quick ls swap question
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Columbia South Carolina
quick ls swap question
i am getting a low mileage 6.0 ls motor from a 2010 GMC pickup, with the trans, computer and harness. other than motor/trans mounts and a custom driveshaft is there anything else i'll need to drop it into my 1978 L48 vette? i am looking at using a harness from Painless rather than the factory one but other than that i'm not going to modify the motor at all since it has nearly double the horsepower of the 185hp L48. mid length headers maybe but that would be it.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
Yea there are about a thousand little things you will never think about that need to be done. It all boils down to how far do you want to go with it. I am knee deep in my LS3 swap and so far nothng has bolted on. I enjoy the challenge of making it work when someone says it can't. Throttle linkage, PS pump hookups, gauge hook ups, linkage for trans or clutch depending on which you are running. There are many more but don't think these just drop in like another SB motor. Worth every bit of effort to do but be aware. Double what you think it will cost and double or triple the time you think it will take and you might be close. Ask lots of questions many here have been down this road before. 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Columbia South Carolina
i've found most of the trans stuff i'll need at Bowtie Overdrives like the shifter to work with the 4l60 and linkages. i have a manual rack and pinion conversion i'm going to do so no problems there. the A/C, brake booster hookups and gauges are the unknowns for me. i've built dozens of hot rods, drag cars and customs but i've never messed with either a vette OR an ls motor.
by the way Grodonm, that is a BEAUTIFUL vert you have there. i'm going with the same wheel/tire size package you have on my red 78.
if i want to drive something thats stupid fast and powerful i have the Porsche 914/6 for that. the vette is going to be my daily driver except for when i'm going to a gig or other times i have to transport guitars/amplifiers. for the first time in my life i have a spotlesss driving record (i got a ticket the day i got my license in 1984) i dont beat on my street cars and i'm proud of the fact i got 70k miles out of a set of 40k mile tires on the saturn.
by the way Grodonm, that is a BEAUTIFUL vert you have there. i'm going with the same wheel/tire size package you have on my red 78.
if i want to drive something thats stupid fast and powerful i have the Porsche 914/6 for that. the vette is going to be my daily driver except for when i'm going to a gig or other times i have to transport guitars/amplifiers. for the first time in my life i have a spotlesss driving record (i got a ticket the day i got my license in 1984) i dont beat on my street cars and i'm proud of the fact i got 70k miles out of a set of 40k mile tires on the saturn.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
One other thing on the oil pan. The truck pans are usually pretty deep pans and it may hang down pretty low in the Vette chassis. The F body pan works and I have been told the LS2 and LS3 pans don't fit but it fits in my car with a Steeroids rack.
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From: Columbia South Carolina
i'll need the pickup for the f body pan as well i imagine? i ordered motor mounts and a new trans crossmember and the shifter this evening, i'm dropping the driveshaft off at a local shop monday to get it shortened and balanced. i'll try to make the factory harness work but i've been told by a few folks that the Painless harness will be alot less trouble
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
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From: North Easton Mass
i'll need the pickup for the f body pan as well i imagine? i ordered motor mounts and a new trans crossmember and the shifter this evening, i'm dropping the driveshaft off at a local shop monday to get it shortened and balanced. i'll try to make the factory harness work but i've been told by a few folks that the Painless harness will be alot less trouble
Like Gordon said there are a thousand things to do for the swap that you run into while doing it. I know that no 2 of us have done the same exact swap so there are many variations on different part of the swap.
You might want to spend a couple of hours going through the LS swap thread to see what people have done and get some ideas.
Rick B.
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From: Columbia South Carolina
i'm getting an Aeromotive complete fuel system. i've had good results with their products in the past. a local racer is going to modify my stock fuel tank to deal with the extra fuel flow and do an fittings on it as well. i'm going to start reading that ls swap thread tomorrow when i have time to sit and read it all the way through
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Get all accessories, cooling and PS hoses, DBW pedal, MAF, O2 sensors, all wiring harness you can. You'll still need to swap out the intake, pan, and exhaust. But it will be stupid fast compared to stock.
I've got a 400 hp LQ9 in mine. I was plannning a cam, but it will already over power the stock tires.
I've got a 400 hp LQ9 in mine. I was plannning a cam, but it will already over power the stock tires.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Columbia South Carolina
Get all accessories, cooling and PS hoses, DBW pedal, MAF, O2 sensors, all wiring harness you can. You'll still need to swap out the intake, pan, and exhaust. But it will be stupid fast compared to stock.
I've got a 400 hp LQ9 in mine. I was plannning a cam, but it will already over power the stock tires.
I've got a 400 hp LQ9 in mine. I was plannning a cam, but it will already over power the stock tires.
thats exactly what i'm doing. he's even giving me the airbox and intake tube. i didnt realize that the truck intake would be too tall for a stock 78' hood. thats good to know. would an F body intake fit and work okay with the truck 6.0? or should i go aftermarket?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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I'm not sure what heads your 6.0 will have. I am pretty sure it will have a 4 hole DBW TB. If they are catherdral port heads, you'll need an LS2 intake. If rectangular, you'll need the LS3. The LS1 intake is cathedral port but has th old style 3 bolt TB.
You'll also need to lower the alternator. Here's my home made accessory setup. LQ9 with LS1 intake.
You'll also need to lower the alternator. Here's my home made accessory setup. LQ9 with LS1 intake.
Last edited by Garys 68; Sep 25, 2011 at 12:38 AM.
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Instructor
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From: Columbia South Carolina
i have a milling machine and lathe so i can fab up any brackets i need as well. thanks for the information on the different intakes. i know just enough about the LSxx motors to get myself into trouble 
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Instructor
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From: Columbia South Carolina
i used to own and run a shop specializing in vintage European, British and pre 1979 Japanese bikes. i think that the Bridgeport paid for itself by the end of my second month in business. i'm going to be trying my hand at a totally hand built guitar from scratch, using the CNC setup that is supposedly on it's way to me now. i'm thinking a neck through Telecaster in ash with a birdseye maple top.
