Need advice: LS ENGINE SWAP

[BR3W CITY]

AC Line

The returnless fuel system. The cannister end is the 'vette pump/reg and the other end is the 3/8 and 5/15 ptc fuel lines/fittings.

[solidaxel]

If you have not started yet, or after you remove the hood, and have some extra room and a friend, I strongly recommend removing the dog house. you will thank yourself in the end.

Much easier to clean and paint and place the engine and trans, fuel lines and A/C components.

You can remove the electrical connections at the firewall and not have to cut a wire!
The only wires I did not reuse was the small wire on the old alternator!

Study the wiring before you remove anything, new and old.

"This job is much easier, once you get over the fear"
The rewards when finished are great!

[ls1nova71]

That last pic is a set of fuel lines for a return style fuel rail. I thought yours was returnless? Take a side pic of the drivers side of the intake and post it so we can make sure what you have.

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

That last pic is a set of fuel lines for a return style fuel rail. I thought yours was returnless? Take a side pic of the drivers side of the intake and post it so we can make sure what you have.

That effed me up too....I saw the cannister and figured it was a returnless...but then there wouldnt be two PTC lines. I'm guessing your right, and thats just a regular fuel filter still attached?

[desertdogg]

LS1nova, ok, I will take a pic here soon....Do I need to reuse these lines ?

[desertdogg]

I had this one that I took yesterday will this do ?

I will take a couple of more and post up soon

[desertdogg]

here is a better one

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

If you have not started yet, or after you remove the hood, and have some extra room and a friend, I strongly recommend removing the dog house. you will thank yourself in the end.

Much easier to clean and paint and place the engine and trans, fuel lines and A/C components.

You can remove the electrical connections at the firewall and not have to cut a wire!
The only wires I did not reuse was the small wire on the old alternator!

Study the wiring before you remove anything, new and old.

"This job is much easier, once you get over the fear"
The rewards when finished are great!

Thanks for the reply solidaxel, probably wont get started for another month or so, should I label anything when I remove the harness ? this is all new to me but determined to get it done

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

That effed me up too....I saw the cannister and figured it was a returnless...but then there wouldnt be two PTC lines. I'm guessing your right, and thats just a regular fuel filter still attached?

Yes, that's just a regular fuel filter. On a returnless truck system there is only one line coming out of the fuel pump/sender assembly. Only the Corvette used the filter/regulator. Actually I don't think returnless line trucks even have an in line filter.

Originally Posted by desertdogg

LS1nova, ok, I will take a pic here soon....Do I need to reuse these lines ?

You have a return style rail, so I would use at least the portion of the lines that run down the back of the transmission to where the flex part is where they move to the frame. I usually cut them off there and run my own from there on back. You could possibly use more of them, but it becomes more cumbersome trying to use the whole line set.

[desertdogg]

Thanks alot for the infor LS1Nova ! I apreciate your help on this, probably need to keep them both, however I will not be running A/C for awhile it will be down the road.

I called Dirty Dingo today about getting some Mounts, the guy on the phone said they dont make them if you plan on running the lower A/C pump...so Im assuming alot of people on here do not run this particular pump, since they use Dirty Dingo mounts...his advice was pull it out and throw it away lol... so my question is this, do you just pull it out and your good to go or do you pull it out and put something in its place ? can some one enlighten me on what should be done here ?...thanks in advance

[ls1nova71]

Yes, you can just remove the compressor since it runs on its own belt, nothing has to be added. So yeah, you're good to go so to speak, but you'll be sweating in the summer.
But when you decide to put air on it, you can use a high mount that several companies offer.

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

Yes, you can just remove the compressor since it runs on its own belt, nothing has to be added. So yeah, you're good to go so to speak, but you'll be sweating in the summer.
But when you decide to put air on it, you can use a high mount that several companies offer.

Thanks ls1 ! in your opinion is the Dingo Mounts the way to go ? my head is dizzy with all the different opinions on this board but I will buy them if they are worth the money, kinda expensive and Im trying to work on a budget but I want to do it right my goal is to have this engine mounted with headers hopefully and lowered with a set of new wheels and Im putting the engine and tranny install first then lowering then wheels and paint last, but paint is going to have to wait awhile because funds will be pretty dry by the time wheels and tires go on

[solidaxel]

I think the D D engine mounts for the 5.3 is the way to go, as it saved time and lets you use your existing drive shaft and column trans linkage, I just had to move the rear x member back on my 78.
I did remove the A/C pump and bought his upper pump mounts for a Sanden comp. that I sourced here locally

[desertdogg]

Thanks solidaxel, ordering today !

[ls1nova71]

I don't have an opinion on Dirty Dingo mounts since I've never used them. I usually build my own so I can put the engine exactly where I want it, and I usually center the fan in the factory fan shroud. This is out of some peoples abilities though, so motor mounts that have some adjustability to them could be beneficial. However, if you can cut out and drill holes in metal, the standard conversion mounts are not that hard to make, or for that matter there are real cheap plates on Ebay. I will say this though, I wouldn't let drive shaft length dictate where you place the engine, put the engine where it needs to be and have the driveshaft made/shortened to fit.

[solidaxel]

Having the driveshaft fit was a nice "extra" that I was not planning on, but it did fit.
The transmission linkage was also a nice extra and it connects to the frame and then to the transmission and it fit also, these were two items I was prepared to "modify" as this was my first LS swap.
With that said my time was worth something ( $.05 hr.) so I could have spent "several" dollars worth making mounts, so maybe the next one I will fab new ones.
This LS swap was very intimidating as the last 50 years I have always timed distributors and jetted my own Holleys, but now my vacuum gauge and timing light are gathering dust.
I am very impressed with the smoothness and instant throttle response of the LS engines as compared with my Corvettes.
I do agree with you that mounts for the LS engines are simple and with a bit of help with the in and out of the engine placement, but these DD mounts went in he first drop of the engine on the x member, fast-easy-cheap..........pick two

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Having the driveshaft fit was a nice "extra" that I was not planning on, but it did fit.
The transmission linkage was also a nice extra and it connects to the frame and then to the transmission and it fit also, these were two items I was prepared to "modify" as this was my first LS swap.
With that said my time was worth something ( $.05 hr.) so I could have spent "several" dollars worth making mounts, so maybe the next one I will fab new ones.
This LS swap was very intimidating as the last 50 years I have always timed distributors and jetted my own Holleys, but now my vacuum gauge and timing light are gathering dust.
I am very impressed with the smoothness and instant throttle response of the LS engines as compared with my Corvettes.
I do agree with you that mounts for the LS engines are simple and with a bit of help with the in and out of the engine placement, but these DD mounts went in he first drop of the engine on the x member, fast-easy-cheap..........pick two

I hope you didn't take me the wrong way, I wasn't putting you down, I was just letting him know that it is sometimes easier to put the engine where it needs to go and worry about the driveshaft later. I see a lot of people make it harder on themselves than it needs to be by trying to make a driveshaft work. If it works out that's a "bonus" as you said and that's great, but a lot of times it doesn't.so I was just letting him know not to worry about it.

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

I hope you didn't take me the wrong way, I wasn't putting you down, I was just letting him know that it is sometimes easier to put the engine where it needs to go and worry about the driveshaft later. I see a lot of people make it harder on themselves than it needs to be by trying to make a driveshaft work. If it works out that's a "bonus" as you said and that's great, but a lot of times it doesn't.so I was just letting him know not to worry about it.

Not at all!

I have learned so much on this site, I am only sharing what it did for me, items may be different in your situation!!

[desertdogg]

Thanks guys ls1nova and solidaxel you both have been so extremely helpful I truly appreciate it !

I went ahead and ordered those DD mounts I have no way of fabricating my own and I wouldnt trust anything I built to hold that engine in plase lol !

Im getting ready to order a suspension kit 5" rear and 3.5" front from ECE, it comes with shocks, 2.5" drop spindles front and rear springs and hardware for new shock locations...here is my problem Im hoping you guys can help with this I want to get these rims


I want to go with 20" wheels all the way around 10" wide on the rear and 8.5" fronts....This is where Im not sure it says these wheels have zero offset ?
would this combo work with my truck without rubbing and stay tucked in the fender well ? ...thanks for some help on this

[solidaxel]

I think I would spend some time measuring tires, then look at the "zero" offset

[desertdogg]

Yeah, thats what its comming down to, looks like Im going to just lower it with the existing 30 inch tires and hopefully it will not rub then go with some tires that look right oh well not the end of the world I think Im getting to ahead of myself just wanted to have everything ready after the engine was installed, but with all good things must have patience

[BR3W CITY]

I find that focusing on backspacing will determine wheel fit far easier. The dimensions have a certain amount of co-dependence based on width, but your backpsacing will tell you far more in terms of raw fitment (but less about dish, lip, face).

As an example, I have a 1972 12 bolt rear end in my 66...which is a stepside. The 66 steps use the 50's beds still, so we may be a hair narrower (didn't the 68+ start to use a new stepside bed?).

Anyway, with a stock with 12 bolt, I wanted to run a 12" wide rim, and 325/50/15. Thats a lot of wheel on a stock width rear end, but I achieved it with custom wheels. My rims use a hefty 8.5" backspacing, which allows the 12 beadlock, and still lets me go TUCKED on the bed. I mean TUCKED, the combo is really near the theoretical limit of the step bed, the frame with the shocks and trailing arms I have now. With a slightly larger diameter wheel I could maybe squeeze a little less backspace, but it would be damn close. If I ran a lower profile tire that didn't bellow at all, I could probably sneak to a 9" BS, but I don't know if I'd want to. An excessive BS puts the load in weird places.

There is a conversion chart that helps explain the correlation.
A 10" wheel is 0 offset on approx a 5.5" backspace. So, you need to measure (or google) if a 20"x10 wheel on a 5.5 will fit.
In comparison, the my wheel mentioned above would be 0 offset @ 6.5" backspacing, which would never fit my truck.

Hope that helps and doesn't make it more convoluted.

http://www.wheelspecialists.com/wheel-specs

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

I find that focusing on backspacing will determine wheel fit far easier. The dimensions have a certain amount of co-dependence based on width, but your backpsacing will tell you far more in terms of raw fitment (but less about dish, lip, face).

As an example, I have a 1972 12 bolt rear end in my 66...which is a stepside. The 66 steps use the 50's beds still, so we may be a hair narrower (didn't the 68+ start to use a new stepside bed?).

Anyway, with a stock with 12 bolt, I wanted to run a 12" wide rim, and 325/50/15. Thats a lot of wheel on a stock width rear end, but I achieved it with custom wheels. My rims use a hefty 8.5" backspacing, which allows the 12 beadlock, and still lets me go TUCKED on the bed. I mean TUCKED, the combo is really near the theoretical limit of the step bed, the frame with the shocks and trailing arms I have now. With a slightly larger diameter wheel I could maybe squeeze a little less backspace, but it would be damn close. If I ran a lower profile tire that didn't bellow at all, I could probably sneak to a 9" BS, but I don't know if I'd want to. An excessive BS puts the load in weird places.

There is a conversion chart that helps explain the correlation.
A 10" wheel is 0 offset on approx a 5.5" backspace. So, you need to measure (or google) if a 20"x10 wheel on a 5.5 will fit.
In comparison, the my wheel mentioned above would be 0 offset @ 6.5" backspacing, which would never fit my truck.

Hope that helps and doesn't make it more convoluted.

http://www.wheelspecialists.com/wheel-specs

BR3, you rock ! that actually makes alot of sense to me, THANK YOU !....
and you are dead on the money on the rear wheels I found out I need 5.5 inch back spacing for my 10" wheels on the fronts I need 4.5" backspacing for the 8.5" wheels. Your explanation makes alot more sense to me than a link I got from someone else that tries to explain offsets and backspacing...Thanks again man !

[desertdogg]

I got my drop kit ordered from ECE today ! should be here monday 3/17/14

[desertdogg]

Well guys, I am pretty upset right now, looks likethe engine I got is not the engine I ordered aperently.I did a vin history search on 5hin vin number he gave me and things did not add up, like the mileage last recorded said 127k instead of the 58k he promised. So of course that raised a red flag, I then started to try to find a cast number on the engine and have not been able to find it I have been researching with no real answers so then I began looking at the pictures he sent me of the engine just before he pulled it out and bingo there are differences between the pictures of the engine he sent me and the one that was on that blue tahoe in fact same pictures I posted on this thread...now I am besides myself and not sure what I have to do I am just really bummed out right now I have been a victim of fraud...now my install is on hold till I can get this figured out if anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them...thats just my luck I guess