71 cutlass LQ9 4l60e
Don't go jumping the gun with relocating or anticipating stuff. You may only be making more work for yourself that is unnecessary. Work on your parts list, talk to guys who have done these and look at builds similar to yours. I had half the stuff for mine before I ever pulled the motor out of my S-10. But it is all the little things that will jump up on you and have you pulling your hair out!!
Be patient in all this, the end result is well worth it. I spent 3 1/2 months building my S-10 and if I had it to do over again, I would do half a dozen things differently. Primarily the transmission. I went with a turbo 400 thinking that my little bit of around town driving with higher gears would not be a big deal. Until I had 4.10's in the rear and was pulling 3300 rpm at 55 mph!!
figure out what your goal for the vehicle is, street/strip, cruiser, import slayer, or whatever... once you have your target build in mind then go for the stuff to make the car the best for your goal. Bear in mind of rear end gearing, tire size, distances of driving on average, will you want to attend stuff like power tour, cruise nights at the drag strip (30 miles then 5 back to back runs), whatever your goal is.... Think it through, then think it through again, then, do it one more time just to be sure you didn't forget anything, but make the last time at LEAST an hour from the first two, to give your brain a rest...
Any mods you plan to do to the engine are best done outside the car for a thousand times easier access..
Best of luck with your build, hope its faster than mine has been, and be sure to check the engine you are buying out before getting it in the car.
Be patient in all this, the end result is well worth it. I spent 3 1/2 months building my S-10 and if I had it to do over again, I would do half a dozen things differently. Primarily the transmission. I went with a turbo 400 thinking that my little bit of around town driving with higher gears would not be a big deal. Until I had 4.10's in the rear and was pulling 3300 rpm at 55 mph!!
figure out what your goal for the vehicle is, street/strip, cruiser, import slayer, or whatever... once you have your target build in mind then go for the stuff to make the car the best for your goal. Bear in mind of rear end gearing, tire size, distances of driving on average, will you want to attend stuff like power tour, cruise nights at the drag strip (30 miles then 5 back to back runs), whatever your goal is.... Think it through, then think it through again, then, do it one more time just to be sure you didn't forget anything, but make the last time at LEAST an hour from the first two, to give your brain a rest...
Any mods you plan to do to the engine are best done outside the car for a thousand times easier access..
Best of luck with your build, hope its faster than mine has been, and be sure to check the engine you are buying out before getting it in the car.
Forgot to mention, if you are not going to break down the engine to check the internals and maybe have new bearings put in, scrub the heck out of it while it is outside the car. Purple power from Wal Mart is $5.68 or so per gallon and works awesome and pulling off dirt and grease and grime.
Something that was told to me by the guy I got my engine from, DO NOT POINT POWERWASH TIP between the intake manifold and cylinder heads!! You can force water into the intake runner and cause rust, plus possible waterlock of the engine. If you do clean it like this, pull the plugs and spin the engine over several times as soon as you get it home, then put some kind of lubricant into the intake runners to coat the inside of the cylinder to prevent rust. I did all this and poured a little Rotella engine oil into each intake runner and cranked the engine over a few times. Mine still had the starter on it.
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you get stuck, there are a ton of people on here to help out and they don't mind doing it.
Something that was told to me by the guy I got my engine from, DO NOT POINT POWERWASH TIP between the intake manifold and cylinder heads!! You can force water into the intake runner and cause rust, plus possible waterlock of the engine. If you do clean it like this, pull the plugs and spin the engine over several times as soon as you get it home, then put some kind of lubricant into the intake runners to coat the inside of the cylinder to prevent rust. I did all this and poured a little Rotella engine oil into each intake runner and cranked the engine over a few times. Mine still had the starter on it.
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you get stuck, there are a ton of people on here to help out and they don't mind doing it.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not going to kid myself into thinking that this is going to be a quick process. I'm fortunate to have the direction of the car firmly in place. I know it's life is going to be a cruising car. Weekend trips, driven to work on nice days, much as it has been since I bought it.
I've already had the front end apart for a full rebuild, new bushings/ball joints/UMI sway bar and replaced any worn steering parts. The rear suspension has been upgraded with UMI upper and lower control arms, sway bar and 3.73 gears and a limited slip. With an overdrive it makes for a decent long distance cruiser. I had previously swapped in a 2004r last year. I'm going from a 2004R to a 4l60e, so i'm losing a little bit of overdrive going from .64 to .70 but it'll still be pretty relaxed at legal speeds. The jeep steering box was on my list prior to the LQ4 swap anyway, so this gives me the chance to take care of it.
I'm planning on a mild cam (210ish) and valvesprings prior to the install and with the pan off i'll take a look at the bearings to see how they look. Saving some cash on things like the tank will give me the funds to find a lower mileage engine, so fingers crossed I will be lucky in that department. I'm not fixated on having the quickest car on the road or picking on imports, the car will never see a track, i just want something that puts a smile on my face and is ready to go at the twist of a key.
I've already had the front end apart for a full rebuild, new bushings/ball joints/UMI sway bar and replaced any worn steering parts. The rear suspension has been upgraded with UMI upper and lower control arms, sway bar and 3.73 gears and a limited slip. With an overdrive it makes for a decent long distance cruiser. I had previously swapped in a 2004r last year. I'm going from a 2004R to a 4l60e, so i'm losing a little bit of overdrive going from .64 to .70 but it'll still be pretty relaxed at legal speeds. The jeep steering box was on my list prior to the LQ4 swap anyway, so this gives me the chance to take care of it.
I'm planning on a mild cam (210ish) and valvesprings prior to the install and with the pan off i'll take a look at the bearings to see how they look. Saving some cash on things like the tank will give me the funds to find a lower mileage engine, so fingers crossed I will be lucky in that department. I'm not fixated on having the quickest car on the road or picking on imports, the car will never see a track, i just want something that puts a smile on my face and is ready to go at the twist of a key.
Despite the transmission problems I have been unfortunate enough to get stuck with, my little S-10 does that every time. I turn the key and it starts right on up (except when it is out of gas!! LOL).
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Think it's time for an update. The gas tank is out, and as a happy surprise I found the original build sheet for the car in amazingly good shape stuck to the top. Spent a lot of time this weekend in the garage and I have the olds 350 all ready to pull out now. I took the entire engine bay harness out of the car and went through it taking out what won't be needed once the swap is made and inspected all of the wires for any damage/cracks and soldered in new as needed. That went pretty quick and now that it's all done the harness looks great all wrapped in new loom.
I have also picked up a Jeep GC steering box and Windstar fans from the local yard and cleaned the pieces up. Had to go through 2 different windstars to find fans with motors that didn't sound like they were on their last leg but after some swapping of parts i have a unit I think I can trust.
The most exciting news is that I found the engine. 2002 escalade LQ9 getting all accessories, harness, ecu... Should be picking it up weekend after Christmas. Now the fun can really start.
I have also picked up a Jeep GC steering box and Windstar fans from the local yard and cleaned the pieces up. Had to go through 2 different windstars to find fans with motors that didn't sound like they were on their last leg but after some swapping of parts i have a unit I think I can trust.
The most exciting news is that I found the engine. 2002 escalade LQ9 getting all accessories, harness, ecu... Should be picking it up weekend after Christmas. Now the fun can really start.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,081
Likes: 8
From: Atlanta, Ga
I have done many similar things in my swap, don't hesitate to ask for guidance. It is much better to learn from others mistakes. The B-body tank is a good choice, I recommend the Holley pan or some such. You will really appreciate the GC steering and the rest will just follow.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Was planning on borrowing an engine hoist from a buddy, but with how many times this setup is going to be in and out before it's set for good I think buying my own is in order. The new 302-2 Holley pan really has me leaning that direction. Looks to me that the rear sump is pretty similar to the F-body pan so I won't gain any crossmember clearance as far as bringing the engine forward goes, but it'll be up out of the way in the sump area and the front looks like it'll provide good clearance for the steering.
B body tank is probably a no-go for me. Turns out my local yards all punch holes in the tanks prior to dropping cars in the yard, so all of them that I've found are useless. That's not a big concern for me, though, because I was leaning towards the tanks-inc setup anyway so that's the next item on the list.
I don't know if I am going to tackle the harness myself or send it out for modification. I ran a mobile electronics installation shop while I was going to college, so I'm familiar with 12v electronics and handy with a soldering iron. I just don't know if I'm familiar enough with all of the systems to make sure I do it all right the first time, and with Jesse at wait4me doing harness mods for under $300 it's hard to not at least consider it.
B body tank is probably a no-go for me. Turns out my local yards all punch holes in the tanks prior to dropping cars in the yard, so all of them that I've found are useless. That's not a big concern for me, though, because I was leaning towards the tanks-inc setup anyway so that's the next item on the list.
I don't know if I am going to tackle the harness myself or send it out for modification. I ran a mobile electronics installation shop while I was going to college, so I'm familiar with 12v electronics and handy with a soldering iron. I just don't know if I'm familiar enough with all of the systems to make sure I do it all right the first time, and with Jesse at wait4me doing harness mods for under $300 it's hard to not at least consider it.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Can't say how glad I am to have found this site. Without the shared knowledge of those that have gone through this swap before me, I'd never have thought about tackling this job.
That said, I am constantly making progress. The olds 350 is out, the engine bay got hours of wire wheeling and a fresh coat of much needed paint, and the LQ9 is dressed up with new Olds gold paint and ready for a couple of mods.
I've decided my exact route at this point, and that is a Texas Speed 228r cam with new hardened pushrods and beehive springs (suprisingly the more "conservative" of their recommended cams for my setup. While I'm in there I am also putting a new oil pump and timing chain for good measure. Sounds like it will work well with my 3,200 stall 9.5" converter, built 4l60e and 3.73 gears. Still going to make the cheap ebay f body headers work one way or another.
The dismantler of the donor vehicle made the decision for me that i'll be having a new harness made by PSI conversions when they butchered the life right out of the stock harness. I'm also going the route of a Tanks Inc tank with their 225 lph pumps. Also, the car is going to be getting a new guage setup from New Vintage USA, to replace the stock dummy gauges, speedometer and clock with a 1967 series 3 3/8 speedometer, 4 in 1 oil pres, water temp, volt and fuel, and tach in their place.
I'm planning so far on running the truck intake as long as I can get it to fit under the hood and that will not require a corvette regulator but rather just a fuel filter and a full length return line.
Needless to say, i have plenty to keep me busy because I hope to have this all done by May working a couple of nights a week and one day a weekend.
That said, I am constantly making progress. The olds 350 is out, the engine bay got hours of wire wheeling and a fresh coat of much needed paint, and the LQ9 is dressed up with new Olds gold paint and ready for a couple of mods.
I've decided my exact route at this point, and that is a Texas Speed 228r cam with new hardened pushrods and beehive springs (suprisingly the more "conservative" of their recommended cams for my setup. While I'm in there I am also putting a new oil pump and timing chain for good measure. Sounds like it will work well with my 3,200 stall 9.5" converter, built 4l60e and 3.73 gears. Still going to make the cheap ebay f body headers work one way or another.
The dismantler of the donor vehicle made the decision for me that i'll be having a new harness made by PSI conversions when they butchered the life right out of the stock harness. I'm also going the route of a Tanks Inc tank with their 225 lph pumps. Also, the car is going to be getting a new guage setup from New Vintage USA, to replace the stock dummy gauges, speedometer and clock with a 1967 series 3 3/8 speedometer, 4 in 1 oil pres, water temp, volt and fuel, and tach in their place.
I'm planning so far on running the truck intake as long as I can get it to fit under the hood and that will not require a corvette regulator but rather just a fuel filter and a full length return line.
Needless to say, i have plenty to keep me busy because I hope to have this all done by May working a couple of nights a week and one day a weekend.
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On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Thanks. A/C is going to be a next winter project, and I'll definitely look into that POA valve. I plan on using the Escalade compressor mounted high on the passenger side with dingo or similar brackets and adapt what I can of the existing system because it really did work well prior to pulling out the Olds engine. I have wondered, though, what guys are running for heater control valves. I'd prefer to not constantly cycle hot coolant through the heater core if possible. Any suggestions?
Doesn't your current control have a vacuum operated HCV?
You could always add an electric valve. Vintage Air uses an electric with their systems. Just wire it to any time AC request is on.
Btw, you might want to contact Classic Auto Air, they have a lot of info/parts to update the old AC systems.
You could always add an electric valve. Vintage Air uses an electric with their systems. Just wire it to any time AC request is on.
Btw, you might want to contact Classic Auto Air, they have a lot of info/parts to update the old AC systems.
Last edited by garys 68; Jan 24, 2014 at 11:28 AM.
I did not have to cut my frame on my 71 cutlass and I'm running a carb setup which is prob the same height or close to a truck intake. Also 375 seems way to high for a f body pan, I got my pan pickup and dipstick with tube for like under 300 from a dealership online
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
yes, it is vacuum controlled. Found the answer to the heater valve question here. Love this site!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ter-valve.html
Also, that was an old list. I am not using the f-body pan, and the prices were just what a quick search came up with so I could give myself a rough ballpark to start with. I am going to be using a Holley 302-2 when the time comes.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ter-valve.html
Also, that was an old list. I am not using the f-body pan, and the prices were just what a quick search came up with so I could give myself a rough ballpark to start with. I am going to be using a Holley 302-2 when the time comes.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Quick update. No pictures, but I got a bunch of goodies shipped in this week so making some progress. 228r 112LSA cam, springs, and new timing kit are installed. My transmission and torque converter on the way from Extreme Automatics and should be here early next week. I also received my Classic Performance "slider" mounts with poly bushings and chevy frame mounts. The mounts are similar to Dirty Dingo sliders, but significantly cheaper we'll see how that turns out. Other than that, I am waiting on shipment of my Holley 302-2 pan that should arrive any day now and hoping to have the engine dropped into the car within a week. I am in need of a milestone to keep my momentum on the build and getting the powertrain in the car will be a big boost to my enthusiasm. There is still a long road ahead but it's slowly coming together.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
So the short wait for a Holley 302-2 pan has become a long wait for the pan. No fault of Jeg's, but the pan is on backorder from Holley until "sometime later this month". First I was told that they were shipping out on 2-28, then 3-4, now it's just "later this month". I'm itching to get this thing in!
The Classic Performance mounts seem to be stout units, but as a heads-up they don't specify the mounts that come with them and they are the short wide mounts, not the proper tall narrow ones for my swap. That meant shipping the poly mounts back to them and giving them a few extra bucks to ship me the right ones. Not complaining, they gave me a competitive price on them, just a warning. Once the oil pan is here we'll see how they work out.
Also, I got some of my old parts sold to free up a little cash and I'm biting the bullet on the Tanks, Inc pieces today. That'll include the appropriate tank, 255LPH pump, and fuel sending unit. By the time these parts arrive I get to tackle my least favorite project, plumbing.
Speaking of plumbing, my power steering pump from the Escalade has 3 ports, and I have the whole stock line setup with long convoluted lines and a cooler inline. I've read that the middle port should be blocked off as it was used for hydroboost? I didn't have the chance to see how it was set up in the Escalade prior to being pulled. Has anyone run one of these coolers in a swap situation? Is it worth the hassle or should I just grab some G-body lines like others have done?
The Classic Performance mounts seem to be stout units, but as a heads-up they don't specify the mounts that come with them and they are the short wide mounts, not the proper tall narrow ones for my swap. That meant shipping the poly mounts back to them and giving them a few extra bucks to ship me the right ones. Not complaining, they gave me a competitive price on them, just a warning. Once the oil pan is here we'll see how they work out.
Also, I got some of my old parts sold to free up a little cash and I'm biting the bullet on the Tanks, Inc pieces today. That'll include the appropriate tank, 255LPH pump, and fuel sending unit. By the time these parts arrive I get to tackle my least favorite project, plumbing.
Speaking of plumbing, my power steering pump from the Escalade has 3 ports, and I have the whole stock line setup with long convoluted lines and a cooler inline. I've read that the middle port should be blocked off as it was used for hydroboost? I didn't have the chance to see how it was set up in the Escalade prior to being pulled. Has anyone run one of these coolers in a swap situation? Is it worth the hassle or should I just grab some G-body lines like others have done?
I've been running without a cooler for years, no issues. You might want to keep it if you autocross, etc. If you return the PS fluid to the upper return port, it will aerate the fluid resulting in noisy PS pump. Block off the upper, use the lower.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Thought I'd toss in a couple pictures of the car from when I picked it up a few years ago. Since these it's had the interior freshened up quite a bit, but you get the idea.
http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/ac...35362021952173
http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/ac...35362021952173