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

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by biketopia

Yup, after you corrected me on the CTS-V pan I looked at the measurements more than just depth, and the stock truck pan is shorter front to back in the sump area, which should allow it to work in most cases, it's just deep so it hangs low.

ah, back to front clearance. was hoping it would work with the hanging low clearance lol. being hopeful myself. does it also matter with the different swap mounts you use? or thats only for front and back clearance?

to the op, ive even read around on some people sectioning their stock pan for clearance. now, im not sure how much oil capacity is lost, and what else is involved...but it sounds like definitely a possibility.

[EagleChief]

Found this one while reading through some threads...

https://www.speed-engineering.com/ls...2-ls3-ls6.html

[jjzepplin]

I used the stock pan that was already on my Fbody engine and some simple 34 dollar motor mounts and it seems to fit almost perfect.

[kev2809]

muscle car pan kit from ebay?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284031805242

that one u posted seems like it would work. 6" total height, believe the truck pan is 8"?

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

Found this one while reading through some threads...

https://www.speed-engineering.com/ls...2-ls3-ls6.html

I have not personally used this pan, or know anyone who has, but it is basically a knock off of the Holley 302-1 pan that Holley came out with years ago.

[LS short box]

Spend the extra bucks and buy the Holley pan. Made in the USA.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by kev2809

muscle car pan kit from ebay?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284031805242

that one u posted seems like it would work. 6" total height, believe the truck pan is 8"?

I saw that kit and was thinking about it. But then found a link to this other one. I like the dimensions a little better - smaller profile, which I feel better about since my truck is lowered.

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

I have not personally used this pan, or know anyone who has, but it is basically a knock off of the Holley 302-1 pan that Holley came out with years ago.

That's what I was thinking. It's pretty close to the Holley dimensions, which I like the thought of.

On a side note - how long have you lived in KC area? I hid out in the basement of the Independence mall once during a tornado warning. I lived in KC for a few months around 2005 or so. I have an uncle that lives up there, in Lee's Summit. He does a lot of car shows/stuff around there, I believe. He has my great-grandfather's '66 Apache and a green T-Bucket that is Buick powered.

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by LS short box

Spend the extra bucks and buy the Holley pan. Made in the USA.

Yeah, no they're not! They are made in China, at least the one I had said it was. I was kind of bummed out about that. Its not something Holley specifically mentions, I wonder why?? LOL

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

I saw that kit and was thinking about it. But then found a link to this other one. I like the dimensions a little better - smaller profile, which I feel better about since my truck is lowered.



That's what I was thinking. It's pretty close to the Holley dimensions, which I like the thought of.

On a side note - how long have you lived in KC area? I hid out in the basement of the Independence mall once during a tornado warning. I lived in KC for a few months around 2005 or so. I have an uncle that lives up there, in Lee's Summit. He does a lot of car shows/stuff around there, I believe. He has my great-grandfather's '66 Apache and a green T-Bucket that is Buick powered.

I've lived here my whole life. Can't say I recall seeing a Buick powered T bucket though.

[biketopia]

I believe over on ls1 tech truck doug mentioned a felabay knock off pan he picked up cheap recently with similar dimensions to the holley pan and was pleased with fit and finish.

[Trucknut57]

EagleChief,

Read thru the whole post. Sounds like you did some great research and have gotten a bunch of great ideas and help.

One question, would you be willing to tell me where you got the engine/trans from? I'm not to far from Tulsa and am looking for a place to pick up one.

Thanks.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by Trucknut57

EagleChief,

Read thru the whole post. Sounds like you did some great research and have gotten a bunch of great ideas and help.

One question, would you be willing to tell me where you got the engine/trans from? I'm not to far from Tulsa and am looking for a place to pick up one.

Thanks.

Sure thing - I got it from Lambert's Auto Salvage in Collinsville, OK - just north of Owasso/Tulsa. Seemed like pretty nice guys to deal with - although, it's only the 2nd time I've been in a salvage yard. I met one of the guys in a drive-thru picking up breakfast one morning. I was in my wife's '73 Ford, and he was driving a clean square body C10 with their logo on the door. His name is Austin and is the 4th generation of family working there.

I've been through Jennings a few times over the years. Mostly on my way to Stillwater when I was in school, and I didn't want to pay the tolls.

[EagleChief]

Guess I should give a small update... I went ahead and mounted the driver side adapter plate and mount, just to make sure they would work - they do. I think I did that right before Christmas. But, since then, it's been a crazy, non-stop whirlwind of a time. Did all the Christmas stuff starting Christmas Eve, and it lasted for 4 days - seeing all the family.

Then, on the 29th, we had our baby girl at 8:30 in the morning! Spent a few days in the hospital, came home, and now we're trying to get as much sleep as possible, when we can. I'm typing this now, as I'm getting her to fall back to sleep so I can go to bed.

So, things may slow down for a little while. I'm at home this week, but then it'll be back to work and then trying to relieve my wife of all the motherly duties in the evenings. So, you guys will have to bear with me and hopefully I can still knock some stuff out every once in a while.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

Found this one while reading through some threads...

https://www.speed-engineering.com/ls...2-ls3-ls6.html

I went ahead and ordered this oil pan kit. It had some good reviews on eBay, although there weren't very many total reviews. But, they had good reviews on their headers, especially on a thread here in the forum. So, I'll try it out and when I get time to install it, I'll get some pictures and report back.

I did go ahead and pull the a/c compressor and bracket off. It'll be quite a while before I try and tackle the a/c on this truck. It's not a huge concern for me, although would be a nice luxury. I got the adapter plates mounted to the block, and the engine mounts mounted on the plates.

I also went ahead and pulled the exhaust manifolds off. Only 4 broken bolts that I can tell. 3 of them were already broke below the surface, 1 broke off on me at the head as I started to take it out, with hardly any pressure. So, I'll work on getting them out next.

[jjzepplin]

AGH! I had some broken bolts in my 317 heads and was able to extract them. I hate extractors and gadgets that only break off on the hole you drilled and make it even harder to get them out. I drilled a small hole in them very carefully making it very straight. I pounded a hex wrench into the hole. I did my best to heat the surrounding area of the head and the bolts came right out. Pounding the hex key in does two things. It "shocks" the threads and provides a means of attachment to the bolt. I used a very high quality hex key so it would not break. It was the first time I tried this method and the first time I did not have to pay a machinist. Go to post 21 here https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=808928

[Rich84]

If you are using a slider type mount you can slide the engine forward enough to make the compressor fit. It wasn't that much. If your going to use a factory compressor put the bracket on now. It's difficult to get to one of the bolts without jacking up the engine. If your going with a Vintage Air type unit don't put the bracket on now. I have an F-Body pan. I don't know with the pan you are using if this is an option.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by Rich84

If you are using a slider type mount you can slide the engine forward enough to make the compressor fit. It wasn't that much. If your going to use a factory compressor put the bracket on now. It's difficult to get to one of the bolts without jacking up the engine. If your going with a Vintage Air type unit don't put the bracket on now. I have an F-Body pan. I don't know with the pan you are using if this is an option.

My adapter plates are not the slide type, but there are 4 different mounting locations. They are ICT adapter plates: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I mocked up the compressor bracket with the mounts in place. Marked the area that will have to get cut/trimmed out in order to fit the a/c in the stock position. I might trim it out to see if it'll work. But, I'm not too worried about having the a/c hooked up. There's a lot of other stuff that has to be done in order for it to work. Mounting it is the least of my worries about that.

The pan in the kit I ordered is pretty much a copy of the Holley low profile pans that are offered. The dimensions are almost an exact copy.

[kev2809]

sure that pan will work nice. i may have missed it, but are you drilling the temp sender out for the c10 ones?

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by kev2809

sure that pan will work nice. i may have missed it, but are you drilling the temp sender out for the c10 ones?

I haven't made it that far in the process. I know I've read about doing that, but I'm not really sure what I'm going to do, yet. I know it can be drilled for a sender unit, but I have also read about an adapter that will work. I'd just have to find the thread again to see if the long term results were good.

[kev2809]

there also was someone here in the forum taking the stock ones and machining the threads to fit the LS. not sure if he makes them anymore

[ls1nova71]

As far as I've ever seen, there isn't an exact match for any other sender for a factory 67-72 temp gauge. There are some that are close, but generally only in a specific range. Depends on how important an accurate gauge is to you.

As for the machining down factory senders, that can only be done on newer trucks that originally had a much smaller sender to start with. If you try and do it with a 67-72 sender, you will hit the guts of it before you have it machined down far enough.

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

As far as I've ever seen, there isn't an exact match for any other sender for a factory 67-72 temp gauge. There are some that are close, but generally only in a specific range. Depends on how important an accurate gauge is to you.

As for the machining down factory senders, that can only be done on newer trucks that originally had a much smaller sender to start with. If you try and do it with a 67-72 sender, you will hit the guts of it before you have it machined down far enough.

yup your right, i did a search and he machined them down to 3/8. my mistake

[EagleChief]

Got my Speed Engineering oil pan kit today! Actually, it showed up on Monday to my office, but I was home sick. So, there's that. Anyway. Unboxing it, it looks good to me - no more than what I know about this stuff. Now, just find some time to get it on the motor, then I can drop it in the truck. Right?

I have gone through and removed the wiring harness. I just need to figure out whether I want to attempt to strip it down myself, or buy a harness that's ready to go. The majority of my internal debate, says to buy one ready to go. I really don't have the time to pull apart a harness, especially for a first time. The other part, says to save the money and do it - although it will take me all year to do it.

I pulled the exhaust manifolds off - still have to pull the sheared bolts out. Then need to find replacement manifolds or headers.

What else do I need to do before I drop it in the truck?

[LS short box]

I not a electrical wizard so I buy a pre-made harness. I purchase the harness and computer from one supplier. They will mod the computer as needed. I like Howell and Speartech. Used both a number of times.

[EagleChief]

Originally Posted by LS short box

I not a electrical wizard so I buy a pre-made harness. I purchase the harness and computer from one supplier. They will mod the computer as needed. I like Howell and Speartech. Used both a number of times.

I'm not an electrical wizard either. That's one reason I'm leaning toward buying a pre-made harness. I just can't fathom the thought of spending $600-$1000 (depending on set-up) on a wiring harness. I see some advertised for anywhere around $250-$300 on FB and Ebay all the time. Anything wrong with those?