What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

LT-1 w/ TPI swap

P

Poohbair

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Posts
2,139
Reaction score
2
Location
The Great PNW
Has anyone here swapped in a LT-1 TPI motor or injection system into their truck? Last night my friend and I bartered and dealed w/ a guy and he picked up a complete 93 or 94 Police Package LT-1 w/ wiring harness and computer for, gulp, $350 bucks! Now the project is getting it to work in his FJ40...
We are looking for a little advice on the wiring. Does anyone make a kit to swap this motor into old vehicles...or do we have to try and decipher this HUGE factory harness?
 
First, good score. One issue with LT-1 motors in any wheeler (especially us PNW folks /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif is the distributor location - down by the crank - in other words, in the line of fire for WATER if he's a bogger) - some say they can make the cap seal no problem but I'm skeptical. You can vent it but still don't trust it 100%. Anyway, there are harnesses available, go to www.thirdgen.org and check out the TPI and/or Motor Swap boards for the links and tech ideas. If someone there doesn't have the info, they can point you to the right direction. Probably www.painlesswiring.com has a harness, which is who I used when I put a TPI motor in my 79 K5 - it was plug and play. There are TONS of folks doing harnesses and helping on swaps like this so try what I gave you and do an internet search. Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Sweet. We were gonna look into a painless kit and see what they had. I have worked w/ their stuff before and it was pretty user friendly. That little FJ should be a go getter w/ that motor in there!
Oh, he is going to back it w/ a SM465 too!
 
You can get rid of the Optispark by drilling out the back of the intake for a disty and welding in a spacer. THis is described in detail at: www.lt1intake.com Hell the guy that owns the site will even do the mods for you for a fee!
 
One other thing I forgot... At: www.chevythunder there is a guy that make harnesses or can mod factory harnesses for what you need. Prices are a little cheaper than Painless and he can make it the length you need.
 
LT-1 in my blazer

yes the opti's have some reliablity issues, but they are not as bad as what some people make them out to be. I would replace the cap and vent it like the '96 up LT-1's.

If you've got the time, use the harness you have with the motor, it will save you money,

the only problems i ran into was finding headers that fit, Street & performance has a set the is perfect, if you want the info, I'll dig that out for you...

of course there will be electric fuel pump, return fuel line, and the wiring and you'll need to get electric fans. I love my truck, the way it drives and everything,

ohh yeah, the caprice compressor will probably hit the frame, so you can either notch the frame or get an aftermarket pulley set, or find brackets and stuff out of a vette, or does anyone know if they made a a/c delete option on those caprice, then you would have that option to use....


feel free to ask any specific questions..
 
Hey Mikey! You still have your LT1 motor?

Isn't that mod you described only to put LT1 intakes on TPI motors, instead of just getting rid of the Opti Crap? Think so but it's been awhile and I don't trust memory.........I know the original intent of John's was for that reason (LT1 intake flow way better than TPI).

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I work with two people who have LT1 in their jeeps and both of them have had to get a custom Prom (chip) burned to aleviate all the smog BS. Both of them have also gone through a distributer do to drowning it in water. Believe me, they are a pain in the A$$ to replace.
 
I agree with dumping the opti-sh*t, i had a '96 Z28 with the LT-1, the engines are power houses in a light car ike a Z, but the repair bill for the the opti is just like being raped when you go to replace it. I lost two opti's in a matter of a year, caps are $200 a pop, then the pick up under the rotor is just about as much. The actual replacement is not bad if you have room, but the LT-1 in a Z is just enough room to be able to work on it if you have small hands, I requires removal or rad.,waterpump,A.I.R. pump and harmonic balancer. Then you need an inverted torx bit to get down to the bolts that hold the cap on. My Z28 bone stock (as far as I was aware) was pusshing about 300HP 0-60 in 6.0 sec. and run low 14's in the 1/4, was great for second gear tire chirp with an 4L60E auto tranny. I also got great gas mileage, about 28 MPG on the highway. If I could get my hands on another it would be going into my /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif.


Just my 2cents
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom