Started a build thread but figured I would keep the nitty-gritty LS stuff here and keep that one more for general stuff.
This is my first LS swap, finally biting the bullet. Picked up an 01 or 02 5.3, mostly complete and according to the guy 120k miles (who the hell knows for sure). FB marketplace sale from a local who parts a lot of trucks/suvs out from copart and whatnot. Also grabbed a 2WD 4L60E from him.
Plans are to keep it stock for now, just going to take off the peripherals and clean it up and throw a little paint on her. Took off the exhaust manifolds and promptly snapped off the rearmost bolt on the drivers side (seriously GM, this has been an issue since you started putting out aluminum heads). And what's the deal with the teeny little bolts they used? Lord.
Anyway. So that's gotta be addressed. Going to try and weld a nut to it to spin it out.
So far have:
'87 Spectra 20 gallon tank (LWB truck).
Drivers side sending unit
SP1115 pump
I've had the truck 6 years and never used the passenger tank, so I'm just going to ditch it and the switch and direct plumb this one. Might get creative with the space over there at some point, who knows. Thought it would be a good place to mount an air tank, haha.
Going to try and do my own harness, so been spending lots of time at lt1swap.com. Ordered a
Fuse Box, an
OBDII port and some
Relays today.
Decided to pick up HPTuners and try and do my own PCM work as well. I know for a stock engine an unlock and basic settings would only be like $100, but to be able to do my own work.. well. Worth it.
Going to run
Summit manifolds so those are ordered along with new ARP bolts.
Still need to plan out the fuel lines... I'm trying to do this on a budget, seems like most do AN fittings and line but I'm wondering if that's overkill for a budget build. Could do nylon, looks like Dorman sells all the parts. This is a return system from the fuel rail so I'll need line for both feed and return. Also could maybe buy metal tubing and bend the bulk of it myself for cheaper? Wondering what everyone else has done for theirs.
Planning for tejas mounts, not sure about the crossmember yet. The one they sell is pretty slick but I wonder if the stock one could be modified to allow for better dual exhaust routing.
Anyway, planning on yanking the old motor and trans in a couple weeks. This will be fun
