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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.
Very early stages of it but since I need a full rebuild anyway, I decided to take the LS plunge instead of building another SBC.
For an engine I will be looking for a lower miles LQ4 or LQ9 with cable throttle body come tax return season. Until then I will be getting the smaller necessary swap parts purchased.
So today I have bought the Spohn LS motor mounts and matching transmission mount.
Always fun, I had a 305 with a bad carb/fuel system, leaky valve seals and who knows what else. Options were a built SBC (likely a 383) but then I stumbled in to this horrendous section of the forum and ended up with an LS1.
I enjoyed building the harness, I suggest giving it a go and learning!
It really was pretty simple, it's only a handful of wires. I had pocket make me a small fuse/relay block to my specs and away I went.
I used speedhut gauges, all digital and programmable so that also simplified things for me... For the price they can't be beat for custom built gauges.
Swapping to the ls and wiring seems overwhelming at first but once you start getting into it you will see its really not hard at all.Consider the engine side standalone and doesnt need to tie into the car other than main power,ignition ..starter wire and ground.Next..was the ecu sending signal to the fuel pump relay,fan relays and you have a running ls basically.Now making things like gauges ..cruise control, ac etc..thats where time is spent.But making the motor run can be done easily.Take your time and it will come together.
I picked up a swap harness from Pocket on this website and received an excellent product that was tailored to my '92 Z28 and when I'm done should be very reliable. I decided to go with Jon's new harness rather than build a new one due to the expense of acquiring the wiring and various components to do the job. You would not go wrong with his product. I was not willing to reuse the old 25 year old wiring for reliability reasons.
In other threads you've talked about keeping your current TH700. Have you decided how you're going to operate the TV cable with the LS throttle body?
Unfortunately the bowtie overdrive kit is only designed for the early cable throttle bodies. I've found several promising ideas, one from a member on Las1tech if he responds to my pm there. Saysr he has a template I hope to get a copy of.
I also like the idea I saw of putting it on the gas pedal but I've no idea honestly how to make that work.
I picked up a swap harness from Pocket on this website and received an excellent product that was tailored to my '92 Z28 and when I'm done should be very reliable. I decided to go with Jon's new harness rather than build a new one due to the expense of acquiring the wiring and various components to do the job. You would not go wrong with his product. I was not willing to reuse the old 25 year old wiring for reliability reasons.
I have messaged pocket both here and LS1tech, just waiting for him to get back to me.
Picked up my motor yesterday. It's an LQ9 from an 04 Escalade. Looks like garbage but it spins freely with the breaker bar on the crank so that's promising!
So the Spohn transmission cross member is the wrong one but BMR sells one with a torque arm relocation bracket that I can use since the stock cross member will not.
Did you get the PCM with the engine? It appears a cable cutter was used on the harness (hate it when people do that).
You may want to convert to throttle by cable (aka DBC). Would make the TH700 TV cable much easier.
Or get an LS 4L60E.
It was hacked when they pulled it from the truck. People just cut stuff when they pulled the other accessories.
I did get an ecm. It's from an 06 1500, not the same vehicle as the engine.
As for cable vs drive by wire I have an LS6 intake with cable throttle body I plan on using. I will have to figure out geometry and how to run it under the throttle bracket because I want to keep my cruise.
I run a 99 5.3 with cable throttle body. I also run a 2004R which is TV cable operated trans, as stated their is no provision for TV trans. I welded a tab on the TB for the TV cable took 5 min. Their is an arc and geometry that needs to be considered when getting the arc right.
I run a 99 5.3 with cable throttle body. I also run a 2004R which is TV cable operated trans, as stated their is no provision for TV trans. I welded a tab on the TB for the TV cable took 5 min. Their is an arc and geometry that needs to be considered when getting the arc right.
If I stick with the 700R, I've been told by some over on LS1tech that I can use the cruise control connector on the throttle. Not sure how actually true this is. Do you have a picture of how yours is welded up? I'll just use it as a template for where to add a tab. I'd like to eventually use a cruise on it as well but may need to switch to a 4l60e for that.
You cannot use the cruise stub, totally different spot
I have seen some pictures of it. Wish there was template I could find. I could probably get something and rivet it in place (don't own a welder here and I've never been much for fabrication on my own). I would just need to find a way to mount it under the other two brackets.
Yes one of the companies makes a bolt on bracket for the LS1 TBs that allows a TV cable to be attached. It was expensive for what it was tho. Hence why I made my own. I'm sure u could fab up a cruise control mount. Not welding is a huge disadvantage tho.
Here is what I did. Drilled the bracket for more than 1 hole so I had some adjustment/fine tuning. I'm using a lokar 2004R TV cable which has its own ball stud/bolt and makes it super easy... Just need a hole to bolt the ball stud down. So far it's worked great, if anything it's alittle on the aggressive side. But I tried to get the math right with the previous posts diagrams.
Yes one of the companies makes a bolt on bracket for the LS1 TBs that allows a TV cable to be attached. It was expensive for what it was tho. Hence why I made my own. I'm sure u could fab up a cruise control mount. Not welding is a huge disadvantage tho.
Here is what I did. Drilled the bracket for more than 1 hole so I had some adjustment/fine tuning. I'm using a lokar 2004R TV cable which has its own ball stud/bolt and makes it super easy... Just need a hole to bolt the ball stud down. So far it's worked great, if anything it's alittle on the aggressive side. But I tried to get the math right with the previous posts diagrams.
that's good work there. The company is Bowtie Overdrives and yes the kit is expensive, but it's also plug and play. IT also only works on your style cable throttlebody. On the later style throttlebodies, we don't have the circular back piece.. Ours is just a half moon without that part.
Ahh didn't even realize the difference in the pics. Figure the way I did mine still applies. I believe the steel was 1/2-3/4" wide and 1/8" thick. I got the cruise box off the truck when I got the motor and I don't recall the style of hookup or if it was even cable? If so it might have hooked up to the TB already and used the stud originally there. Did the 4L60E have a cable hookup? Not like a TV but more like a throttle position so the trans electronics could provide shift points etc? Or was it all just ECM based? I gotta find that box and take a look.
Ahh didn't even realize the difference in the pics. Figure the way I did mine still applies. I believe the steel was 1/2-3/4" wide and 1/8" thick. I got the cruise box off the truck when I got the motor and I don't recall the style of hookup or if it was even cable? If so it might have hooked up to the TB already and used the stud originally there. Did the 4L60E have a cable hookup? Not like a TV but more like a throttle position so the trans electronics could provide shift points etc? Or was it all just ECM based? I gotta find that box and take a look.
The style of cruise was dependent on the type of throttle body. Your throttle body there has the cruise hook up. It's the **** on the top that sticks out to the right. Cruise cable hooks on that.
I sort of wish I would've went LS now that I'm pretty much finished with my SBC build. But as you said in another post, in this neck of the woods folk want an arm and a leg for LS motors.
Good luck with the build! I'm excited to see how it goes.
I sort of wish I would've went LS now that I'm pretty much finished with my SBC build. But as you said in another post, in this neck of the woods folk want an arm and a leg for LS motors.
Good luck with the build! I'm excited to see how it goes.
thanks I appreciate it! I have a fee more pictures to post here soon.
So it's slowly coming together I thought I had lost the thread I couldn't find it lol...guess I need to post more. Anyway, here are the measurements from the mast oil pan. The oil pan. Front sump shallow measurement Sump length front to back. Sump depth As compared to the fbody pan depth of 5.5"
Pulled the old oil pan. Everything looks really good for sitting in a junk yard for 6+ years. I do need to figure out how to clean the block for paint while leaving the heads on. I don't want to pull them if I do t have to.
Pulled the old oil pan. Everything looks really good for sitting in a junk yard for 6+ years. I do need to figure out how to clean the block for paint while leaving the heads on. I don't want to pull them if I do t have to.
As far as cleaning the block. Iv always had great luck with using dawn dish soap. I usually soak it down a couple of times through the week then again on scrubbing day. Couple of toothbrushes ( and a few beers) and it cleans up nice.
Im glad you are doing this swap. Ive been thinking of what the next step for my car is, and lq4 is a good possibility. But like you, I want to keep my existing 700r4. Im interested in keeping up with your thread. Im sure it will be a strong influence on me.
As far as cleaning the block. Iv always had great luck with using dawn dish soap. I usually soak it down a couple of times through the week then again on scrubbing day. Couple of toothbrushes ( and a few beers) and it cleans up nice.
how does that work for paint bubbles and rust? Suppose i'll need to break out a wire brush/wire wheel on my drill for it.
I sort of wish I would've went LS now that I'm pretty much finished with my SBC build. But as you said in another post, in this neck of the woods folk want an arm and a leg for LS motors.
Good luck with the build! I'm excited to see how it goes.
Thanks. Yeah, i was originally going to do a 406sbc using a new Dart Block but was talked into an LS swap. The only running LQ9 I could find after 3 months of looking was down in Chicago and i'm not driving 9 hours for a dang motor. Cost as much in fuel and time as I wound up playing for one here. Hind-sight being what it is...i probably should have made the trip. Anyway, the more parts I get the more excited I am. Now, I need to get the old motor out so I can fix some wiring and pull the old wiring and clean up the engine bay.
Im glad you are doing this swap. Ive been thinking of what the next step for my car is, and lq4 is a good possibility. But like you, I want to keep my existing 700r4. Im interested in keeping up with your thread. Im sure it will be a strong influence on me.
Edit -- I just read your sig and you have a pro-built 700...you're fine lol..
Im glad you are doing this swap. Ive been thinking of what the next step for my car is, and lq4 is a good possibility. But like you, I want to keep my existing 700r4. Im interested in keeping up with your thread. Im sure it will be a strong influence on me.
biggest issue I see going forward will be the trans cross member and exhaust. I'm probably going to need a custom bat-wing style built with both 700 and 4l60e mounting points.
I used oven cleaner on my 5.3, had 150k worth of crap on it, cooked oil etc and I sprayed it down and hit it with a hose. Alittle scrubbing and it got most of it off. Got the oven cleaner at the dollar store and bought a few cans.
Now I would have used a pressure washer that I didnt have at the time which would have made it much easier. But From what Ive read the high pressure steam cleaning is the best.
Out of curiosity, why not just dismantle it and bring it somewhere to get cooked\cleaned? My guy here in Brainerd charges very little for just cleaning a block. As long as they don't bead blast it, there's no worry about hurting the bores, etc.
Out of curiosity, why not just dismantle it and bring it somewhere to get cooked\cleaned? My guy here in Brainerd charges very little for just cleaning a block. As long as they don't bead blast it, there's no worry about hurting the bores, etc.
Initially, I didn't want to pull the motor apart because it should be in good running condition and the less I take apart the better chance it has of staying leak free and running good. Pulling it apart means new rings, seals, bearings etc because not going back with old at that point.
However, since I finally broke a bolt I don't think I can get out without help because it's broke flush in the head (Manifold bolt), I may just take it in.
Broken exhaust manifold bolts are rotten. Best of luck, sir!
yeah, thanks. The bolt head didn't snap off on this one, the whole thing broke flush with the head and I don't trust myself with an easy out not to mess up the aluminum head.
Best of luck, sir!