Metal's LSx swap; Finally up and running!

[metalneverdies]

I am debating if I really want to pull the trigger and commit to doing an LSx swap to my 87 K5. My 350 TBI is nearing the end. It is starting to run pretty badly and I know the time is comming to make a decision.

I really dont want to spend more than $2000 on the new engine. I know I can get a brand new crate 350 and all fluids and filters / parts needed for warranty validation for $2000. If I stick with the 350, my gas mileage will suck, I wont have a lot of power and I will be stuck running really expensive special oil.

If I can get the LSx swap (looking at a 5.3) done for $2000. I would be pretty excited. It seems like this will be kind of hard to acomplish at that budget. I am going to keep my 700r4 and NP208 for budget and ease of swap. I really dont want to mess with all the adaptors and machining to get an older transfer case to mate up with the 4L60E.

I know I need the 99-03 drive by cable motor. I can use my current tank and sender, just need a new in-tank pump. New style Drity Dingo mounts (non-welded). I am planning on the TV cable bracket form Bowtie overdrives. The parts I am most worried about is the wiring.

My buddy suggested finding the wiring off of a manual car as that could be easier to make into a standalone harness. Is there any reason that using the donor truck motor harness would be any more difficult?

Does it seem doable to have a quality, reliable setup with a 5.3L up and running in a reasonable amout of time for $2000?

If I do a stand alone harness setup, would I be better off to do a speed density tune? What sort of setup would work for the stand alone? How would that affect my 700r4 and T.V.

 

[sweetk30]

if you don't wana do wiring there is a few great vendors on www.ls1tech.com that offer redo of stock harness and reflash of pcm in 1 deal .

and don't count on 03 being drive by cable. that was change over year some did and didn't. I have a 03 5.3 drive by wire.

 

[riflerk20]

http://justchevytrucks.com/
check out these guys, i've been dealing with them for years and have always had good luck.

 

[y5mgisi]

$2000 after you sell of your old stuff to recoup some of your money. Its certainly possible. For wiring, you can get a harness thats plug and play ready to go for about $350. And as far as finding a manual trans harness, no. Its not worth it. It will take longer and be harder to find than it would be to just buy a harness that will work for your engine and cut the trans stuff out. If your modifying the harness yoursell, the removal of the trans stuff will only take an extra 20 min or so. And it wont make any price difference if you buy a harness and send it out to get modified by someone else.

 

[metalneverdies]

$2000 after you sell of your old stuff to recoup some of your money. Its certainly possible. For wiring, you can get a harness thats plug and play ready to go for about $350. And as far as finding a manual trans harness, no. Its not worth it. It will take longer and be harder to find than it would be to just buy a harness that will work for your engine and cut the trans stuff out. If your modifying the harness yoursell, the removal of the trans stuff will only take an extra 20 min or so. And it wont make any price difference if you buy a harness and send it out to get modified by someone else.

I don't know that I would have anything to sell. Maybe the core for my TBI motor. Its essentially shot.

If the only difference between the manual trans and auto trans harness is the extra wires going to the transmission then I wont worry about tracking down the car harness. I guess with everything a tune can cover, that would take care of it.

 

[metalneverdies]

http://justchevytrucks.com/
check out these guys, i've been dealing with them for years and have always had good luck.

Just and engine from them costs more than my budget. If I was to buy a fully ready to go setup, I would probably go with BD turnkey engines.

 

[metalneverdies]

if you don't wana do wiring there is a few great vendors on www.ls1tech.com that offer redo of stock harness and reflash of pcm in 1 deal .

and don't count on 03 being drive by cable. that was change over year some did and didn't. I have a 03 5.3 drive by wire.

hmmm, If they do both that might not be a bad deal. My only concern would be if i ended up having to do further modification to the harness after I got it back.

 

[wheeler]

I did the harness myself, and as long as you take your time its actually pretty easy. Also just food for thought, I got a deal and got an 04 5.3 drive by wire, complete engine, accessories, harness, ecu, pedal, you name it for $350, and I had to pull it, big deal. I also got lucky and sold my recently rebuilt 86 350 for 600 bucks to some guy who wanted to put it in his hotrod. all together, including selling my old 350 im only about 600 bucks all in.

 

[metalneverdies]

I did the harness myself, and as long as you take your time its actually pretty easy. Also just food for thought, I got a deal and got an 04 5.3 drive by wire, complete engine, accessories, harness, ecu, pedal, you name it for $350, and I had to pull it, big deal. I also got lucky and sold my recently rebuilt 86 350 for 600 bucks to some guy who wanted to put it in his hotrod. all together, including selling my old 350 im only about 600 bucks all in.

The reason I want to stick with the drive by cable is the T.V. cable issues with the 700r4 and the drive by wire setup. I know sweetk30 made a sweet setup for the T.V. cable, but I don't think I could make something like that.

 

[sweetk30]

also truck pcm and car pcm are different pin out for wiring I have read. some guys have problems with this on reflash and I think its a guy here that had this problem .

read my 2wd build in the link below in my sig line for some ideas so far. and also read the builds here and you will get the info you need.

 

[metalneverdies]

also truck pcm and car pcm are different pin out for wiring I have read. some guys have problems with this on reflash and I think its a guy here that had this problem .

read my 2wd build in the link below in my sig line for some ideas so far. and also read the builds here and you will get the info you need.

I have read through a couple of the build threads. That is what is making me consider doing the swap. I have seen yours on a few sites

 

[metalneverdies]

finally decided I'm just going to nut up and do the 5.3 swap.

Going 5.3 / 700r4 / np208. Going to skip out on AC for a bit.

Going to call 3 places for prices tomorrow. Two in Tulsa and LKQ. All the OKC area yards threat their stock like its sacred. Keeping my eyes on C-List too.

Think I may go with waitformeperformance for the harness mod and a tune. $350-$400 isn't bad for mod and tune.

How big of differences have you guys had with power vs mileage tune?

 

[sweetk30]

go read up on www.ls1tech.com . there is a conversion section .

real friendly there and few great vendors for harness mods and tunes in 1 package deal .

1 guy over there swaped a 5.3/4l60e/4.10 gears to a 64 belair wagon and said he gets 17.5mpg .

 

[metalneverdies]

Called two yards in tulsa.

One wants $950 for their 02 DBC with 120k. Should come with everything, less PS and ALT.

Second wants $750 (on up) for an 02 with 150-160k miles. Includes everything, less AC and trans. Says there is a whole warehouse full. They run and comp. test all motors. If one cyl is bad or there is an issue they part the motor. If good, it goes into the warehouse.

Waiting to try LKQ again. No answer.

Edit: called LKQ again. I was told they do not (will not?) Sell engines with harness and PCM. No accessories.

Is the one in Tulsa a good deal? I will have to take a day off work to go up there and get the motor.

 

[y5mgisi]

With it missing the alt and power steering, it's an Ok deal.

 

[metalneverdies]

With it missing the alt and power steering, it's an Ok deal.

Second one is a better deal? Or keep searching?

I like that the second one fires them up too.

 

[y5mgisi]

Personally, i would pick up the second one in a heart beat.

 

[Babaganoosh]

I have heard bad things about wait for me performance. Please check them out first. Hopefully they changed or I heard wrong.

 

[metalneverdies]

I have heard bad things about wait for me performance. Please check them out first. Hopefully they changed or I heard wrong.

Hmm. Any specifics? I have seen two people say that now but tons of people said they used them over at 67-72 forums.

 

[y5mgisi]

http://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v/1518234-wait4me-took-florida.html

http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...4me-mail-order-tune-problem-please-check.html

http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-external-engine/1262948-weird-situation.html

Jesse took 100% torque management out of my transmission when I specifically wrote 25% removed. Cost me (luckily still under GM powertrain warranty) $2,400 for a transmission rebuild when I burned up the 3-4 clutches, and this was with CAI and muffler only, no blower or LT's. Went with Wheatley after that, picked up 3mpg and probably 20rwhp. Looking at Jesse's tune, his fuel trims were way off and there was a ton left on the table with timing. Jesse is bad news.