I thought I would throw up some pics of my 5.3L/4L60E swap into my 85 GMC swb 2wd pickup. My build log is over at Glock's new project: "Fred" - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network with the engine swap starting on page 18 (LOTS of great discussion and ideas in this thread!).
8-29-09: Pulled the 350 TBI engine. Only has about 30,000 miles on it, but it gets about 14 mpg and has a slight surge at cruise. The PO built this engine (a 91 vintage) and installed the TBI from an 87 donor truck.
9-7-09: Set the 5.3 in for the first time!
9-7-09: Later that day, I had the engine compartment cleaned up and put on a little semi-gloss black paint. Set the engine and tranny in for the final time.
9-7-09:
9-7-09:
9-8-09: Modified the drivers side head pipe by cutting it off and turning it until it cleared the frame and made it real easy to hook up to the existing dual exhaust.
9-8-09: I was able to use the 5.3's chromed power steering pump by by swapping the large fitting on the back of the pump that the pressure hose screws in to. The return line on the pump needed a little tweaking, and the truck's line needed a little tweaking too. This let me use the truck's stock hoses, no need to buy or have special hoses made!
9-8-09: I turned all the injectors 180° so the wire harness would be out of sight.
9-11-09: Got the fuel system done, with the exception of the new 87 gas tanks, which will be here tomorrow. Installed a new high pressure switching valve too. If this setup (vavle) doesn't work out, I'll swap things around by adding another filter/regulator to the system and putting both of them BEFORE the switching valve. Then I can cap off the return connections on the valve. But S&P has done many swaps like this, and they say they haven't had problems with the high psi valves plumbed like this.
9-12-09: Exhaust is hooked up now.
9-12-09: Installed the radiator support out of my 91 Suburban parts truck. I will get a GMC grill for it later.
9-13-09: I modified the electronic gas pedal by cutting off the pedal and welding the OEM pedal to it. Now it look factory, and you can't tell it's the electronic pedal when the door is open and looking inside. It looks stock.
9-13-09: The PCM will sit in behind the rad support on the drivers side. The wiring is all finished now, including the cruise, fuel pump relay, and e-fan relays. I still need to make a mounting bracket and cover for the PCM.
9-13-09: Got the cluster connector re-pinned and the cluster installed. It's out of a 90 Blazer, and has the electric speedometer. One wire runs from the PCM to the speedo.
9-13-09: I had an old OEM air intake from a truck I had that got a CAI setup, so for now I will run this until I can get the parts to make a nice intake setup that runs to the drivers side. I cut the big goiter looking thing off and formed a piece of sheet metal to cover the hole. Sealed it with some RTV.
9-13-09: This is where it is at right now. I did get a conical air filter for it and installed it last night and made a bracket to cradle the MAF and keep it snug. I also took a 1/2" threaded brass pipe plug and drilled & tapped it for a 90° 1/4" barbed fitting and installed it into the heater hose outlet in the radiator, then ran the steam hose from the heads to that. Also cleaned up some of the wiring with split loom.
I used the plates that are of these dimensions:
This put everything in the perfect position! I have plenty of room for e-fans, and plenty of room between the firewall and the engine. The shifter linkage lined up perfectly and only needed a tiny bit of tweaking on the rod that runs from the frame to the trans. The drive shaft went right in, the 4L60E yoke is the same as the TH350. The tranny cross member was slid back, and only two new holes had to be drilled on each side.
All that is left is to get the tranny cooler hooked up (will have the AN fittings from Summit tomorrow), install the new pumps into the new fuel tanks (tanks will be here tomorrow), install the new O2 sensors (should have them Friday), hook up the temp sending unit (waiting on the adapter from S&P), and hit a bone yard on Saturday to find either a stock fan or e-fans that fit the 85's radiator. Then it's ready to fire up!
I was going to run the AC compressor in the stock location, and might still. I would need to notch the top frame rail and build it back up higher for the hose fittings to clear. I'm debating on whether to do that or using a Kwik Performance top mount. I'll figure that out next month. Also need to get the 3.42's installed. Later I'll swap out the turbo mufflers that's on there now for either Magnaflows of Flowmasters, and have the tail pipes run straight out the back.
That's all for now, I'll post up some more pics when it's finished. I'm hoping to start it this Saturday or Sunday!!
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