Gen II LT engines in 72 C10?

[Terakilla]

Okay for starter my name is Barrett im 21 and I live in a desert in west Texas. Several year ago a friend of my dads brought us a 72 C10 stepside that was in bad condition. He wanted us to fix it up for his son to drive in high school. We started by ripping the rotted wood bed and put some cement hardi board in. We also switched the 3 on the tree to a floor shift. Needless to say since my dads friend was a succesfull banker he justbought his kid a new car and gave my dad the old truck. Thats the pickup here's the car, about 5 years ago
Y dad bought a 94 Caprice Classic from an oil man for 600 dollers. Later a crack head rear ended him on the freeway bending the frame and making the car undrivable. The trick has the 307 and the car has the 4.3L L99.

HERE'S MY QUESTION, for a fun little project to make this truck custum and reliable I want to put the motor from the caprice into the truck. And not just the motor the trans, wiring inside and out, steering collum, AC components, fuel tank for fuel pump under bed, and radiators with ec fans.

SO IN SHORT has anyone put any kind of fuel injected LT motor in these pickups if so any pointers would help, thanks.

Oh and before you mention it I know the 4.3s lower range and I'm fine with it. I don't want this truck to be fast OR loud. My familys got more hot rods than we can drive, like my dads orig 65 shelby cobra ac. Exhaust noise annoys me and gives me a headache and the truckll be so dynomatted no one will here my music from the outside, which also annoys me, I don't advertise my music. I just want fuel efficiancy and comfort while custum.

[Terakilla]

Wow I thought with a bigger forum with more people someone would know what I'm talkin about. Maybe I won't get any help on my little project, good lets me know that my trucks one of a kind. Screw all the ppl who only think about faster and louder to show off and compensate for small peckers, I'm confident so I don't need noise for ppl to notice me, haha.

[Shon]

That motor is the baby LT1 but still carries the stigma of an LT1...ie the opti. But swapping in the motor is not that difficult, and I would bet a search on here and google would pull up alot of different things.
now as for putting everything in the truck from the caprice would be a total custom deal and alot of work.

Have fun. And maybe your 2nd post should be toned down some and possibly give people more than 7hrs to respond...some of us do not have blackberrys and on the 'net 24/7....

[1sik52]

Call Street & Performance in Az. I know that they talking about discontinuing the LT line because there is no demand for them because everyone is going with the LS line now because parts are more available for the same price. So to build the LT engine would cost just as much to build an LS engine. And like Shon said, that motor is the weakest of the LT engines.

[6772owner]

Well you can check out my build thread, I just put a 96' LT1 in my C10 and its a blast. The C10 mounts bolt right to the block, you need the proper flexplate/flywheel for your trand and LT1 starter, I used GM wire harness and computer (96' Camaro) and found wire diagrams on the Camaro forums to wire it up. You have to bypass the VATS and program out other undesired functions from the PCM. I also used Camaro radiator/fans/headers, hope this helps

[Ackattack]

IMO going through the effort of installing a fuel injected engine just isn't worth it if you're using a 4.3L.

[Shon]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

IMO going through the effort of installing a fuel injected engine just isn't worth it if you're using a 4.3L.

x2

[Terakilla]

Thanks for the input. My second post was made when I was in a bad mood because I hate drivers where I live, can't get any sleep their too noisy. I've done this kind of project before with an 84 dodge d150 a d a 5.9 magnum from a 97 cargo van. Kinda got stuck with only having the engine and no wiring. Regretay the only good junk yard is aroung 100 miles away so getting farts is pretty hard. The trucks 307 was pretty shot and I just had the caprice just sittin there so I thought it's be fun to play with. If I rembrr right the caprice wasn't too bad in the power depo, and it's a good looking motor that was completely free with little miles on it and everything intact. I'm really pleased to hear that the motor mounts are the same saves me a lot of work. I don't really have info on the caprices trans but I'm hoping to transfer the motor with trans in one piece. Did the same on the dodge ad the stock driveshaft fit the new trans so maybe ill get it easy. Worst case I cut the caprice driveshaft so shorten it. My major concern there is the trans mounting. Hopefully the caprice can supply that as well. Regretably the caprice fuel tank won't fit under so I'm just gunna mount in in the bed and build an amp stand over it for a stereo system. Currently working on painting engine bay on truck ill get second pics on here asap.

[Terakilla]

Okay heres some pics of my project and a pic of dads car just for fun

[Elephanthead]

I don't think it is that big of a problem, but a generation one small block is easier and cheaper, it does help you already have the engine though.

[eagleuh1]

If you can weld, modifying the tranny crossmember is nothing. The engine should mount no problem, same mount positions as small block. Oil pan clearance might be problem between two. You can get wiring diagrams and schematics for the 4.3 from companies like AllDataDIY.com to modify the harness to stand alone. You'll probably have the most problems with wiring, getting sensors to use old guages or new electronic guages. Good luck. Jim. By the way, Street and Performance is Ar. Arkansas, not Az, Arizona. Jim

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by Terakilla

the only good junk yard is aroung 100 miles away so getting farts is pretty hard. .

I've never had this problem, no matter how far away the yard was. Try Taco Bell.

The 4.3L certainly wouldn't be my first choice, but if ya got it, go for it! Maybe you'll get an easy fart and stumble across a turbo some day. That would make for an interesting conversation piece at the next cruise.

eagleuh1 gave good advice for using AllDataDIY.com for the Caprice's wiring info, that place rocks! For that FI setup, you can probably get away with a good quality inline fuel pump. And if you can install a return line in to the trucks stock tank, you may even be able to use it too.

Not sure of your fab skills, but as far as install goes, this should be pretty easy. Picking the harness apart, keeping the needed sensors and getting rid of everything else will likely be the hardest part, but still easily do-able.

[bagged70]

I would just buy a harness it might cost some $ but its easy and fail safe. Heres a pic of the one in my truck. o and its the 5.7 with 4l60e.

[bigbadjohn84]

wow. give these guys on this forum some time and any would be more than happy to help on the first note. on the second. I recommend sending your harness off to be modded or buying a custom one. otherwise its a wiring mess. and on the AC, think you may have some difficulty in getting all the components to work , the housing and all is different than what comes on the trucks. be better off going to an under dash unit. unless you wanted to pull the entire steering colum, dash, wiring, etc out of the caprice, you would prolly be better off integrating rather than trying to make it all work together, Im sure there are a whole host of issues when trying to use a caprice colum in a fullsize truck. but its all about what you want and how creative you are. btw, on the mood thing.. Prozac will make it better

[Terakilla]

Well for starters I've already completely stripped the wiring for the caprice, forthat matter there's nothing bit metal in the caprice now all pedals and steering and ac and everything else is out. Regretably the power steering won't work but I got one that this truck can use just connect the hoses. Caprice brake pedals allready in truck with brake booster and all just ran it through where wiring goes from cab to engine. Sorry for the crappy typing I really just use my iPhone and touchscreen is kinda a spelling pain. Steering collums gunna be easier than I bought, just the right lenght.

I actually have two turbos I can use one off a ago mustand and one off a cummins. I also have a supercharger thats run off of a type of jet fuel that doesn't need the engine, but it puts out way too much pressure at 120 to 200 psi I tested it once LOL.

I'm gunna just end up mounting every scrap of wiring from the caprice in this thing, even aibag stuff. Gives me the wiring for doors and all to for one of these days. Since I'm not usin the dash in this thing but bringing it out another few inches ill have lots of room to play with.