Heres the deal, i currently have a twin turbo trans am with the stock shortblock and tranny. My daily driver is an 00' sonoma with 136k on the clock, 2.2l 4 cyl. My car is going to be getting a new forged shortblock and am going to swap out the tranny before it blows i'm hoping. I was thinking them to toss the stock ls1 and 4l60-e from the trans am into the sonoma since its pig slow and the engine is getting old. Maybe just a quick overview on whats involved in this swap would be good. Obviously i'll also need a different rear end. Thanks!

 

If you want to do a LS1 swap into a S-dime truck I would not want to make it a "daily". Reason being ... there is alot of **** that has be to fabricated or cut away to make a LS motor fit well and operate everything on the truck properly. Some may claim to daily their trucks, but I won't daily mine just knowing that if something fails it's not just a simple run to Advance normally to get things going.

 

The only way to "toss" an LS1 into your Sonoma would be to toss it in the bed.

The swap is pretty involved. Maybe not hard, just alot to do.

The high points:
1.) Oilpan. Nothing fits without modification.
2.) Electrical. Complete new harness / rework of an existing LS1 harness.
3.) Complete exhaust system. Headers available for 2wd, but they've got fairly small primaries and you're on your own behind that.
4.) Cooling system will need a complete rework.
5.) AC stuff will require a big notch in the frame (for 2wd, 4wd you're looking at high mount AC compressor setup).
6.) Front accessories. F-body stuff won't work. Truck stuff is really too close to the radiator. C5 / C6 stuff is preferrable, but expensive. And nothing that's on the truck currently will swap over.

On the bright side, mounts are available for 2wd & 4wd's (they're different). Headers are available for 2wd. Custom oilpans are available for 4wd's (now), not sure what the best solution for a 2wd is currently (either notch the crossmember or the pan). There's even a guy who's got the swap detailed on a CD / DVD, look for it, its a good resource.


There's really 2 questions you've got to answer (yourself, I don't want to know).
1.) Do you have the budget to do the swap (both in $$$ and in time).
2.) Are you willing to spend the time getting the S10 to be daily driver reliable (chasing down all the loose ends including updating the rear, etc.)?


3 more comments and then I'm done.
1.) Yes the rear will probably need upgrading (same 7.625" 10-bolt that the f-body has). But lack of traction will probably make it live for quite a while.
2.) The stock S10 4L60E won't put up with V8 power. Not sure what's different inside, but they won't take it. I know you were planning on putting the f-body trans in, and that's good, just wanted you to know that its a good idea.
3.) S10 platform trucks with V8's, especially LSx V8's are a blast to drive. I've got one, its not currently my daily driver (because I still have issues I'm working out and its been running for 9 months, but I think I'm just slow). So, if you're willing to get it to daily driver reliability and have the budget (time & money) I'd say do it.

'JustDreamin'

 

Thanks for the response. I didnt literally mean drop in, obviously. The only reason i'm thinking of this is due to the fact that soon i'll be suspecting i'll have an extra 4l60-e trans from my trans am, 10 bolt rear end, and possibly ls1 longblock sinc ei'll be upgrading all in my car. I know all about mods as i managed to squeeze twin turbos in my f-body. I just never have read about s10-ls1 swaps so i dont know really wants involved. If someone has some time or knows of a link, i would really appreciate a list of stuff that needs to be involved to get an ls1/4l60-e/10 bolt from an f-body into my 2000 sonoma. Thank you!

 

Well, if you've got a pair of hairdryers stuffed under a f-body's hood, then an LS1 S10 shouldn't really scare you.

I'm assuming you've got a 2wd truck, correct? If so, there's a CD / manual for the swap. Go to V8S10s.com Worth the $20 IMO, and I built a 4wd truck (which is completely different).

The stock auto trans in the S10 should be a 4L60E (either the 2.2L or 4.3L) just they're not nearly as well built (fewer clutches, etc). That portion of the swap is pretty much bolt in.

Don't bother swapping rear ends, that's a lateral move at best. Both the f-body and S10 run the same weak a$$ 7.625" 10-bolt (with the exception of the 4.3L V6 5speed manual trucks which actually got the stronger 8.5" 10-bolt). No increase in strength or performance there, just alot of work. You might get nice discs out of the swap, but that's about it, and you could swap the discs onto your existing rear. But a better idea would be to upgrade to a better rear (like the 8.5" 10-bolt or I've seen some guys swap to the 8.8" Ford rear or a 9" / 12-bolt / Dana 60).

And lack of traction will still be your biggest enemy (and savior of your rear axle)

'JustDreamin'

 

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f10/pa...x-swap-283608/



Black X is a member here, too.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/member.php?u=44540

 

those two links will/ should answer your questions. And yes I use my lsx 2wd swb s-10 as a daily.

 

ok, only thing about the rear end is.... mines just 1 wheel, not even limited slip like my trans am. Thanks for the links, really help! Anymore info, toss it in here

 

That's a good reason to consider swapping.

I'm not sure how the widths of the 2 rears compare (you probably can measure since you've got both parts). Leaf spring perches would be easy to add to the TA rear if the widths are anywhere close.

But swapping parts and pieces between the 2 rears probably isn't worthwhile if the widths don't match up (example: taking the limited slip diff out of the TA rear and putting it into the S10 rear). Getting used gears set up so they don't whine / wear out in a week is a tough thing to do (not impossible, just difficult to do right). Plus you're likely to need / want new bearings, seals, shims / crush collar, etc. But they're your parts / pieces and your time. Call the ball as you see fit.

'JustDreamin'

 

you can use the 7.625 carrier in the s-10 rear. so just find a locked f-body rear or a g80 coded rear out of an s-10. quick fix. most of the time they dont get enough traction to break any thing. if mine hits first on a down shift (a4) while getting on it (35mph and lower) the rear tires go ape ****.

 

haha yea, i loved doing that downshift in my TA when it was stock, i dont think ill be doing it with the new found few hundred more hp, haha. I found a bad cat and a huge exhaust leak in my sonoma now.... man this truck is going to ****, an entire new engine/driveline transplant is looking nice ATM

 

It did the swap in a 98 and i love it! Up until last year it basically was my daily driver but with the addition of a th400, it now sucks for gas milage. with the 6 speed and 3:73 gear it was getting over 20mpg. Not saying it's easy but It's not the hardest thing i have ever done! Use the truck oil pan and notch the frame to fit, for a/c when it had it, i used the pancake style a/c compressor from a 91 Z28. all the brackets i fabbed up myself. I also used the alt. from the s10 and a p/s pump from a Lt1 car. the reason i did it this way was I had more parts laying around than i did money!! As for wiring, i adapted a 99 Z engine harness to the s10 body harness and everything worked except the fuel level guage, I never figured that out.
I also used the stock manifolds from a 98 Z.
Have fun if you do it, And trust me at the end, you will love it! I am currently starting to gather the parts to build a single turbo setup on it, hopefully i will get it done over the winter!

 

Stocks10, look for the ground on your plug that goes to the fuel tank vent solenoid under the hood, drivers side. This is the ground for the fuel level guage, at least on my 96 S10 Blazer. Leave the purple wire hooked up on its connector. I used 2005 Suburban 5.3 with fly by wire throttle. Stock 5.3 wire harness and Underhood fuse box. 99 Fbody exhaust manifolds modified. The radiator in stock location. Modified trans crossmember. My blazer was 4x4.Now has 2005 2x 4l60e. Gutted front differential out, left outer drive halfshafts in hubs. AC moved in closer to engine with homemade brackets. Notched 4x4 frame to clear ac. Truck accessories clear hood with slight notching of hood underside frame at Alternator. My Evap solenoid connector off , won't clear hood. Notched ac box to clear coil, smaller brake booster to clear coil. Next swap, make brackets to move coils.... Just lowered it 2 inches this week. Handles a lot better.

 

My conversion pics are at photobucket, eagleuh1 album

 

The plastic cover doesn't fit under hood, waiting on ac fittings from Docs blocks, and its my daily driver, averaging 20 mpg. If something breaks, you can get anything for it at Autozone,advanced auto or Napa, except AC fittings to make hoses work. Damn its getting hot and humid in Arkansas now too. Harness can be modded, but it takes having the schematics and time, otherwise use Current performance or Speartech and spend your time doing something else.Good luck.

 

i have an ls6 in my 98 4x4 blazer and had to cut nothing to make it fit, you need headers and a current wiring harness, and those are your biggest problems out of the way, motor mounts are easily fabbed up to place the motor where you want it. im even running the stock fuel lines and pump and its supporting 450hp...for now

 

I have daily driven my LS6/T56 sonoma for the past 6ish months with no real issues that arnt mechanical/wiring. I am waiting on my new harness and it should ship out this week and i have had a couple issues with my master/slave/clutch setup so i am putting my new clutch in this week also. So dont let anyone tell you you cant daily drive one of these trucks. Its just like dd a camaro or vette if you do the swap right.

 

I DD my 03 Xtreme every day with the LS1/T56. dont have any real issues. The 6 speed isnt so great with the 3.08's in the rear. My truck had the 8.5" 10 bolt so its much stronger than the 7.625. Only issues with the truck are with the clutch but nothing much. i say go for it. pretty easy to do. Did my swap start to finish in just over a week!

 

Show us some pictures...................So we can see what you did

 

Better go get our boots it's getting deep all of a sudden.