Help with 3rd gen swap!!
Help with 3rd gen swap!! Alright this is my first time posting but have been looking around on this site for over a year now. I have been wanting to put a gen III engine into my camaro for quit some time now and its finaly going to come true this summer but i have a few questions on the best method of getting there without burning a huge hole in my wallet. I already have a T56 so all i need is a motor now(of course other things) and i basicly been throwing around 3 ideas of getting it.
1. Buy a ls1 from a junk yard(About 3000-3500)
2. Buy a lq4 which are quite a bit cheaper and throw in some new pistons and rod bolts to boost compression. (about 2k for engine and another 1k for rebuild)
3. Then theres option three which i have been putting a lot of thought to is buy a short block(APE is running sale) then look to find a ls1 with a cracked block or spun bearing for cheap and swap all the parts from that motor to my new short block. I was looking on car-parts.com and saw a few with cracked blocks going for 1k.(2300 for shortblock, 1k for motor)
I like option three cause i basicly have a new engine for about 3500 but i was just wondering how possible you think it is to do that and find a cracked block ls1 with AC, harness and all. I want to do this right the first time but i also dont have like a 10k spending limit.
Thanks a lot for any input learned tons from reading this site.
Justin
P.S. Short block looking at was cheap street 6.0 iron block. Forged pistons and rods, with stock crank. Planning on putting a cam in also.
1. Buy a ls1 from a junk yard(About 3000-3500)
2. Buy a lq4 which are quite a bit cheaper and throw in some new pistons and rod bolts to boost compression. (about 2k for engine and another 1k for rebuild)
3. Then theres option three which i have been putting a lot of thought to is buy a short block(APE is running sale) then look to find a ls1 with a cracked block or spun bearing for cheap and swap all the parts from that motor to my new short block. I was looking on car-parts.com and saw a few with cracked blocks going for 1k.(2300 for shortblock, 1k for motor)
I like option three cause i basicly have a new engine for about 3500 but i was just wondering how possible you think it is to do that and find a cracked block ls1 with AC, harness and all. I want to do this right the first time but i also dont have like a 10k spending limit.
Thanks a lot for any input learned tons from reading this site.
Justin
P.S. Short block looking at was cheap street 6.0 iron block. Forged pistons and rods, with stock crank. Planning on putting a cam in also.
Last edited by 5.0Camaro`; Feb 2, 2005 at 11:33 PM.
i could find quit a few for about 2800-3k but i was just likeing the idea of a forged bottom end, but it would prolly be a lot easier to do it by just buying a complete motor and calling it a day.
Keep the opinons coming.
Keep the opinons coming.
Buy this:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269326
I live in Farmington Hills, so if you need any help when you get working on it, let me know.
(I bought a motor that had sat for a couple of years, so I had APE replace the rings and bearings. I'd probably recommend the same thing if you were to buy this motor, just for peace of mind.)
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269326
I live in Farmington Hills, so if you need any help when you get working on it, let me know.
(I bought a motor that had sat for a couple of years, so I had APE replace the rings and bearings. I'd probably recommend the same thing if you were to buy this motor, just for peace of mind.)
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
I have a 2001 LS1 long block that is for sale with under 20k miles. It comes with everything but the harness and computer. Drop me a PM if you are interested.
(UPDATE: Engine might be sold. Sorry)
(UPDATE: Engine might be sold. Sorry)
Last edited by YsoFast; Feb 3, 2005 at 01:53 PM.
thanks a lot for the input, i'm just trying to put all my options out on the table and see which one would be the best for my application.
P.S. i would be working on this car in california, i just play hockey out here in MI.
P.S. i would be working on this car in california, i just play hockey out here in MI.
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Verdad Gallardo Alright well i really like the idea of buying this short block but i really would like to know if it would be possiable to piece together the rest of the engine (give it buy broken block engine or picking up used stuff here and there) for under 1500.
Depends on how good you are at finding deals. Here are some rough estimates: Harness and PCM - $300 to $500 (add $450 if you have Speartech modify it), LS1 intake mainfold - $75, LS1 heads - $250, water pump - $75, starter - $100, alternator - $100, Thunder Racing cam kit - $750, misc sensors - $100, LS6 clutch kit- $350, stuff I haven't thought of - $200 to $1000.
So it's going to be close. I pieced together my setup and I'll tell you that it was a PITA. I would have been much better off just buying everything together in one shot and paying a little more, saving myself quite a few headaches.
What is your total budget? (What is the absolute most you can spend on the whole swap?) If you have to buy everything but the tranny, it's going to cost you somewhere north of $5k. How far north depends on how many "while I'm at it" things you add.
Almost forgot... if you're going to register it in CA, you're going to have to add all the smog stuff too. I'm not trying to discourage you, just making sure you know what's really involved up front.
-Matt
So it's going to be close. I pieced together my setup and I'll tell you that it was a PITA. I would have been much better off just buying everything together in one shot and paying a little more, saving myself quite a few headaches.
What is your total budget? (What is the absolute most you can spend on the whole swap?) If you have to buy everything but the tranny, it's going to cost you somewhere north of $5k. How far north depends on how many "while I'm at it" things you add.
Almost forgot... if you're going to register it in CA, you're going to have to add all the smog stuff too. I'm not trying to discourage you, just making sure you know what's really involved up front.
-Matt
Thanks a lot i do have a pretty good idea all thats involved. I made a pretty extensive parts list for everything i need(from engine, to fuel, to even hoses), but i'm just not sure on which way to go with the engine. I like the idea of having a forged bottom end that can handle basicly everything i throw at it and the fact that i would have basicly 0 miles on my motor. Then on the other hand i dont want to spend all my cash trying to do this. Basicly i just want other peoples opinions on how to do this.
This car will not be registerd in CA so no smog
.
P.S. what you think of buying a lq4 and rebuilding it myself(Dad has rebuild quit a few in his life time) and adding a cam and ls6 intake. Do you think that would be cheaper.
This car will not be registerd in CA so no smog
.P.S. what you think of buying a lq4 and rebuilding it myself(Dad has rebuild quit a few in his life time) and adding a cam and ls6 intake. Do you think that would be cheaper.
Last edited by 5.0Camaro`; Feb 4, 2005 at 01:45 AM.