a 95 Formula with a T56 for a good price. Right rear was smashed but it made the 30-mile trip no problem. I'll be following your build thread very closely.
I'm doing this exact same swap almost down to the same car. Although mine got put on hold due to buying a house. I was luckily enough to find and drive home a 95 Formula with a T56 for a good price. Right rear was smashed but it made the 30-mile trip no problem. I'll be following your build thread very closely.
Congratulations on the house. I just bought my first home last year.
Im still watching for the right deal on the t-56 to come along. If it does ill grab it and sell the T5. Do you have a thread for your build?
I see in your sig you have the 24 x swap. which one did you go with?
EFI Connection, at the time the only options. Its been on the car since around '09. Being a 93 it was similar to the later TPI cars but no one really wanted to mess with tuning it. The opti wasn't the issue it was finding localized tuning support.
Congratulations on the house. I just bought my first home last year.
Im still watching for the right deal on the t-56 to come along. If it does ill grab it and sell the T5. Do you have a thread for your build?
Thanks.
Unfortunately I haven't started one yet .Right now it'd be so spread out and not updated frequently with the house. I'll probably start one up when I get moving on it again .
This being my first swap I thought it would be more straight forward then the LS swap. I didn't need to find a bunch of extra parts (headers, oil pan, front accessory drive, mounts) . There's not much LS f body stuff available locally and shipping to return Canada can be killer so I would've had to buy most of the above mentioned stuff new.
Plus this gives me the ability to try my hand at tuning my own car without having to fork out 800 dollars for HP tuners.
this whole thing has been a big learning experience for me .I've never rebuilt an engine, nor have I done a swap like this. Plus I have a spare LT1I can drop in if I blow this one up haha.
You have a great looking formula and the Lt1/5 speed will make it even better.
I also went with an Lt1 because I already had the engine,pcm,wiring,and tuner cats.
I really love the Lt1,I know it has a bad reputation due to the optispark,but my ebay opti has been doing good for over two years now.
This being my first swap I thought it would be more straight forward then the LS swap. I didn't need to find a bunch of extra parts (headers, oil pan, front accessory drive, mounts) . There's not much LS f body stuff available locally and shipping to return Canada can be killer so I would've had to buy most of the above mentioned stuff new.
Plus this gives me the ability to try my hand at tuning my own car without having to fork out 800 dollars for HP tuners.
this whole thing has been a big learning experience for me .I've never rebuilt an engine, nor have I done a swap like this. Plus I have a spare LT1I can drop in if I blow this one up haha.
I agree, Being I came across all my LT1/T56 stuff for a good price I'm going that direction. Had LS been more practical price wise, probably would have went that route. I wouldn't even be able to use my LT1 T56 without converting it for about $550.
Thanks! Im a little nervous about the opti-spark, but I have several on hand. 2 AC-Delco units and an MSD so i should be able to have at least one always working!
I agree, Being I came across all my LT1/T56 stuff for a good price I'm going that direction. Had LS been more practical price wise, probably would have went that route. I wouldn't even be able to use my LT1 T56 without converting it for about $550.
You painting your engine bay?
Im not painting the whole thing. Just going to fix up the battery box area and paint it to match. I just wanted it clean to work in when i start wiring
Only a bit of progress .Got the timing cover and oil pan on .Went to check pushrod length and when I was installing my ticket arms I found out they won't work. (they were comp 1416-16 for pre 88 SBC). Now I'm waiting on some new Harland sharp 1.5 full roller rockers .
Been picking away at the engine bay getting it ready to paint, removed the brake pedal assembly and an getting ready to cut the firewall for clutch/master cylinder. Sat the intake and valve covers on just to see how it would look.
Looks like a nice build,,
In for more pics,, Are you going to use the F-body or Corvette accessories on this?
I'm going to use the f body accessories. Although I do have a full b body setup as well. Car didn't have AC so there would have been no advantage to running the Corvette accessories.
I'll have more pics sheet the weekend. Started on wiring and painting the engine bay.
I sanded and primed any spots that were rusty. Then I sanded the rest of the engine bay . Then I wiped the bay down with some thinner to get all the dust and sprayed it. I used color match spray cans from the local auto parts store
I'm no body man but I think it turned out ok.
Got the rear end out today. Need to order some new sway bar links and bushings . Also on the lookout for some after market lca's. Anyone here have any recommendations?
Haven't updated in a bit. Started on the wiring today. Still waiting on rocker arms, pushrods, fuel pump and a few odds and ends for my rear brakes. Hopefully all my parts will be in this week and next week I'll really start making progress.
Following pockets directions on making an LT1 harness. I took the original harness apart and am laying each sensor harness on individually . I'm just about done that step, then I'll add ignition power and the rest of the grounds. That'll take care of the bulk of the lt1 harness.
Got my engine harness finished up .Mocked it up on the engine stand and made some adjustments. There was lots of great info on this forum that helped. Now I have to combine it with my third gen harness and loom it. I'll wait and do that once the engine is in the car .
I had planned to put my firm tank and rear end back in this weekend but my pump install kit didn't come in. I may end up putting the engine in while I wait. I'll update again soon.
Been a while since I updated. Made progress and had a few setbacks. Ended up having to replace the oil pump. When I primed the engine the pump was very noisy and felt rough when turning the shaft. I pulled the pump off and found it full of burrs with lots of imperfections on the gears. Decided to use a known good GM pump.
Distributor and balancer installed. I ended up painting the balancer black. 4th gen rear in. Lowering springs, panhard bar and LCAs also installed Painted accessories
Been a while since I updated this thread. Lots of progress. Wiring is almost complete, just looming in the engine bay and finishing up under the dash. Engine, trans, rear end are all in and ready to go. Had to order a U joint, once that arrives ill put the drive shaft back in.
Exhaust is the next "big" hurdle. My headers are on, My y pipe has the o2 sensor bungs welded in I just need to put it on and connect it to the rest of the exhaust.
Im hoping to start the car sometime in the next week! Hole cut for shifter. Got a deal on a hurst shifter so once that arrives ill be able to put the interior back together. 4th gen coolant reservoir This is what im using for wire loom a big mess of wires. this will all be loomed and hidden under the dash.
Well I havent updated this in a while. I got the car put back together and running. Had a few bugs here and there but nothing too serious. I have been doing some street tuning, going to have it dyno tuned next week. I ended up doing a 24x conversion so I could use the newer pcm. No one locally wanted to touch it with the opti spark, plus i feel the 24x might be easier to work with down the road.
Hurst Shifter installed amazon washer fluid bottle. I didnt want the big bulky one there as eventually my intake filter will be in this area first time out of the garage under its own power. Dont mind the fan, just trying to keep it cool.
