jbarrowsMCSS

Hi everyone,

ok background, so i'm new to the new age tech stuff even though i'm in my 20's. I have had a 88 monte carlo ss for about 6 years now. I had to side line it for about 4 of them because i had no time, no place, and/or no money to do anything with it. It has a stock 305 and trans. I recently just got into a position where i can start tinkering with it again and give it some attention. my intention was to rebuild a 350 and drop it in and go from there. However i recently had a conversation with a buddy of mine and he all but squashed those dreams. He basically stated that old school SBC is nice but can't hold a candle to the LS motors for speed and cost. He advised me not to spend my money on a 350 and said i should look into the LS series, then pull one from a junkyard and rebuild it for the monte. So i recently went through the history, took notes and have gotta say he has a point. So i'm looking more and more into this as an option now. I do however need help getting started and have some questions.

1.) which LS do you go with. I'd like to get something that i'm not going to want to replace in a year, something i can build and make some decent power. I know the differences in the LS motors as far as the displacement and which ones are more desired but i'm running on limited funds.

2.) Other than the car vs truck LS mostly being aluminum vs iron with different displacements and intake design are there any other differences or is it all just a difference in the bores a strokes. The question stems from the old school days where car/truck motors had different motor mounts, different head heights, etc. The truck motors seem the most accessible, with swap capabilities from the car LS motors, but is it worth it.

3.) I've been a car guy all my life but when it comes to technology/wiring/computers i'm in the dark. I was raised with a love for muscle cars. However most of the knowledge i have is self learned, and i view this as being no different. So is there any place for some good info on things like mega squirt kits and such. I have the principles down i just like to know the inner workings of things before i buy stuff.

Thanks in advance

NovaLS

Your buddy is right about the LS vs the old school SBC. I just got done with a swap from a 350/TH350 to an LQ4/4l60e. Car is a lot more fun after the swap. I don't know as much as others, but I'll try my best.

1.) Truck motors are by far the easiest to find and probably the cheapest. Go with a 6.0L and you'll be able to do anything you want with it. Mine is stock now and it is still a worlds difference from the 350. A cam/heads really wakes these motors up too.

2.) The differences are mainly the aluminum/iron and the bore/stroke. They all mount the same. All it takes to mount one in an older vehicle is an adapter plate that will bolt to the engine. Main thing to watch out for is hood clearance with the truck intakes.

3.) You can go with an aftermarket wiring setup. There are many available. For a stock-ish type build it seems easier to use the stock computer to control the engine. You can modify the original harness for the engine and run it like that. I went this route. The harness is not hard to modify, but it does take time. You will learn how it all works that way.

The swap isn't hard to do. It just takes patience and planning. It is more than worth it once you finally get to drive the car. Just do some research and you'll be fine!

jbarrowsMCSS

Thanks for the help.

I've been looking into the LQ4 motors and they seem to be the most common low budget LS swap available. I have a few more questions though.

1.) What are the casting numbers for the block and heads or do you know where to find them? Ive been looking all over the web and some people have them and some don't. Some people have the 6.0L listed as a LS2? Its starting to make my head spin. I just dont want to look at one of the silverados and take the motor and find out that its not what i thought.

2.) Whats the difference between the short block and the regular block?

3.) What trans would you recommend?

NovaLS

1.) As far as I know you will have to have the VIN of the vehicle it's coming out of. Then you should be able to look up what the exact engine is. The LS2 is a 6.0L, but it came in cars and is an aluminum block. The Iron block 6.0Ls are from trucks and are either an LQ4 or an LQ9.

2.) A short block is the engine, but without the heads and intake. You are should be looking for something called a complete takeout or pullout. It will come with everything; including the compuuter, wiring harness, accessories etc..

3.) If you are doing any highway driving at all, I would go with a newer overdrive trans if you can. A 4l80e is more robust, but it is bigger and harder to fit in some tunnels. I went with a 4l60e and haven't had any trouble, but the motor is all stock.

jbarrowsMCSS

Thanks for the advice again and I thought the 6.0L was a LS2 but wikipedia had it under the LS1 model. Guess that what i get for trusting them completely for for info. I looked at the 6.0L motors for sale and they are very expensive, even call a few local junk yards and they were either just as expensive or more.

Due to a limited budget, I'm starting to think i have 2 options at this point.

1.) Use a 5.3L instead. Yes there is no replacement for displacement but at the same time, there dirt cheap and would be easier to make some decent HP (300-400 range) for the same price as i would pay for the 6.0L. This would also allow me to be able to give the rest of the drive train and vehicle some attention.

2.) Stick with the 350 for now and put some money into the other parts of the drivetrain and other small stuff until i have a decent amount of money saved for the 6.0L.

I will probably go with option 1, mainly because its a cruising car and i don't plan on drag racing it but the 5.3 will give me an up to date engine and some decent power.

33willys

iTrader: (1)

I went with a 5.3 for my '39 Chevy. Very happy with it stock BUT I'm 73 y.o. and no longer need hide burnin' power. Mine is an LM4 all aluminum from a 2003 Trailblazer but an iron block is just as good for every day cruiser. If it were me I would get an engine/trans all in one. Some junkyards will also pull the ECU and harness too. Whatever you do get the VIN of the donor vehicle. If it's a drive by wire get the gas pedal and TAC box also along with the wires. When I got my engine/trans I also got the mileage and it was 87K so I just put it in the car the way it was. Later on after you have recovered from the $$ outlay you can go back and put a turbo on it if you like and beef up the engine then. As far as the new electronics go, the more you learn about fuel injection the simpler it gets. You will need new tools such as a code reader and noid light but you can make room in your tool box by tossing the dwell meter and timing light (hehe).

Sq Body

I appreciate you guys as I had a lot of the same questions.
It can definitely be a little head spinning for a newbie but if your hooked like me and think of hardly anything else it's amazing how fast you start absorbing and catching on.
I want a T56 as my swap is a manual trans C10 (1979) and it's been so long since I had a manual with any power it just has to happen. So today I find a deal (I know it's still a lot) but it's over a grand cheaper than most others, 06 LS2 out of a GTO and the six speed trans all together with all accessories and electronics, pedal ect.. Delivered to my friends shop for $5950.
The T56 six speed will cost me anywhere from 2500-4000 so another 3000 for a LS2 with 86K is that a decent deal? I don't want to spend over 3K on a trans and go get a higher mileage iron block and only be 800-1200 cheaper than just getting the LS2???
Thanks again