5.3 swap into 85 Trans Am
03-05-2012, 11:30 PM
#1
5.3 swap into 85 Trans Am This is a swap that i am helping the little brother with, he is 22 and this is his first LS swap, or LS motor in general.
Bad luck was, we bought 2 alleged 5.3 engines, (GEN IIIs), ran the crank numbers today and they are 4.8s....go figure.
So, i looked at the engine that was supposed to be a 4.8 that i am swapping into my moms 96 S10(will be EFI....) and sure enough, a 5.3, so a switcheroo happened and we got the brand new F body pan on today, painted it a bit, nothing fancy, just a quick job to make it look better, and what do you know, the one missing manifold bolt was....not missing but broken. EZ out broke off, so a few attempts with the welder and i got it free.
The car needs some body work, a nose clip and fender. Going to be fun making the PERFORMER RPM fit under the formula hood....will see hot that wont work.
Once this is done, we will start a 4.8 swap in his 88 GMC Jimmy.
Still waiting on ignition, and starter. Looking for 4th gen F car shorty headers to finish as well, but will not be long.
From this:
To this:
in a few hours.
Bad luck was, we bought 2 alleged 5.3 engines, (GEN IIIs), ran the crank numbers today and they are 4.8s....go figure.
So, i looked at the engine that was supposed to be a 4.8 that i am swapping into my moms 96 S10(will be EFI....) and sure enough, a 5.3, so a switcheroo happened and we got the brand new F body pan on today, painted it a bit, nothing fancy, just a quick job to make it look better, and what do you know, the one missing manifold bolt was....not missing but broken. EZ out broke off, so a few attempts with the welder and i got it free.
The car needs some body work, a nose clip and fender. Going to be fun making the PERFORMER RPM fit under the formula hood....will see hot that wont work.
Once this is done, we will start a 4.8 swap in his 88 GMC Jimmy.
Still waiting on ignition, and starter. Looking for 4th gen F car shorty headers to finish as well, but will not be long.
From this:
To this:
in a few hours.
03-06-2012, 09:53 PM
#5
Step one is to hit it with a wire brush, this engine had its nastiness, but was not as bad as some of the others i have cleaned int he past. Once done, hit it with the wire brush in all the spots you didnt get that you thought you did. My brother helped and i kind of left majority of it to him, as this is his first real engine swap, not just a engine replacement and there is a bit of pride here, well allot. He is ultra excited, i am helping but trying to hold back so he is doing as much work as possible. He is learning fast but i am reminding him of things he forgets, so hopefully it will hone his skills. That being said, it is not as nice as mine if i did it myself, but it is decent for his first daily drive LS swap. Going to damn near let him solo the 4.8 swap in his jimmy. After the thorough brushing, clean the brush or find another and use carb cleaner to get as much prep as possible and rid of debris and remaining oil deposits. Small brushed get the small places of course. Razor blades help the valley and other spots, ect.
Here is what is done so far along with the ignition controller came in, we are fixing to drop the motor in if the paint is dry.
Wish i did a before pic, beotch was nastaaay. But there was no light outside at 700P when we started.
Headers and on the way thanks to a tech member.
Here is what is done so far along with the ignition controller came in, we are fixing to drop the motor in if the paint is dry.
Wish i did a before pic, beotch was nastaaay. But there was no light outside at 700P when we started.
Headers and on the way thanks to a tech member.
03-06-2012, 10:12 PM
#6
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What gauges are you running in your cars you've done? My cars a 84 ta with mechanical Speedo, but im running a new 4l80e so I will need a electric Speedo. Gauges are so damn ecspwnsive. I was thinking of finding a way to repla e just the Speedo and tach and keep the factory little gauges.
03-06-2012, 11:40 PM
#7
I got screwed, on my 89 RS, i have oil and water in the cowl, same in the 86 TA. The stock voltage works in both, but they have aftermarket tachs inside of both, so the stockers again, no good. The 94 GMC, has every gauge stock working except the water temp because i have not found the cheap adapter to run the stock sender, between other stuff going on, i have just relied on a aftermarket electric setup.
Ok, for speedos, i have had back luck, the 89 has a T56 from a 2000 Z28, and the stock pickup is....mechanical, the 86 TA, electric and the TIC TH400 competition trans....no output at all...., and then the 94 GMC, has a 2000 4L60, and the stock pickup is a electric, and i wired it in, and found nothing, so i need to see if one of the outputs from the stock two wires is supposed to ground, even though i would imagine GM would ground it under the gauge cluster, but again, no telling. I only have the optuon left of trying to see if there is the chance of one being a ground and i just tried the output to both. It worked with the stock 5.7 and 4L60, so idk...
Here is where we just finished, unfortunately, the good news is a stock hood with a truck bracket and 87-92 V8 alternator will fit but the carb as i was sure, has about 2 inches to work, but i have a plan, a carb hat i can shave down on the side that is hitting after i mill the bottom, do what i need to to get my brother on the road, but the cowling on the dr side gives me room to work, will be close and nothing pretty but damn it, we will get it done. Vic Jr? No effin way.
There is the 22 year old eager learner in the process of excitement...
This should be running a clutch fan like factory till he can fork out a electric fan setup...
Hope to get the trans in tomorrow, but she went in fantastic.
Ok, for speedos, i have had back luck, the 89 has a T56 from a 2000 Z28, and the stock pickup is....mechanical, the 86 TA, electric and the TIC TH400 competition trans....no output at all...., and then the 94 GMC, has a 2000 4L60, and the stock pickup is a electric, and i wired it in, and found nothing, so i need to see if one of the outputs from the stock two wires is supposed to ground, even though i would imagine GM would ground it under the gauge cluster, but again, no telling. I only have the optuon left of trying to see if there is the chance of one being a ground and i just tried the output to both. It worked with the stock 5.7 and 4L60, so idk...
Here is where we just finished, unfortunately, the good news is a stock hood with a truck bracket and 87-92 V8 alternator will fit but the carb as i was sure, has about 2 inches to work, but i have a plan, a carb hat i can shave down on the side that is hitting after i mill the bottom, do what i need to to get my brother on the road, but the cowling on the dr side gives me room to work, will be close and nothing pretty but damn it, we will get it done. Vic Jr? No effin way.
There is the 22 year old eager learner in the process of excitement...
This should be running a clutch fan like factory till he can fork out a electric fan setup...
Hope to get the trans in tomorrow, but she went in fantastic.
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03-07-2012, 12:32 AM
#9
TECH Resident
This is a swap that i am helping the little brother with, he is 22 and this is his first LS swap, or LS motor in general.
Bad luck was, we bought 2 alleged 5.3 engines, (GEN IIIs), ran the crank numbers today and they are 4.8s....go figure.
So, i looked at the engine that was supposed to be a 4.8 that i am swapping into my moms 96 S10(will be EFI....) and sure enough, a 5.3, so a switcheroo happened and we got the brand new F body pan on today, painted it a bit, nothing fancy, just a quick job to make it look better, and what do you know, the one missing manifold bolt was....not missing but broken. EZ out broke off, so a few attempts with the welder and i got it free.
The car needs some body work, a nose clip and fender. Going to be fun making the PERFORMER RPM fit under the formula hood....will see hot that wont work.
Once this is done, we will start a 4.8 swap in his 88 GMC Jimmy.
Still waiting on ignition, and starter. Looking for 4th gen F car shorty headers to finish as well, but will not be long.
Bad luck was, we bought 2 alleged 5.3 engines, (GEN IIIs), ran the crank numbers today and they are 4.8s....go figure.
So, i looked at the engine that was supposed to be a 4.8 that i am swapping into my moms 96 S10(will be EFI....) and sure enough, a 5.3, so a switcheroo happened and we got the brand new F body pan on today, painted it a bit, nothing fancy, just a quick job to make it look better, and what do you know, the one missing manifold bolt was....not missing but broken. EZ out broke off, so a few attempts with the welder and i got it free.
The car needs some body work, a nose clip and fender. Going to be fun making the PERFORMER RPM fit under the formula hood....will see hot that wont work.
Once this is done, we will start a 4.8 swap in his 88 GMC Jimmy.
Still waiting on ignition, and starter. Looking for 4th gen F car shorty headers to finish as well, but will not be long.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...g-700-whp.html
In the thread the reference an article in HotRod about a 5.3 build that they tried to destroy. Turns out it was a 4.8.
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/h...g_bang_theory/
60+ pulls on the dyno at >1000hp Stock bottom end!
Also, doing some research on the Performance Truck Forums. I found out that the 4.8 is preferred over the 5.3 for turbo builds, something about the stroke and bore. ???
Just a thought if you ever think of going Forced Induction.
Good Luck!
03-07-2012, 07:25 AM
#10
Hell, even naturally aspirated, the shorter stroke allows the lower piston speed and roaring mass to turn the limit of the 24x reluctor wheel, imagine a 7700 rpm stock bottom end Ls, all day. I am going to do it one day, and it will sound killer, down on tq but will not be intended as a race car in that aspect....or will it. On theturboforum, quick made 774 rwhp if I remember correct, at times hit 22 pounds but was usually at 17.
03-08-2012, 06:05 AM
#11
Well, here is what was left of the carb hat, had to take allot more than I thought, but the end result that I thought was going to be pretty ugly actually turned out half decent with wrinkle finish vht and it clears great, first third gen to use stock hood with carbed Ls? Only due to the formula hood either way:
03-08-2012, 09:50 PM
#15
The carb in the pic is my stocker 750 holley, he has a street avenger series 750 going on, here is what i came up with as a filter element, it will get him on the road and do its job. Actually contacts the hood, but not much, enough to tell but not prevent shutting.
03-09-2012, 01:52 PM
#19
Sure, really didn't think about the 'wires right in' thing. I wouldn't change it either.