LS Swap Parts: What to get, and what to avoid.

[Horns]

Let's get a little discussion going here. There are literally dozens of LS swappers on this site, and that experience can be vital to those hoping to start or complete a swap, or those simply looking for the inspiration to do so.

Motor Mounts

I've seen a few different swap mounts for our application. There are kits that come with 1 position motor mounts, and a trans cross member to relocate it. I've also seen the sliding motor mounts to position the engine exactly where the trans is and utilize the stock trans cross member. What kind/brands of swap mounts have you all used? What did you like and/or dislike about them?

Headers

There are a few people out there making swap headers specifically for our trucks. What have you all had? Did it fit or hit? Nobody likes taking a ballpeen to a brand new header.





Feel free to bring up any other parts that you may think of. I'll compile a list as we get more into it.

 

[skylark]

Motor mounts; 1" set back mounts puts the engine in the proper location to not move the tranny/ drive shafts.

Headers; Schoenfeld for 2wd, Pacesetter with an occasional massage for 4wd.

Fuel pump: Delco EP381 drops into 88-95 tanks.

Temperature sensor: 2 routes. 98 Camaro 3 wire (ground, gauge, pcm) but many have issues with it reading 20-30 degrees low. Other route, turn down the 400 temperature sensor and rethread it for the metric (I believe M12x1.5) threads.

Oil pan: Lowered guys have to use an f body LS1 pan. The stock truck one will fit but it hangs 1.5" lower than the cross member.

 

[skylark]

A/C can be retained several ways 88-95 guys can use mounts from Holley, Dirty Dingo, etc or they can do this: http://www.gmt400.com/forum/showthr...I-AC-bracket-on-an-LS-motor&highlight=bracket . 96-00 guys really only have one good option and that is to PM Lextech on this forum and buy one of his brackets that keeps the compressor in the same spot. The LS mounting for the A/C puts the compressor where it will hit the passenger side frame rail. If you really want to retain it you can notch the frame.

Flywheel: Sachs 1050 is the cost effective way to go but you will need to remove the dowel pins and use metric bolts to mount the pressure plate. This uses a standard SBC 10 spline clutch. If you use a LS clutch it needs the 26 spline input shaft.

6.0 tranny problems: Early 6.0 (99-01?) had a .400 longer crank flange and you can't use a manual tranny. You have to have the correct torque converter as well.

Accessory brackets and intake: Car accessories are .75 shorter front to back than truck accessories but the truck brackets are taller. If you are wanting to run a car intake the truck brackets will most likely interfere.

Wire harness: Nelson Performance out of Texas makes a nice harnesses for swaps. You can mod one yourself easily buy following instructions at lt1swap.com. You can mod a Vortec V8 harness pretty easy by cutting off the injector harness plug, soldering the correct connectors on and adding 10 wires for the coils.

 

[Horns]

What brand motor mounts to you have Skylark?

 

[skylark]

What brand motor mounts to you have Skylark?

Welder and steel

 

[Horns]

Atta boy! We will refer to these are SkyBilt.

 

[K30burb]

i made my own motor mounts as well out of 3/8" steel plate.

 

[craig98]

Dirty dingo mounts is the way to go. And I used factory 6.0 non erg headers on my 5.3 and the fit perfect.

 

[Horns]

Thanks for the replies guys!

You guys with custom mounts, want to post pictures?

 

[borahshadow]

+1 for dirty dingo mounts. Mounted up perfectly to my 97 4l60e with the crankshaft spacer
I can also agree with skylark that the best way for the temperature sender is to turn down the gmt400 sender to M12x1.5 threads and put in in the passenger side head.
+1 for LexTech's AC relocation bracket for the 96+ guys.
I'm running stock manifolds for now. I plan on trying the pacesetter LTs when I get the money and time to do full exhaust.