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^ Thank You.. 89 TPI also. Yes Im always on TGO. Been a member for 15+ years. Just never looked at there LS swap forums. Always come here for ls stuff. What computer system are you using? I'd like it to be painless and keep all factory gauges and whatnot.
Sorry not trying to Hyjack thread. If you guys can help me on my thread below (Feedback on new build, PC'ed 370)
^ Thank You.. 89 TPI also. Yes Im always on TGO. Been a member for 15+ years. Just never looked at there LS swap forums. Always come here for ls stuff. What computer system are you using? I'd like it to be painless and keep all factory gauges and whatnot.
Sorry not trying to Hyjack thread. If you guys can help me on my thread below (Feedback on new build, PC'ed 370)
Easiest but not the cheapest way is to keep the stock PCM and get a custom built harness from pocket over on thirdgen.org. Think his harnesses are around $800
or so. But it’s plug and play if I remember and keeps all the factory stuff. Basically builds connectors that go to the firewall bulkheads etc. it’s really nice stuff and it takes the guess work out of it. The issue is the stock pcm outputs a 4cyl signal for the tach, speedo I think u don’t use the stock buffer box. You would use adapters for stock cluster gauge senders like coolant and oil pressure etc. I’ve never used the stock stuff with an LS swap, I always ran speedhut and can’t say enough great things about them.
Easiest but not the cheapest way is to keep the stock PCM and get a custom built harness from pocket over on thirdgen.org. Think his harnesses are around $800
or so. But it’s plug and play if I remember and keeps all the factory stuff. Basically builds connectors that go to the firewall bulkheads etc. it’s really nice stuff and it takes the guess work out of it. The issue is the stock pcm outputs a 4cyl signal for the tach, speedo I think u don’t use the stock buffer box. You would use adapters for stock cluster gauge senders like coolant and oil pressure etc. I’ve never used the stock stuff with an LS swap, I always ran speedhut and can’t say enough great things about them.
Everything above is exactly what I did except i used stock stuff. However speed hut is amazing and I will never use another brand when it comes to gauges.
2nd startup, got the IAC down to 5 counts and the tach reading correctly. This is just a short video of throttle response. Not bad after 10min of running.
Did you run the exhaust yet? Wondering what your thoughts are in regards to noise level.
Yup, its running a full exhaust. I removed the cutout as I've heard too many things about rattling and leaks or getting stuck open. I replaced the cutout with a 14" 304 SS resonator (straight through perforated core). Its then running out through a 3" summit catback with an dynomax ultraflow SS 3" in, dual 2.5" out (straight through perforated core) with CME tips at the bumper. Its pretty quiet as you can hear in the revving video. I have a feeling I'm going to like it I'm hoping to hear lots of turbo spool. I need to take a look at the BOV, I tested its open pressure and it was like 22-24" of vacuum which is wayyy high as I only pull 13-14.5" at idle. So I might try to reduce the spring pressure to something lower like 16-19".
I wont be on the road to drive tho till the spring so I wont be able to hear the wastegate dump noise. Again this was just free reving in a closed tent in park, I'm sure once I get some load on it it will get a bit louder and hopefully some turbo spool noise.
Luv them Valve covers/coil covers! Again, Looks Great!!! Howe can you wait until Spring? Take that thing around the block and nail it! lol. Borrow a Dealer plate or something. Your a car guy! Dont let the "man" tell you, you can't test that car out..
Thanks! Lol I dont want to. But its like 30*F outside and the summer tires on this thing will be like rocks. I can see it now, boost comes on and *** end swings around and crash! My car is insured all year around with collectors insurance, Ive just crashed this thing enough to know what a light *** end, gobs of power, cold temps and hard tires can do.
So guys not much to say as far as progress goes. spending most of my time getting ready for the holidays and building the engine test stand. Good news is that it’s probably 80% completed.
I ordered a new speed hut transmission temp gauge to swap out my current one to match the rest so I’m excited as it should give me more accuracy as the gauge reads a full sweep 60-260 vs the 140-300 short sweep I have now.
Only work on the car was cutting the BOV spring which was insanely stiff and didn’t open till like 22” of vacuum, the cut spring now opens around 15-16” and I idle around 14”. I also finally got my new grant 4pt racing harnesses after 4months on back order! Woohoo.
The FItech saga continues. I have been trying to figure out my idle timing issue being like 0-6* no matter what. So I have been messing with that for weeks. I decided to reset the PCM by installed a base cal and going through the handheld peramiters one by one. I verified I might have had the transmission setting set wrong and might have been my issue. I started her up tonight and she’s running better! Timing is much higher and will fluctuate to maintain idle rpm which I raised to 675 Park and 650 in gear. After doing so of course my IAC counts were all wrong so I had to reset the idle blade screw to get my counts back down below 10. Other than that I’m going to have to go in and mess with the timing as they are stock at this point and wayy high for boost. But that’s going to require the laptop and hopefully I don’t screw up the idle timing again.
Other than getting that all set she’s sitting pretty till spring comes.
Amazing work! That thing looks clean as hell too.
Quick question in the speedhut gauges. Well I guess maybe a few. Which Speedo gauge did you go with? Gps or standard? How are all of the gauges ran? Did you have to run off of the speedhut senders or can you splice into the ecm feeds?
I haven't really done a lot of research as far as that goes yet. I know I'm going with speedhut because I feel they're the absolute best in the market. I'm always happy with what I get with them.
GPS speedo.Has been working great. What I love about it is that you can change wheel DIA/gears etc and it doesnt matter it will still read accurate every time. It also means that if you peel out the speedo doesnt jump as the wheels spin so its always accurate which is nice. ITs not that slow either but I feel like there is a very small amount of lag during quick throttle pulls as its constantly recieving info. Not to mention the wiring is much easier and doesnt need a tranny signal.
On my setup they all are daisy chained together (if you buy like 5 at once you get a kit that allows them all to be daisy chained) including the lighting etc. Basically you just need 12v Batt, Switched 12v (ignition), ground and a tap into the lighting circuit for the gauge inverter box etc. Each gauge you NEED to run its sendor, they all come with the senders and harnesses (they all use weather tight OE connections) but that also means your stuck with the lengths they give you. Unless you cut and extend/shorten them which you can do. Since you need to use there senders you will need adapters for the LS motor or anymore i guess. They are all 1/8" NPT and the LS are all metric.
The only gauge I had hooked up to the stock PCM as well as the Fitech is the Tach, it received the signal from the PCM and you can adjust for the signal at the tach. The GPS speedo has a small antenna box that you can put anywhere it has line of site to the sky... mine is on the dash corner by the winshield. You will loose speedo if you go through a tunnel or overpass for a sec.
The gauges are all very low profile, screw back locking is nice but also means they wont work with gauge angle rings. I need to figure mine out as the new tranny gauge will be mounted where an angle ring was originally being used. Also the lighting on the gauges isn't that bright... white back lighting is the brightest and its not very bright. pitch black they work fine but compared to OE gauges they are like 1/4 the brightness and you can't swap out bulbs as they use lighting tubes and use inverters which sucks.
Good to hear. Basically that's what I was planning. Gps speedo just seems like a smart choice overall. I figured I'd have to use their senders vs tapping into the ecm but that's really no big deal. As always thanks for the info.
11-15-2017, 12:30 PM
I'm hoping to hear lots of turbo spool. I need to take a look at the BOV, I tested its open pressure and it was like 22-24" of vacuum which is wayyy high as I only pull 13-14.5" at idle. So I might try to reduce the spring pressure to something lower like 16-19".
