mlevario99

This is my first swap, I have read a lot on this site and I also bought the book "How to SWAP GM LS-Series engines into almost anything. I have a 1976 F-100 which I fix about a year and half ago, it had the FE390 engine with a C-6 tranny. I fix the engine as well, the only problem is that I did not like the tranny without the overdrive. I also have a 1966 C-10 truck, which I'm planning to built one of this days. I bought a 4.8 Vortec out of a 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 with the tranny and wiring harness it has the DBW. The original idea was to use it on the 66 chevy, but after thinking about it I decide to use it on the 76 ford, just for fun. When I started working on the Ford truck a while back, I installed the front suspension from a 2003 Crown Victoria, I got the idea from Carcrafter22 a member of FordTruckForum. So I start working on the truck last week with my cousin, he is helping me. I'm not mechanic, so my experience as a mechanic is minimal. I did most of the work on my truck, like installing the front suspension, and fixing the engine and some more stuff, I did not do the paint job.

I modify the wiring harness my self with help from www.LT1SWAP.com site, I have not finished the wiring but I remove all the unneccesary wires, I just need to add the two wires for the electric fans, when I did my truck I installed the electric fans out of a GMC Yukon, and I ues a Dakota Digital module to run them, but now I will use the computer.

I'm using the adapter plates from TransDapt that I got from Summit. I was planning on using the 66 chevy truck motor mounts and motor supports, that was the original idea, but it will also prevent me from using headers which I bought. The headers that I bought were for a 04 GMC Sierra. So my cousin and I decided to use the car motor mounts. By using the car motor mounts with the 03 crown victoria suspension we only had to built two towers to support the engine and it will give us more clearence for teh headers.

For fuel supply I'm going to usea Walbro fuel pump external, I read about the set up using the Corvette filter regulator, I need to modify my fuel tank to provide a return line. I know that I need to be careful with fuel tanks, but the idea that i have is to drill a hole on the sending unit and not on the tank, if I need to work on the tank I will get a new one, not that expensive.

This is a work in progress and I know I will have questions especially with some of the wiring. I was thinking to change from DBW to the other setup, that way I delete another wiring, what do you guys think, is it easy to wire the pedal, as far as I know you only need a pink wire.

I'm posting some pictures, I will post more as I continue to work on this truck, we can only work on the afternoons and not every day, but it will get done.

and thanks to all the people that have posted information on how to swap these engines.

twisselman1968

iTrader: (1)

just contact brenden at lt1swap.com he can help you out with all the drive by wire stuff and even program your ecm, brendens the man any time I need wireing or swap help I'm glad I have him on speed dial, on another subject I love your truck and the crown vic front suspension that is to cool

mlevario99

Thanks twisselman1968, I actually email Brenden a few times when I was removing my wires, and when time comes to reprogram the computer I will send it to him, I just need to make a decision if I'm going to use the DBW or the otehr setup. Anyone that has used the DBW, do you had any problems with it, should I just keep it, I have the pedal and the module.

I have a question related to the cooling system. My ford engine had the thermostat housing on the passenger side and it went to the top of the radiator on the passenger side, the other hose went to the bottom on the driver side. On the vortec the house coming from the thermostat housing goes to the bottom on the passenger side, and the other hose goes to the top on the driver side. Does it matter how I run the radiator hoses, or do I need to get a different radiator. Hope what I wrote makes sence.

Thanks

twisselman1968

iTrader: (1)

brendens the one who convinced me to stick with dbw and other than mounting the pedal to my liking it was pretty straight forward and I like it so far, but hopefully someone else will chime in with there opinion

mlevario99

I have a question related to the power steering pump. Does any one know what is the pressure of the sterring pump on the vortec engines, will it be much higher than the pressure from the pump of a 03 crown victoria. Do I need to reduce the pressure some how.

Thanks for any help

lizeec

iTrader: (57)

Check out the o.e.m. style motor mounts from a 2005-2006 Pontiac GTO they look like they would almost bolt up directly to your existing frame stands, nice truck

mlevario99

thanks lizeec, we built the sipports from 2-1/2" square tubing. I was going to upload some pics but forgot the camera cable at home. We installed the headers, I had to notch the frame on the passenger side to clear, just a little bit.

I have a question, the tranny has the original lines from the GMC truck but those lines will not fit on my radiator, so I was thinking to use a finned aluminum dual line trans cooler, I saw someone use this on a similar swap on a chevy truck, has anyone on this site use this before, do you had any probles with it, also, if I use this trans cooler, do I use the 6 AN or 8 AN braided lines, or do I have to go bigger than that.

Another question realted to fuel supply, I am using the walbro external pump. The fuel line coming from the sender unit to the pump, I was thinking to use a fuel rubber hose and also to sue the same setup on the return line form the corvette filter/regulator, do you see any problem using rubber hose on this two. Also, do I need a filter before the pump.

Thanks for your help

lizeec

iTrader: (57)

As far as the transmission lines go you probably have 3/8 Inverted flare female fittings on your radiator and the G.M. lines are probably 5/16 Inverted flare male fittings you can get adaptors that will let you use your 5/16 lines and mate them to the 3/8 fittings in the radiator just make sure they are inverted flare, on the fuel lines I dont think you can use rubber hose for sure on the sender to the pump as these systems require 58-61 pounds of pressure, I have heard of some people using rubber hose and saying they have never had a problem and I have also heard people say they used them and that the fire was really hot and burned everything, Just my opinion but that is an area I personally wouldnt skimp on and get braided line and the a/n fittings for. I have also heard that Dorman makes some type of plastic lines with push on fittings that are used in many o.e.m. applications, Good Luck

mlevario99

Has anyone used the Finned aluminum trans cooler in their swaps

mlevario99

Back to the tranny lines, can those lines be splice, what I mean, can I use the original ford tranny lines coming from the radiator to a point past the engine, and then use the lines from the tranny to that point and splice them there, if I can do that, what kind of hose do I need to use to connect both of them. Or will it be easier to fabricate new lines. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

twisselman1968

iTrader: (1)

yeah you can do that, the best way to go about this is autozone has actual rubber transmission cooler hose and buy some high pressure fuel injection hose clamps and double or triple clamp every conection, if you have a flare tool its a nice plus to flare each line but I have had great success without flaring the lines but I clamp the **** out of them usually triple clamps on every connection. the external finned aluminium trans coolers are nice nut I usually only run those if I'm running a decent stall and I know my trans temps will be high and I allways run it thru the radiator cooler first and then thru the external cooler and back to the trans.....but thats just the way I've done it

lizeec

iTrader: (57)

You can go with compression fittings if the lines are the same size for example 5/16 to 5/16 or 3/8 to 3/8 or if your lines are different diameters I believe you can even get adaptor compression fittings of 5/16 on one side and 3/8 on the other side IMO it is a much cleaner look than rubber hose and multiple hose clamps and a lot less prone to leak.

twisselman1968

iTrader: (1)

if you can get compresion fittings theres no doubt thats the way to go, I actually didn't know you could get adaptor compression fitings, those could have come in handy a few times

mlevario99

thanks twisselma1968 and lizeec, do you guys know if I can get these compression fittings at an auto parts like autozone, or do I need to order them from the internet.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Nice looking truck, good luck with the build!

mlevario99

thanks digitalsolo.

We are getting there. We are installing all the wiring, well the plugs. I have a few questions related to the harness.

Here are a few pics of the built.







On this next picture, what is the green cap, it has a plug but i believe it was deleted to be a standalone harness, it has a hose that goes to the back of the engine and it used to have another hose or line attached to it. Do I just remove the black hose and cap it



I had to remove some material out of the ac compressor, i just hope the compressor fits there, the motor mount is close.



Another question, there are two ground wires from the harness in this picture, thay have the ends where you can use a screw to attach them, where do I attach them, is it to the engine, or to the cabin.



Last question of the day, onm the alternator plug, there is this blue wire that I had to remove i believe from the plug that goes to the computer, do I just cap the wire, or can this wire be use to check the amperage/voltage on the gauge on the cluster.



thanks for all your help

classic79

green cap thing is the evap solenoid. I think Branden disables that on the deleting emissions tuning. I cut that hose and rerouted it to my charcol canistor vent on my truck. Others just cap it off.

The ground wires I put on my cab. There was one ground on the engine below the alt. area, and I added another one to the motor from my battery just for good measure.

The alt. I'm not sure what is there. I can tell you what I did that worked and that was I left all the 4.8 harness and plugs on the alt. (it was a 2 wire plug) and added the battery wire on the back and it works fine. Even my voltage guage in my dash works, so it must get its reading from somewhere else. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but i think the computer controlls the alternator right?

Anyhow good luck with it, truck looks great. I had to sell my 79 150 due to no room for baby seats. Still miss that truck.

mlevario99

thanks for the info classic79.

I'm looking for the sequence of torquing the bolts on the intake of the 4.8, does anyone has a picture of the sequence that they can post, or if you can direct me to it.

Also, I'm looking for a picutre of how the gas pedal is connected to the throtle, I have a DBW pedal but I'm thinbking of using the cable throtle, if you have a picture of how you route the cable behind the intake.

lizeec

iTrader: (57)

I got mine from SWAGELOCK you can google that name and in the search box put keyword 3/8 x 5/16 compression fittingand it will give you a couple different ones available in different materials and strengths the part number I used was SS-600-6-5 made out of stainless steel and you can also use that as a keyword, I have also seen them at Home Depot as usual when you need something you cant find it anywhere and then after you order them and pay extra for shipping and have to wait for them, you then seem to see them everythere at every store for sell, it seems like even McDonalds was selling those fittings after I didnt need them anymore. Good Luck

mlevario99

I'm going to be using the original air compressor bracket, which compressor do you guys reccomend, any in particular. Thanks