LSx Owners please help.

[blazed870]

I've been lurking on this forum for about a year now and I think I am finally starting to work on the truck after tons of great ideas on this website. About 6 months ago, a friend hooked me up with a 4.8l w/ 4l60, the wire harness, ecu and some other parts off a 99 GM truck. It has just been sitting at my dad's house waiting to be transpanted.

My goal is to do a cheap but reliable build on my truck, starting with the drivetrain. I plan on this truck splitting duty as a daily driver. I am not looking to build a high horsepower motor, just something reliable. I have been reading and searching I promise. I have looked at AckAttacks build thread as well as Thealian's awesome links for LSx info. I even read the square body "Fred" conversion to get info.

I am trying to put together a parts list so I can purchase parts before hand. I know that there is always those parts store runs that are inevitable, but I want to keep those to a minimum.

So far this is the list of items I think I need:
4.8 w/ matching 4l60
ECU and Wireharness (still need to be modified and reprogrammed)
Motor Mount Adapters
Lokar Steering Linkage
Fuel pump to achieve the required fuel pressure needed
Corvette Servo for tranny(not needed, but got the idea from project "Fred")
New gauges(for electronic speedo)

If anyone wants to add to the list, it would be much appreciated. Or if you used particular products you could tell me how well they worked. Like I said I am trying to do a budget build.

I plan on using the stock truck manifolds and serpentine drive system that came with the the engine, once again to save as much as possible. With that being said, Does anyone know if I should use the regular motor mounts or the ones that push the engine back 1"? I plan on having a 4/6 drop on it as well. I have heard the truck oil pan sits down pretty low, so I am not ruling out going with a F-body oil pan. If I used the F-body pan, which motor mounts should I use with which manifolds/cheap headers??

Well that is my first round of questions. I know I have way more questions, just can't think of any right now. Please feel free to give any advice or tips on doing the LSx swap.

Thanks in advance
Mickey

[78bronzechariot]

I am actually in the process of putting an '02 4.8/4L60E in my 67 C10. My original V-8 was mounted in the forward position. I bought the standard adapter plates and ended up having to move the mounts back an inch so the truck pan would clear the crossmember. You will have to take off the heat shields and notch the frame in order for the truck manifolds to fit, but it can be done. I had to notch my frame a little to get the headers I used to fit anyway. If you use the stock trans mount for an automatic and stock automatic crossmember along with the adapters and factory motor mounts, the oil pan hangs a little oveer an inch lower than the front crossmember, and there is about an inch clearance between the trans and floor (my truck has the low hump).

[blazed870]

Thanks 78bronzechariot

What headers did you end up using?

Did you end up using the truck oil pan or go to a f-body oil pan?

[Clyde65]

Hello from Texas!

I did the exact install on my 65. 4.8/4l60e.

First thin before you start is replace whatever is in question now, wiring harness, brake lines, etc. before you pull the old motor, just to make sure it is working fine, ( i didnt do this and made a hell of a time troubleshooting)

I got the POL mounts ( lets you mount in front or rear holes)and the CPP trans mount
POL-http://www.performanceonline.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=16820&cat=455&page=1

CPP-http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1960_1972_Chevy_Truck/CP9427.htm

I got a Peirburg fuel pump with pre and post filters from Somewhere ( I can tell you this), you dont have to go this way but I did and spent more $ than I should have.

You will need to do something with your driveshaft, cooling- you might want to consider an aluminum rad with electric fans, depends if you have/want ac also.

I used Sanderson CSLS1 shortie headers, but I understand Doug Thorley has some really cool long tube headers you might want instead. I have heard Trailblazer SS manifolds work well with our era of trucks too.

You might need to buy a locar trans shift lever or cable ( depends on you)

You can get the harness reworked and the PCM flashed or you can do the harness yourself, those are the cheapest route ( I will tell you the name I used, PM me), however if I had to do it again ( and I will) I would go with an aftermarket harness because it will look 10X better AND you can put the PCM in the cab. If you want to know the company I am getting my new harness from PM me, I will share.

I hope this helps

[Ackattack]

couple of questions:

are you using the stock, behind the seat tank? When I had my TPI 350 powered 72 GMC I used the stock tank with a fuel pump mounted to the frame rail (don't remember the brand) but it worked well, and the fuel pump wasn't too expensive. You will also need a regulator of some sort (though, some of the fuel rails may have regulators built in to them, so you may be fine there)

You won't need any steering linkage kits

Depending on how you do your exhaust, you may need aftermarket shift linkage. With the stock style manifolds, you can probably route the exhaust around the stock linkage. I went with long tube camaro headers, and that put the collector right where the stock shift linkage goes.

Don't know anything about the corvette servo for the tranny. In the programming, you can change all sorts of parameters on how the tranny shifts. I thought the corvette servo thing was more of a 700r4 item and didn't apply to the 4L60Es, but I could be wrong.

I would suggest getting your own copy of HPtuner and re-work your harness yourself. You will learn a lot about the wiring, and the tuner will come in usefull later if you decide to change things up.

Oh, you will also need a fuse block of some sort to run all of the engine stuff. I used one from current performance that made it pretty easy to hook up.

Good luck, it will be worth the effort!

[turner15]

I was told that the 700r4 did not need a wiring harness and was not controlled by the computer, is this so? what about the 4L60Es?

[smoky02]

A 700R4 is controlled by the TV Cable. But the 4L60E is completely computer controlled. And the corvette servo and buillet servo upgrade is a really good idea, it just firms up the transmission shifts and makes it feel more solid. I drive a 2000 Chevrolet truck and am a member on the LS1truck forum the servo mod is one of the first mods that is recommended.

[78bronzechariot]

I used the $200 Summit block huggers and had the front primary tubes modified to clear the stock mount at the local exhaust shop for $50. I still had to notch the frame a little down by the collector, but using those headers made it so I could use my stock shift linkage. Looking back though, I probably should have gone with a better fitting set.

So far I have stuck with the truck pan, but I will have to wait and see once I get it all back together and drive it. F-body pan is not out of the question yet.

[Sicmaro]

Check my thread, link in sig VVVVV

[Ford Assassin]

Updates?