99 lq4 s10 swap
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Joined: Aug 2018
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From: INDIANA
99 lq4 s10 swap I haven't started yet, but I managed to get ahold of a complete 99 lq4 motor and 4l80 trans, in the coming months I would like to build a simple, cheap as possible all motor no nos or forced induction powered engine to eventually swap into an s 10 or Sonoma, I've done some research, but I basically need help with everthing, right now I definitely want 243 heads, 220-230 range cams, flat top pistons lq 9, I don't know if I,m going the wrong way already but have roughly 4k to work with maybe more, need a setup that'll work simple as possible hoping to make 400 HP at the wheels and run 12 second quarter miles consistently all while possibly being a daily driver, I just need your opinions on your builds if you were in my position, everything from crank, pistons, Cam, injectors, springs, rockers, rear ends, rods, just everything I guess, any help would be greatly appreciated, I know I,m asking alot, just want to get it the best I can first time around thank you
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Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Emory Texas currently
Pm me if u want I can answer most of your questions I've done 3 s10 myself and a handful of others with friends and customers I build s10 tractionbars 8.8 cut down with axles drilled for s10 wheels I have part numbers for hard to find stuff like brake line fittings for 8.8 pinouts for some of the gauges. Best way to mount aftermarket seats etc. I can try and hook.u up with as much diy info specific for s10s but if u want plug and play current performance makes a.c lines for ls to stock lines. Radiator and fan drop in pieces. I used truck accessories with camaro wateepump with dirty dingo spacers ls I have a intake fuel rails throttle body and foot pedal with a gen 4 harness Nd ecm if u need it's for square port ly6 6.0 heads but it's a clean set up
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Joined: Apr 2014
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If your budget has a limit, I would leave the engine alone for now and get it in and running, that can nickel and dime you to death
if you don't have lots of good resources, and personally I wouldn't use any Current Performance stuff, way to expensive.
I'm using their headers and motor mounts, the mounts suck in my opinion, had to drill them out for the bolt to go through,
had to grind on the legs to get a wrench on the bolt to bolt them to the block. And did I mention way to expensive.
There is a thread in the conversion section with a guy that I guess works for Holley and sounds like Holley
will be coming out with all the stuff to drop the engine in there, if I do another one I will use the Holley stuff.
Then see how much Money you have left to throw at the engine. Just be sure and do some research
Ebay has headers and mounts, Summit has a $200.00 radiator that works fine, you can get junkyard cooling fans, you'll have to do something
with the Trans crossmember, driveshaft will have to be cut down or made new. Build the whole project on
paper before you throw all your money away on the engine, you can always come back and do that later.
Heres that thread if you haven't already read it. Good Luck.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...0-ls-swap.html
if you don't have lots of good resources, and personally I wouldn't use any Current Performance stuff, way to expensive.
I'm using their headers and motor mounts, the mounts suck in my opinion, had to drill them out for the bolt to go through,
had to grind on the legs to get a wrench on the bolt to bolt them to the block. And did I mention way to expensive.
There is a thread in the conversion section with a guy that I guess works for Holley and sounds like Holley
will be coming out with all the stuff to drop the engine in there, if I do another one I will use the Holley stuff.
Then see how much Money you have left to throw at the engine. Just be sure and do some research
Ebay has headers and mounts, Summit has a $200.00 radiator that works fine, you can get junkyard cooling fans, you'll have to do something
with the Trans crossmember, driveshaft will have to be cut down or made new. Build the whole project on
paper before you throw all your money away on the engine, you can always come back and do that later.
Heres that thread if you haven't already read it. Good Luck.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...0-ls-swap.html
I think the 99 LQ4's have the iron heads. If so, I would defiantly ditch those. I run a LQ4 with 799 heads, same as the 243's. Mine is setup for boost ~ .028 ring gap and a Lil Jon stg II turbo cam. With a yank SS3600 converter, on street tires, @ 3440#'s, mine runs low 12's all day long. I would imagine, if it had tighter rings, and a N/A specific cam, it would go mid 11's on drag radials. One of these years, I'll finish my hotside, maybe....
IMO, the best pan is the Holley pan to run on a s10 swap. If your looking to get good power out of it, your also going to need decent headers. I know that Holley guy who is building a s10, has some nice headers on his, but I don't know if they are in production yet or not. The stainless works headers are sweet, but at over 1k, thats not really in your budget.
Also, I would not run LQ9 pistons with 243/799 heads. Its going to push your compression up pretty high. My LQ4 with 799's and LS9 headgaskets is a touch over 10.6:1. You'll be up at or just over 11.0:1, and will have to run 93 in it ALL the time. The compression bump vs the cost of swapping pistons and running 93 just wouldn't be worth it IMO.
IMO, the best pan is the Holley pan to run on a s10 swap. If your looking to get good power out of it, your also going to need decent headers. I know that Holley guy who is building a s10, has some nice headers on his, but I don't know if they are in production yet or not. The stainless works headers are sweet, but at over 1k, thats not really in your budget.
Also, I would not run LQ9 pistons with 243/799 heads. Its going to push your compression up pretty high. My LQ4 with 799's and LS9 headgaskets is a touch over 10.6:1. You'll be up at or just over 11.0:1, and will have to run 93 in it ALL the time. The compression bump vs the cost of swapping pistons and running 93 just wouldn't be worth it IMO.
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Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Emory Texas currently
If this is a super budget build I show u how I did the first one I had about 3k in it that's everything but the truck I used a 6.0 stock engine with head gaskets 799 heads I already had but that's the only piece not in the price. I used stock accessories stock pan everything that came with the junkyard motor was used except head gaskets lifters bought used tick torque cam used Tooley springs stock 4l60 and converter. Diy 8.8 3.73 gears drilled the axles myself to use my wheels. Stock s10 a.c. lines cut by a hydraulic place and the ls fittings crimped on. Stock pcm stock harness stand alone done by me. Stock driveshaft I cut it to shorten it and had it rebalanced at a shop adapters from auto meter and Dakota digital make the gauges and tach work easily on a 99 s10. Stock shifter on the column. If u do basically this exact way it's a cheap build
From what little info I have is.........the trans back can stay in the stock location. I talked to a guy that does this alot and he said......he said you can drop in an ls2 in, bolt it up to the trans and you'll be good. I'm going to go with that when I find the right motor. My truck is a 4.3 so maybe that has something to do with it. I've read the post from the Holly guy and waiting for their **** to come out. Just my 2cents.
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 484
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From: Emory Texas currently
I've been apart of several amd.built 4 of my own and I can tell u this and it's not to discourage u but it's just reality same motor same tranny I've seen stock driveshaft fit and I've seen them not. Motor mounts trans mount etc all play a part in this. EBay mounts and dirty dingo mounts don't put the engine in the exact same position also the angle of the drive train can make it where u have to either shim your rear end for pinion angle or cut the perches and re weld at the right degree. I hope it goes as smooth as possible for u but there's so many variable that it's not fair to say any ls2 dropped in will bolt right up and the rest will automatically work. Simple stuff like having to slide motor forward for firewall clearance if u use a ls6 intake with Holley fuel rail. The fuel rail will be right in the spot for the throttle cable gromet. Electric fan clearance oil pan clearance etc. I've just seen to many things be different so do all your research hopefully the more stock parts u use the easier it will be
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Pm me if u want I can answer most of your questions I've done 3 s10 myself and a handful of others with friends and customers I build s10 tractionbars 8.8 cut down with axles drilled for s10 wheels I have part numbers for hard to find stuff like brake line fittings for 8.8 pinouts for some of the gauges. Best way to mount aftermarket seats etc. I can try and hook.u up with as much diy info specific for s10s but if u want plug and play current performance makes a.c lines for ls to stock lines. Radiator and fan drop in pieces. I used truck accessories with camaro wateepump with dirty dingo spacers ls I have a intake fuel rails throttle body and foot pedal with a gen 4 harness Nd ecm if u need it's for square port ly6 6.0 heads but it's a clean set up