Hey everyone!
Today I had the pleasure of having my LT1 lose oil pressure in my daily driver vette. So I've thought about buying a LT1 longblock, but thats boring. So I am thinking about buying a beater for a daily driver and starting a LSX Swap.

I have some questions first though...

1) I am going to try to do this on the cheap at first and start with an iron block truck motor pullout. I'm thinking that this is the smartest route right now because of my stock 4l60e transmission and weak Dana 36 out back. If I go this route would it be easy to swap in a 6.0 monster with L92 heads later after I get the funds to strengthen the 4l60e transmission and the rear to a Dana 44 from a manual car.

2) The motor mount plates available from speedhound (http://www.speedhound.com/LSX%20swap/C4plates.html), it says on their website that they are for l98 corvettes. Will these mounts work on a LT1 Car?

3) Do you have to have a 4l60e transmission from an ls car? Can I use my current 4l60e will the ls computer control it?

4) Am I in over my head? The only other motor swap I have done was in my friend's honda rice rocket, we swapped it a few years ago in highschool.

Heres my part list so far.... hopefully i can get the right parts the first time it seems like a lot of trial and error has gone into these swaps

-5.3 motor
-speedhound motor mount plates
-c4 lsx melrose headers, can I use shorty headers or stock manifolds?
-corvette accessories and brackets: waterpump, powersteering pump, alternator, harmonic balancer
-fbody oil pan
-ls1 intake
-a bunch of wiring $$$

What do you think?

 

Theres no such thing as doing this type of project on the cheap.

(ie. If youre going to put so much effort into it, do it right so you wont do it again cuz-you-wished-you-did-it-better-the-first-time 3 years later).

The only issue I have with this is you talk about using a heavy, iron block truck motor.

Why? If you are going to do that, then id keep it simple and rebuild / (find a replacement) your lt1. Use competition ported afr eliminator heads to create head flow numbers approaching that of an lsx.

The real advantage of an (aluminum) lsx is its lighter weight.

Now, if you are planning on boosting it with 25 psi boost or something, then upgrading it to iron block truck lsx motor is what you want.

My $.02

 

Wiring harness. A ls-1 can be had for about the same$$ as a lt1.
I was going the same route but after searching archives, maybe too much. I am going with a golden engine 383 low compression (FI) Advanced induction heads and a Vortec.http://www.golenengineservice.com/en...d-short-block/

 

if you are going N/A or building a road race car, aluminum LSx is the way to go.

If you are going FI, then the LTx, with aftermarket heads, low compression, and blowerworks supercharger drive bracket hardware, is fine.

 

Street motor. Period
Thanks for Blowerworks info!

 

You better define cheap...$5k? $8K?

Sorry, but at this point I would have to say "yes". You should review some of the other LSx swap threads and decide. chaos has one going now. fc soldier has some good threads/experience as well.

 

I understand that there is no such thing as doin this project on the cheap, but i'd like to do it as cheaply as possible, I'm only 25 and this is my first car that i'm going to set aside for an actual project. Also I don't have a ton of money to throw around though. I'm tryin to keep the swap under 5-6k.

The reason I was going to go with the truck motor initially was because they are dirt cheap and I don't have to worry about the 200lbs comming off of the front of the car. I would imagine that that much weight difference would create handling issues and make the car look like a lowrider with the front end way higher than it should be.

I was thinking about that, but I like the everyday driveability of the ls platform. I have a friend with a 450+ rwhp 4th gen camaro and I am just amazed at the street manors of his car.

Thanks, i've read through both of those threads multiple times. I'm going to try and learn from these guys mistakes. Both of those guys and a few others have had some very well documented swaps. Ch@os even made his own wire harness, thats crazy.

 

I can understand the money. I didn't have crap when I was 25, in fact, not having money is what made me learn to do the work myself.

I personally don't think you are in over your head, just need to define your goals (road race, drag, street, etc.). Also need a garage and a backup car! These things take double time what you expect.

I had a roomate, in 02, who went thru all these pains to swap an ltx, auto trans, and its ecm into an 89 camaro.

I warned him that he should consider at least working the heads and installing a hotcam kit (which were the rage at the time) into it while it was out of the car and easy to work on.

He did not take my advice.

He ended up w a car he put many hours into, that still got beat by stock mustangs.

This is why its importa t to define your goals. These goals are not only what you want right now, but also what you envision your car 5 to 10 years down the road. If you dont anticipate your eventual plans with your car (ex. if you decide to go forced induction someday) you will spend double trying to correct the base work you put into it.

For example: Lets say you decide to go 5.3 lsx iron block (or even rebuild your ltx) and want forced induction someday. Iron blocks are def. better if you want to make 700+ rwhp. You might not have the money (or desire) for that now, but you may someday. Well. you had the engine out of the car - where it was easy to work on. Thats when you should have put on the forged pistons/crank you will need for total reliability. Having to yank the motor (AGAIN) to do it is not the way to spend your time.

Everyday driveability is fine on sbc and ltx based corvettes too, but I cant really argue the benefits of the heads/intake of LSx is very clear. They are more efficient. Theres a whole step up w/ technology.

Lsx has a definite place in our cars, if your goals are n/a all out road race or n/a street performance.

 

You're profile doesn't give your location, but if you're in CA a truck motor isn't allowed from what I've read.

 

Thanks for understanding the money issue, haha. I'm a school teacher without a full time gig (damn economy, they're not hiring teachers), so I'm substitute teaching and bartending right now. Needless to say, i'm not rich. If I do get a full time teaching position this upcoming school year my vette will be a monster sooner than later.

So my longterm goals for this car are to have around 450rwhp and still be streetable. I want to do it right and put in a aluminum ls motor first but I just dont have the $$ for all that right now. I figure if I put a dirt cheap used lq4 6.0 I won't have to upgrade the tranny or the rear so soon and i'll have a running vette. Plus that will give me time to save up for the rear end, built up tranny, and brand new forged aluminum block ls motor.

I'm just tryin to keep this project somewhat affordable at this point.

 

Keep the forum updated as to your choice.
from what I have read, the Wiring harness will cost and be the biggest hassle. What kind of power did you have in mind?

 

go with the iron block for sure its only 70 lbs heavier than an aluminum ls1 motor and the block is stronger not to mention the cost difference between a complete 5.3 or a ls1 motor out of an f - body you will probably pay $1000 or more for the f body motor for an extra 20 hp stock

 

What is the ratio 100lbs is a tenth? off the quarter?

lm7 units are super awesome!
Had one in my old silverado and it pulled that beast around great and super reliable.

However for the invested money, I think you'd be better off with a a fresh LT1 and a blower works supercharger kit.

Overall whats the purpose of the car?
Track/autox?
Strip?
Street?
Cruiser?
and whats the budget?
I think those two things are pretty big factors in your decision.

Once you figure all that the answer may be clearer.

 

yes you are correct about the 100 lbs per 10th of a sec of course depending on air density elevation temp outside that day etc but thats a pretty close rule of thumb.

theres no doubt the lt1 is a great motor however in my opinion the ls based motors cant be beat , the heads, 6 bolt mains, realistacally you can take a 5.3 do a cam swap to a z06 spec cam put ls1 f body heads on it ($200.00 or so on craigslist) and have a 400 hp n/a street motor and have none of the problems associated with a supercharger on the street, detonation as intake charge temp increases i went through all this on a street driven 700 rwhp 94 cobra before, now i beleive you are onto something for a track driven car but i would intercool it even then if a supercharger were in the works. I also would be willing to bet for the price of the supercharger kit alone he could build this ls based motor i am talking about by scouring the junk yards

 

You are definitely right about building an LS motor, and they cant be beat. I in fact, plan on building up an ls1 or an lm7 next summer for a track car and have plans similar to ones you just stated. Still it depends on OP's intent, budget, and time frame. I think he could have the supercharged setup or something similar in much less time then an LS swap, not to mention supercharging the LT1 has been done numerous times and is down to a science on what works with these motors. On the other hand the lm7 or similar LS motor might have a few snags along the way that may involve extensive fabbing or modding of parts that OP might not be up to the task for. I genuinely believe supercharging would be easier and cost about the same for the similar power, and always enhanceable with pulleys and head unit.

Personally, unless you plan on going all out with the swap, I'd stick with the LT1 forged internals open up the heads, hot cam, and a nice v1 making around 6-10lbs with a good tune and proper stall would make one hell of a street car. And everything will "bolt right in" for a pretty respectable price and room to grow.

I think with all the input OP will make the right choice for himself in the end.

 

http://www.vetteweb.com/tech/vemp_11..._up/index.html

Vette Magazine series

Bob Thomas
40th coupe

 

After watching the power block show-LSX are expensive and not plentiful
They recomend the LQ9,They can be had for around 1700 and suping it up to 560hp cost an additional 2000,I want to know how do I adapt to the 6 speed bellhousing,stock wiring.fly by wire-etc to my 92 vette.

 

Yeah I thought about that, but I'm a broke elementary school teacher without a full time contract. I'm still thinking about the swap possibly this summer. I'm leaning towards a lq9, l92 heads, ls3 intake ,t56 trans, dana44 rear now.

P.s. I did find out that my lt1 is not blown it just had a clogged oil pump, the shop just wanted to make some more money I guess.

 

There are frame fabrications needed as well is a little metal to be moved around. Build the h#ll out of that small block roll it decrease your CC in the heads kill it with a nice streetable cam and a guild balancer and you can put 450 ponies on the back tires. Much cheaper then modifying to a B.B. have fun. Believe me I've raced a BB VETTE with my small block and smoked it in a 1/4 mile shot.