85 6.0 lq4 4.80e swap

[mccurrkm]

well we took the thermostat out and now it is flowing fine. I guess I got a bad thermostat. My computer is also not turning the fans on so we have to figure that out and everything should be good. Maybe the tuner accidentally turned them off...

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by mccurrkm

Well it wasn't the thermostat. Still having the same problem. I guess it is the water pump. Either that or I have something stopped up. I have one big electric fan pulling and two smaller electric fans pushing air. The big one is set to come on around 190 and the smaller ones 195. I may have to change that later but that is what the tuner put in.

That sounds right on though. i dont think youd have to change the temp settings from 195..

Originally Posted by mccurrkm

well we took the thermostat out and now it is flowing fine. I guess I got a bad thermostat. My computer is also not turning the fans on so we have to figure that out and everything should be good. Maybe the tuner accidentally turned them off...

glad it was the thermostat. hows it driving now?
auto parts stores get stuff mixed up. you may have had a hotter type thermostat. probably didnt open till 215 degrees. since your engine and the Ls is so close but different, not all components will be the same, some assume otherwise.
BTW im liking your thread keep it coming!

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

That sounds right on though. i dont think youd have to change the temp settings from 195..

glad it was the thermostat. hows it driving now?
auto parts stores get stuff mixed up. you may have had a hotter type thermostat. probably didnt open till 215 degrees. since your engine and the Ls is so close but different, not all components will be the same, some assume otherwise.
BTW im liking your thread keep it coming!

Seems to be doing fine now. That radiator is sweet, it looks like a waterfall when you have the cap off...lots of flow. I got the thermostat to fit the truck it came out of so it should have been the right one but who knows. Still have the problem with the computer not turning the fans on so I think we are just going to wire it up so that it comes on when the truck is running and the a/c fans to come on when the a/c is turned on.

[AJII]

I had the same problem with my thermostat in my swap.

I drilled a couple of 1/4" holes in the thermostat and this lets enough water flow through to make it operate as it should.

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by AJII

I had the same problem with my thermostat in my swap.

I drilled a couple of 1/4" holes in the thermostat and this lets enough water flow through to make it operate as it should.

Good idea, I thought about that in case it was an air bubble causing it not to work. Thanks!

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by mccurrkm

Good idea, I thought about that in case it was an air bubble causing it not to work. Thanks!

seen this, its carbed but it makes a lil sense to put the fan switchs on the hose like he did... a bypass in the middle of thermostat and radiator. steam vent?? ik you guys have done the swap. but he points out some intresting stuff..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLaRLiqmDW0

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

seen this, its carbed but it makes a lil sense to put the fan switchs on the hose like he did... a bypass in the middle of thermostat and radiator. steam vent?? ik you guys have done the swap. but he points out some intresting stuff..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLaRLiqmDW0

What he did there was just put in a piece of pipe in the upper radiator hose with two fittings...one for the steam vent line and one for his temperature gauge I think. Good video with good info!

[mccurrkm]

Got the fans rewired to turn the main one on with ignition and the other two to come on with A/C compressor. Cooling fine now. Went to charge the A/C and it won't hold vacuum. It was still pressurized when we took it apart. Took the hoses and all back down and checked everything and then when going to check it again, the fitting on the machine broke. Maybe it was just cracked and we didn't know it and there really isn't a leak in the system...fingers crossed. Waiting on a new fitting today and will recheck it, probably shoot a little die in it.

[mccurrkm]

There doesn't seem to be a leak in the A/C. We shot die in it and took it all apart and still couldn't find a leak. It just has a hissing sound for a few seconds when we turn the truck off. Maybe it is supposed to do this It doesn't seem to be loosing Freon so I guess I am going with it. Put it all back together and then smelled gas...looked and its leaking from one of the fittings on the pump. Working on getting that fixed this week. Always something...

[truckzilla]

You are so right about that! It always seems to be something!

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by truckzilla

You are so right about that! It always seems to be something!

Yep, never ends with my luck haha

[mccurrkm]

Got the fuel leak fixed. Cooling systems is working great even with the A/C running which is also blowing good cold air. It needs a heat shield around the fuel pump as my exhaust is a little close to it. Hopefully we can get that done today and bleed the brakes and it should be back on the road.

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by mccurrkm

Got the fuel leak fixed. Cooling systems is working great even with the A/C running which is also blowing good cold air. It needs a heat shield around the fuel pump as my exhaust is a little close to it. Hopefully we can get that done today and bleed the brakes and it should be back on the road.

thats great! Do the Lq4s come with a 4L80e? i have a pcm for my LM7 for a 6.0 liter lq4

[low'n'slow]

Originally Posted by mccurrkm

Put the drive shaft back in Saturday and it fit great! So I guess the yoke did swell a little when they welded it back up. Front clip is back on...power steering hooked up...now just have to finish the other hoses for A/C, heater hoses, and radiator hoses, then tidy up all the wires running around the engine bay. Also ended up deciding to run two more electric fans in front pushing for the A/C...ordered those today. Getting closer!

I'm doing this same swap in my 86. What all did you have to do with the driveshaft?? They say when you put a 60E in these trucks you can use the stock shaft with the right motor mounts...how much shortening did the shop have to do?

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by low'n'slow

I'm doing this same swap in my 86. What all did you have to do with the driveshaft?? They say when you put a 60E in these trucks you can use the stock shaft with the right motor mounts...how much shortening did the shop have to do?

I actually have the 80e so I had to shorten it. It seems like I had to take off a little less than 2 inches. I can't remember exactly.

[mccurrkm]

Just thought I would update a little bit. I have just been driving it on the weekends and taking it to truck club meetings and shows. I have still been having trouble at wide open throttle with surging and cutting out. The pump was starting to make a bunch of noise and starting to worry me some so I decided to pull the bed and replace the fuel system.

[mccurrkm]

Figured out why my fuel gauge worked sometimes and sometimes it didn't...

[mccurrkm]

Broke a tank strap and couldn't figure out how to get rivets back in that small space so I did the next best thing...then painted them.

[mccurrkm]

I originally had some help with this install and the fuel system is a part I did not install. When I took this system out I figure out pretty quick why my fuel pressure was so unstable. Take a close look at the fuel pump placement lol.

[mccurrkm]

Got the new system installed and painted the frame a little. Seems to be running just fine right now with no leaks so I'm ready to put the bed back on. I also installed a new grill a while back so just throwing in a pic of that as well.

[Cherub]

looks good man

[cleansquare]

Wow glad you pulled the bed huh!

[iceship]

so what type of gas mileage are you getting in it. ..

[mccurrkm]

Originally Posted by iceship

so what type of gas mileage are you getting in it. ..

I think somewhere around 18...I'm not positive since I don't have my new gauges yet.

[mccurrkm]

Here is a video of it on the Dyno the other day...Put 325 HP and 324 TQ to the wheels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA8CY9UPu9A