Need ideas on 94 LS swap

[Jeff LS]

I've owned this 94 Silverado K1500 extended cab Z71 for a couple of years now and it's time for a motor. I bought it for my youngest son to drive. I decided to do an LS swap (5.3). I purchased a donor truck which is a 2000 Silverado K1500 Z71 with 150,000 miles on the motor and has a fresh rebuild on the transmission. I'm having a shop do the motor/transmission swap. Here is where I need some input. The shop called me and said that the shifter linkage from the frame is hitting the front driveshaft. The shop stated that removing the front driveshaft will allow the linkage to work on the transmission but the truck won't be 4wd. I told them that I need the 4wd to work because we use it on a farm. I don't have any pictures of this issue. Has anyone ran into this issue before and how was it corrected? I am doing research in this group and many other groups. The shop is also researching this issue too. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

You might have better luck asking this on the LSX OBS facebook group.

I've only swapped a 2WD that already had a 4l60e to begin with, but nothing moved at all in that case. Re-used factory crossmember and the factory location.

I have swapped an LS into a CJ7 and I had to run a thinner front driveshaft to clear the trans pan. Part of that was because I ran an Atlas transfer case that was clocked flat for ground clearance. If I had clocked it like the factory did, it wouldn't have been an issue.

 

[89RCLB]

What about a floor shifter thus eliminating the factory shift linkage coming from the frame?
Just thinking out loud...

 

[stutaeng]

I suspect the issue is related to the short transmission shift shaft of the early GMT400s that had the park/neutral safety switch in the steering column vs. the late GMT400s that had the neutral safety switch on the longer shift shaft. The late models have a longer shift shaft (same as the gmt800 where you sourced that engine,) and maybe that's the problem?

I would imagine you need to keep the neutral safety switch that came with 5.3 to make things work for the ECU and electronics. And my recollection is that nut that holds the neutral safety switch is very tight to the front driveshaft on the GMT 800s.

 

[Jeff LS]

The shop did mention about using a floor shifter but as a last resort. I still have the donor truck which is at the shop and I will ask the shop if the linkages from it will work or if it will work after modifying them. And I will look at the LSX OBS Facebook group. FYI, my son is getting excited to get his truck back. He is a high school senior. Right now he is driving our backup vehicle which is an 2002 S10 extended cab 2wd auto with the 4.3 in it. Thanks

 

[94OBSAR]

@JeffLS I have a 94 K1500 and have had these same issues concerning the shift linkage. I have personally tried the Lokar set up (broke it) and bought an B&M cable (broke it). Currently I’ve given up considering info on this is slim to none and just purchased a B&M ratchet floor shifter to take care of the issue. I’m running an 04’ LM7 5.3 paired to an 02’ 4l80e with speed engineering headers, original NP241c tcase and original front (4wd) driveshaft. If it works I’ll definitely chime back in with pictures