Thinking About an LS1 Swap Into '80 El Camino

[Chickenbone]

As the subject line says. I am contemplating this swap. My car/truck search turned up only a few prospects, including the El Camino. I have to go back to the dealership and see if they're selling it. It's stuffed in the back of the building with some other cars that I guess are not sell-able. Hopefully it's not somebody's project.

If I am to get this, I will do the LS1 swap as it would better suite a daily driver than whatever is in there (carb'd 231V6 or the 305sbc). I know about BRP and even though the pricing is up there, I might use them for mounts and headers. I read the LSX swap thread and have a few questions.

I would like to retain the EFI. I remember finding a company called Street & Performance (or something to that tune) that made engine harnesses for these swaps. I looked them up several years ago when I still had my Malibu. I think Painless makes harnesses too. Are there any other companies that make engine harnesses work for these swaps? Gauges; I imagine I would need to use something different in place of the mechanical (dummy lights) gauges?

I am really sold on using a T-56 trans. I think the Mcan I stick PG should be a little better than an automatic with OD (4L60E?) Plus, it would be more fun to drive that way. How much cutting is required to fit a T-56 behind a 6.0L in a G-Body? What have you LSX swap guys done with the driveshafts? Do they need to be cut? Also, does Honest Charley's (or Choo Choo Customs) still sell the stock G-Body clutch pedals and linkage? I know I will have to go hydraulic for the setup, but they do have the pedals at least (I think).

Fuel pump. Does anybody run an in-tank fuel pump or do you use an inline like a Aeromotive A1000?

Then there's the rear differential. I imagine I will have to swap that out at some point. Unless I got the same rear ratio that I had in the Malibu (2.41 ), can I stick with something like a 3.08 or whatever the Elky's come with? I know there is an aftermarket drivetrain offerings for these cars/trucks, but for now I will stick with what I got until I get the time and $$$ to swap it out.

I apologize for all of the questions. I just want to try and cover all bases before I get the ball rolling (if it does). Thank you for any help/advice that you can give me

I will probably post more ???? as I think about it a little more.

Chickenbone

 

[lsx80monte]

Street & Performance is stupid expensive. I think they are more for the guys that have money and dont mind paying extra for they same thing. Even the company I went with was higher than some. Now there are quite a few more people doing the harnesses. Even my brother has thought about making them. There are some guys selling them on ebay pretty cheap in comparison to Street & Performance. But I would never buy another myself as its not that difficult to modify a stock one. Thats what we are doing to the one in our current project. For gauges, I just use a tach wired to the ecu. The oil gauge is mechanical and the temp gauge is an elctric one with the sender going into the passenger head. I run a 4l60e and didnt hook up the speedometer because I would have to change the tailshaft housing to an older one or run an electronic speedometer. I will be getting an app that uses my smart phones gps to use as a speedometer in the near future( will be helpful for long road trips. I run an airtex intank fuel pump originally for a gmc typhoon/cyclone. Will be switching to a walbro in the near future though. I have two rears.one is the stock 2.41 garden variety. and the other is a 67 chevelle 10 bolt that is built with 4.11s but you need to have the offset upa's I bought mine from UMI.Thing is, once you start changing things, tunning is required.

 

[Chickenbone]

Yeah, I sorta remember Street and Performance having some expensive stuff. I will look on E-Bay as well like you suggested. I would modify a harness myself, but I am just not too inclined to do so at the moment.

Hmmm......how would the Airtex fuel pump for an EFI Typhoon/Syclone work with a gas tank fitted for a mechanical pump? It's been a long time since I have been under a G-Body, so I can't recall what the fuel system looked like. I remember having to modify a stock replacement Airtex electric fuel pump to work with an EFI 351W for my mom's car (yes, it's a Ford). Same basic operation, but still kinda complicated.

Also, gas/throttle pedal. If I get an old enough LS1, can I get something like a Lokar drive-by-wire pedal assembly (I think it's called an Eliminator)? I don't know about the electric pedals though. I imagine I would have to cut the electric pedal assembly out of the donor vehicle?

Thanks lsx80monte for your help


Chickenbone

 

[lsx80monte]

All you need is a sending unit from a grand national. They sell them in most auto parts stores. I got mine from auto zone. You will also need a baffled fuel tank like the ones in grand nationals or ls montes that were fuel injected. unless you dont mind keeping the tank no less than half full Or you will hear the fuel pump starve around hard cornering. Trust me on this. The tank can be bought new also for around $100 but there is a small mod that must be done so that it vents like the originals or else you will catch hell trying to fill it up. i think it was an oversight on the part of the manufacturer. Or you could just find someone parting out a grand national or efi monte. The typhonn/cyclone pump simply installs in the grand national sending unit very simple and it plugs right into the sending unit's harness. If you had your heart set on a drive by wire setup you will need the pedal and its module from the donor vehicle along with the DBW throttle body. There are a few different ones so dont try to mix and match. And you need the ecu alsofrom the donor if imnot mistaken. I wasnt aware that Lokar sold drive by wire pedals. I know they sell throttle cables and brakets for drive by cable lsx conversions. I simply took a throttle cable from a mid 90s s10 blazer. its a bolt it deal also. Payed $7 from LKQ.

 

[Chickenbone]

What year Monte Carlo? I saw an '03 (I think it was) with an LS engine a while back. If I get the Elky, I'll get a good look underneath to see how it's vented.

Yeah, I think the Lokar pedal assembly is called the Eliminator or something like that. I don't know too much about the throttle setup on the newer vehicles because the newest vehicle we have owned is the '92 S-10 that I drive everyday. With that said, I will have to see how it works and what mods I have to do.

Hopefully I won't have to do any immediate suspension work other than shocks if I get the car/truck.



Chickenbone

 

[lsx80monte]

For a direct swap, you want an 80's Monte that was fuel injected or the gn. If you go cable its super easy.pretty much like a carb. I believe it the 2007-08 sa Monte and the ss impala that have the ls4 but they are designed for.front wheel drive . Fiero guys use them for swaps

 

[Chickenbone]

Oh, so that's how they get them to work in those cars. I wonder if somebody has done that swap to a Corvair?

In any event, I will search for an older LS from a Silverado (LQ4) or a Caddy Escalade(LQ9). A lot of research to do, in such a short period of time.


Chickenbone