Bare necessities to make the engine run?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 58
Likes: 3
Bare necessities to make the engine run? I've got an LM7 with the cable throttle and have been taking it offroad more and more lately in my jeep. Although this engine has been very reliable so far, it makes me wonder if I should be carrying some spare sensors with me just in case. Does anyone know what this engine absolutely needs to run? The idea would be if the worst case scenario were to arise, I'd like to have the bare minimum sensors stashed away to get me home or at least to the closest parts store. I'm sure I could spend an evening pulling plugs and reseting ECU codes but hoping someone has this info readily available.
Although it wouldn't run great and it would throw codes, I know it can run without the MAF, O2 sensors, temp sensor, and even a bad fuel injector or coil pack. So I don't see any point in carrying any of those.
However, I'm thinking crank and cam position sensors are required. Would the MAP, IAC, and TPS sensors be needed?
Although it wouldn't run great and it would throw codes, I know it can run without the MAF, O2 sensors, temp sensor, and even a bad fuel injector or coil pack. So I don't see any point in carrying any of those.
However, I'm thinking crank and cam position sensors are required. Would the MAP, IAC, and TPS sensors be needed?
In my humble opinion the failure rate of the sensors on one of these engines is low enough to not warrant keeping spares on hand. Besides the cost outlay the spares are more likely to get damaged as spares floating around whatever storage device you choose than the ones installed on the engine.
From a reliability angle the biggest cause of failures I see on LSx swaps (and many custom vehicles in general) are typically wiring related and often that is self inflicted. I fix more wiring problems for people than any single other item. When I travel in my cars I bring spare fuses in all sizes along with electrical testing tools a length of wire and a couple spare relays.
The next biggest failure I have seen off road is physical damage (to parts or getting stuck), not the engine.
From a reliability angle the biggest cause of failures I see on LSx swaps (and many custom vehicles in general) are typically wiring related and often that is self inflicted. I fix more wiring problems for people than any single other item. When I travel in my cars I bring spare fuses in all sizes along with electrical testing tools a length of wire and a couple spare relays.
The next biggest failure I have seen off road is physical damage (to parts or getting stuck), not the engine.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Off roading, I see more alternator and water pump issues. Never seen a sensor failure, but have seen all kinds of power loss issues - power loss to the ECM, no power from alternator (even though it was working. As gofastwclass said, it's usually wiring.
As to sensors - you have to have MAP, MAF, IAT, TPS and cam sensor at least for the thing to run. There's probably more, but that's what I could think of off the top of my head. Luckily, you don't need a distributor or a coil.
As to sensors - you have to have MAP, MAF, IAT, TPS and cam sensor at least for the thing to run. There's probably more, but that's what I could think of off the top of my head. Luckily, you don't need a distributor or a coil.
Off roading, I see more alternator and water pump issues. Never seen a sensor failure, but have seen all kinds of power loss issues - power loss to the ECM, no power from alternator (even though it was working. As gofastwclass said, it's usually wiring.
As to sensors - you have to have MAP, MAF, IAT, TPS and cam sensor at least for the thing to run. There's probably more, but that's what I could think of off the top of my head. Luckily, you don't need a distributor or a coil.
As to sensors - you have to have MAP, MAF, IAT, TPS and cam sensor at least for the thing to run. There's probably more, but that's what I could think of off the top of my head. Luckily, you don't need a distributor or a coil.
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