Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

That's what I've been sayin!

Yes it is a piece of cake. I want to do an ls swap into something more difficult now. There's a nice 66 Mustang for sale locally that I have my eyes on. 'Built Ford tough with Chevy stuff' will definitely piss off the Ford guys! :metal:

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Just an update video.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

I think we just became best friends! Sub'd. Love your truck! I want one so bad, but I have to get the 91 burb so I can ditch the stupid Escalade! :lol:
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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Thanks man! lifted burbans are sweet! But to tell you the truth, I'd rather have an Escalade :lol:

Quickie update, I'm definitely not done with this truck! But I took it to the dealership to get tags and update my plates. I called my insurance company today and it is officially my daily driver :metal: (at least on days not nice enough to ride my motorcycle)
At the dealership, all the technicians were oogling at the truck while they were doing the emissions test (this motor runs CLEAN by the way). I got so many compliments and good-job-pat-on-the-backs, my ego is through the roof with this truck. Not bad for a 21 year old guy who has never taken an automotive class in his life. I didn't know what an 'ls motor' was until last year :lol: :lol:

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

I've owned both, and I'm going back to the burb. Don't get me wrong, the escaldeee is quite nice, BUT, the burb has 99% of the same creature comforts, easier to work on, oh and lest we forget the most important thing, it's a square body!!!:metal:
Oh those classes don't teach you anything other than the way you've been doing it, is the wrong way!:lol:

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

The sky was nice and orange on Saturday so I took some pictures of the beast and wanted to share.

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

MO! Saturday night was pretty good. Parking garage pictures never fail.
My date took a picture with the truck, I had to show it off. A chick who digs your truck is a keeper, eh?
Also, the last pic is the Salt Lake City Capitol. That's not water reflecting the building, that's my hood! :metal:

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Cool pics!
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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Nice!!!! I'm going to stay tuned!!

Yeah a girl that digs an old truck is definitely a keeper no doubt!!

I like that reflection its awesome!!! So is the truck!!!!

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

For anybody who has done an ls swap: how are you hooking up your vacuum lines? I tee'd everything (trans, heater controls, booster) into the back manifold port (the one that goes to the booster) and I think I'm not getting enough vacuum to everything. brakes are spongy, trans shifts awkwardly under a load, and heater controls are slow. Should I break open a different port on the manifold and try to get vacuum from somewhere else?

Anyway, the truck runs great besides those quirks. I took it up the mountain yesterday evening and took some cool pictures. :metal:

The last time I tried taking the truck up these steep hills, i had to floor it up the hills, and the truck overheated and spewed antifreeze everywhere. That was with the old motor and that's about the same time I decided to do a swap... This 5.3 conquered those hills, I didn't even have to use the gas, just torqued up the mountain.

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Do you still have the vacuum reserve canisters under the hood? They look like kinda little black Death Stars, they should help the HVAC control problem and maybe trans shifts. The brake booster should also have a check valve inline and it takes a good sized hose, maybe post a pic of your setup/routing.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Thanks for the tip. I have the canister, it's not hooked up to anything cuz I dunno what it was! LOL. I just have everything coming straight from the back of the manifold. I'll look into it.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

The truck has been acting funny. It's bogging down when I push on the gas and it won't accelerate unless I puch the pedal slowly. I can still drive it, it's just very slow! I started a thread in the other section asking for help with a diagnosis: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=583357

Anyway, I immediately suspected fuel and within 20 minutes I had the bed jacked up (and braced, :lol: kinda looks dangerous in pics) and replaced already new fuel pump with another new one (I have two) and checked all the lines. Everything looks great but it's still acting up :(
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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

I bought new wheels. Kinda feels funny to buy new wheels for the truck that can't go anywhere lol. The truck has a crank and no start right now.
Anyway, can't wait to put them on!
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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Could be a bunch of different things, almost all of them sensor related. It could be a cam or crank sensor. When those go out, the computer goes into a backup mode with known good parameters that it uses to make the engine run. If the problem persists too long, it will go into limp mode, resulting in limited fuel delivery, throttle engagement and spark timing. If you had the trans with it, it wouldn't have gotten out of second gear.

I sure hope you have the diagnostic link connector hooked up in your truck somewhere....otherwise you are going to have quite a fun time testing all the sensors.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Beautiful truck. You have done a great job with it.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

I do have an OBDII port. My check engine light just never came on though. Anyway, a friend of mine gave me a fuel rail with injectors and a regulator. He also gave me a tps sensor to test out on my truck. I replaced all of those and now the truck runs great. So it was either the injectors, regulator, or tps... I'll figure that out later :lol:


Thank you so much!
Here is a picture of the truck with the wheels mounted and a fresh wash! I like them a lot.
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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Glad you got the truck running good again man! I knew you could do it!! :metal:

those wheels are killer bro!! :metal:

Kind of makes it have the feel of a semi, in my opinion.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

you did a great job an truck looks great. can you explain more on the 31gal burb gas tank swap. what modification did you have to do or direct bolt in? any links

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

I had a great time with this truck
Here is is on the 4th of July
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Unfortunately, they say all good things come to an end. That's one more squarebody off the streets..

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

Here's the guy that hit me

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I dislocated my shoulder

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Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

SO, here's what happened...

The light had just turned green. I didn't jump the green. I went into the intersection and SCREEEECH BOOOOM!! I was spun around my a little burgundy Toyota Corolla that ran the red light and hit me going 50 miles per hour. The pics might not look too bad, but I'll post more damage pics up. My truck took the impact like a champ. Unfortunately there is bad frame damage and the insurance company accepted liability and totaled it out. I received my check today. Not how I wanted my relationship with 'Bear' to end.

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

My BIGGEST fear when driving my truck, and mines all original. I haven't spun a wrench on it like you have. Mine will be getting a bumper when it comes out of the barn

At least you got a pay out and it didnt get dragged out. Going to get another one?

Re: 1985 GMC 4x4 LS Motor Swap, tons of pics!
 

total bummer about the pickup, glad you didn't have any further injuries!