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LS engine swap info

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Post by bitterfitter Sun Jul 12, 2015 7:48 pm

So after a few years of hearing how everyone is going to the LS engines, I decided to start building one for my car. I am looking for info from guys who have done this as far as the correct motor mounts to use to get the engine where it works best. Or what headers or manifolds work with our cars. Or which oil pan clears the cross member. Or any other items that can be issues on our 73-77 Chevelles.
I have been running my Camaro at the local track and I think I need more in my Chevelle than the 430 hp I have in there now. The Camaro goes good but I want the Chevelle to really move. I am looking for the best I can get before I have to rub the car. Any ideas how far I should take this engine? 500hp, 600hp, 700+hp.....

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Post by Limey SE Sun Jul 12, 2015 8:36 pm

bitterfitter wrote:So after a few years of hearing how everyone is going to the LS engines, I decided to start building one for my car. I am looking for info from guys who have done this as far as the correct motor mounts to use to get the engine where it works best. Or what headers or manifolds work with our cars. Or which oil pan clears the cross member. Or any other items that can be issues on our 73-77 Chevelles.
I have been running my Camaro at the local track and I think I need more in my Chevelle than the 430 hp I have in there now. The Camaro goes good but I want the Chevelle to really move. I am looking for the best I can get before I have to rub the car. Any ideas how far I should take this engine?  500hp, 600hp, 700+hp.....



I wonder If I rub my car if its motor gets bigger also LMAO Just busting ya B**ls buddy
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Post by bitterfitter Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:33 am

Lol. I meant tub.
If it was only that easy, huh...

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Post by alowerlevel Mon Jul 13, 2015 7:41 am

What size are you building?  Planning on any power adders?  500hp n/a is pretty simple from a 6.0l, but much more than that and your looking at going with some kind of power adder.  Probably the easiest and most common setup to make big power is a turbo, even just a junkyard 5.3 with a cam and ebay turbo will have no problem making 5-550hp at the rear tires (600+ @ the crank).  All depends on how fast you want to go and how much $$$$$ you're willing to spend.

On mine I used 1" setback adapter plates with the factory 307 motor mounts, 98-02 fbody manifolds, and a CTSV oil pan, but mine was done on a budget and left stock (for now).
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Post by bitterfitter Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:42 am

I ended up grabbing a 5.3 and a 4L60E from a 02 truck. Guy had it out with 120k on them. Gave me everything from harness to radiator to computer. Radiator is just a spare for my truck. Paid $200
I was never liking the turbos. No reason I guess just prefer to put a under hood supetcharger. If needed

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Post by Roadcaptain S3 Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:11 am

Congrats!

I wish I could find these deals on engines. I can't seem to find anything around here for less than $800, and that's just for an engine with big miles. Sad
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Post by bitterfitter Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:13 am

Even though I wasn't ready for the engine, I took the deal cause I knew I was eventually headed in that direction.

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Post by alowerlevel Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:16 pm

Damn thats one hell of a deal.

Just proves theres good deals out there to be had if your patient and keep looking,  a few weeks ago I picked up an all aluminum '04 5.3 with 90k on it complete with harness and accessories for $900 to swap in my '67.
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Post by bitterfitter Tue Jul 14, 2015 2:58 pm

That's a good deal also.
I have the L33 in my truck and was hoping it would die so I could transplant it into my car. Damn thing keeps running though... 236k and more daily

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Post by alowerlevel Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:41 pm

bitterfitter wrote:That's a good deal also.
I have the L33 in my truck and was hoping it would die so I could transplant it into my car. Damn thing keeps running though... 236k and more daily

Well I wish it was an L33, but mines an LM4 from a 2004 buick rainier.  
Worse part is that it makes 290hp/325tq stock, where the 350 thats in it probably only is making 350hp. Laughing
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Post by bitterfitter Sat Aug 22, 2015 5:46 pm

So I am thinking about using a late model Impala / caprice fuel tank that has the fuel pump in it for my LS engine. Will this work or do I need to change the pump to something different?

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Post by Wallyuph Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:44 am

bitterfitter wrote:So I am thinking about using a late model Impala / caprice fuel tank that has the fuel pump in it for my LS engine. Will this work or do I need to change the pump to something different?  

It works just fine. I have it in the Laguna I have for sale. If you pull the tank get the tin heat shields also that go around the front corners of fuel tank as its a plastic tank so exhaust is close to tank. They fit fine also.
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Post by bitterfitter Sun Aug 23, 2015 11:57 am

Great to know Wallyuph. What did you do for engine wiring? Did you alter an original harness?

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Post by Wallyuph Sun Aug 23, 2015 2:41 pm

bitterfitter wrote:Great to know Wallyuph. What did you do for engine wiring?  Did you alter an original harness?

For Engine? I took harness off and computer and sent it to http://www.lsx-harness.com/index.html
One other person here used them. Had a no start problem and he walked us through on the phone and had one wire in wrong pin. The car starts and runs good.

For body just use the stock set up for wiring.
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Post by bitterfitter Sun Aug 23, 2015 3:44 pm

Can you tell me about your engine setup? I have an 02 5.3 from a truck. It seems I need an LS1 intake because the truck one is ugly and tall. Any items that caused you grief when swapping? How about running the original gauges and tach? Exhaust manifolds? Clearance issues?

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Post by Wallyuph Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:17 pm

Read this first it may answer a lot of your questions.
https://www.g3gm.com/t6142-wallys-74-project?highlight=wallys

Then this post on my 73 Malibu. I did the 74 Laguna first so I knew what fit and what would not.
https://www.g3gm.com/t5242-wallys-73-malibu-project?highlight=wallys

Wallyuph wrote:Ok Here is what I know fits or works and what I ended up with for the final install and it working well.

1) Oil pan The Holley 302-1 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-302-1 It fits nice and does not hang below the cross member.
The Ctsv pan would not go back to rear of cross member far enough as engine would hit fire wall and it hung down more.
Here is spec sheet link for oil pans. http://www.improvedracing.com/tech/LS-oil-pan-dimensions.php
I used the Summit racing Chevrolet Performance 19212593 - Chevrolet Performance
Muscle car Oil Pan Kits NAL-19212593 on the Laguna and it fit fine but hangs down below the cross member by a 1” plus

2) Headers I used Holley Hooker LS Cast Iron Exhaust Manifolds 8501-3HKR
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hok-8501-3hkr
They fit like stock exhaust manifolds Then ran 2&1/2" exhaust all the way out to back. That's the minimum size pipe recommended

3) Dirty dingo slider engine mounts. Dingo Slider SBC or BBC to LS Conversion Engine Mounts http://dirtydingo.com/store/index.php?cPath=1_354_322

4) Front drive accessories Holley LS Engine Swap Accessory Drive Systems 20-138 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-20-138 Front drive accessories Holley LS Engine Swap Accessory Drive Systems 20-138 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-20-138 and spacer braket Holley LS Engine Accessory Drive Application-Specific Installation Kits 21-1
and don’t for get to buy the power steer pump reservoir Holley LS Engine Power Steering Reservoir Kits 198-200 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-198-200/overview/

5) Fuel pump I used Aeromotive Phantom 340 Stealth Fuel Systems 18688 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aei-18688
Here is the pluming diagram http://aeromotiveinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Phantom-Stealth-Plumbing-Diagram.pdf I used #6 braided line from pump to engine bay and back and AN fittings

6) For your AC system you can use your stock set up you will just need to get two new hoses made for the ends that come off the compressor from Holley kit to you hook ups. And hydraulic hose making place will make them up for us if you have the fittings. I tucked up a Vintage Gen II AC system in mine and it will fit in behind the stock dash but that’s a lot of work if your system is good you can just swap out the hoses and you should be good to go.

7) I did not have to do any cutting but the drive shaft needs to be shortened and I measured it and took it in to have it shortened and balanced with two new u joints. The rear trans cross member only had to drill two new holes and it lined up with one set already in the Frame for me.

Cool I used dual cooling fans Brushless 12” by spal with a variable temp sender that required me to drill and tap my water pump. They are new to the market and are not listed any where yet Pricy but nice. A set of dual electric fans should work fine for you.

9) Air filter we used Airraid 4” kit but was told by dealer NOT TO USE OIL type air filter as it gum’s up mass air flow sensor and Air raid make a non oil filter it’s called SynthaMax http://www.airaid.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=100-400

michiganlarry did one also. Here is his post.
https://www.g3gm.com/t6751-ls1-swap-in-my-sons-75
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Post by bitterfitter Sun Aug 23, 2015 8:40 pm

That is a lot of info. I will sort through all this and see if I have any questions. Thanks.

Did I read that if I change from a truck manifold to a car manifold that I have to also change injectors?

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Post by alowerlevel Mon Aug 24, 2015 5:04 am

Truck intake fit on mine just fine https://www.g3gm.com/t8620-my-73-chevelle-the-outsider-4-8-ls-swap  I used fbody exhaust manifolds on it too.
But yes to swap to a car intake you will need to use the car injectors and change the plugs on the harness to match, and other than looking better the car intake offers no performance boost over the truck intakes, actually Ive seen the truck intakes pick up power over a ls1 intake.
I re-did my engine harness myself using the info on www.lt1swap.com it wasnt as hard to do as I thought it would be and it only cost me about $35.
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Post by Wallyuph Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:58 am

alowerlevel wrote:Truck intake fit on mine just fine https://www.g3gm.com/t8620-my-73-chevelle-the-outsider-4-8-ls-swap  I used fbody exhaust manifolds on it too.
But yes to swap to a car intake you will need to use the car injectors and change the plugs on the harness to match, and other than looking better the car intake offers no performance boost over the truck intakes, actually Ive seen the truck intakes pick up power over a ls1 intake.
I re-did my engine harness myself using the info on www.lt1swap.com it wasnt as hard to do as I thought it would be and it only cost me about $35.

Great info. I did see somewhere on the net that they make a adapter that plugs into the injector for truck to make it a car plug. So that does exists also.
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Post by REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:23 pm

Hey. I am doing an LS7 swap into my 1976 Laguna. I will have to look at where I purchased my motor mounts and crossmember. I finally sold my 4-wheeler so I am about to buy my T56 Magnum transmission. I was lucky enough to get every wire and sensor from the Z06. I even have the a/c system so that will be nice. Here is link to the LS series oil pans that is an interesting read. http://www.lsenginediy.com/ls-swaps-oil-pan-guide/
I am almost finished with my 1986 Silverado project and I am going to start back on the Laguna.
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