Vortec 5.7 + 4L60E Swap

[crazydavez28]

I'm planning on doing this swap on my 79 el camino and am wondering what things i need to look out for to pull it off. I've swapped one of these successfully into my K5 but it was a nightmare to piece together.

I will have the entire 97 Tahoe at my disposal so I should have the fuel pump and all electronics for the engine and transmission (2wd tahoe). I'm specifically worried about any clearance issues and the transmission crossmember. To start out I was planning on running the stock engine accessories off of the elky to get it rolling again ASAP.

Does anybody have recommendation for a decent aftermarket speedo that I can run off the computer signal??

I will probably end up switching all the gauges over to the tahoe style since I will have ALL the stuff to do it.

Got this for $700

 

[78MC-BBC]

while may i ask are you using the 97 Tahoe vortec engine, they only produce 255hp/335tq. and are hard to upgrade horsepower wise, since they are not a LS based engine. The fuel injection systems on the motor is failure prone also. I have a 96 Tahoe as my daily driver so i know what happens on the vortec 96-00 Tahoes

 

[Dave V]

i agree with whats being said but overall i think you want to be different and this swap would be just that. good luck on the swap. i belive there is an adaptor out there that will convert the speedo signal.

 

[crazydavez28]

Well, I'm getting the complete Tahoe for 800 and it will include everything I need to do the swap. The 5.7 is gonna have much more low end torque stock then the 5.3 or 6.0 and this is a daily driver. Plus the SBC will sound meaner than an LS. Either way I can't have the vehicle in the shop all winter to do a swap. It has to go smoothly and a SBC platform will use the same motor mounts and just fit better with zero work.

That said I understand it's not the best race platform but I've got my Camaro for that. Vortec 5.7 with headers and free exhaust should make close to 300hp/335+ torque. Plus I have and old LT1 CC502 cam that may find a new home. It'll be better than the flat cammed 305 oil hog and metric 200 that's original to the beast. Plus I HATE carburetors there's a reason they stopped using them in production cars 25+ years ago.

 

[Dave V]

Well, I'm getting the complete Tahoe for 800 and it will include everything I need to do the swap. The 5.7 is gonna have much more low end torque stock then the 5.3 or 6.0 and this is a daily driver. Plus the SBC will sound meaner than an LS. Either way I can't have the vehicle in the shop all winter to do a swap. It has to go smoothly and a SBC platform will use the same motor mounts and just fit better with zero work.

That said I understand it's not the best race platform but I've got my Camaro for that. Vortec 5.7 with headers and free exhaust should make close to 300hp/335+ torque. Plus I have and old LT1 CC502 cam that may find a new home. It'll be better than the flat cammed 305 oil hog and metric 200 that's original to the beast. Plus I HATE carburetors there's a reason they stopped using them in production cars 25+ years ago.

in my 84 camino im running a 91 throttle body 350 with a 700r4 and yes while its not the highest horsepower it does great for scooting around and with 3.73 it hauls pretty good as i had to over 101 mph while on the elco thang run...so good luck with the swap.

 

[pencero]

Dave, I have a water pump you may end up needing and I'm having a hard time selling it. My father just posted it on ebay again without informing me until afterwards, but I suspect it wont sell again (and I only have it at $35 new in box) if it doesnt sell and you do need the part hit me up pm

good luck w/ your project. I dont understand everyone sideline hating on the vortec 4l60E idea - 300hp/300tq sounds good enough for me outside of the dragstrip arena. Why is everyone so focused on hp instead of reliability? I say slap a msd igntion/distributor on that b*tch and call it a day! I had the parts ready to install but then a fender bender turned me off and I canceled the project ( i had the fiberglass stepside and the bed got decimated - hence this remaining part!)

-br

 

[78MC-BBC]

don't get me wrong i have a vortec 5.7in my 96 Tahoe and i love it, its got good power and decent mpg for the age. but the only thing i don't like is the lack of aftermarket support for the vortec style fuel injection on it. the efi just plain runs out of fuel at 400hp. this is not the typical efi system that is on new cars and trucks. if i had the time and money to put into my Tahoe i would swap in a LS 5.3 or 6.0 into it. i have seen them on sale locally complete with engine, trans, wire harness, computer and transfer case for under $1200 and even saw a 5.3 with 10,000 miles complete for $600.

but for your application the vortec 5.7 is alot easier swap. just remember for the the headers have an egr port on the drivers side and also headers & exhaust you have to have 4 o2 sensors put on, 2 on each header and 2 after the cats, unless you get a custom computer tune

 

[crazydavez28]

don't get me wrong i have a vortec 5.7in my 96 Tahoe and i love it, its got good power and decent mpg for the age. but the only thing i don't like is the lack of aftermarket support for the vortec style fuel injection on it. the efi just plain runs out of fuel at 400hp. this is not the typical efi system that is on new cars and trucks. if i had the time and money to put into my Tahoe i would swap in a LS 5.3 or 6.0 into it. i have seen them on sale locally complete with engine, trans, wire harness, computer and transfer case for under $1200 and even saw a 5.3 with 10,000 miles complete for $600.

but for your application the vortec 5.7 is alot easier swap. just remember for the the headers have an egr port on the drivers side and also headers & exhaust you have to have 4 o2 sensors put on, 2 on each header and 2 after the cats, unless you get a custom computer tune

As far as the O2 sensors go I've heard that if you use spark plug non-foulers they will read lean enough to not throw a code even without a cat (live in KS so no inspections). Hopefully the bungs on the tahoe are useable those things are like $18 a piece from a-zone. The EGR port will be difficult but some tubing and the fitting off the manifold will be welded together in a pinch.

if I ever want to ditch the MFI it would be in favor of a single plane super vic EFI with a fatty TB!!

Is the speedo adapter one of those 'Jaguar conversions' (or something like that I can't remember) units?

 

[Randy_W]

$150 tune will fix the 02 issues, there are several options if down the road the injector spider gives up. There's the marine multi port intake that look and runs great. Any decent moderate efi profile cam will work, the vortec heads are great street heads and having owned several of each, I can tell you there is virtually no performance difference between the Vortec and the iron head LT1.

 

[78MC-BBC]

$150 tune will fix the 02 issues, there are several options if down the road the injector spider gives up. There's the marine multi port intake that look and runs great. Any decent moderate efi profile cam will work, the vortec heads are great street heads and having owned several of each, I can tell you there is virtually no performance difference between the Vortec and the iron head LT1.

the downside of the Marine intake manifold is the price, normally used is $750 and its not just a simple bolt on and go, there is machine work involved on the intake.
as far as the O2 sensors are concerned ive been told that the spark plug non-fouler trick will not work on the vortec's. the )2 sensor on the exhaust manifolds control the air fuel ratio and the O2 sensors after the cats are there to make sure the cats are working. if you remove the after cat ones it will trough a code. the only way i've heard to get rid of the rear O2 sensors is with a tune