Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Finally took the plunge and went to a new powerplant. I have an LQ4 on its way over Wednesday with some tweaks to it Also will be going with a 94 4L60E that I have been running behind my OBD II 383. Heres some starter pics. Got the engine bay all redone. A little overspray on the brake booster but its not clean with Q-Tips and Laquer Thinner. Also went with the tubular K member and A arm setup. I purchased the correct GMPP spacer for the flywheel which makes up the differance in length from the imput shaft of the tranny. + Is also safe to say my 9.5 Edge converter has a duel bolt pattern flange which would make it good with the LQ4 fly?

The K member bolted in with EASE. No fitment issues what so ever.

I have a set of Hawk LTs coming back from Jet-Hot this week so those will be ready to bolt in. I hope to have this all running in a month or so.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

More pics.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

sounds like a heck of a setup. keep the photos coming!

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Looks awesome. Ive got the same K-member

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got my headers back from Jet-Hot. I had bought them used on the board for 600 shipped. So i had the sender send them to Jet-Hot. JetHot was 262 bucks total and that included shipping back. It was a 4th of July sale. I much say they look awesome. I;ve had Jet-Hot on other headers and loved it. Well worth it. Also my buddy called who works at the dealer and said my oil pan assembly came in, with a new pickup, windage tray, gasket, bolts, tube, dipstick, and also my flywheel adapter and bolts. Everything was a hair over 300 new. I figure not bad considering the adapter and bolts were 80.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Brought the engine home today. Tag says from a 01 3500 64,000 Miles. I "guess" it looks ok. I wouldnt know any differance if it had more miles or not. It was a grade A pull per the tag. $1200 bucks complete. I pulled the manifolds off already and tossed them. I pulled all the plugs. All look ok with same cleaness on all 8. (I guess that good) 1 mishap though. Getting it off the truck and lowering it down on the hoist one of the rear bolts broke holding the chain to the head about 4 inches from the ground and the oil pan hit hard. Cracked the pan as oil was everywhere but I am lucky I dont have to reuse that.

Also picked up my new cam from Trick Flow. 228/230 585/585 112 Should be a good happy medium.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Opened up the engine.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

nice. that cam is similar to the cam i ran in a 2002 chevy truck.

226-228-581-588-114+4. chopped really nice. was a little bit of a pain to get ti idle just right down low.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Just picked up a complete 98 Vette Serpentine setup today which I am going to try to use. Anybody know how to clean the aluminum brackets? Its got all those white spotty marks on it. I'd like to make them look brand new.

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

Nice. Thank you for posting the pictures. A couple of questions. The LS1 truck intake manifold sits higher and I was wondering about your hood clearance? 2nd question. Do you see any issues with the right front brake line crossing over? Just wondering how it will clear the new motor?

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

I threw the truck intake in the attic and using a stock LS1 for now until more funds. As for the brake lines. I was thinking that as well. Well see when I go to stick the motor in.

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Since you're dropping the K-member, Id suggest routing the new brake line along the trans tunnel near the firewall. Stock it wraps around the A-arms and follows the rear of the K-member. Its a bear to get out and looks funny hanging in free space with no bulky K-member to bolt to

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got the gearbox all cleaned up and painted. replaced my worn out steering shaft with one of those "ebay" units. Pretty nice!! Pic of the Katech rod bolts and a pic of it all painted up and cleaned waiting for my heads to arrive.

stoning_volcom

I have thought bout stayin auto, what you think bout it? what torque converter you gonna use? what heads did you get?

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

LS6 heads. I have a Edge 9.5in 2600 converter I'm using.

3.1EyeCandy

iTrader: (3)

Now there's an idea. I just hate bending those lines...takes forever.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got my cam in, oil pump and pickup tube installed. Same with the LS2 timing chain. Painted up the valve covers and cleaned up the coils. Also washed up and painted the pulley on my waterpump. All my stuff comes in this week, aka gaskets valve springs and every other gaskets. I also bought new LS2 lifter trays. Heads come back .010 tomorrow.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got my LS6 heads back from the machine shop. I had them take .010 off making it a 62CC chamber. Valve guids were perfect. All I did was lap the valves. The lapped widths are perfect too. I have a set of TrickFlow Beehives I'll be dropping in this week.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Mocked up my top end with my new LS6 intake that arrived today. ran into a problem. Fuel rail and truck coils are a nono...

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Bend the rail and/or tilt the #5 coil or get billet rails. They look so much better

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Ok, I got the LS6 oil pump in, and F body pickup, tray and oil pan. Also threw in new LS2 lifter guides and the LS7 lifters. Tossed on the front cover and new seal as well. I got new LS2 headgaskets also. I got springs for the heads tongiht as well. Lunati Beehives. I mocked up the top half. Looks good to me!!

1nasty86

iTrader: (5)

i second that!

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

Looks good. Let us know how you routed the right front brake line when you are done with it.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Well got it all together finally. Old pics were of everything mocked up. Accually got the heads bolted down, rockers, pushrods and intake all bolted down. Got my poly motor mounts all installed. It should drop in this week. Tossed on a header for a pic and for good measure lol.

What i am upset about is my fuel system stuff. Went to summit last night around 830 after work. Bought all my fittings. 3 of them were backordered and the rest they threw in a bag. Well when I got the stuff it was 9 (closing time) and they were closed. I come home to find a fitting missing. I only got 3 of my 4 90*'s I should have checked before I left but the lights were out and they were sending people out. + I ordered the rest of my harness stuff tongiht. Serpentine brackets are at the machine shop down the street getting blasted. should fire up around labor day. Open headers though.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Engine is in... I did however put the clamshells backwords so that hindered my drop in. All of spohns bolt holes were perfect. I ran into 0 issues. (except for the boom of the hoist not going far back enough) i sat the motor on blocks in the bay and extended it past the "do not extend past this mark line" I figured for the 2 inches I am lifting it and moving it back 3 inches it'll be fine.


But I've read a few times the spohn x member sits the front higher. So I used stock ws6 springs in back and threw in Eibachs in front. My front with the ws6's and stock k member was 27 1/4 from ground to fender on both sides. As it sits now the driver side is 28.5 and the passenger side is 29... I said dam it has to drop alot but then I said once the hoods on and all the acc's ac and everything else it should settle. I am using new GM rubber spring liners as well.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Isn't that an awesome feeling, when you finally have an LSx block sitting in your 3rd gen engine compartment? The night I got mine hoisted into the car and bolted down, I couldn't stop looking at it and grinning ear to ear.

The engine looks really nice too, I like the red valve covers and the Jet-Hot coating. I should have had my SSW headers Jet-Hot coated. The brown/blue tint from the heat doesn't look bad though.

Shift06

The feeling wears off if the car sits after that for months. lol

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

That's true. Mine sat like that for weeks, and then it was at the exhaust shop for a good 2 weeks if I remember correctly.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

LOL i always get my stuff jet coated. It holds up awesome. Mine were 186 shipped to get my done. I had it done during the 20% 4th of July Sale. Origional quote was 236 shipped. As above mentioned I kinda just sat on the steps going into the house looking at it lol. I didnt scratch one pit of power coating on the tubular setup. As for the brake lines, I didnt do anything as I mocked up the oil pan and it contours it perfectly. I still gotta do my fuel system, finish my harness. It was already an OBD II one that I ran with my 383 motor, but I have to add coil pack wires and a few differant connectors. I gotta find a starter... and those crazy metric to sa fittings from S&P

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Well I got the driver side header in. Not so bad. Wrapped it in 50 layers of plastic cooking wrap to avoid scratches. I will say though its a VERY TIGHT fit. I got it in and said well All I have to do is move a brake line and it'll be done. Then... I look underneigh and said **** the O2 is not going to clear that. Its pointing straight up and curved a tad into the tunnel. I got my 02 out and it JUST made it. Screwed in leaves me with like 1/8 in clearance. But I did run into one snag. The collector top hits my bracket that holds my shift cable to the tranny. I think I'm going to dremel it a tad. I could bend it up but then I wouldnt have a perfect pull on the lever. That leads me to say the nut that holds the lever to the cable comes like another 1/8 away. How they design things things is beyond me.

Shift06

Yeah, I started my swap before you though and it still isn't done lol. Thats my fault though :P

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Remember the engine torques to the pass side so if the drivers O2 is damn near touching the floorboard, a rev will definitely smack it. Id put a plug in the header bung and weld a better positioned one in the Y-pipe near the collectors. Clearing the shifter bracket will take some clever thinking, please post detailed pics of your solution, not many people do a very good job with the autos

Dont feel bad, my first swap took 5 days, second 16 hours. Blower retrofit has taken 5 months and counting

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

You don't necessarily NEED o2's...you could just cap the holes and forget about it. My tune has them completely turned off and ignore without so much as a check engine light.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

OH I'll post pics. I'm not for one who does hack jobs. It'll be nice when I get done with it. I read somewhere on LS1Tech about "shorty O2's lol I'm going to do some research. I would instal the other headers, but I gotta bolt my converter to my flywheel and get my starter.

BTW For anybody doing this with an Older $l60E or 700R4, the LQ4 Flywheel and spacer bolts perfecty to an Edge converter. With the tranny and engine bolted up and converter pushed all the way back, there is a 1/4 inbetween Fly and converter. I would think thats good.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Its time to go back in the garage. I'm going to attempt to bend that Fuel rail so it works....

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Just stick a deep socket over the end of the nipple for the quick disconnect, and put a long socket extenstion on it and pry it up as if it were a pry bar. I moved mine close to 45* upwards, and slightly towards the rear of the car.

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

I used the deepwell/extension method on mine too. Bend a few degrees, search for kinks, check coil fitment, repeat. My LS2 coils must mount wierd because I had to bend it ALOT

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

Let me know what you are doing with the right front brake line routing. I will be needing to solve that problem myself shortly with my new tubular K-member.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

I didnt do anything. I mocked up the oil pan and it follows it perfectly in front of the sump of the pan and hugs it to about 1/4 down , across and up. Looked good to me.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got the line better. I had to cut the support that was holding it to the main line. Then I bent it back and up.

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

Thanks. I will probably have to do something different as one of my exhaust termination boxes will go in the space under the oil pan. I don't want the brake line to close.

stoning_volcom

very clean looking thirdgen i would never guess a ls1 under the hood to deceiving lol nice build keep up the good work man and keep us posted

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Thanks! I like the bone stock outside look. I even have an old school Edelbrock Catback with factory turndown tailpipes lol. It was my first mod ever to the car when it was bone stock back in 99But the muffler itself is getting rusted out. Probebly because I only dive it a a few hundred miles a year and water sits in there. If I ever upgrade I'll get a new muffler but swap the tailpipes over. No chrome here lol.

stoning_volcom

well best of luck man, and ill be watchin ur thread so keep up the good work man. Get it running yet??

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

No. Im waiting for my starter.. I'm going to do the fuel system tongiht. I ordered some connecors to add to my harness to get it running. Then I gotta do the wiring, add passenger side header, get my brackets back from the blaster and install those.. Prob 2 more weeks.

stoning_volcom

ya well it all is looking pretty clean and stock man keep it up and like i said KEEP US POSTED!!!

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Fuel system is done. I will post pics of that tomorrow. Took me about 3 hours. I mounted the vette filter in the factory holder. Ripped the vette mounting bracket off and kept the foam on for my bracket. I then ran that ground wire to the clamp bolt that holds the filter in place. Looks pretty darn good to me!!

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Got the new starter in, passenger side header and also got that sides VC on too. My adapters from S&P came in the mail today so I installed those with the coolant gauge sender and factory OPS. Bolted up my converter also and installed the passenger side 02. I'm still amazed on how close this crap comes to one another. Just got a call today from my blaster that my alt bracket, ac bracket and thermo housing is done. He wouldnt do my waterpump unless I disassembeled it so I made it look as nice as possible. Got my radiator hoses as well. I just ordered a new GM coolant pipe that runs from the heatercore to the framerail since I am adding as back in. Also picked up a new heater divert valve from advance for 11 bucks. My harness pieces were shipped out as well. I hope to have it running for next weekends Summit F-Body show at their akron location. I'll be running open headers though lol.

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Almost Done!!! My Harness parts come in on Tuesday. But I have to say one thing and I dont do it often. F the lower hose. I went though a bunch that was mentioned and its SOOO tight I ripped it back off. At this point I'm willing to buy a nice universal one for 40 bucks. Has anybody used those? Are they nice? One other issue for me is the PS pump. I'm going to have to fab my own line unless somebody knows a PN that fits the vette pump.

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

looksing great as usual matt. I posted the fitting you need for AN lines in your other post. Just do it and be done.

shoot me a PM or text my cell and I'll give you a local guys # to you who can custom make you some nice lines and have all the fitting you need in stock.