5.3 into a 89 K2500

[79rustyk10]

Ive been kicking around some ideas for a few days, basicly it would be a 5.3 or 6.0 with matching electronic transmission into my 89 LD K2500 with a SAS thrown in for good measure. This was my first truck and it has been sittin at a friends place for about 4 years now, I lost interest in my k20 shortly after I bought it pretty much, and I would love to get my old 89 back on the road eventually. currently it has a dying 350 and dead 700r4.

the suspension, and drivetrain install doesnt scare me at all, what I am worried about is trying to make modern electronic stuff associated with the gen 3 engine/trans work with the primitive stuff in the truck already.

would there be a way to get everything to mesh with stock gauges? I would get the newer tach dash from a 90's truck, or maybe dump it and go with autometers. or would the vss signal be the same between the newer trans and the oem speedo?

What about the electric climate controls? Im guessing that is completly seperate from the gauge electronics.

Does an aftermarket harness have the capability to just be connected to whatever I want to use for the CE light or other warning lights?

I would like to keep everything fairly stockish appearing from the first glance, maybe thats too much for my technical skills at this time, maybe I'm just overthinking things right now. I would want this to be a DD if needed, and weekend toy and maybe at times a towrig, so reliability is a must, however the 5.3 or 6.0 and 4l80e would have that covered.

The fuel system should be fairly simple, wouldnt a 96-99 vortec pump and sending unit have the fuel suply aspect covered? it already has the EFI fuel lines so the plumbin would be simple.

And dont recomend a 5.7 vortec swap, I dont like that EFI setup.
Im not a diesel guy either, however I could have Scott build me a copy of the engine in his blazer and leave everthing as is with only a 4L80E swapped in for some beef.

 

[496truck]

I could have Scott build me a copy of the engine in his blazer and leave everthing as is with only a 4L80E swapped in for some beef.

Simple and effective...

Mod the stock TBI as needed and this will be reliable for what you are looking to do.

 

[buefchris]

Tbi is a reliable system but, you can't really modify a stock ecm too much.
Some companies are getting out of the tbi biz all together.
I own a 95 truck with the last year TBI engines and though never had a problem, it's allways been a underpowered pig.
So ,when I did my motor swap in the 75' Blazer, I chose to stay way from tbi and give the LS series a go.
My little 5.3 runs circles around my 5.7 and both motors are stock.
After talking to other folks who have done the tbi swap,the work seemed to be more for them than what i had. And, in the end, all they had was a TBIed engine.
So many more possiblities with the LS.Just look at the amount of after market goodies you can buy for the LS.
What can you get for the tbi....throttlebody spacers?

 

[dfl701]

I would go with the 5.3. You can still get pretty decent mileage out of it and they are so reliable.

 

[Madspeed]

I have to agree. the Gen lll enines are way more reliable, efficient and powerful. get the 6.0 . As far as the 2 making nice with each other? its simple only issue you need is to get vats removed and that can be done witn HP tuner or EFI live of wich I have EFI live custome tuning software.
GM wiring usually does not change much and the factory gen lll engine harness can be made stand allone very simply. go look on LS1tech.com. use aftermarket guages to make your life more simplified
I have a 2001 Duramax Allison combo twin turboed in my 1972 blazer and for me it was a cakewalk