DIS Wakko

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums and found out about this site from S-10forums.com. After lurkering around there for a few weeks I knew that this was the place to look for the info I'll need to find answers for my upcoming project. I've finally gotten the approval from my wife to have an early mid life crisis and convert my daily driven 2.2L to a V8 of unknown. My parts collection probably won't begin until Spring but I wanted to make a starter thread to get advice/tips on a budget build with a decent base.

Sofar it's looking like I'll have to go with a 2000's 5.3L or a LQ4 6.0L b/c they are the only engines I can find locally for a reasonable price and can hopefully turn them LS based. Right now the biggest decision I have to make is a base to build on. I'm hoping to get close to 400rwhp (I'd love anything over!) but I'm almost certain I'll need some advice getting there.

Any ideas or suggestions on where to get started is greatly appreciated. This will be my first major swap since I was a teenager so there might be some dumb questions coming from me but please bare with me! My mid life crisis depends on this (atleast while I have approval)!

91sonomast

You'll find a lot of good vehicle specific info. on s10forum and engine specific info. here. As far as to get 400rwhp, some good flowing heads, 90/90 setup, injectors, a nice healthy cam, not just any big cam, you need one that will benefit you, the wrong cam can hurt your power. Good exhaust, check s10forum classifieds, once in a blue moon a set of Jared's/CPW LT headers pops up for sale, they aren't cheap but, they are very well made and worth the money. There's a guy on s10f that made 600hp on a stock 2.2 flex fuel pump.

DIS Wakko

I'm searching on info now to see if the results I'm after can be possiable with ls swap parts. Going to hit up barnes and noble this weekend for the a ls info book so maybe get a better idea of what size/model block I need to be shopping for.

Black98s10

I'm going to start the lm7 5.3L/4l60 swap in my 98 s10 this winter. Have you checked out currentperformance.com? They specialize in lsx powered s10's. I don't know if they are one of the sponsors, but just a place to get ideas.

ss454327

iTrader: (10)

Yeah if you want to save some headache (not money) look at the Current Performance Wire radiator/fan/condenser/Compressor/Hose setup. It's not cheap but it's a bolt in setup. Otherwise you will have to modify some parts. Also if you start with a truck motor you won't have to relocate the alternator and PS pump. 400rwhp would be as easy as a cam swap in a 6.0 but in a 5.3 it will take heads/cam/intake at the least. Like someone else said you're already ahead of the game since the flex fuel vehicles already had a fuel system that will work with an LSX motor. Also BRP makes some LT headers that will fit. Good luck...I hope your swap goes easier than mine! HAHAHA!

Black98s10

Agree, Current Performance is not cheap but I hear all good things about them. I would probably go with their poly motor mounts instead of rubber. I know Summit was selling the whole BRP lsx/s10 kit for about 1200. headers, mounts, trans crossmember, not sure if they still do. I would go 6L also,

91sonomast

Yeah, can't really go wrong with the 6.0. Even in the modern era of very efficient turbo's and superchargers, still no replacement for displacement. Yeah I forgot at BRP but, don't there headers go outside the frame and you lose some turning radius if you have over 8inch wide tires?

DIS Wakko

Thanks everyone for the responses!

@91sonomast - Yeah I've been to the Currentperformance.com and s10v8.com and I see alot of members from the S10forums talk about how great Jared is. If I can scrap up the money I will definitely be hitting him up for atleast a set of headers. Also everyone advises a custom wiring harness from there aswell. For now I'm gonna check wiring diagrams and continue checking to web to see about piecing together my own harness to hold me.

@Black98s10 - I've considered doing a LM7 but I'm afraid that I won't get the results I'm searching for. Also after a motor is in I really really don't wanna pull that thing out unless it's completely necessary lol. So atm it's really looking like a high mileage LQ4 but I was planning on atleast freshening up the bottom end and replacing everything above with used LS parts to hold me until I can afford better. Atleast that way I'd have a good base to build on with a fresh bottom end.

@ss454327 - I've seen that setup your talking about and that thing is sweet! It's one of those things that if the extra money is there then it's a go. Otherwise I have no problem modding a salvaged set of LS1 fans to the back of a 4.3 radiator. From what I've seen sofar on the forums that setup will hold but I'm still researching b/c this is gonna be an extreme budget based build with alot of used and fabricated parts.

Sorry for the long post lol, just wanted to respond to everyone. Also one question. What are your thoughts about salvaged fire motors? I can get a LQ4 with around 100k-200k miles for around $500. It seems like an Iron block with Iron heads could hold up but this is just my brain storming. I haven't personally seen any motor as of yet b/c I'm waiting til tax return to start the build but I'm checking my options.

Black98s10

Well if your goals are only 400rwhp, than a 5.3L can still get you there. You can always put a forged ls1 rotating assembly in with a machine work. If you want more power down the road, you can always spray, or go FI like I'm doing.

DIS Wakko

400 rwhp is a base goal line for me, after this build is completed it is going continue to be a daily driver so dependability is a must. Forced induction to hit my goal worries me so if I can hit it N/A it seems like the best route atm. But if I can get a 5.3 FI to be dependable as a daily driver and come out cheaper than the LQ4 then all is fair game.

91sonomast

From what little research I have done and other people talking, reworking a factory 5.3 harness and your trucks harness isn't REALLY bad, there's work involved but it's doable.

DIS Wakko

I think my truck's current engine suspects something is on the horizon. The alternator decided to take a crap on me. To bad I still need to drive the truck to work b/c it looks like I'm gonna take alot of stuff out just to fix it lol.

Cronic_Moronic

Stock 5.3s have gone 8s in the quarter for quite some time.

400 hp is very easily attainable with low boost and a conservative tune.

The real question is can you fabricate the turbo kit yourself. If you can it might be an option. If you can not then go for displacement.

DIS Wakko

Been a while since I've updated. The build is still in the research phase (waiting on tax money) and pretty much have all questions buttoned up but two. My expectations have changed a bit from my starting posts but it's down to a stock LQ4 and a used T-56. The engine is coming with complete acc., full wiring harness, ECM, TAC module, and pedal minus the wiring for the pedal. The T-56 is a auto to manual conversion from HawksThirdGenParts.com.

Main question is how can I look up what version ECM my truck has so I can see if the donor ECM is the same. Due to emission regs here my tuner said I might have an issue getting my truck inspected b/c the VIN on the donor ECM won't match my truck. If that's an issue I'll need to use my ECM and need to make sure everything is gonna be cool. Also if I need to use my factory ECM will the DBW intake be a problem. I've tried google and searching but I'm hitting dead ends.

Spectre86

iTrader: (42)

how hard is the wiring/ecu part of this kind of swap? to the T56's fit fine, or do u have to cut the floor ?

DIS Wakko

From what I've read sofar the wiring parts isn't REALLY that hard, just very time consuming and I'm sure that I'll have alittle debugging to do. Mainly since I have the donor ECM and harness the main thing is that I'll want to lengthen some wires to relocate the donor ECM from the drivers side to the passenger side which is the factory location for my truck. Also I'll have to repin the underhood fuse block to match the donor engines factory block.

As for the T-56 fitting I'm sure I'll have to persuade the lip going from the engine bay to the transmission so all the bolts can be reached incase the tranny needs pulling. Also going to have to adjust a few line fitting for clearance issuses. Other than cutting out for the shifter there shouldn't be any other cutting other than fabbing a bracket for the tail to sit on. Also I have seen where some make sort of a trap door in the cab so they can bleed the lines from inside the truck.

DIS Wakko

On another note, has anyone in NC swapped a V8 into a post 98 vehicle? From what I'm reading NC emission laws won't pass an engine swap into a vehicle that didn't have the engine as a factory option.... It's truly becoming an emotional roller coaster lol...

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (37)

I love my little sonoma. It's build is somewhere on here from a few years ago. I daily drive it and was averaging right at 25 on a 120 mile round trip drive everyday. Was a 6.0 with LS-6 cam and put 42K on it without so much as a hiccup. For some strange reason snapped the #7 valve and holed a piston so I'm stuck between getting another lq-4 like I have in or or using a 5.3 I already have. I gotta get it back on the road my sierra's eating my lunch on fuel the last two weeks. Pretty sure just goin to put a 6.0 back in it.

But when put together right it will be a daily driveable truck if that is what you want out of it.

DIS Wakko

Going to call the DMV division of auto theft and fraud tomorrow to find out for sure. From the looks of things at this moment this swap will not happen b/c of the BS rules and regulations of this ridiculous state

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (37)

FAWK em you can always find a sticker.