I have been researching and have not been able to dig up the info I am looking for so I decided to post up my question. Hopefully someone has done this and can shed some light on it for me.

Ok I am looking at picking up a C4 6 speed corvette and drop in a newer LS2 or LS3 6.0 liter motor. There are several artical out in car craft, super chevy, and all the other rags about hopping up these motors. See the link below for one in particular.

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...dup/index.html


So the idea of a 500ish hp vette makes me grin from ear to ear and should be able to be done for a reasonable price. Has anyone ever done a swap like this?

Some questions that come up are:
-will the accessories from the original motor transfer over
-oil pan issues, maybe use one from F body car with LSX motor
-regulator to step down fuel pressure or change out pump (Carburated)
-hood clearance issues
-spark can be controlled with after market unit
-any issues with factory ECM not being hooked up fully to old motor
-bell housing pattern mounting issues
-clutch pressure plate comptibilty
-Long tube header availability


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Bill at www.zfdoc.com is doing this now on his C4. Making a kit for the ZF to mount to a LS. Call Bill nice guy he will take the time to talk to you.

 

I did some research on this a while back here is the link to all the info everyone gathered for me. I'm still interested in doing it I just found out that it was going to be rather spendy.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...2-into-c4.html

 

some help

 

Guldstrand did it here

 

All that work for a stock ls6 motor. I'd call anyone a complete morron for putting in an ls motor unless it had over 650 na horses.

8 grand for the motor
8 grand in labor
8 grand in suspension

... I really dont have to say anything.

 

My lowly LT1 will have 600 to the tire on 5psi when I'm done with it.

 

I agree with ya.
I can see some people just do it because they can, seriously, some have more money than brains IMHO.
But, they may just want a reliable DD.

 

Some people just don't add up the real numbers. It is not that hard to match that performance with way less money tied in to an engine.

 

Reliable???
Have you seen what the harness for those looks like?

You need to piggy back it to get a late model dash to work

 

Well thanks for all the input. Sounds like mating that engine and trans is a bunch of work not to mention sub frame clarance issues, etc, etc.

I have a 78 Z28 4-speed with a 350, heads, cam, intake yadda yadda yadda.... I want a newer car without all the squeaks, rattles and crappy handling. I know the new LSX motors drop in with without as much hastle and I could adapt the compatible T56 trans with it. But I would still have a crappy old car.

If I stay the old route I will just need to fine a well restored car that is very solid so I am satified with it. I guess I am kind of wanting to go with the pro tour seup.

My original plan was to buy a new 2010 SS camaro (I know vette forum shoot me now) but that thing is a 4K lb pig but I love the way it looks. Maybe I could sack up and get a C5 and build off that platform.

I just know that for 32K I can have a car that performs much better than the new camaro.

 

yes a c5-c5z06 -c6 would be much better choices. Ditch the swap unless you are totally in love with the c4 body. The c5 and c6 both are much much better daily drivers than the c4 to boot. Just my opinion

 

Since I am finishing my swap up now I think I can shed some light here. First off, when I started researching all I saw was $$$ and all said too much $$ was needed. I kept pretty good track of EVERYTHING that I bought through 90% of my build. When I left off about a month ago I was somewhere in the $6500 range. That covered everything from the T56 and LQ4 to the LS2 intake, Cam, springs etc... as well as new gears for the rear end, clutch.... 92 mm throttlebody..... I think you see where I am going with this. So the money isn't awful. Had I put in a stock LQ4 or LSX it would have been significantly cheaper. I won't argue the oldschool vs newschool BS because I really don't care. I could not have bought a C5 or 6 for the 10k I have in my C4 right now.
Clearance is no big issue unless you want to keep the A/C. I didn't (never worked since I had the car anyways....plus the top comes off).
Last point. Dash connects in seamlessly. The newer pcms account for damn near anything and if you fork out the dough for a tuner you can make the dash say/do whatever you need it to.
Now your specific questions:
Some questions that come up are:
-will the accessories from the original motor transfer over
- No, need accessories from a corvette. I don't think that the F body will work because of where the alternator mounts.
-oil pan issues, maybe use one from F body car with LSX motor
- Yes. I have seen ppl use the F body and corvette ones. I don't know what mine was off of, but the only way I know to describe it is that the baffling is not removable. If you were searching through some you would know what I mean.
-regulator to step down fuel pressure or change out pump (Carburated)
- You will probably have clearance issues with a carb setup. However if you go that route you can just put a low pressure regulator on it. I used this method before on a sbf swap into a rx-7. Worked just fine.
-hood clearance issues
- none with the ls intakes. Sits way lower than the tuned port intake.
-spark can be controlled with after market unit
- Yes, but suggest going with the stock unit. cheaper and very versatile
-any issues with factory ECM not being hooked up fully to old motor
- no but it isn't needed anymore.
-bell housing pattern mounting issues
- depends...suggest getting a trans that was designed for the ls platform
-clutch pressure plate comptibilty
- no different, will have to buy
-Long tube header availability
- got mine for around $200. Were meant for a camero or trans am. I had to do some cutting and welding but they ended up good.

Do whatever you want to do. If you are looking for the most cost effective thing to do....good luck and get in line. If you are wanting to get a bit of confidence to take on a project...then dive in, there's plenty of folks out here with the knowledge to help you out when you get stuck.

 

We need PICS!!!!!

 

I think there are some key features that turbogtu mentioned.... most importantly the LQ9 engine used. The LS3, LS2, LS6's will run much more expensive than the LQ9's or other truck engines.

the iron-block version of the Ls-x's are cheaper, but you loose the benefit of the weight savings.

the stock Ls-x into a c4 is kind of pointless if the goal is 400-500rwhp. A very solid and reliable SBC gen-I or gen-II will get you there.

once you get the Ls-x into the car, than you've got to run a few tests to make sure all is well, and working correctly. Than you have the luxury of dealing with parts interchangeability. in the re-sale market, this might be less appealing to a future buyer... so if you're going to do this swap, you're essentially commited to also keeping it.

I've only seen half-a$$ kits for these things, only offering headers, engine mounts, and some other hardware. It might be more interesting if a vendor offered a total A-to-Z kit (with harness, etc).

the Ls-x does have it's benefits (remarkable heads, solid aftermarket support, compact, lightweight, responds well to mods, boost, etc)

the details will dime and nickle you to death, the big items is the "easy" part.

if you do your own a fab wrok, you're also going to save a lot of money.

BTW, I've now seen (here on the forum) c5's going for AS LITTLE AS $12,000 dollars! What part of that makes the Ls-x into a c4 appealing? If you want a Ls-x get an earlier c5 and go from there. A lot more stuff for the c5/c6 than the c4, and the platform is light-years ahead of the c4.

 

 

 

Sorry.. Dreaming LSX lately.. Thanks for the pic But i was hoping for LSX pics .

 

Ill post anyway for fun.





Been there done this......

Basically I did the simple math and that made me decide. I blew my LT1 LE2 making 400rwhp on the dyno. The shop guy said dont sweat it Ill build you a 383/396 shortblock that can handle it. For a pretty low price of $5500 ish dollars I said yeah right. Counting the heads and cam that makes my motor a $8000 motor.

LS2 (2005 Corvette w/ 37000 miles- pull out motor full accessories) Bought from LS1tech forum member.
$3300

Fuel plumbing (PM for complete list)
$200

Motor mount
$100

Flexplate LS1 converted
$100

Flexplate Spacer (12563532 need to still try and see if this works)
$50

Wiring harness (Im going to the pros for it Im not doing a hack job)
$1500 (includes flyby wire, performance tune- plug and play-3 weeks)

Headers (melrose headers)
$1000 uncoated, rewelded, than coated.

Oil adapter
$200

TrailBlazer gas pedal
$100

Dana 44 3.45
$1500

Total Cost $8070 Parts/ $700 Misc. Call it $9000.00 projected.

You can build a pretty unstable LT1 for this amount but you can not beat the platform that is on know. By next season I will be running a Magnacharger on mine and I will put what about 530rwhp 530rwtq. Guessing. Not counting the mods done and the meth kit. I think Ill be well into the 500 area at the wheels and can still stop at a light and sound stock and not die out. Im so happy I did the swap and money well spent. Hands down Ive been done both paths and the road to the LSx is WAAAAYYYY more appealing.

Plus the swap is easy.

 

You are my hero..