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I just wanted to share my recent ls swap on my 81 corvette.
I started with a 2001 5.3L Silverado motor, harness, computer, and accessories. Removed the fan, a/c, intake, oil pan, and exhaust manifolds.
I used a Hughes trans adapter and ovaled out the flexplate holes since I am bolting it up to stock th350 trans. I bought some billet motor mount adapters off eBay.
I have stock steering and used the Fbody oil pan, pickup, and windage tray. I also just cut down the truck oil dipstick and bent the tube a little to clear hood.
I used fbody exhaust manifolds and tapped the water pump outlets for some 90 degree street brass fittings from ace hardware. Then bought some dorman heater connection for the hoses. I did have to clearance the aarm a little to make more room.
I used all the truck accessories. Water pump need the straight thermostat housing. Power steering pump fit great. Just cut the return tube a little and the pressure line was actually the same threads as my stock line.
Now for the alternator. I cut the bracket in the normal place to clear the ls1 intake. I then cut alt bracket from bottom of the alternator straight down and over to the top of the power steering pump. Leaving the three main head bolt holes alone. I then made a brace from the lower right head hole to the outside alt hole. I relocated the idle pulley to the top alt bracket head hole. Just used a longer bolt from fastenal and some washers for spacer. Used a 101" belt, I think.
I installed a walbro 255 intake just hooked onto the stock pickup. Used a corvette regulator inside the frame below the heater and a/c housing. I used a lot of stuff from the stock truck fuel line and rail. Just flared the tubing. Found a flex hose for fuel injection. The ls1 fuel rail can be flipped around so the fuel port is on the passenger side. That is what I did.
I used stock ls1 intake and injectors. I used a stock truck throttle cable. Just cut the cable down a little and used a throttle stop kit from advance. I made a custom throttle cable bracket out of the stock truck one.
Installed a regular electric fan controlled by the truck pcm. I made a standalone harness using lt1swap website. I found the stock cel wire ground and connected the wire to my stock harness. Works great. I used stock maf and map sensor. I made a upper radiator tube with the stock temp sensor and a steam port fitting.
Air intake was out of some stuff I had laying around.
This was a very cheap and easy swap. Please ask any questions you have. Pm or text me 4172248528
Cool,I always wondered if the was enough room in front of the engine to use the truck accessories,this is how I mounted my alternator,chopped down the truck mount and fabbed up a steel plate with an idler on it.
I just wanted to share my recent ls swap on my 81 corvette.
I started with a 2001 5.3L Silverado motor, harness, computer, and accessories. Removed the fan, a/c, intake, oil pan, and exhaust manifolds.
I used a Hughes trans adapter and ovaled out the flexplate holes since I am bolting it up to stock th350 trans. I bought some billet motor mount adapters off eBay.
I have stock steering and used the Fbody oil pan, pickup, and windage tray. I also just cut down the truck oil dipstick and bent the tube a little to clear hood.
I used fbody exhaust manifolds and tapped the water pump outlets for some 90 degree street brass fittings from ace hardware. Then bought some dorman heater connection for the hoses. I did have to clearance the aarm a little to make more room.
I used all the truck accessories. Water pump need the straight thermostat housing. Power steering pump fit great. Just cut the return tube a little and the pressure line was actually the same threads as my stock line.
Now for the alternator. I cut the bracket in the normal place to clear the ls1 intake. I then cut alt bracket from bottom of the alternator straight down and over to the top of the power steering pump. Leaving the three main head bolt holes alone. I then made a brace from the lower right head hole to the outside alt hole. I relocated the idle pulley to the top alt bracket head hole. Just used a longer bolt from fastenal and some washers for spacer. Used a 101" belt, I think.
I installed a walbro 255 intake just hooked onto the stock pickup. Used a corvette regulator inside the frame below the heater and a/c housing. I used a lot of stuff from the stock truck fuel line and rail. Just flared the tubing. Found a flex hose for fuel injection. The ls1 fuel rail can be flipped around so the fuel port is on the passenger side. That is what I did.
I used stock ls1 intake and injectors. I used a stock truck throttle cable. Just cut the cable down a little and used a throttle stop kit from advance. I made a custom throttle cable bracket out of the stock truck one.
Installed a regular electric fan controlled by the truck pcm. I made a standalone harness using lt1swap website. I found the stock cel wire ground and connected the wire to my stock harness. Works great. I used stock maf and map sensor. I made a upper radiator tube with the stock temp sensor and a steam port fitting.
Air intake was out of some stuff I had laying around.
This was a very cheap and easy swap. Please ask any questions you have. Pm or text me 4172248528
I am not sure how old this thread is but was wondering if you could show pictures and go into more detail about the alternator bracket mod. i currently just installed my 5.3ls in my 78 and the alternator is sticking up really high
I am not sure how old this thread is but was wondering if you could show pictures and go into more detail about the alternator bracket mod. i currently just installed my 5.3ls in my 78 and the alternator is sticking up really high
I can't get any pictures, but i cut the bracket from the inboard alternator hole down to a lower outboard hole. The rotated the alternator down and ran a piece of 1" angle between the bottom hole and the outboard alternator hole. Then had to cut out some of the angle to clear the belt
01-01-2016, 03:27 PM
C3 5.3L Truck Motor Swap
