1989 V3500 - The 1Ton SSB

[K5chevyLQ4]

Engine porn







































View attachment 305635

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

The LS swap snow-balled into a complete front end restoration.
Had to clean up the frame, firewall, and core support
Fixed all the rust on the inner fenders and battery trays Installed ORD crossmember for more crossover clearance
Repaint and install a new hood
New headlights, turn signals
Cleanup all the wiring under the hood and under dash

The swap took over a month to complete due to all the additional work.

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

These are speed engineering shorty stainless steel headers. Fit really close to the block and has a ton of frame clearance. Only had to trim the ears off the th400 where the dust shield mounts up.

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Few more

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Now on to the fuel system. There is not much technical info/ part numbers in this build thread so far. If anybody is interested in further details then please let me know.

So this truck has gone from diesel to propane and now to gasoline. Had to figure out a tank. There was no room for saddle tanks and no room in the rear for a blazer tank. So I decided to do a fuel cell in the bed. I didn’t want it to be exposed so I picked up a toolbox chest to mount in the bed and mount the fuel cell inside.
It’s a 19 gallon tank. I built the mounting cage and ran all new fuel lines with ptfe braided hose.



This was also my first time messing with braided hose and fittings. Stuff is not cheap and luckily only messed up one fitting.



I used a Walbro 255 inline pump and plumbed in a pre and post filter. The first filter inline was a cheap 100 micron filter from eBay. The post pump filter is a OE type filter that you find on fuel injected trucks. It is supposedly around 30 to 40 micron. Good enough for me and it is easily sourced and economical to replace.




I ran 8an feed from the tank to the prefilter and then it’s 6an throughout the rest of the system. I love the ptfe hose and fittings.

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

So that pretty much brings everything up to date. I skipped over a lot of little odds and ends things that happened along the way.
Most of it was replacing anything worn or broken (body mounts, windsheild, etc.)
Here is a few current pics of the truck with the bed finished and street legal

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

The next step is to figure out a front winch bumper. I really don’t know what direction I want to go with it. I know I want to have the winch between the frame rails and hidden. Feel free to throw out some ideas/designs.

 

[beags86]

Cool build man.

 

[Kay86K5]

Really cool build. Clean work. I like the rear with the skins on it. Are there plans for sliders/cage (interior or exo)?

As far as bumpers go, I went with a DIY4x A-bomb and then built some tubes off it. the a-bomb is a really great design, keeps the winch between the frame rails with a sorta "skid" incorporated. You could model after it pretty easily. Pic below of the front of mine.

Keep up the good work. Great looking truck

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Really cool build. Clean work. I like the rear with the skins on it. Are there plans for sliders/cage (interior or exo)?

As far as bumpers go, I went with a DIY4x A-bomb and then built some tubes off it. the a-bomb is a really great design, keeps the winch between the frame rails with a sorta "skid" incorporated. You could model after it pretty easily. Pic below of the front of mine.

Keep up the good work. Great looking truck

View attachment 305715

Thank you. I’ve followed your K5 build since the beginning. Looks like a very capable rig.

I plan to build some sliders and an interior cage before the wheeling gets too heavy. No tube bender yet so that’s on hold.

I think I’m going to get a stick of tubing and start mocking up something. I have a winch plate already cut down to fit and frame plates ready to go. Did you use 1-3/4 .120 tube?

 

[Kay86K5]

I used 2” .120 wall on most all the tubes on mine, but lots of guys run 1.75”

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Got a wideband installed. This should help get the tune where it needs to be.

 

[CriticalAction]

I like the dash. Very simple yet effective. Only question is what do you run for a speedo if this is street driven?

 

[stan1688]

Sick build! Keep up the good work.

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

I like the dash. Very simple yet effective. Only question is what do you run for a speedo if this is street driven?

I have been using a GPS app on my phone. It also tracks mileage and is crazy accurate. I didn't see the need for another gauge just for speed. Also my HP tuners scanner logs MPH (once I get it properly calibrated)
Eventually I will know approximately what speed I am traveling based on the RPMs

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Going to be doing some more street tuning with the wideband this weekend.
I need to cut out a new gauge cluster plate that allows room for the wideband. Its not a very fun process to do by hand.

 

[beags86]

Your tuning software doesn't allow for a wideband?

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

Your tuning software doesn't allow for a wideband?

It does. The AEM WB I have has a 0 to 5 volt analog output. I wired that into the EGR position (pin 55 on the blue connector).
You have to convert that 0-5V signal to AFR in HP tuners software. I just got done doing this and seems to be working perfect.

I was talking about a new gauge cluster for my dash. I need another spot to fit the wideband gauge.

 

[beags86]

It does. The AEM WB I have has a 0 to 5 volt analog output. I wired that into the EGR position (pin 55 on the blue connector).
You have to convert that 0-5V signal to AFR in HP tuners software. I just got done doing this and seems to be working perfect.

I was talking about a new gauge cluster for my dash. I need another spot to fit the wideband gauge.

What's the point of the additional wideband. What am I missing here?

 

[K5chevyLQ4]

I see what you are saying now. The wideband is pretty much required for proper tuning. It can read a much larger range of air fuel ratio from 10:1 to 20:1.
The factory LS injection system has 2 narrow band oxygen sensors that basically only read either lean or rich.
This guy can explain it better than I can.