Crunch527

For those who have gone down this road…I would appreciate your feedback.

Below is my initial build list for a LS3 swap. I looked at a few threads to get an idea.

1. I have question marks where I am not sure of the cost?

2. What did I miss?

LS3 525 $7,525.00
LS Bell Housing $300.00
LS Cutch/flywheel/Press Plate $708.40
LS 525 Computer/Electronics $1,256.00
LS Pulleys (w/o AC) $547.13
LS Muscle Car Oil Pan $146.67
Fuel Sys ("Tanks") $1000.00
LS Motor Mounts $50.00 - Where do I get these?
LS Starter & bolts $410.00
Connect Exhaust to side pipes ?
Air Filter Setup ?
Waterpump mod ?
LS Radiator Hoses ?
LS Clutch Z-Bar Adapter ?
Gauges ?

Parts Total $11,943.20

I figure total cost will be approx $14K...thoughts?

Cheers,

Frank

Zoomin

On the gauges, take a look at Dakota Digital. $1000
LS Radiator $800
Electric fans and shroud. $400
Dirty Dingo motor mounts $150


What trans are you going to use? Might entail a driveshaft modification.
Might want to upgrade your fuse box and wiring harness.
Are your brakes up to the new hp?

daz_au

Yeah you got the big ticket stuff, here's what I did for the smaller stuff :

> Connect Exhaust to side pipes ?

Took it to an exhaust shop and had it made to mate with stock manifolds, miss the zbar, add cats, go through an xpipe, and out via NPP mufflers... $1500. If you want long tube headers, I think they are around and just connecting to side pipes will be much cheaper I imagine.

> Air Filter Setup ?

Made it myself with some 4" aluminum tube, silicon elbows, a pod filter, some steel, a hammer and pop rivet gun ! Probably cost bit over $100 in parts and powder coating.

> Waterpump mod ?

Local shop did it for $50, works fine. They put AN fittings on it, don't do that, making the hoses etc is not worth the cool racer look, I wish the used 3/4 and 5/8 barbs.

> LS Radiator Hoses ?

I used the dewitts corvette radiator I already had (not the LS one), but I would recommend getting the LS one if you have a std old corvette radiator now. I got one of the stainless bendy hose kits with rubber sleeves ($40) to adapt sizes, works and looks fine.

> LS Clutch Z-Bar Adapter ?

I couldn't find one, I bought something that claimed to be one and it didn't work. It was easy to make something temporary with thick angle. I still need to get it made up from a single piece but the prototype is working fine. Everyone pushes you toward a hydraulic clutch setup, they are $600 or so, I don't get it. Clutch is stiff, but its part of the experience

> Gauges ?

Still working on getting factory gauges going. In theory I can run an oil line for pressure to the stock gauge, get a metric adaptor for the old style sender on water temp and have my tach converted to digital. Instead I put a gauge pod in the glove box with autometer elite gauges that let me set alarms for temp, oil and fuel pressure levels. If anything goes out of range a buzzer goes off.

Speaking of fuel pressure, you need a C6 filter regulator and all the hose and fittings to get you to the LS3 rail. Probably $200 in that, that might be in you $1000. I cut my original tank and put the module in.

Poorhousenext

I believe you are ordering wrong oil pan, I believe you will have a ground clearance problem with it. Might want to order engine with corvette oil pan installed. It's the shallowest pan. Muscle car pan is deeper than the holley pans.

http://www.improvedracing.com/tech/L...dimensions.php

GM Performance parts LS 3 376 525 HP engine with corvette pan.

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance...ls376-525.html

Note: Per some websites GM P/N has been replaced
19301360 Replaces 19259233 LS376/525 HP CrateEngine

Muscle car pan dimensions

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/LS-S...93-P10829.aspx

daz_au

Thats a great point on the oil pan. I have a G8/Commodore pan because my motor was Holden surplus. Its really deep and the lowest point of my car which is not a nice feeling.

Is the corvette pan a direct swap (or to other parts like dip stick and tube need to be ordered separately) ?. I presume it holds less oil ? its *much* shallower than my pan.

My front end sat up in the air with the lighter engine, but I can see this becoming a real issue if I drop the suspension.

Crunch527

Zoom/Daz/Poor,

Thanks for the feedback.

Couple general answers:

1. I have a Dewitts SB radiator w/ fan...my plan is to reuse it.
2. I have a TKO600 in the car now and plan to reuse it.

Zoomin,

I originally had Dakota Digital and $1000 budgeted...I will add that back in...

Daz

1. Cats? Why put cats on it?
2. I saw your build post...I did notice the front riding high...I have a vette brakes suspension setup that has already lowered the car about an inch or so...are guys cutting the springs to get the ride height correct?

Poorhouse,

Good catch on the oil pan...I will update accordingly.

SO the new bid is more like $15K...I was doing this for drivability...heck, I can do an all aluminum BBC 540 for swap for about the same money and much less fabrication time.

Anyway, this gives me a good idea of what to expect.

Cheers,

Frank

gator79

look into ls simple for your brackets fit nice and keeps the compressor low and under the fuel rail cover.

gator79

I reused my Be Cool SB radiator and fan and found hoses to fit, Jags That Run makes the reducers needed to adapt the LS size hoses to the SB radiator. Also I used Autometer American Muscle series gauges. you can check out my build for more info here
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-upgrades.html

rick piras

Street Shop makes a Z-bar adaptor for LS motors that worked well for me.
You don't specify, but it sounds like you're using the stock frame. Street & Performance (Mena, Arkansas) make shorty headers that will clear the Z-bar and still work with the stock frame/steering box.
If you're using the stock A-arms you'll most likely have clearance issues with the water pump outlets. Summit sells some nice stainless right-angle fittings, the pump will need the straight outlets pulled (they're pressed in) and have the openings threaded to allow the right angle fittings.
Good luck,
Rick

rick piras

For the motor mount adaptors, I ended up using Vette Works versions the second time around:
http://www.vetteworksonline.net/cata...products_id=45
They're steel, and significantly thinner than most out there which are aluminum. On my car it helped significantly to get the engine to sit lower and improve the driveline angle.
You're also gonna need a fuel filter/regulator. There's a stock C5 ( I believe) version that most folks use, Street & Performance can sell you that.
I ended up using flex lines with #6 AN fittings to get fuel to the front, and Street & performance sells a hard line that brings the fuel from the passenger side to the fuel rails. I ran the flex line behind the rocker panel covers.
Just a word of warning; once you get all of that power to hook up you'll start thinking about an SR III frame shortly afterwards so your brakes and steering can control things better....
Good luck,
Rick

Poorhousenext

The pan is not a direct replacement dip stick and maybe some other parts changed as well. I believe there was a baffle change.

I believe in my post on subject on one of your threads on build, I backed into all the P/N for parts/Kit to do this from the part number sticker on pan.



If he orders the LS3 525 crate engine that has the corvette pan installed, he doesn't have to do anything else.

I borrowed a picture of your stock engine because it shows oil pan.

He can get the dimensions off his stock pan or just the pans depth and compare it's depth to the dimensions of both the corvette pan and muscle car pan as well as all the other pans shown in links I posted, to see which ones will not give him less ground clearance than stock SB pan has, as well as check for possible clearance problem with cross member that pan(s) might have.

Y0GI

Both of those appear to be rear sump pans while the "muscle car" pan looks like a front sump pan:
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/LS-S...93-P10829.aspx

So, which is better?

Yogi

Poorhousenext

Easy, the one that will clear C2 front cross member and is not any deeper than stock engines oil pan so there is no worry about not enough pan to ground clearance. Use stock oil pan dimension to make dissension which is best.

Y0GI

I was mainly concerned with cross-member/steering clearance?

Yogi

mrichard

Here is a link to all of the GM oil pans and all of the parts needed to make them work.
You can order the stuff where ever you find the best price. The corvette pan is the lowest, but a LS3 crate engine doesn't come with it installed. You will get the 2010 LS3 Camaro pan.
http://www.improvedracing.com/tech/L...dimensions.php

Poorhousenext

I just bought an LS3 430 HP engine with Corvette oil pan from GM via dealer in AL shipped from GM to me in February. As far as I know I can buy one today from same dealer.

GM Ls376 525 HP engine has had a PN change from P/N 19259233 to P/N 19301360

Summit link below says replacement PN comes with Corvette pan same as original P/N. Give them a call. They should know their website is in error or not.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-19301360

Brand:Chevrolet Performance
Manufacturer's Part Number:19301360
Part Type:Crate Engines
Product Line:Chevrolet Performance LS3 6.2L 376 C.I.D 525 HP Engine Assemblies
Summit Racing Part Number:NAL-19301360

Engine Assembly Style:Long block
Crate Engine Cylinder Head Material:Aluminum
Assembled:Yes
Engine Balance:Internal
Intake Manifold Included:Yes
Cylinder Heads Included:Yes
Carburetor Included:No
Throttle Body Included:Yes
Distributor Included:Yes
Oil Pan Included:Yes
Valve Covers Included:Yes
Timing Cover Included:Yes
Water Pump Included:Yes
Harmonic Balancer Included:Yes
Flexplate Included:Yes
Flywheel Included:No
Air Cleaner Included:No
Spark Plugs Included:Yes
Spark Plug Wires Included:Yes
Computer Included:No
Wiring Harness Included:No
Rear Main Seal Style:1-piece
Quantity:Sold individually.

Notes:Includes Corvette wet sump oil pan. Non-Corvette applications will require the purchase of a flexplate or flywheel. This engine is not designed, nor intended to be used in any marine applications. Designed for pre-1976 street vehicles or any off-road vehicle. Engines installed in vehicles registered and normally operated outside of the United States carry no warranty.

gator79

I used the Camaro oil pan on my LS1. it clears the Steroids rack on my 64

TOM WILLARD

I used a f body camaro pan and dipstick. Works perfect. I ran hedmans c5 headers and modified them to connect to 3 inch side pipes. It's a easy swap.

00fxd

The oil pan you want is GM f body Camaro pan # 12628771 and related screens, trays, dipstick tubes etc. Worked for my 6.0L into my '65. The Vetteworks mounts shown will not work - those are called stock location mounts, they are not stock location. Use the dirty dingo solid mount, adjustables [sliders].

vettedan

Correct, they will work with 4L60E, There design to move the engine foreword for the automatics transmissions. use LS adapter pn-LSX001X:
http://www.vetteworksonline.net/cata...roducts_id=125

This engine mounts will place the within 1/8" of the stock location.
Dan
Vetteworks