1987 GMC V1500 Sierra Classic LS swap/build

[Chevy3+3]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

They came out of the newer body style impala like 07+, I think. I was at the junkyard searching for fans to swap on and they looked like my best bet. I got the fans and the wiring from the car. I used my metal shears to trim plastic a tiny bit and they fit right on my stock 87 radiator. They work great!! Just one of the fans is enough to keep my truck cool, i bought a wiring kit from advanced and wired it and attached it to radiator. It was very simple. I have the second fan currently wired to a switch, b/c I don't have a/c wired up b/c of bad compressor, just in case but havn't had to use it yet.

Also, I haven't torn down my 87 yet. I want to have everything running like it should on the 01 chassis before I tear down the 87. I still need my truck so I can't afford too much down time. Once everything is running great and I have all the parts then I will start pulling stuff apart!

Will you be using the original dash cluster from the 87 in your swap? I wouldnt mind having one like that for my 1 ton

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Chevy3+3

Will you be using the original dash cluster from the 87 in your swap? I wouldnt mind having one like that for my 1 ton

My plan is to swap in the cluster from the 2001.

[Chevy3+3]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

My plan is to swap in the cluster from the 2001.

I call dibs on your old cluster if you decide to not use it. Hit me up if you decide to get rid of it. I may swap in a NV4500 in my 1 ton and that dash cluster would be nice to have.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Chevy3+3

I call dibs on your old cluster if you decide to not use it. Hit me up if you decide to get rid of it. I may swap in a NV4500 in my 1 ton and that dash cluster would be nice to have.

Haha, we will see. Im assuming you just want it for the tach I swapped in out of a earlier model truck. That tach was hard to come by!! If my friend who has a square body doesn't get it, I will remember you. Thanks for your interest.

[NastyBuzzard]

Getting the dash apart and labeling all the wiring!! Still a ways to go, I think I accidentally tore the cover over the pass air bag. Dang.



So far the plan with trans is to flush all fluid and put in new and new filter and see how it does...


Sat the dash cover from the 01 into the 87... It could work... May check into it... Not sure yet. Opinions?

[y5mgisi]

I believe people have done it before.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

I believe people have done it before.

I haven't seen anyone do the 99+ style.. I've seen a few guys attempt the 97 style dash but never really any fully finished stuff with good pics.

I'm more so interested if anyone's ever swapped the under dash ac boxfromthr nbs (withservos) into square body n replaced the vacuum setup. A lot to consider here and a lot of neat things could done. However, I don't mind the 87 dash, kinda gotten used to it but I want to make this swap as clean and neat as possible.

[NastyBuzzard]

I got most of the dash out last night. I gotta zip tie the instrument cluster back in so It can still be moved/driven around a bit. I need to bypass heater hose so I can remove the rest of the the hvac. Still contemplating if the hvac setup from the 01 would fit in the 87.



Today I am leaving work on time so I can get home and get trans fluid flushed and a new filter/gasket & fluid put in to see how it goes. Also got a bottle of lucas stuff for the trans. I am hoping it will act better than it did before.

If it does do decent then soon I will start detaching stuff from engine to clean, prep and paint it.

Any recommendations to do to engine before I do the swap? Any gasket changes or checks I should do? I do plan to pop valve covers and take pics of what heads look like.

[NastyBuzzard]

So I changed trans fluid and flushed as much of the old out as I could. I even added some lucas.

Results where pretty good. Seems to shift a lot better (on jack stands). Was great at first then shifting linkage/cable came loose. I realized this by when I moved shifter on column it didn't do anything. I found out I knocked the c-clip out. I put it back in and the cable where I think it is supposed to be and took it down the road. Seemed a lot better but when I stopped it was sluggish off the line and I realized it wasn't shifting all the way back down to first. When I manually dropped it back down into first it was fine. Still holding first a little longer than I'd like sometimes though, but otherwise good.

Any way to adjust the cable? Like a normal tv cable on 700r4? Any ideas why it isn't dropping all the way back down into first?

[NastyBuzzard]

Actually after some reading. It may be starting out in 3rd gear. Rpms were crazy low and wouldnt pull itself up a small embankment. If I drop it all the way down in 1st manually it does downshift but may only be going to 2nd. So I may be in limp mode... Need to investigate some stuff.

[y5mgisi]

I feel like probably a sensor isnt plugged in or a ground is un done. Otherwise, maybe the trans is no good. And no, there is no cable adjustment on these.

[NastyBuzzard]

We must have posted about the exact same time. I am getting a check engine light but no way to check it currently.

Like I said after reading I think I am in limp mode, b/c if I unplug battery and reset it acts differently at first. I am not 100% sure. Before I changed fluid it was just holding trans in 1st gear till around 25mph sometimes and sometimes 30mph.

When I first filled it with fluid and ran it through gears on jack stands it seemed fine but has developed into this. Not sure what I may have messed up.

[NastyBuzzard]

Found this, no clue what it goes to.




I ran engine codes, deleted them several times and these three kept popping up.

P0133 - 02 sensor

P0332 - knock sensor on Bank #2 is generating a low output voltage

P0785 - 3-2 Shift Solenoid Circuit Electrical

Where to start..

[y5mgisi]

Fuse and grounds.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Fuse and grounds.

As in thats the source of my engine codes/problems?

Any idea where those fuse/grounds you are speaking of are?

[NastyBuzzard]

Some more progress I have made.

I got the hvac box out of the 01, thought about redesigning it to make it fit into the 87 but I don't feel like doing that quite yet. I am ready to get the swap going!



Took valve covers off... It wasn't what I had hoped for but at least it wasn't as bad as I expected.





Quick cleaning..









Took the d.s. gas tank out of my 87. I never use this side anyways. I am always using the passenger side.

[NastyBuzzard]

Also some measurement comparisons:

2001 26 Gal tank dim:
14.5" wide
16" deep
49" long w/ evap
Evap 4.5" long
12" wide
6" tall
From rear to filler neck tube 29"

1987 fuel tank dim:
10 3/4" deep
14.5" wide
42" long

2001 rearend:
2' from center to center of perch
20" from center to bump stop

1987 rearend:
22" from center to center of perch

2001 radiator:
34 5/8" long
4" deep
22" tall

87 radiator:
34 1/2" long
3" deep
21" tall

[NastyBuzzard]

Seems like no real interest in my build but I'm still gonna post anyways. Even if it's just for myself to go back and look later. Progress is slow, mostly due to the only time I can actually work on it is the weekends, also b/c not 100% sure how I am going to do all of it yet and what parts I need. My time after work I normally spend with the wife and my 4 month old son.

Anyways, I got the intake pulled off. Wasn't as clean and pretty as I had hoped but wasn't as nasty as I would have expected it to be either.

[Jonboy]

I wouldn't sweat it. Mine looked about the same at 100K, as far as the dirt. I ran the intake through the parts cleaner at work and it cleaned up pretty well. I would ditch the foam baffles on each end, as they tend to collect all of that mess. I can also relate to no time to work on the truck with a baby involved. Mine turns 1 on Friday.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

I wouldn't sweat it. Mine looked about the same at 100K, as far as the dirt. I ran the intake through the parts cleaner at work and it cleaned up pretty well. I would ditch the foam baffles on each end, as they tend to collect all of that mess. I can also relate to no time to work on the truck with a baby involved. Mine turns 1 on Friday.

Well happy birthday to him/her!! My 4 month old son is a trip and is growing too fast!!

I am going to clean it up as good as I can w/ brake cleaner or purple power. I got a new gasket kit coming with new knock sensor wiring harness and knock sensors. Figured I may as well replace while I was there.

Really don't use the foam pads? I saw them and was like what in the hell are these for?

I do have sometime to get out and get some stuff done. Mostly on saturdays and sundays but if the wife and the baby tuck in early I slip outside and try to get as much done as possible. If I had more lighting I would probably be out there till midnight! I love doing this and I am having a ton of fun. So excited to swap all this in my 87 4x4!

[y5mgisi]

I think most people just click to view and then dont reply. People are watching tho.

[JustN]

hmm measurements interesting i got a 6.0 for my 84 never got around to putting it in yet, but gas tank and stuff swapped be kinda nice

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

I think most people just click to view and then dont reply. People are watching tho.

You are probably right! I guess I haven't done anything too radical yet to justify starting up a popular thread.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by JustN

hmm measurements interesting i got a 6.0 for my 84 never got around to putting it in yet, but gas tank and stuff swapped be kinda nice

I have seen other people almost direct swap it in!! There is one guy who is doing a diesel swap on a square body that slapped stock tank in w/ evap stuff and fit just fine.

Here is a pic I found of it:

[NastyBuzzard]

Here is what I got done this evening. Also found some interesting stuff.







Not caked up as bad as I figured it would be!







Before:



After a little cleaning:



Also found this: