Well I finally realized I never posted this here... I have on other forums and decided to post it here as well... Enjoy and the posts are just copied so the wording might not make sense. These are posts spread apart a time frame of about a month... Enjoy

Well after some research I have decided to do an "LS1" Engine Swap/Build. This was the thread that convinced me to do this swap...
Click HERE
and I started to wonder if anyone has done this swap in a C4. It turns out that corvette fever has done this swap in a C4 and its called Project C4orce. Once I saw that I knew that, that was the engine swap I wanted to do. The reason I'm not doing an actual LSx swap is because it is too much money for a high school kid.

So today I managed to get down to the junkyard and pick up an LM7 327 (5.3L) engine from a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500. It has 52k miles on it and cost me $600. It seems to be in good condition and everything but I have 30 days to return it so I am going to be doing compression test and a leak down test first. Once its good I will be swapping the truck intake for an LS1 intake, fuel rails, and injectors that I bought used for $130 (still waiting for it to come in the mail). All I need to get the motor running is a LS1 harness and ECM then it will be good to go for the swap.

Here are some pics of the motor the way it is now (how it came from the junkyard)












It came with everything besides an alternator and belt.

My Ls1 Intake

 

Well got it set up in the garage on a stand and started to rip it apart



Intake off




Cleaning it up and took off all the accessories

 

Heres a quick test fit





Well finally got some free time to get a little work done on the engine. I spun it upside down and took off the oil pan to check out the bottom end and look at the cylinder walls. It looks great. You can still see a slight bit of cross-hatch pattern on the walls.









And heres the difference between the truck oil pan and the Firebird pan.








Now im back on hold untill the new windage tray arrives. Also in the market for an LS1 harness and ECM. Might start disassembling the car to get ready to pull the crossfire

 

Got some more work done...

Windage tray and pick-up tube installed




Oil pan installed
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Coolant Lines and knock sensors installed


Intake, Valve Covers, and coil packs installed


Engine Harness installed (for now)




I gotta figure out some things about the harness since there seems to be extra wires that I dont think I need. This week I am off from school so I should get a lot of progress done on the engine

 

Got some more work done...

Heres a look at the blizzard we got yesterday and yes thats the curb poking thro on the bottom :laughing:






Had to shovel a pathway to my car :laughing:




Heres some before shots




And the progress I got done today


I removed the air pump, alternator, power steering container, and the power steering pump (besides the one hose going to the rack, got to dark)

This is where I am currently on the swap... More to come soon

 

Is it just my eyes or are those cam lobes rusty?

 

Nice swap, I keep trying to convince my dad that his 84 doesn`t need that cease fire motor either. Those cam lobes do look kinda rusty....how do they feel?

What are you going to do for accy brackets?
Good luck working in the temp garage, that has to be cold. A couple years ago I was working in the driveway in the winter...now I have a garage again but with no heat....and its still cold. That temp garage has to be brutal.

 

I wonder if that last owner of the engine ever change the oil ? or did he just kept adding it as needed... LOL...

 

Yeah the crossfire isnt that great of a motor, but its nice to keep it stock too lol

The cam is fine. It seems like new. I was able to wipe the orangey looking stuff with my finger. It isnt rust. But good eyes lol

For the accy brackets I am getting the alternator/powersteering bracket from a corvette LS1 and I am not sure about the AC yet...

For the cold... I just have to tough it out no matter how cold it is I will continue to work on it since I have 2 weeks off from school for the holidays

 

I thought the same thing.

 

Yeah i really doubt the guy changed the oil at all. It was caked on

 

I wish I had your drive and knowledge when I was in school. Good luck, keep warm, and keep the pictures coming.

 

After you get it running, run it with some Seafoam for a 100 or 200 miles.. Maybe that will get a lot of that crap out of the oil's system and passage (if your not doing a complete tear down and rebuild).

Question, Are you going to have to SMOG the car ?.. and if so.. do you know what you will need to do to pass ?

I have 88 C4 also that I was thinking of doing the swap.. but will do my Nova 1st.

Keep the post coming .. !

 

Thanks... Yeah I got this vette when i was 15 and now 17 I am doing the last thing to it before i get my license.

No I will not have to SMOG the car. In NY if the car is 25 years old it doesnt have to pass emissions anymore.

 

Even better!

I feel for you man, I hate snow and I hate cold even more. You have got to be nuts (or determined) to work out there in your tent - but I like it! I must be getting weak in my old age, it's 39* and I don't want to go out and work in my unheated shop.

Good luck on the build.

 

Removed the SMOG pump, A/C, distributor, radiator and shroud, crankshaft pulley, and hood.

 

Nice work. Are you going to keep the engine stock or cam it?
Kory

 

Thanks....Im going to leave it stock

Cory

 

You might as well put a cam in it while you have it apart. You will want more power later

 

wow that 5.3 is nasty inside. I wonder how often the oil was changed IF it truely was 54,000ISH miles (from what I remember) Take about crudy looking. Not to mention the rust on the cam as satated.


Good luck with the swap. There is NO WAY I'd tear any car apart in the cold anymore. Things were different when you are 18 and drunk. LOL.