5.3 4l60e swap into my RUSTY '71 C-10
03-21-2013, 06:56 PM
#202
Spent some time this weekend lying on my back under the dash, but I got the brake pedal push rod adjusted so that the brake pedal is at the proper height. Also got the gauge cluster bolted in and the steering column bolted back up.
Then I made my cruise control lever, it's a hybrid it's self, made from several different levers, but I like the way it matches the look of the original lever, and the tilt lever. (Wow, I really need to clean up all the crap on the floor!
)
And here's a not so good pic of the gas gauge with the 'service engine' light in the unused spot in the lower right. The amber light in the upper left is the 'low fuel' light. I'm all about the modern features.
Then I made my cruise control lever, it's a hybrid it's self, made from several different levers, but I like the way it matches the look of the original lever, and the tilt lever. (Wow, I really need to clean up all the crap on the floor!
)And here's a not so good pic of the gas gauge with the 'service engine' light in the unused spot in the lower right. The amber light in the upper left is the 'low fuel' light. I'm all about the modern features.
I love reading about yre builds I'm learning so much KEEP EM COMING
Last edited by Imp709; 03-21-2013 at 08:02 PM.
03-25-2013, 10:59 PM
#204
Been making progress. I put a radiator overflow bottle in it. It's probably too small really, b ut all I'm actually using it for is to keep it from ever puking on the ground so it should be OK. It's way down low and kind of hard to see, which is good, because I don't really like the looks of them anyway.
Also hooked up the vacuum line to the A/C. The factory put this nipple on the intakes that you have to break a little tab off of, but then a hose fits right on it. There must be an application that actually uses this fitting, although I've never seen one, but it sure does make things easy.
Overflow bottle from the Pick n Pull..... $5
Vacuum hose .... $1
Also hooked up the vacuum line to the A/C. The factory put this nipple on the intakes that you have to break a little tab off of, but then a hose fits right on it. There must be an application that actually uses this fitting, although I've never seen one, but it sure does make things easy.
Overflow bottle from the Pick n Pull..... $5
Vacuum hose .... $1
03-25-2013, 11:11 PM
#205
Have you used closed loop cooling on any of your builds?I'm torn on going old school over flow tank or using the newer closed loop system.I've had few problems with my closed loop in my 98 Cavalier.Way less than my older vehicles with overflow system.
03-27-2013, 10:56 PM
#208
I never have, they're just too hard to make look good. All the ones I've seen look like the tank was just thrown in there at the las minute. But LS engines aren't hard to cool anyway, so I just usually re-use the original radiator, fill it to the top, and let it puke out what it can't hold. It works and usually ends up with the coolant level being a couple of inches down from the top of the tank at the 'full cold' line. What kind of problems have you had with the older style? I don't think the newer style cools any better, it just has more capacity to hold more coolant. If you don't have a big enough radiator, or an efficent enough one, putting a different overflow/surge tank on it probably isn't going to cure your problem,
03-27-2013, 11:08 PM
#209
Got the grille and front bumper back on the other day, and then spent an hour looking for the turn signal lenses I took out of my orange truck and put somewhere that I wouldn't loose them, so I could put them on this truck. Never did find them. 
I'm sure they'll show up in about 6 months when I'm not looking for them! Garage needs a good cleaning anyway, it's trashed!!!
Only have a few loose ends to tie up under the hood, but for the most part it's finished under there.
Took it out and put about 10 miles on it. Runs great! Transmission on the other hand doesn't seem right, almost feels like it slips between 2nd and 3rd gear shift. Going to have to talk to the transmission shop about that.
I'm sure they'll show up in about 6 months when I'm not looking for them! Garage needs a good cleaning anyway, it's trashed!!!Only have a few loose ends to tie up under the hood, but for the most part it's finished under there.
Took it out and put about 10 miles on it. Runs great! Transmission on the other hand doesn't seem right, almost feels like it slips between 2nd and 3rd gear shift. Going to have to talk to the transmission shop about that.
03-28-2013, 12:11 AM
#210
But LS engines aren't hard to cool anyway, so I just usually re-use the original radiator, fill it to the top, and let it puke out what it can't hold. It works and usually ends up with the coolant level being a couple of inches down from the top of the tank at the 'full cold' line.
I agree with you ls1nova71, that method has worked fine for everyone I know.
Congrats on getting a spin around the block. Always a good feeling.
03-28-2013, 12:33 PM
#211
I never have, they're just too hard to make look good. All the ones I've seen look like the tank was just thrown in there at the las minute. But LS engines aren't hard to cool anyway, so I just usually re-use the original radiator, fill it to the top, and let it puke out what it can't hold. It works and usually ends up with the coolant level being a couple of inches down from the top of the tank at the 'full cold' line. What kind of problems have you had with the older style? I don't think the newer style cools any better, it just has more capacity to hold more coolant. If you don't have a big enough radiator, or an efficent enough one, putting a different overflow/surge tank on it probably isn't going to cure your problem,
The only issue I have had with the older style, is coolant loss and rad caps going bad.Seems like I replace one every summer.With the new style,I rarely have to touch the system other than maintenance every few years.
04-03-2013, 09:47 PM
#213
Took the truck to the transmission shop this morning to have the slow shifting problem fixed. Picked it up this evening, works like a champ now! I've put about 50 miles on it, no problems so far. The tune may need just a very tiny ammount of adjusting since the speedo is about 3 mph off of what my gps shows. I had the speedo hooked to my Sunfire and it's dead on, so I know it's good. Probably won't get that fixed for a while since it's not really that big of a deal. Also tried out the "tow/haul" function, definitley shifts firmer when it's on. 
Still have a few things to finish up, but for now I'm going to drive it some to make sure no gremlins pop up!
Still have a few things to finish up, but for now I'm going to drive it some to make sure no gremlins pop up!
04-03-2013, 10:01 PM
#215
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What was the total cost of the build?
or an estimated cost?
Your prices for the things you pickup at the pick-n-pull are listed most of the time.
I am just curious?
or an estimated cost?
Your prices for the things you pickup at the pick-n-pull are listed most of the time.
I am just curious?
04-04-2013, 02:09 AM
#216
I'll see about doing a video this weekend. As for cost, I haven't added it up yet, but almost all the prices for the swap related parts are posted in this thread, just need to find some time to go back through it and start calculating the numbers.
04-04-2013, 08:26 AM
#218
I'm not ex exactly sure, but when it shifted, it wasn't immediate, it would kind of hesitate or slide into the next gear. The transmission shop said something needed to be adjusted and that the pan had to come off to do it. They just said to bring it in and they would fix it, and since they rebuilt it, I wasn't going to do it so I didn't really find out what it was that they adjusted.
04-08-2013, 10:11 AM
#220
Well, I've put just a little over 400 miles on her in the last 5 days, this is the only thing I have been driving since I got it back from the transmission shop. So far not so much as a hiccup! On the first full tank of gas, I got a respectable 17.4 mpg, but like I said earlier, the speedo is a little off, but I still think it's going to be close. I'll keep checking the mpg's. Anything is better than the 11-12 that I was getting!
Here's the finished product, I have a couple of tiny details to finish, but you wouldn't notice them in a picture anyway. I cleaned it up, inside and out, and put all the missing trim pieces back on. Also rounded up all the fake lugnuts for the hubcaps, so now they're all there. You hardley ever see them with all the lugnuts.
This is an air cleaner decal for the original air cleaner, I thought it looked better than an emission decal for an '04.
Here's the finished product, I have a couple of tiny details to finish, but you wouldn't notice them in a picture anyway. I cleaned it up, inside and out, and put all the missing trim pieces back on. Also rounded up all the fake lugnuts for the hubcaps, so now they're all there. You hardley ever see them with all the lugnuts.
This is an air cleaner decal for the original air cleaner, I thought it looked better than an emission decal for an '04.