Vortec 454 swap

[6872xtc]

I think I really scored last weekend and brought home a '99 K3500 classic WT 4wd. The NV4500 needs some work, but I believe yhat I runs well for a truck that hadn't been running in 2 years. I got it dirt cheap because the body is sort of rough also. I don't seem to find many threads on swapping one in. Is there a downside to these for swaps? I'm making the mildly educated assumption that an aftermarket harness is the way to go? I would appreciate any input.

Thanks Dave

P.S. Dave W. did you sell your Vortec converted BB as planned?

 

[eagle mark]

I doubt you will like the price of aftermarket Vortec harness's especally since you have one in the truck!

 

[6872xtc]

You are right that the aftermarket harness is spendy... Howell shows one for $500, but I was unsure how deeply the engine harness is integrated into the truck harness. As one guy told me, figure out how many hours it may take to separate it out and decide the time vs. money. Granted, using the OEM harness would give me some familiarity training. I'm already going to have to learn the inside of the NV4500 and transplant the pair, and I seems there was something my wife wanted me to do too.....Oh well, maybe I'll remember that while I check out the wiring!

 

[eagle mark]

I've never done a Vortec truck harness but I have done a lot of TBI harness and they are not bad at all! Start at the ECM and work your way out to the engine. Most wires will come from ECM to engine but there will be a few wires that come from the ECM to under the dash for SES light and ALDL conector and a few others. If it is anything like the TBI harness it will be way easier than $500.

 

[dave w]

I think I really scored last weekend and brought home a '99 K3500 classic WT 4wd. The NV4500 needs some work, but I believe yhat I runs well for a truck that hadn't been running in 2 years. I got it dirt cheap because the body is sort of rough also. I don't seem to find many threads on swapping one in. Is there a downside to these for swaps? I'm making the mildly educated assumption that an aftermarket harness is the way to go? I would appreciate any input.

Thanks Dave

P.S. Dave W. did you sell your Vortec converted BB as planned?

Yes, I sold the Vortec converted BB.

To keep costs to minimum, the Vortec converted BB I did used a Camaro TPI ECM. Larry's Electric sells a TPI Package, Harness, ECM, and PROM http://www.larryselectricsite.com/storefront/viewitem.php?groupid=0&productid=2 that can basically do what I did for my conversion.

The TPI is batch fire, and the Vortec 454 is sequential fire. In the conversion I did (to save $$$) I set up the Vortec 454 to batch fire with my own custom injector wiring harness.

For the PROM I basically just copied / pasted the 454 Vortec timing and fuel tables into the TPI PROM (to save $$$).

As far as I know, the method I used to set up a 454 Vortec conversion is about as low dollar / best performance as it gets?

dave w

 

[6872xtc]

Thanks to both of you for your replies. The help is much appreciated. This info gives me the courage to tear into it. I kind of hate to tear apart a '99 truck, but I think it will be a sweet set-up for one of my older trucks. I'm really thinking swap it into my '79 K30 SRW!

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[dave w]

The wiring harness from a '99 K3500 classic WT 4wd is very similar to the one pictured below. It is very time consuming (A month of Sunday's??? ~~Maybe? ) to get a factory wiring harness retrofitted into an older vehicle. A soldering iron (50 Watts) and soldering gun (120 Watts) are an absolute must when retrofitting a factory harness!!

The link at LT1 Swap ( http://www.lt1swap.com/index.htm ) has good information, including wiring diagrams ( http://www.lt1swap.com/1999_vortec_5.7/engine_schematics.htm ), about doing Wiring Harness Modifications.

If it was my 99 K3500 classic WT 4wd / '79 K30 SRW I would use all the factory stuff. Would be lots of work, but not much money going this route!

dave w

 

[6872xtc]

Thank you for the input and the links, Dave W. It definitely helps with decisions. Fortunatly I have time to investigate my direction.

Dave