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Spending a few hours modifying the eBay standalone. So far I changed the ect to the passenger side and changed the connector. I’m using a lt1 sensor because I was able to use a 1/2” to 1/4”npt reducer in the block and pop in the lt1 sensor. I believe ls ect sensors are metric, something like 12mm x 1.5. I also soldered on all the injector plugs, extended the cam sensor wires, extended crank sensor wires, and I still have to run some wires to the knock sensors on the sides of the block. I will also be running an lt1 ect sensor on the left side of the block for the factory coolant temp gauge.
The problem wouldn’t be finding a spot, it would be finding a sensors that could be used with the pcm. If someone makes a 5v npt threaded oil pressure sensors, then I’d be able to utilize the galleys made for the oil cooler hoses that I eliminated. It’s possible however that the oem sensors are npt or the block could be tapped accordingly.
That being said, The pcm doesn’t need to see oil pressure to run the engine.
Spent a couple hours in the garage last night with a a buddy tackling the wiring. Found that the way some sensors were labeled on the instructions were incorrect. Also discovered that a few of the pins were in wrong pcm locations. Thank god for lt1 swap.
Got my pcm in the mail this morning. Spent a couple hours writing a tune for it. I used my 2001 stock camaro tune as a base and edited it from there. I found a tune for a 2002 8.1 avalanche, on the repository and used that to plug in ve data, injector data etc. I chose the Camaro tune as a base because it’s drive by cable, where as the 8.1s were all drive by wire.
Also, had to pie cut the oil fill tube, bend it, and weld it up, to avoid where the cable will be for the throttle body. The new throttle body is from a 98 454.
I might do a SD tune to start off, if the cold air intake is going to take a lot of planning and work. What I’d really like to do is use my ls1 ram air box off an 01 ss that I have laying around. If I can get that to work then I’ll use the inline maf as well.
That would be cool. Seems like the throttle body angle is going to make it a little more work but not impossible. I'm interested to see the engine to hood clearance
That would be cool. Seems like the throttle body angle is going to make it a little more work but not impossible. I'm interested to see the engine to hood clearance
i don’t know if there’s a chance in hell I can get a hood to fit. Who needs one anyways?
So engine is now out. I pulled the 4l60e. I was hoping that the flex plate from the lt1 would bolt right up to the 8.1. No such luck. After doing some research, this is what I’ve found. The gen 1 small block chevys have the same bore and crank bolt pattern as the early big block chevys. In 87 the bore size shrunk from 2-1/2” diameter to 2-1/8”. The crank pattern on the 8.1 is supposedly the same as the old school 454s and other big blocks. The only difference is that the 8.1 is internally balanced, so doesn’t require an externally balanced flexplate. I ordered one with 153. I ordered an eBay mini torque starter which works with 153 or 168 tooth flexplates. Unfortunately the 8.1 block only has starter hole provisions for the 168 tooth starter, so I’ll be drilling and tapping an additional hole in the block to attach the starter in the 153 tooth position.
Starter ended up needing a little more modification then I had previously thought. I didn’t take a pic of the starter before I started cutting, but this is the pic off eBay.
i ended up cutting at least an inch off the side of the mounting block. I then notched the left side to clearance the oil pan and bolt. Lastly I drilled a hole through the mounting block splitting the difference between the existing bolt hole and the starter pinion. After the starter was modified, I drilled and tapped the block, where I had located the new 2nd starter hole. I realize this sounds confusing but here are a couple of pics.
Spent some time making 1/4” steel spacers and clearancing some cooling ribs on the oil pan, to clear the steering rack. I’ll still likely switch to solid mounts down the road. Anyways, here’s the engine bolted up with a Jack under the tail shaft of the trans.
Once I started to walk the k member bolts in, it was clear that I’d have to clearance the cowl to some extent. If I can retain the use of the wipers, awesome, but if not, I’ll take the whole thing out. I also ordered solid engine mounts so there’s a less of a chance of the engine bouncing off the steering rack when torquing.
12-15-2023, 08:55 AM
