Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[78-5.3]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

For mine I'll be sticking with either the original TH350, or using a 700R4. I don't want to swap out the original gauges. Either of these two will make the swap simple and inexpensive. Staying with the TH350, I will only need the spacer ($32). If I go with a 700R4, I will still need to spacer, but the trans will be cheap, and I can still keep the original gauges.

hey there i was trying to find what page you swapped the 90-91 speedo and what you did !!!!
thanks

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by 78-5.3

hey there i was trying to find what page you swapped the 90-91 speedo and what you did !!!!
thanks

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=581

No pics, but a very basic description of what I did.

Nothing to update on except that I am driving him as often as I can, mostly when the weather allows me to. Like today in fact!!

I'll probably order the Kwik brackets and compressor in early spring and get working on the AC.

My wife and I are talking about another trip to the Bahamas in Feb 2011. I also have some things I need to do to the house.... all new carpet on the main floor and upstairs, lay down hard wood flooring in the dinning/kitchen area, remove the gas fireplace and build an entertainment center in it's place in the wall, and a new TV. So I'll probably just drive him like he is now until we take our trip and get the house stuff done, then start saving for body work and paint.

Otherwise, we are stupid busy at work! Lot's of power plants were trying to save money by not doing any maintenance this summer, and now are having to do a lot of repairs and maintenance that got skipped over. So they have been trying to get parts before the end of the year, before they lose this years budget money. I'm not complaining though!!

[Jonboy]

Bob, when you got the electric cluster, how much of the wiring did you need to get? Anything else I will need to grab from the donor to make it work? Also, do the gauges get their signal from the PCM?

[glock35ipsc]

You'll use your existing wiring, you won't need any from the donor. You will just need to re-arrange the wires in your plug to match up to the new cluster. Note where each pin goes on both clusters, and note the wire colors on your harness too. Its really easy, and will make sense once they are side by side.

[glock35ipsc]

Oh, I forgot. All the rest of the gauges work like normal, nothing changes there. The original oil psi sending unit goes in to the bypass block above the oil filter (you will need to drill and tap it for 1/8" NPT). The original temp sender will go into the plug on the rear of the pass head. You can either use an adapter or drill and tap the head for 3/8" NPT.

So, the only thing that will go to the cluster from the PCM will be one wire to the speedo. The speedo uses 3 wires: power, ground, and the PCM signal. It gets its power and ground for the circuit board, so you don't have to do anything extra there.

[Jonboy]

I think whoever swapped the engine in my truck just buried teh original engine harness. None of the gauges work. Hopefully it won't be too bad to sort out. I love a challenge (at least that is what I keep telling myself....)

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

I was playing with http://autowaretech10.net/nextwheels/tire_fac.htm this morning and came up with:

Fred as he currently rolls:


Fred on 17" Torque Thrust II's, lowered 4":


Fred on 17" Torque Thrust II's, lowered 5":


I'm liking the 4" drop pic (middle one)!

yOU WILL LIKE THE 17" but be carefull with the innerfender clearence with your drop, I have the same set up on my 78 and a big dip at speed and the tire will rub !!

[Butcherboy]

Hey Bob! How things been? Glad to see Fred is running!

Justin

[qu1cks1lver56]

this truck looks great with the burban front end. and i REALLY like the 5.3 swap, wish i had the time/money to do one in mine. i bet it gets great gas mileage

[79gmc5.3]

Bob you are my HERO. You are the reason I am starting my 6.0L swap. Thanks for all the great info.

[Butcherboy]

Originally Posted by 79gmc5.3

Bob you are my HERO. You are the reason I am starting my 6.0L swap. Thanks for all the great info.

I agree! Thanks for the build thread! Helped me so much! And thanks for hooking me up with the LS1 intake Brother! The Blazer is coming along great, got my harness almost finished. Decided to do it myself! Wish I went with drive by wire like you did! Fred looks great!

Taker easy, and Have a Merry Christmas!

Justin

[Lemield]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

yOU WILL LIKE THE 17" but be carefull with the innerfender clearence with your drop, I have the same set up on my 78 and a big dip at speed and the tire will rub !!

I'm kinda partial to the TTII's myself.

Merry Christmas to you and your family Bob.

[glock35ipsc]

Merry Christmas to you too Larry! When it gets a little warmer and dryer outside, I will bring the door jack back to you and we can go for a ride in the "new" Fred.

[glock35ipsc]

Small update - I stopped by the shop of an old friend today who has a chassis dyno. He looked Fred over and liked it, but got on me for not having the PCM mounted solid. DOH! I actually forgot all about that! So I am going to bump the A/C stuff out 1 month, and get the dyno tune done in February. I'm curious to see what it is putting down at the tires, and how much more we can get out of it.

Justin - I need to go look at your build thread again. I haven't been on that board for quite some time!

[JohnC]

Sweet man I can't wait to see the numbers that it puts down.

[Driveway Dreams]

Dyno tune? COOL!!! Let me know when you are going if you would not mind an on looker.

[menace121978]

sweet! i'm curious to see how much he's putting out. hopefully around 280 or there abouts... with that custom made air cleaner he might be around 300!

[BulldawgMusclecars]

Wow, great thread! I'm doing a 6.0 swap on a customer's 87 C10 soon, and this has been a great help, esp your info on the dual tanks. BTW do you still have the PN for the high pressure switching valve you used?

[menace121978]

here ya go...

http://www.jcwhitney.com/MOTOR-DRIVE...DetailTabPanel

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks Bulldawg, and thanks for posting that Dennis!

I got the remote keyless entry installed today. No pics to speak of since the thing is tucked way deep up under the dash. So here is a pic of the remote so I don"t get yelled at!

[joe231]

[BulldawgMusclecars]

Originally Posted by menace121978

here ya go...

http://www.jcwhitney.com/MOTOR-DRIVE...DetailTabPanel

Thanks Menace!

[Big Port Jimmy 6]

Hey Bob. great thread. I am starting to source up parts for my ls conversion. Just to be sure, the electric R body speedo is driven from the ls pcm with no drac or other interface?

If so you just gotta love GM's penchant for using the same sandard over and over. Jay

[glock35ipsc]

One wire from the LS PCM straight to the speedo, that's all! Not sure what an R-body is, but it needs to be from a 90-91 Blazer or Suburban.

[Thealien]

Is the remote start working also?