95 k2500 6.0 swap

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Hey everyone, i have a 95 k2500 with 454 that recently blew up, (failed lifter and pushrod). My boss has a 2008 gmc savanna van 3500 with a 6.0 and 4l80 2wd combo that she would sell me the whole van (running and driving with zero issues) for a grand. my question is minus wiring the gauges up, would i be able to reuse the the whole engine/trans harness/ecu setup as a whole? or will this all require rewiring as a whole to get to work? this is the only hang up i have before starting the swap is understanding the wiring portion. i already have a vortec pump in the tank, and will be ordering the dirty dingo engine mounts and ac mount as well.

thanks for the help!
 

0xDEADBEEF

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You can definitely convert the donor harness to standalone, I just don't know what you need would to for gauges. Check out LT1swap.com for wiring/harness info. All I know is the 95 is different from other years.
 

yevgenievich

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Would use the harness pinouts from original to splice old and new harness together for the dash related items to work. Some sensors might need to be different. Addition of transmission shifter position wiring might be needed as well.
 

stutaeng

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Is the 6.0 a drive by wire? The vans were the last to run drive by cable, but by then they probably were all drive by wire?

Also, is that engine a Gen III or IV? If it's a Gen III you can probably just source an 99-02 early harness (with same transmission.) Those are easier to work with on the GMT 400. Keep your drive by cable and just swap the throttle intake to DBC.

I think the Gen IV "may" require drive by wire, TAC module, pedal and other things. Not really sure on Gen IV honestly.
 

Supercharged111

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Being an 08, it's a GenIV. So is OP willing to give up 4wd? What's the plan there? Keeping the old trans/t-case seems more logical to me.
 

stutaeng

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Um, Wikipedia says the LQ4 was ran from 2003-2008 on those vans. The L96 (now mated to a 6L90e) was from 2010-2020. Those vans were always old school, LOL.

So it's likely OP has an Gen III LQ4.
 
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stutaeng

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Our 2020 Express van family hauler still has that "old school" 6.0. I really don't know, but probably the L96? My wife drives it... It was in 2021 that they finally got the 6.6 GAS engine, again with a 6 speed.

I was shocked because when I popped the hood the first time I saw a transmission fluid dipstick on that sucker. WOW! How freaking old school is that!? A tranny dipstick in 2020?! LOL. I'll have to double check, but I don't think even her outgoing 2013 Town & Country minivan has a transmission dipstick.
 
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