5.3 build begins

[jmsteen]

Well it begins! I started a thread earlier about the plans for a turbo build which is still in the works but step 1 is to have it running and driving first. I pulled the gmpp 330hp crate and 700r4 from my 86 ss and sold it to fund my build.

Engine: 2000 5.3
799 heads w/ls6 springs
ls6 cam
ls2 timing set
high flow melling oil pump

Trans: 65 th400
32 element sprag
full jakes performance rebuild kit
turbo action full manual reverse VB
2500rpm stall

I built my harness from a factory harness from the instructions on lt1swap.com, a very helpful site for any of you doing this swap. I will be keeping the truck pan, intake, accessories, and ls6 manifolds from a cts-v that are going to work but very tight. I brazed a competition engineering sump to my factory tank, after thorough cleaning at the radiator shop of course. There are many mixed opinions about welding/brazing used tanks but i took every safety precaution. I am using a wally 255lph external pump and all braided lines to the factory rails/regulator. I purchased hptuners suite to do my tuning, along with a innovate lc-1 wideband. To mate the trans and engine i purchased the tq converter spacer and new flexplate.

Pulling her to the shop to pull the old powerplant. A little overkill on the tow rig.









Dont mind the crank snout.....









B&M Pro Ratchet under factory console?? you bet!!


First road block is my motor mounts dont line up. I am using carshop 1" setbacks and some old clamshells i had around. It looks like my mounts are to wide to fit, I can get one bolt in but the other side is off. Anyone else have this problem? What mounts are you guys using?

More progress pics to come as i finish mounting the engine and begin with the wiring and finish up the fuel system.

 

[84sscutty]

The clam shells are probably truck clam shells. The ones for trucks are different than the ones for cars. Get some Monte Carlo clam shells and that should fix that problem.

 

[G-Body_Vet]

B&M Pro Ratchet under factory console?? you bet!!

It's always nice to see the factory console retained. I've really grown to hate the big rubber boot!

 

[jmsteen]

The clam shells are probably truck clam shells. The ones for trucks are different than the ones for cars. Get some Monte Carlo clam shells and that should fix that problem.

Thank you very much i did not realize this, i should have kept the ones off of my old motor. Ile snag a set, im assuming they can be found for cheap. and thanks g-body-vet i also dont like the look of a chopped up console or shifter sticking out the floor.

 

[zachkuby87]

Awesome swap how well does everything fit in there with the truck intake and accessories? Ive always wondered if I could just clean up a 5.3 and drop it in as it sits with little to no hassle. The parts that get me is I don't know which transmission to use, wiring scares me and how to go about tuning everything.The only tuning experience I have are on carbd 350's and even then my experience is minimal lol.

 

[seawolf18]

Yeah, a duce and a half is a little over kill to tow a g-body :lol: . Looks like a fun setup once you get it together. I built a carbed NA 5.3 going in my car. Still lots of work to go on it though. Good to see another South Dakota guy on here. Too bad Aberdeen is over 300 miles from me

 

[jmsteen]

Yeah, a duce and a half is a little over kill to tow a g-body :lol: . Looks like a fun setup once you get it together. I built a carbed NA 5.3 going in my car. Still lots of work to go on it though. Good to see another South Dakota guy on here. Too bad Aberdeen is over 300 miles from me

Where are you located? I go to school in Brookings and get to Sioux Falls quite a bit.

Awesome swap how well does everything fit in there with the truck intake and accessories? Ive always wondered if I could just clean up a 5.3 and drop it in as it sits with little to no hassle. The parts that get me is I don't know which transmission to use, wiring scares me and how to go about tuning everything.The only tuning experience I have are on carbd 350's and even then my experience is minimal lol.

Everything fits pretty good. Sure the factory pan sits a little far below the crossmember. The factory intake/rails should work great with my setup with the russel push on fuel fittings. I will see how it fits when the hood goes on but ive heard it should clear. f body manifolds are easy to come by and are supposed to clear, im just using these cts-v manifolds because i pulled them off a caddy to install kooks headers. This is a budget build in every way but if you plan to go this route plan on spending a few grand. I paid $700 for my complete 5.3 and ive spent about $3000 soo far and ive got plenty to do yet.

 

[seawolf18]

Yankton

 

[jmsteen]

In the attached pics of my factory harness I was wondering what I can get rid of or hide. The hot red wires, im assuming one of them was starter, do I need these for any of my interior or light functions? Then the grounds and an unknown plug? the old alternator wiring is here also but will be unused. The heater is still functional and all those wires run to a plug behind the master cylinder. Can I cut out these power/ground, starter, and alt wires and hide the others? Others doing the swap what have you done

 

[seawolf18]

I removed all the wiring that goes through the giant grommet on the passenger side. Its the wiring for the sensors for the computer system. you will need your starter wires. two wires go to the ignition switch on the column and the other powers the fuse box under the dash. I modified the factory alternator wiring to work with the ls one. I chopped the factory plug off, and replaced it with a plug thats for the new one. I am doing a carb engine though, and still using the factory gauges volt, oil pres, temp, etc.

The wiring that goes through the driver's side engine bay connector is for the engine wiring(alternator, dist, coolant\oil\volt\tach gauges), wipers, and the front lights. The wiring that goes in under the brake booster with the vacuum line is for the cruise control. If your not planning on using cruise, you can eliminate that wiring if you want. Is the ground you are talking about the one that goes to the firewall? I would still use the body ground. Connect it to the rear of one of the heads. The plug in the first pic looks like the lockup for the torque converter. wiring diagrams http://www.maliburacing.com/wiring.html