TexasLT4

Hey y'all, I've been searching through these forums for awhile now... and I was wondering if any one knew of a shop in Texas ( preferably in central) that has somee type of experience of engine swaps, or an individual that would be willing to do a swap for me. I would love to do it myself, but I lack the mechanical abilities to do so. I have an 89 RS rolling chasis that i bought from a friend. I also have a BUILT 96 LT4 that i bought from a friend in feburary. My dad was a master mechanic, and was going to help me with this swap and show me how to do everything, he passed away 3 weeks ago and I'm left with a shell and a badass engine.. I need someones help to finish this project, or if someone can point me in the right direction. I wanna finish this project for my dad, it's a sentimental project now. So any offers or suggestions would be extremely helpful.

Thanks

TexasLT1

aww now thats not cool with the name . If I weren't headed back to school soon I'd be glad to help you out with it, but I don't have the time right now. Sorry to hear about your dad. If you've ever done any kind of engine work, you can swap in the LT4, especially since its out of a Vette. Actually getting it into the engine compartment is a piece of cake. The wiring is the most difficult part, but if you get an aftermarket harness even that is pretty simplified. Where are you at in central Texas? I might be able to drive out and help you get started if it would help.


Also, be sure to do a seach on the board, look through some of the LT1 posts on this page, and check out the sticky at the top of the post listing, there is a ton of information on this site, as well as a number of websites out there that can give you a pretty good idea of what you need to do. I'm going to be finishing up a pretty comprehensive swap guide soon that should really help too. It would have been finished about a month ago but other things have taken priority.


Tristan

tamatt27

I'm actually about to start the LT1/T56 swap into my '88 Trans Am. My car's in Bastrop, but I'm in H-Town until early July for school. I'd be happy to lend any help I can. I'll prob be pretty tied up on the weekends in the swap myself. But my e-mail's tamatt27@hotmail.com and my AOL screen name is tranzamkarr if ya just wanna chat.
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad, and I think it's very fitting thing to finish the swap in memory of your dad. Good luck!!

pasky

Bring it down to laredo and i'll do it for some dough (cheap)

Thirim

ahh.. drive is to Nova Scotia, I'll take care of ya..

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

I'd have to say you'd get the best install in Florida

Trans Am#5

That name thing is kinda funny though.
I too am sorry about your dads passing.
If you have tools or if you have friends with tools and some mechanical ability, this swap isn't that difficult. With an aftremarket harness, it's downright easy. There is quite a bit of reading in here and just about everything is well covered.

TexasLT4

Thanks for the input guys, I think I'm going to sell the stock harness I got and buy a painless kit. I also need to get a new tranny and some other misc. stuff. I'm gonna see if any of my friends would be up to it, but if not I think I'll have to drive to nova scotia Thanks for the input guys. Any other input from other people would still be helpful

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

Ouch he's taking nova scotia over tx or tampa, harsh.

You dont want to sell the stock harness and get a painful, err i mean painless, work with what works, not against yourself.

tamatt27

From what I've read the only problem with getting the Painless wiring harness is the price. It should be plug and play otherwise if I'm correct. If you decide to sell your stock harness I'd be interested, if it's the same harness for an LT1.
Where in Central Texas are you at? I come home to Bastrop on the weekends to continue my swap. Once I get the stuff for mine, you're welcome to come help/watch/learn the swap with me. Or, once I'm done I could lend my assistance.
I'm diving head first into it also, but TexasLT1 has a great webpage about the swap, and all of these guys on here can answer almost any question you have about the swap probably. I've got a rebuilt 700R4 out of my car that I'm not using for the swap. You're welcomed to it, once I get it back from having it fixed. Good luck on the swap!

Trans Am#5

If I remember correctly, the Vette harness is different then the F-body version. It probably is still workable though. I got a Painless harness and don't regret it at all. I got the one for a 4l60e but the version for a manual trans car is significantly cheaper if memory serves me correctly.

TexasLT4

The LT4 was from a firehawk not the vette option. And the wiring harness I have is from the same car also.. But I want to make this as simple as possible, I would like to keep what i have, but I would like to go the easist route possible.. I know that swaps aren't a 2 week process, but I do know that if you can make it easy without burning a HUGE hole in your wallet. Money isn't to much of a concern to me right now. I have enough to dish out what it will take to get the swap done and maybe a few bolt ons. I know my way around cars, just not swaps What I really need right now is just the nickel and dime things like motor mounts, fuel pump, flywheel (along with a new tranny), just little things like that. Hopefully when I'm done with the swap I'm gonna upgrade the suspension. Badly need an upgrade, all my bushings are going out and the V6 springs won't hold up to the V8 (or will they? ) but other than that I kinda just need some know-how in my head before I go do anything stupid. I got a new engine hoist today along with an engine stand, I'm thinking I may try this on my own and take it really slow. I know that I can probably get it in there on my own just the wiring will be a pain in the ****.

Thirim

right about now, the car would run real good. this year is exceptionally cold.. still in the 65-70 mark.. too dam cold.. but good dense air .. It's only cold because I'm on strike too.

Thirim

I got a 2 bay, 32'x24' garage waiting .. seriously though, what are you getting for tranny? 6spd ?

TexasLT4

Yeah Hopefully a T-56 or a built T-5, I'm tired of driving automatics, I had a 84 Datsun 280zx with a 5 spd that thing handled like a dream, I loved that car. I wanna put a T-56 in the camaro, I just can't find any for the right price. So if anyone has a T-5 or T-56 for a good price let me know...

ShiftyCapone

iTrader: (7)

Don't even waste your time on the T5. It is just way to weak to put behind the motor that you are building. You will have much less headaches in teh future if you shell out a little more now for the added strength of the T56.

Thirim

i have a t5 behind mine.. but i agree, t-56 if you are going to buy something.. I had the t5 when i bought the car. If you go t5 now and t56 later that would do much for you, have to change flywheel i believe and clutch cyl. so not really worth it.

TexasLT4

I think the problem is that the T56 is the only good streetable 6 speed tranny out there they're hard to find in good shape. Also if I can find one they're just a bit to much i wanna sepnd on a tranny. I also don't know how I'm going to set all that up, I was looking at the car today ( keep in mind it was given to me) I think the linkage was cut when they pulled the tranny. All the wires were just cut, none of them were actually pulled off the engine and tranny, they were just cut. But then again I'm not sure about all of it, I don't know that much about the wiring and what not.

tamatt27

Firehawks got the LT4? I thought only GS and some limited '97 SS's did.

TexasLT4

That's what I was told when I bought the engine. But I honestly don't know. It doesn't look like it has any of the vette stuff ( oil pan, fuel rail covers) anything like that.

Dean-B4C6SPD

WitchdoctorMotorsports in College Station, TX did my swap.
It was so professionally done, most bystanders didn't know it was an LT1 and not just an L98 with an LT1 intake manifold.

Everything is beautifully loomed - again, top notch work. PM or Email me for more info.

http://home.comcast.net/~ag97/lt1-driver-side.jpg

TexasLT4

That's really really nice work. I think I might get pasky to help me out tho, I've been talkin to him and he's been givin me tips and pointers about different things. I'm also still lookin for a good T56. I think I'm going to convert to OBD1 instead of having OBD2, I've been told it makes it easier and it's not that hard to do.

TexasLT1

Honestly, with the ease of programming and the availability of custom tunes, I really wouldn't worry that much about switching to OBDI.

pasky

The editing itself is easy but OBDII tuning is twice the cost, that is with LT1Edit anyways plus the cable I believe is twice the cost. .

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

With the added cost of programming software to run obd II i would worry that much about swapping to obdI

Trans Am#5

I disagree as well....OBDII is tuneable for 'slightly' more money. OBDII is also better in pinpointing problems as more and more areas are monitored. This swap isn't cheap no matter what so what can this save anyway??? How much will be spent on the conversion and how much is the 'internet' price for the tuning software.

pasky

No....There is a big difference between a "Slightly more" and:

OBD-II PCM Expert Editor/Programmer Package, locked to 1 PCM $550

Thats cable and software, and also ridiculous. I paid $40 for my cable and am just using a trial version of tuner cat. If I were to even purchase tuner cat im still saving $430. OBDII is not worth spending $550 for :P.

And thats to tune yourself with the software, not counting to pay carputing.com or madz28 (if he even does obdII) to get you a custom tune. OBDII is just not worth the extra ability of diagnosing a problem easier.

EDIT: A Mail-in tune just doesn't seem worth it to me, if he were to switch to OBDI, get a cheap $40 cable, he can run other things like tuner cat himself and just get an unlimited tune for just $60 with Ion at MadZ28.com, he will also be able to run datamaster with ease. It just seems better to go with OBDI unless you got a lot of money to blow.

TexasLT1

Whoa, didn't realize it was that much, but I also didn't necessarily mean buying all of the hardware to do the tuning, he may just need a one time tune for it, in which case the price wouldn't be all that much more.



Pasky, how's the car coming? Sorry I haven't talked to you in a while, been busy working on mine with new exhaust, sub frame connectors, and figuring out why it wasn't shifting right.

wm_sorg

Sorry to hear about your loss. The LT4 was designed as an OBD2 SFI engine. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I believe the OBD1 LT1 birds were batch fire. Regardless, I would not downgrade the engine and PCM. Keep your harness and send it to speartech. He will build a custom plug and play harness for you. The LT4 will be a killer swap.

pasky

Wrong, the only batch fire lt1's were all the 93's since they were still using a ECM rather than a PCM. In 94 they switched over to sequential fire injectors, hardened push rods and miscelaneous changes. In 95 they upgraded the opti spark to vented system. He is not going to downgrade the engine and no word was ever mentioned of doing so. OBD I isn't necessarily a downgrade.

If he keeps it OBDII it means he has to get 2 rear oxygen sensor simulators or get the wiring harness and run the extra two or program them out and as was mentioned he needs $550 to even think about that. Go with OBDI, its cheaper and your not losing any advantages in doing so.

pasky

Coming along just great bud. I just went by the bodyshop yesterday afternoon, the z28 spoiler is on and its sanded and primered, he said he is gonna try to get it in the paint bin today, he said the car should be ready for me to pick up on Sunday.

Once its in my hands again im going to the local speed shop and putting LCA relocation brackets on and gonna ask the guy if I can install the spohn torque arm under there while its on the lift since it will be so much easier. Im pretty sure they will as has taking a liking to me since I shot the **** with him for about four hours while I was over there last time. Thier not extremely busy.

Trans Am#5

So what does it cost to convert his current engine over to OBD 1???

And yes....OBD 2 is better to tune....there IS more hp to be found in an OBD 2 tune.
I also highly doubt your ability to tune better then people that have been doing it for some time now.

I didn't have time to investigate it fully but thanks Pasky....I guess I should to see what is and isn't BS for myself.

pasky

To convert to OBDI, just needs a OBDI PCM and a OBDI knock sensor. Thats it. He can ge tit back by just selling the OBDII PCM. Think the knock sensor runs for $30. Much cheaper. I never said I tuned Bud, I pay Ion for the unlimited tune. But in order for him to do that he would need to buy the $550 worth of tuning equipment and then pay someone to tune his vehicle. If he just mails it in, he will lack the ability to hook datamaster up to his car, because carputer does not sell the cable seperate. It is not worth it to keep OBDII unless, like I said, you got cash to blow.

Taken from Ion himself:

Advantages of converting to OBDI:

- Cheaper programming software
- Cheaper or free scanning software
- Ignored rear O2 sensors (no need for simulators)
- It has less codes to throw than the OBDII

Disadvantages:

- You won't be able to pass the OBDII emission test with it.
- Some experience shifting problems with high stall converters on A4 cars.

Overall, I think it's a good mod if you will be doing tuning and logging yourself in the future. If not, you may consider getting your OBDII programmed instead.


You will not have to change the opti or the MAF. The only thing you need to change is the knock sensor, if you won't go with a plug and play kit like the one I offer.