Another LS swap question

[Dropped88]

Right on. I'll search for his posts/threads.
I honestly haven't even looked for one around here, but I'm sure I could dig one up, and then change my mind when I see what they want for one, especially a pulled one already. A few years ago a 5.3 went for $500-$600, now asking 1k. And 6.0s are 2k now. Could only imagine what a 8.1 would go for ready to go.
But the pick n pulls around here ALL the motors are $350-$400ish, just gotta put the sweat equity in.
Thanks for the lead.

If you can ls swap you can 8.1 swap both of mine are done with ls harness and pcm

You flip outer wires on cam,crank sensors
Move crank sensor wiring to area of cam sensor on ls harness
Move cam sensor circuit to timing cover area, with a striped harness you can do both without the need to extend wires

Then with the 5.3 tune move over ve table, timing tables from a 8.1 tune, bump idle 100 rpms then you have a running 8.1 if stock, if not then it's usually tuning like anything else

That also let's you go DBC but you have to modify a LS throttle cable bracket,which I'll add to my build later but simple to make work

As for trans side of harness I already segment Swapped 80e from the 60e, pull 2 wires from trans plug, move a 3rd and take the 2 Removed add the ISS pigtail

That'll have you setup to run a 80e

 

[Dropped88]

From the bit of research I've done on the 8.1, they are heavier and have some oil issues, the earlier ones anyway. The consensus seems like if you don't need to tow anything, and I don't other than a$$, the 6.0 is the better choice as it's lighter and can get more power easier.

The LS swaps are figured out pretty well by now, easier to get parts and info of anything is holding you up.

And ya....you know as well as I do, up here anything 2wd is pretty rare unless it's a van or some sort of fleet rig that's probably been beat on pretty hard.

Not sure I know enough about the Allison trannies that I'd wanna mess around with them. I believe they are bigger than even the 4L80'S and I don't feel like hacking up my floor.

But maybe with some more research I'm sure the 8.1 will take a 4l80 and maybe have to get you to reach out to your source and see what a 8.1 goes for up in these parts. I tried Kijiji and could only find full vehicles for sale or generic "we sell engine" ads.

Edit.....the only reason I'd do a 8.1 is cuz I love to be different. If my boy still had his old truck, a 5.7 Hemi swap would still be on the table!! Lol

They way 760lbs and are an excellent torque monster

I've heard same about the early ones I have a 01 and a 02

Resealed both engines and run 15w40 and I neither engine has used anymore oil then half a qt at the 3k oil change

* that's one the other only has 2k on it since the swap but has used no oil

 

[99xcss4]

Cost/Availability.
The easiest way is to buy a wrecked truck and use everything out of it you need and sell the rest of it.
I buy wrecked 2500 trucks, use the 6.0/4L80E out of them and sell everything else thats good, fill the bed full of scrap metal and call the junkyard to come get it. They send me a check for scrap weight that week.
But for 5.3s they are pretty easy to find around here for $50-500. I always get the cheapest ones that will spin over by a wrench and just rebuild it.
If its a GMT400 truck im swapping i just put the 305/350 in the bed of the donor truck to send it to the scrap yard. Ive had 3 vortec 350s for awhile and you cant give them away here.

And the fun part is to just go ahead and throw a turbo on the 4.8, 5.3, 6.0. Have all the power you want and still get good mileage.

sad to see good rebuildable engines go to scrap with what ever is unsellable from the donor cant give the old sbcs away eh I would gladly take them if I could but I can not

 

[99xcss4]

also it is 8.1 for me if I was going to do a swap if not tried and true sbcs and bbcs ftw for me any way

 

[RDF1]

sad to see good rebuildable engines go to scrap with what ever is unsellable from the donor cant give the old sbcs away eh I would gladly take them if I could but I can not

And that's my issue.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Cost/Availability.
The easiest way is to buy a wrecked truck and use everything out of it you need and sell the rest of it.
I buy wrecked 2500 trucks, use the 6.0/4L80E out of them and sell everything else thats good, fill the bed full of scrap metal and call the junkyard to come get it. They send me a check for scrap weight that week.
But for 5.3s they are pretty easy to find around here for $50-500. I always get the cheapest ones that will spin over by a wrench and just rebuild it.
If its a GMT400 truck im swapping i just put the 305/350 in the bed of the donor truck to send it to the scrap yard. Ive had 3 vortec 350s for awhile and you cant give them away here.

And the fun part is to just go ahead and throw a turbo on the 4.8, 5.3, 6.0. Have all the power you want and still get good mileage.

I wish that were the case here. I would take all 3 of those 350 Vortecs off your hands if you were local to me. It is hard to find a smog era 305 for under $500 here were vehicle bodies far outlive the engines and transmissions in them. People are wanting $1000 for what I consider core engines and core 4L80Es now.

Then again what should I expect when I see people wanting 10-15K for a broken back aka bent frame, rusty clapped out square body or OBS with ankle vents these days.

 

[Moofus02]

The 8.1's out of vans or suburban/ avalanches is the 4l80/85 trans and the vans have the high mount ac. There was a van motor complete neer me a while back for 1000 at a local yard. There are a hand full of psi 8.8 takeout motors around that I could buy right but they are long blocks that need a freshen up.

The 8.1 with a tune through stock exhaust on a k2500 suburban will run circles around a 6.2l, get better milage and you don't have to beat on them to get pressed against the seat. They are fun, fast and can be driven old man lazy and still accelerate faster than people twisting off the tach trying to keep up.

The square body guys are using a vortec 7.4l throttle body to go dbc with the 8.1, they say it's easier to control in front of a stick rock crawling