1970 c20 l9h 6l90e

[1970C20L9H]

Hello.

A few weeks ago I blew the motor on my 1970 Chevrolet C20 so you know what that means.

I just bought a 6.2L L9H with 6L90E complete pullout with 7,000 miles from a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab four door. VIN code 2 (L9H Flex Fuel). Head casting number is 823.

Motor should be shipping today so I am looking forward to picking it up and getting started.

This is also my first post.

[BlacklandCamper]

Welcome to the board. Hope your swap goes smoothly.

Post pics, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

[1970C20L9H]

Here is a picture of the motor/trans pullout I purchased.

[1970C20L9H]

The engine has been crated and shipped

[1970C20L9H]

Here is a picture of the truck

[1970C20L9H]

Ok, people love pictures so I will add a few more up to my current progress....

Here is the old motor that I threw a rod on.



Pulling old motor



That looks bad...



lets take a closer look


m22 4 speed.



Now I have to use an air chisel to remove that transmission crossmember.


Transmission Crossmember removed, engine bay is pressure washed. Good enough for me.

[1970C20L9H]

I have dropped the motor and transmission in to check for fitment and it looks real nice but the motor mounts don't quite fit.

[1970C20L9H]

I currently have the $30 eBay motor mount adapters using stock motor mounts and the problem is that its placing the motor mounts about 1/2" to 3/4" wider than stock so bolt holes aren't lining up

so.. I am trying to figure out a new solution for motor mounts...

I see muscle rods has a nice kit but $$$$$ .... $280 or $479.00 including transmission crossmember and mount.

Performance Online has a nice looking kit for $129.99 thats looking to be the best option right now.

anyone else have ideas?

[1970C20L9H]

anyone know how I can edit my first post here in this thread so I can keep most up to date info/status in the first post of the thread?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 1970C20L9H

I currently have the $30 eBay motor mount adapters using stock motor mounts and the problem is that its placing the motor mounts about 1/2" to 3/4" wider than stock so bolt holes aren't lining up

so.. I am trying to figure out a new solution for motor mounts...

I see muscle rods has a nice kit but $$$$$ .... $280 or $479.00 including transmission crossmember and mount.

Performance Online has a nice looking kit for $129.99 thats looking to be the best option right now.

anyone else have ideas?

I used stock 73 up clamshell mounts on mine. I already had a pair of these with my truck. I'll see if I can dig up my pictures. I only spent a few bucks on the adapter plates. My engine fit great, but as you probably already know you will need a high hump tranny cover.
Edit: you can see pictures of my setup starting : HERE

Originally Posted by 1970C20L9H

anyone know how I can edit my first post here in this thread so I can keep most up to date info/status in the first post of the thread?

You have to be a subscribing member to edit posts after a few minutes (I think).

What did you have to pay for you 6.2 6L80 combo if you don't mind saying.?

[1970C20L9H]

Thanks for your reply mcbassin.

I ordered the performance online mounts already because I want to get the show on the road. After further consideration I think I would have rather ordered the ECE mounts. I saw your comments about 73+ clamshell last night but I did not want to have to deal with trying to hunt those down, If at all possible I would like to have this thing rolling by November 1 but I think that is a tall order.

For the same price I could have bought a brand new LS3 430HP from Jegs but then I would still need a transmission, torque converter, flywheel, starter, alternator, power steering pump, AC compressor, all the brackets to hang them on the motor, wire harness and ECU.

This combo has 7000 miles on it so it should be as good as new.

Sometimes I wish I had just bought the LS3 from jegs because then I could use Holly EFI. with this combo (VVT and 6L80E) I am limited to stock ECU or Mast Motorsports M90 but they don't respond to emails so I am going with stock ECU

[Low Elco]

If you can weld, bolt plates to the crossmember and adapt to the late motor mounts. Not too hard, and you can put it wherever you want and clear everything. You can see what I mean in the Yeller thread. There is an LSX swap section on the site with tons of good info. Great build!

[1970C20L9H]

I don't have a welder, when budget permits I plan to buy a millermatic 211

[1970C20L9H]

Look what got delivered this evening...

Performance Online motor mounts and perch

[1970C20L9H]

Upon closer inspection it appears the weld on one side of each perch is getting in the way of the motor mount...



With the motor mount as close as it gets.



Out comes the cutting wheel...



And now the motor mount fits on the perch.

[1970C20L9H]

I got the motor mounts and transmission cross member installed today.

These performance online motor mounts were not lining up either but after a little wiggling I finally got it mounted up. Makes me wonder if I could have given a little more elbow grease and mounted it up with the stock mounts. I have no regrets.

Here are some photos.

Here is driver side mount from a couple different angles.





CPP Transmission Crossmember and transmission mount





And it is all mounted up....

[1970C20L9H]

So, I attempted to install the stock manifolds that came with the engine (2012 Silverado). The driver side fit but is touching the frame so I would expect it to rub and the passenger side will not fit without notching the frame. I do not want to notch the frame. Doing a little research it seems the Camaro or Corvette manifolds should fit so I bought a pair on eBay. Still awaiting delivery.

I also ordered some electrical wire to finish up the wire harness with the help of documentation on lt1swap.com and their Facebook page.

[nlped]

This thing is going to be a runner... Sub'd

[mcbassin]

Very nice progress on the powerplant install.

[1970C20L9H]

Thanks, progress is slow but I am making progress. Unfortunately the cheapest I could find the all of the electrical wire in one place required the minimum purchase of 250' of wire for each selection...

12 AWG RED
16 AWG GRAY
16 AWG PINK
20 AWG ORANGE
20 AWG PINK
20 AWG BLACK

So I will likely have more than 240' of each left over.

Also, I ordered Automotive Cross Link TXL Wire which is the same high quality wire that Painless uses for their harnesses. It exceeds OEM specifications for underhood heat. This is better than the "primary" wire found at most parts stores.

Cross-link wire meets SAE J1128 standards and is designed for applications where higher heat resistance is required.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 1970C20L9H

Thanks, progress is slow but I am making progress. Unfortunately the cheapest I could find the all of the electrical wire in one place required the minimum purchase of 250' of wire for each selection...

12 AWG RED
16 AWG GRAY
16 AWG PINK
20 AWG ORANGE
20 AWG PINK
20 AWG BLACK

So I will likely have more than 240' of each left over.

Also, I ordered Automotive Cross Link TXL Wire which is the same high quality wire that Painless uses for their harnesses. It exceeds OEM specifications for underhood heat. This is better than the "primary" wire found at most parts stores.

Cross-link wire meets SAE J1128 standards and is designed for applications where higher heat resistance is required.

Sounds like you are going to build your own harness from scratch? That would be much cleaner than reworking the stock harness. I would imagine all the connectors and wire will be quite expensive though.

[1970C20L9H]

Not going to build my own harness from scratch but I couldn't find a decent price on shorter lengths of TXL wire. If I had bought 25' lengths it would have ended up being almost the same cost.

[1970C20L9H]

Feeling defeated tonight. I received the LS3 exhaust manifolds today and they do not fit either. WTF

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 1970C20L9H

Feeling defeated tonight. I received the LS3 exhaust manifolds today and they do not fit either. WTF

I used LS1 manifolds on mine and the worked good. I thought I read trailblazer SS manifolds work good too.
I believe the height of you engine is critical for everything to fit right too. I used the clamshell mounts which raise the
engine up. It also made me have to use a high hump.
BTW, have you checked into the LS-1 site or trailblazer ss site? there are guys that will sell manifolds cheap on there
when they upgrade to headers.
Good luck

[1970C20L9H]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

I used LS1 manifolds on mine and the worked good. I thought I read trailblazer SS manifolds work good too.
I believe the height of you engine is critical for everything to fit right too. I used the clamshell mounts which raise the
engine up. It also made me have to use a high hump.
BTW, have you checked into the LS-1 site or trailblazer ss site? there are guys that will sell manifolds cheap on there
when they upgrade to headers.
Good luck

I am using the clam mounts also, they bolt directly to the perch from performance online. I think if the engine sat a half inch lower the LS2 exhaust manifolds I bought would have fit. I did not look on any forums, only ebay and craigslist. I went ahead and ordered the hookers with ceramic coating.