Doing LS Swap - I have no idea what I'm doing!

[EagleChief]

Well, time to start getting around to the truck again. Had a slight delay, as Mother's Day and wife's birthday came around - so, new kitchen sink & faucet and some concert tickets kinda set me back a bit.

Anyway, just purchased the sending unit and fuel pump for the Wrangler fuel tank swap. Decided to go that route. I still need to get the tank. After searching on here and reading up on the Wrangler tank swap, I ended up getting the sending unit for a '87 S10 Blazer, an AC Delco #EP381 fuel pump. Will I still need the pressure regulator? From what I can tell, that pump is rated at 60psi and 155lph. And, I'm guessing I'll still want a fuel filter in line, right?

[LS short box]

You will need a fuel filter regulator. Most use the C5 Corvette FFR. Get AC Delco or Wix brand.

[Pitpig]

If it’s a truck intake, it has a regulator and requires a return line

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by LS short box

You will need a fuel filter regulator. Most use the C5 Corvette FFR. Get AC Delco or Wix brand.

Originally Posted by Pitpig

If it’s a truck intake, it has a regulator and requires a return line

Both of these answers could be correct, but depends on if you have a return or returnless fuel rails. In 2004 they came both ways depending if it was flex fuel or not. I went back through the thread and the only picture of the engine complete you cant see the side of the intake to be able to tell.

[EagleChief]

I believe I have a return system. It's a 2003 Flex Fuel engine. I'll grab a couple pics this evening of the intake and post them up.

If it is a return system, then I'll need the Corvette filter/regulator, right? I have the WIX #33737 saved in my spreadsheet as a possible part to get. Would I still need another filter in line either before/after that, since it already has one built in?

[gmc684x4]

or you can run the return line
this is why turbo guys like them the pressure regulator is on the fuel rail and will provide extra fuel on boost automatically

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

I believe I have a return system. It's a 2003 Flex Fuel engine. I'll grab a couple pics this evening of the intake and post them up.

If it is a return system, then I'll need the Corvette filter/regulator, right? I have the WIX #33737 saved in my spreadsheet as a possible part to get. Would I still need another filter in line either before/after that, since it already has one built in?

If it's a return style rail, meaning it has both a feed and return, then you don't need the Corvette filter/regulator, you will just need a regular (EFI rated) fuel filter in the feed line, then you would have the return run back to the tank.

[EdwardSams]

Came across the thread and read every post. Congrats on the baby, getting the bolts out, and making progress through all of it.

Following!

[Tommyups]

I will be doing the LS swap sometime this summer also, following along here.
Great build so far. What was your main reason for not keeping the in cab tank?
Was it the smell or the sound of the pump that I’ve heard can be very loud.
I think one of the coolest things on these trucks, mine is a 67, is the side fill for the tank. I was hoping to keep this set up but if the pump is that loud, I would seriously reconsider

[Davidf]

Well, I’m going to do the in cab in tank pump in a couple weeks/month...will report on the noise.

[EagleChief]

A little later than I thought, but, nonetheless... Pics of the intake and fuel rails.

[ls1nova71]

Thats a returnless rail, so you will need the Corvette filter/regulator.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

Thats a returnless rail, so you will need the Corvette filter/regulator.

Thanks! I'll get one ordered.

And, after looking at that picture... makes me realize, I really need to clean that thing up. Man, it's dirty.

[biketopia]

Spend some time and smooth it out, they look sooo nice when they are smoothed out!

[EagleChief]

Received part of my birthday gifts this past weekend! A new Wrangler gas tank, and the WIX Corvette Filter/Regulator! Woohoo!

Now, I can start fitting up the tank, making any adjustments needed. Then, I can start mounting the parts, running the lines, and hopefully get the fuel system finished up.

[jjzepplin]

Pics man PICS! I am dying here!

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Pics man PICS! I am dying here!

Unfortunately, I don't have anything to show. Everything is still in the box. At some point, in the future, I will have some updates and pictures to share.

[EagleChief]

OK, I'm sure this has probably been discussed before, or even achieved. But, I had a thought... Would it be possible to keep the stock gas tank and use it as a filler for the new tank under the bed? Are you with me?

I'm thinking, instead of adding a fill spot to the bed somewhere - keep the tank behind the seat. Run a line to the new tank as a filler hose, either gravity fed, or with an external pump (which I already have). This way, I could fill up the stock tank as always and let that fill the new tank under the bed and supply the fuel pump, basically as an auxiliary fuel cell. I get the benefit of having the baffled tank with the new equipment to supply the motor, but also a longer range due to the extra tank. Also, I won't have to fab up a fill location in the bed for the new tank. Does any of that make sense? The hose size from 1 tank to the next would probably have to be larger than what is already there, now that I think on it more. I was hoping to just use the current size coming out of the stock tank. Convert it to a hard line to keep it from sagging, or re-purpose the stock hardline to run to the back. Or, just use steel braided line and keep it from sagging too much - keep the low spots out of it.

I don't know... sometimes I overthink things, or get accused of dumb ideas - maybe this is one of them. What do you guys think? I'm sure if it worked, it would be talked about a lot more on here.

[EagleChief]

Got some fuel line fittings ordered for the new setup. The fittings for the regulator showed up today. The adapters for the sending unit should arrive Saturday. One step closer...

[EagleChief]

Took my original radiator to a shop yesterday to see if he can get it fixed up. I know it had a leak, and looks like some prior "fixes" done to it. The guy said he'd clean it up and test it, and let me know how bad it is. I'm wondering if it'll be worth the fix, or just end up with a new one.

Saw this setup the other day - starting to wonder if it may be something to try for the price. https://www.alloyworksplus.com/produ...mmy-67-72_56f0

[Davidf]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

Took my original radiator to a shop yesterday to see if he can get it fixed up. I know it had a leak, and looks like some prior "fixes" done to it. The guy said he'd clean it up and test it, and let me know how bad it is. I'm wondering if it'll be worth the fix, or just end up with a new one.

Saw this setup the other day - starting to wonder if it may be something to try for the price. https://www.alloyworksplus.com/produ...mmy-67-72_56f0

I gave up on radiator cleaning and will only do new from now on. Shops are not allowed to use the harsh chemicals used back in the day when rebuilding radiators was common. Plus the skillset is probably gone as the demand is gone.

[biketopia]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

Took my original radiator to a shop yesterday to see if he can get it fixed up. I know it had a leak, and looks like some prior "fixes" done to it. The guy said he'd clean it up and test it, and let me know how bad it is. I'm wondering if it'll be worth the fix, or just end up with a new one.

Saw this setup the other day - starting to wonder if it may be something to try for the price. https://www.alloyworksplus.com/produ...mmy-67-72_56f0

Make sure you get one for an auto trans, pretty sure that one is for manual so it won't have the trans cooler, unless you are going external cooler. That seems awfully cheap for fans and radiator...

[EagleChief]

Ok... so slight dilemma. I dropped off my cpu yesterday to the shop that is going to build me a new harness and flash the cpu and tune it. He called me late last night and said, "we might have an issue... your cpu is reading as a 2005 4.8L motor". But, the VIN I got from the salvage is from a 2003 5.3L. I've gone through the different scenarios, different cpu from a donor - but it was all hooked up when I got it delivered. Now, could they have hooked it all up to deliver it? Sure. But, everything looked like it hadn't been touched.

Now, I have a pic of the underside from when I swapped the pan out, and the crank has a cast number of "12552216". When I search that number, it appears as used on the 5.3, 6.0, 6.2L engines. Would that be a tell all sign, or do I still need to look at the piston heads to tell for sure? I'm going to see if I can rent a borescope from one of the parts stores to look for sure - hopefully, I can. Any other tell-tale signs that I can look for?

Maybe they sent me the wrong VIN # - I'm sure it can happen. But, how do I really tell what I have? Do I need a legit VIN to program the computer?

[biketopia]

You have a 5.3, see here. https://sites.google.com/site/sloppy...a-4-8-or-a-5-3

Your tuner should be able to flash in anything he want's. The 4.8 and 5.3 use the same ECM, just the tune is different. I would verify your injector part # and give him that info and just let him flash in a 5.3 tune with a little more timing and turn off security and the rear 02's and go for it.

[gmc684x4]

The return less rail also suggests its a 05 motor
03 truck motors are a return style fuel rail

The only for sure way i know to id 4.8 vs 5.3 is pull the pan and look at the rods and crank

Real good chance your motor is an 05 4.8 ls motor
They are still a decent motor I had one in my service van ran great
The pcm should also have a vin in it for what 05 vehicle it came from

Powerblock had this happen they bought a 5.3 from the yard pushed it hard on the dyno 1000 ish hp then opened it up and discovered they got a 4.8 instead