swap q

[blackbyrd]

i did a search and didnt find the info i was looking for. where is the best place to get a used ls1 and tranny complete with accssories and wiring harness and computer? at one time i found a place that had this deal for 2800 dollars but i am unalbe to find the site anymore so i was wondering if any of you guys that have done the swap know of good places and please dont tell me my local junk yard i've tried

[tWiStEdBird]

Try your local junk yard. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Search on ebay, sometimes they have some pretty good deals. Also: http://www.tacreationsusa.com/, they have probably everyhting you need, and have some good tips too.

[John_D.]

I got mine on ebay.

What part of TN are you in?

On the east side there is Tennessee Auto Parts in Cleveland. They specialize in f-bodies.

You might check out mtfba.org if you're mid-state, or wtfba.org if you're on the west side.

[blackbyrd]

im in middle tn i live in cookeville if you know where that is
thanks for the info guys

[John_D.]

Yeah, we've got 3 or 4 mtfba members from the Cookeville area... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Lebanon here.

TN Autoparts can actually do the swap for you too. They're pretty fast from what I hear.

[blackbyrd]

noe this is an all me plan it wont get done for a while but i want to get the motor over chirstmas and start rebuilding (427) so by summer maybe ill have it done and i can swap it in and that will be my college graduation gift to myself

[John_D.]

That's how I did mine. The engine/tranny/pcm arrived in January. Then I did a lot of research, then I slowly worked it over. Didn't start the actual swap until July.

I did fresh bearings, cleaned the pistons and rings, got some aftermarket heads and a cam.

Also put a set of ARP rod bolts in, since that's supposedly the weak link, if you want to raise the rev limit.

And o-ringed heads and head studs for nitrous and/or a blower later.

You'll need a k-member, steering rack, and tranny cross-member too. Would be a good idea to get a better radiator too. V8 lid. And maf. Just stuff to think about when you're getting the package all put together...

This would be the time to do poly motor mounts too, if you plan to do that at all.

[blackbyrd]

keep the list coming and how much should i expect to pay to get the motor tranny and computer and such. thanks for all the info as well

[John_D.]

I got mine for $3200. Bid was at $2800 when I started. The manual tran combo's tend to go for more. And the new years go for more than the older years. Depends on mileage. It had the engine, trans, trans crossmember, pcm, harness, and all accessories.

I had to get the k-member (picked up a bmr - $400 or so). I thought I could use my steering rack, but it was different. It was in the way of the alternator and the #1 header tube, so I had to get a used steering rack ($50).

I got an SLP radiator ($300). Had to get a coolant temp sensor to block off the hole in the radiator, even though these cars don't use one... That was around $35 from GMpartsdirect.

Also went ahead and got a higher stall torque converter (TCI 3000 - around $400) and a tranny cooler ($45).

I picked up a rear end girdle too, just to make my stock 10 bolt last longer... ($120?)

Heads were from TEA, ran around $1800 o-ringed. Also had 918 springs, which should be fine for the .588 lift I'm running. Threw on a set of Harlan Sharp roller rockers, another $400 or so right there...

LS6 intake was around $400. Needed the revised coolant tube too.

Found some used MAC mid-length headers with y-pipe for $250. Some people say don't use anything but long tubes, but I couldn't pass up the MAC's at that price.

Already had a 3" exhaust on the car.

JWIS timing chain ($70?). A lot of people run a double roller, but I didn't want to have to modify the oil pump setup or modify my March underdrive pully (around $200)

Ported oil pump ($125?).

Comp cam ($325).

Hardened pushrods ($??) to handle the higher spring pressures and higher rpms.

Hptuners for tuning. Idle speed, fan temps, a/f ratio, timing, rear o2 sensor delete, change shift points (the pcm was out of a 2.73 geared car, mine was a 3.42). Around $500.

Already had v8 springs on the car. And get this... The car sat 1/2" higher in the front with the v8 vs. the v6, with the same springs...

All the incidentals - antifreeze, oil, tran fluid, filters, belts, hoses.

(heater hose assembly is over $100). The v6 heater hoses don't match up. But you can cut off the rubber ends and just put cut-to-fit rubber hoses on it with regular ol' hose clamps. I used a dremel to split the aluminum casing at the end of the rubber hose and then it just slid right off the aluminum tubing.

Oh yeah, and a lower temp thermostat. ($50?)
The v6 thermostats run right at the rated temp. Not the v8 thermostats. The 180 runs around 200, and the 160 runs around 180. Stock runs even hotter. If I'd known the temps were off by 20 degrees, I would have bought the 160 because I wanted a 180 temp...

That's all I can think of, off the top of my head. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[John_D.]

V8 gauge cluster ($85).

v8 exhaust hanger (the one off the back of the tranny) The MAC y-pipe needed it for support in the back. $15 or so used.

Front and rear seals.

Oil pump o-ring.

New head bolts (can't re-use the stockers). I went with ARP head studs. Less stress on the block threads, better holding power. Around $200 maybe, I don't remember. Stock bolts were more like $100 I think.

New crank pulley bolt. Another torque-to-yield bolt that is not reusable. $5? I got an ARP, I think it was $25. More beef, reusable, with a washer.

[blackbyrd]

any otehr info you got for me
john

[John_D.]

That's all I can think of... [img]smile.gif[/img]

If you plan to do a stroker motor, there is a clearance issue with the #8 piston skirt. It has to be slightly notched to clear the reluctor ring. If you get a stroker kit, one of the pistons should already be notched.

And if you send the block off to be worked on, make sure the oil galley blockoff plug in the back is reinstalled. A few people have put their engine back together, put it in the car, fired it up and had no oil pressure. Just because they didn't know that it's standard practice for a shop to remove that plug and send the block back without it...

[John_D.]

If you haven't been there yet, prowl around on ls1tech.com, you'll find a ton of info on the ls1 rebuilds thre.

[blackbyrd]

i have and thanks again

[John_D.]

You're welcome. [img]smile.gif[/img]

When you get done, post back on here and let us know how it went...