[doubeys_nova]

I started messing with this truck years ago and recently decided to do a LSX swap. I have the engine in and hooked up. I have the fuel system plumbed in. I am keeping a/c (but due to no a/c lines took a/c stuff off). A couple notches were made to accommodate the passenger side exhaust manifold. Other than that no modification to the vehicle itself was done. I used Dirty Dingo engine mounts (model, year specific) and all stock 99 Chevy engine components. This engine has no emissions from the factory minus the 2 catalytic converters I won’t be using. The engine, tans, transfer case does need moved forward at least one inch but 1 ½” would be better but if I remember right, if I were to switch over to the 4L60E transmission and NP231 transfer case it is around 1 ½” longer. I have a ton of room between the engine and the cooling fan. Most of the swap was just taking my time and making sure everything was done correctly(I did not spend time trying to make it pretty).

I had a stock 99 4.8L with stock 84 drive train and 3.08:1 front and rear diff gears. Now, I have the same 4.8L with an 87 K5 700R4 HD, NP208 and 4.88:1 gear sets. The gear ratio is why I did not go through the trouble of putting the 4L60E in originally but the TH350 didn’t last long with the 35” tires and 3.08:1 gearsets. Once I save up enough money I would like to go with 4.10:1 gears and 35” tires (~69 MPH @ 2000 rpm’s). The final drive rpm to mph is in the same ballpark as the th350 with 3.08:1 diff gears and 33” tires (~64 MPH @ 2000 rpm’s).

Hopefully, if my fuel system works out, I will be running with both tanks. I am trying to keep all the low pressure stuff on the tanks and what not so if it works out I will hook up the other tank. If not, high pressure in-tank pumps and pick-ups will have to be used with a high pressure tank switch. I installed a gauge on the fuel rail supply for easier troubleshooting now and in the future but I am going to pull it off to give the fuel line a little more room for movement. It read 58-60 psi. Soon, I will try to route the fuel line a lot better.

I got the radiator mounting kit from CFR Performance and a universal aluminum radiator which did not work out. I am pulling this set up and putting in a factory diesel radiator with 2 16” fans.

I picked up some 97 Sebring convertible seats at the local yard. I got them to work and they are very sturdy using the factory seat mounting points.

We started the process with two 10’ pieces of 1½” angle 3/16” thick. We measured across the truck and decided we should just cut 2 5’ pieces of angle and center them in the truck (they did get shortened about ¼”-½” total). He then took a piece of cardboard and mocked it up to fit the floor. We then took that and made one side to fit and mirrored it for the other side. Overall widths and lengths are determined by the seats/ center console desired. For the 97 Sebring Convertible seats it was 12 ½” centers. We tacked the two long pieces to the two short pieces and test fit. It fit really well. Used ½” holes for the four factory 3/8” seat mounting holes in the floor provided us with a little room for adjustment.
Next, we bolted it in and set the seat on the frame to see where the seat needs to be, to be centered on the steering wheel. After marking that we welded another piece of angle in on the outside ends to adapt the holes requiring tabs to mount to. We extended this additional angle off the back of the frame to catch the back hole. We used 3/8” holes for all the 5/16” bolts used for mounting the seat track to the frame. The holes in the seat track were pretty large so we took two, 6” long, ¼” nipples from the hardware store and cut them to provide a bushing to fill some of the space. I believe mine were 3/16” long. Notes: you want the piece of pipe to be short enough that the seat will tighten against the angle iron not the bushing. All holes lined up center on the angle iron except were the tab is at. Even they lined up center on the vertical portion of the angle though. Measure all holes for yourself before drilling them. I mounted the seatbelt control box behind the transmission tunnel on the floor.

The wiring harness I ordered came with a fuse block and a programmed computer. The fuse block has four relays already installed. One for each, the computer, fuel pump, low fan, high fan. I was going to use an 03’ish S10/Blazer style computer holder set up. It mounts to the top of the coolant reservoir. I hooked up the plugs (pretty self explanatory) and then began soldering wires together. You need a constant 12v, a key hot 12v (has to be hot when engine is turning over also), 2 grounds (one in the harness and one in the fuse block) and that is all to get it to start. I ran approximately the same size wire (same size or larger) to lengthen any wires needing extended. For example, the fuel pump wire, the key hot, and a few others. When hooking up the fan, hook up the low fan wire to your primary fan and your high fan wire to your secondary fan. Since I only have one fan I just tucked the high fan control wire under the fuse block. From there I hooked up the OBDII port. It requires a ground, a key hot and the signal wire. And then hooked up the check engine light I purchased from a local parts store. I need to lengthen the crank sensor wires a couple inches but other than that the wiring was pretty well done.

For sending units and gauges, I ordered Autometer Sport Comp, electric, short sweep oil pressure and water temp gauges. They came with 1/8” NPT sending units. I used a 12.5x1.0 adapter for the water temp and a 16.5x1.5 adapter for the oil pressure. The stock sending unit is utilized by the computer so a second sending unit was placed behind the passenger side exhaust manifold. There is an 8mm allen head bolt in the head that I removed to install the adapter fitting and sending unit. With this you can either buy a shallow sending unit or drill out the adapter fitting. I chose to drill out the adapter fitting (so the sending unit node would slide through) to save $15 on the new shallow sending unit. I used a 21/64” drill bit and drill press to drill it out. I then unhooked my intake and removed the stock oil pressure sending unit(not used by the computer) and installed the electric sending unit with the 16.5x1.5mm adapter. I connected the wire to the sending unit before reinstalling the intake. Next, I ran the wires through the firewall into the cabin to connect to the gauges. I pulled the guts off of the back of my small gauges and installed the guts from Autometer short sweep gauges so the sending units are correct for the gauges. Haven’t seen how it is going to work so I will come back to that later.

I ran the harness through the firewall at a factory grommet just above the back of the engine. I am a little fuzzy on where I am going to mount the computer and fuse block now but will come back to it as soon as I get more info.
I pulled the heater box completely apart and cleaned/replaced parts and will hopefully have a fully functional heater/A/C system when done.

This has some specific info in it that I typed up awhile back and skimmed through to change anything that I did differently. I cannot get pictures to load but if I figure it out I will post as many pictures as I can of stuff