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Post Info TOPIC: 1985 C10 5.3L Vortec LS Swap


Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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1985 C10 5.3L Vortec LS Swap
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My daily driver gave up the ghost, and in not wasting my time with another gen I small block. 

This swap started Wednesday night. Got the engine out on Wednesday night.

Put the motor in on Thursday and everything bolted in as planned. Spent the money in the right places. Also ran fuel lines to the front aside from a couple splices to make and mounted pump.

I'll give an overview of the swap

2004 5.3L truck engine

4l60e trans

Dirty dingo slider motor mounts

Stock trans mount and crossmember

Will have dual 2.5" exhaust with x pipe made from old y pipe

Basic tune for power and to remove antitheft etc from computer

I did the wiring myself, deleted a few things etc... 

Custom engine cover lol

Will post more when it's done on lunch etc... Don't have much time to spare, although I made a really good chunk into it tonight.



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Will have to post a few pictures at a time the phone isn't liking the upload process...



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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IMG_20171228_230831868.jpgIMG_20171230_001025921.jpgIMG_20171229_212937119.jpg



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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More specific pictures now. 

Motor mounts

IMG_20171229_185735589.jpgIMG_20171229_185743491.jpg

 

Now for the Fuel System.

 

General explaination, replaced on the feed and return lines, the factory rubber hose with new high pressure rated hose. For the 3/8 feed line, it's rubber from the sender to the pump(only about a foot). Then on the exit of the pump, there's a short splice into a 3/8 hardline which was flared on the end to prevent slipping off the lines. Fuel injection hose clamps were used and in some cases doubled up for reassurance.

The big mess of fittings up front sucks, but it's what you have to deal with unless you wanna spend a milloin bucks on AN lines. Personally I think hardliners are the way to go but thats my .02. 

Thereis on the feed line as follows. Inverted flare to an, an female to an female, an male to quick connect female

Return line 5/16 barb to an female, an male to quick connect female

On the outlet, quick connect male to an male, then the big fuel line.

Pictures

IMG_20171230_002006972.jpg

IMG_20171229_223550862.jpg

 

Im trying to do this right, on a budget, and within a week. I realize some of the things and cleaning etc could be done better, but in gonna drive this in the snow for the rest of this winter, so cleaning isn't priority. I took liberty of the space and painted the firewall while the engine was out, but will see worry, or not worry, about inner fenders etc later.

Ask questions , I'll help the best I can. Its 2AM now, will hopefully have it running before lunch tomorrow. Like I said, I did the wiring myself, and hopefully I can get some good pictures of the fuse block I put together and how it tied into everything. 



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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So I got the fuel pedal in tonight too last minute. Had to take about 1.5" out of it and it's still a little too far to the right, hut I can live with it. Picture of this are going up too.

The box with the wires is the TAC Module,( throttle actuator control module, or servo/stepper driver). It plugs into the gas pedal and into the wiring harness. This will control the motor on the throttle body for your air intake.

TAC Module

IMG_20171230_014403679.jpg

 

Gas Pedal installed IMG_20171230_014346083.jpg

 



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Vienna ON Rod-Side Member Classic plane Restorations

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Looking really good, nice job !!

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Komoka On, Board recruiter, Good will embassador Rod-side Member

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Thank you very much for taking the time to post this build!!!!
TMJ



-- Edited by toomuchjunk on Saturday 30th of December 2017 09:13:41 AM

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Brantford On, Hooked on Nova's

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Here's how the old man helps out the kid!  Lol

IMG_20171230_090031350.jpg

 



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Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

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great job, looking real good.

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Race starter St.Thomas Drags Rod-side Aylmer On Member

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Great job Ben!!!! Thank you for posting this swap. Keep's this old guy informed.

 

 

 

junior



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Mississauga On Rod-side Member Ford guy

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Good job Ben !!!

Looks to me you got a smart old man LOL



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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I got the truck running tonight, will try and get more pictures of some finalized things tomorrow when im 100% done for now. I'll be leaving some wires not hooked up for nowainly for gauges etc because they won't work anyways. I did a burnout, coolant is consistent, thing is surprising how quiet it is at idle with open pipes.

 

Regardless, I started on the exhaust and have some pictures. Have to fill in all the pie cuts tomorrow and weld on the mufflers but should be straight forward. Summit short changed me a part on the clamp so it's one piece front to back for now, I'll clamp somewhere in the middle for ease of accessibility before the x pipe should I have to remove a cat or something.

IMG_20171231_012258776.jpg

 

IMG_20171231_012316826.jpg



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Foxboro On Rod-side Member

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it's looking good ben

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Tin basher Metal shaping guy

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Very nice Ben.



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Test drove tonight. Has a bit of a misfire so I'll have to look into getting coils. No engine codes though, runs good and it's pretty quick for a truck. Very impressed. 

IMG_20171231_193139401.jpg



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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So it won't start today, the battery is toast I guess. It sounded pretty weak even yesterday. I'll swap it out and hopefully that it. In going to try and get an exhaust video up and show the engine running then link it here from YouTube.


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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Got the exhaust fixed up today tried to hook up cruise control but failed... Not sure why yet but I'll have to check that it's getting power to the switch on the column first and go from there I suppose.
I took some more specific pictures where the exhaust manifolds and the down pipes bolt up to give a general idea of what you need. I also snapped some oil pan clearance pics.

20180106_172322.jpg

 

 



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Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

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One trick to cruise control is to make sure your brake lights are working. If one bulb is out, cruise will not work.

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Looked more into cruise control. Brake lights work and have power and all proper functions at the switch. Computer may need a ground signal instead of a power. Not sure.

Built a back rack instead or messing around more. Had the steel for a while and just wanted to get it done. All stainless tigged did it myself and pretty happy with it.Got to learn and practice a bunch too. Did haywire on the outsides and just fuse welded the inside of the box tubing on the rack and the outside rails are just welded on one side. That thing isn't going anywhere. And if I have issues I'll weld the insides later.

20180108_222528.jpg

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20180109_194002.jpg



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Tin basher Metal shaping guy

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Nice rack.
I usually reserve this comment for gals, but it's fitting here.

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Looks great....I am just finishing up installing a 5.3 out of a 2001 truck mounted to a 700R4 .....runs great installed in my 66 F100

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Nice swap going there knuckles. Is there a build thread?

The truck will scare you haha. Mine scares me, in this crap weather and with the open diff I can punch it at 80 and get squirrely even on cold dry pavement lol

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Komoka On, Board recruiter, Good will embassador Rod-side Member

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UH,,,,,,, for all us kids that weren't paying attention ( maybe I'm the only one).

Do the 5.3 and a non computer controlled trans like a early 700 play well together? 

TMJ



-- Edited by toomuchjunk on Tuesday 16th of January 2018 09:29:41 PM

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Brantford On, Hooked on Nova's

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toomuchjunk wrote:

UH,,,,,,, for all us kids that weren't paying attention ( maybe I'm the only one).

Do the 5.3 and a non computer controlled trans like a early 700 play well together? 

TMJ



-- Edited by toomuchjunk on Tuesday 16th of January 2018 09:29:41 PM


 Ben can say more about the details of your question but I can tell you that he swapped the trans out for a newer one as well.  I believe you can use the older 700 but he can answer that one with more detail.

Rich



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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You can use the trans. One bolt doesnt line up but it isnt an issue. You need a flywheel spacer and longer bolts to push the flexplate out further from the engine so the converter engages properly with the three splines and bolts up good.
You shouls be able to find the bolts and spacer on jegs and summit racing , but ive never used them so youd have to research what the part #s are.

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Youd have to look into if you using a cable throttle body on making or buying some form of kickdown linkage. Thats all i can think of that wouldnt work. Pretty sure you can program the computer to think its in neutral all the time. Your neutral safety is on the factory column and work with the factory ignition cylinder.

If you can the 4l60 is probably easier. The factory shift linkage works and theyre stronger. You lose out on speedometer, but im running a bluetooth code reader adaptor and a 5$ app for gauges with a suction mount to hold a tablet. Phone works too.

But at lease both options are covered. Any more questuons ill try and help 👍



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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20180119_170128.jpg20180121_141022.jpg20180121_124152.jpg20180121_141051.jpg20180121_141059.jpg

Got new rims and tires. Before and after pictures

Some better pics of the engine compartment. This is why i didnt clean better cus its plastered in salt already lol



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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New seat setup to replace the worn bench

20180203_180722.jpg



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Tin basher Metal shaping guy

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Nice. What are they out of?

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Funny enough, went to scrap yard didnt see much at all. Came to an astro van. Leather was alright for front seats but the back seat was mint. So its a bit too short but not bad. Its super comfy and next to brand new. Had some 3/16 L stuff bent up from work, ran 2 pieces of that all the way across between original bench brackets and stripped the van ones down to just straight mounts and welded it up.

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Tin basher Metal shaping guy

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Back seat from the van? Looks great.

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Ya astro van back seat haha

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Niagara Falls Rod-Side Member

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Same seat I have in my coupe...took out the center fold down piece and narrowed the bottom frame...then filled in the outside armrests before the new seat covers went on.......very comfortable choice...



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Oshawa Ont member

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Awesome work! Have you ever done a full swap for someone else and charged for it?

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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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No ive never done one for someone else. Ive just done a couple for myself so far.

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Brantford On, Hooked on Nova's

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gribbs wrote:

Awesome work! Have you ever done a full swap for someone else and charged for it?


He's going to be doing my 84 Suburban 6.0 swap!  Not sure if there will be a bill for it though!  LOL 



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Waterloo On Member

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Nice Job....I just complete a 5.3 swap into my 66 F100....except I used a 700R4 tranny I had.....32452594_10156311273720350_6081468327274741760_n.jpg32607538_10156311273770350_1233692474891829248_n.jpg32607538_10156311273770350_1233692474891829248_n.jpg



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Waterloo On Member

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ThatChevyGuy wrote:

You can use the trans. One bolt doesnt line up but it isnt an issue. You need a flywheel spacer and longer bolts to push the flexplate out further from the engine so the converter engages properly with the three splines and bolts up good.
You shouls be able to find the bolts and spacer on jegs and summit racing , but ive never used them so youd have to research what the part #s are.


true....however the parts off  a 6.0 work, factory longer bolts and the spacer, works right in on the 700R4 



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Brantford Ont Member He is that Chevy-Guy

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Figured with my dad starting on the suburban, I would update the daily driver I swapped last January. 

First and foremost, Impressed with the swap and how its held up with doing it so quickly. 

The engine burns a little oil, most likely due to valve guides but is a good runner and takes a beating no problem. Lots of power, my gauges are saying it should run a mid 15ish 1/4 mile on 31 inch tires with a newly swapped in 4l80e(more on this later). Im more than happy with it.

 

So the 4l60e I picked up was slipping like they always seem to do from 2-3 shifts. Robbed this 4l80e from kenny u pull for 180 with converter and flywheel and longer bolts plus wiring harness. I put in a transgo hd2 shift kit in and drilled the seperator plate for the hardest shifts and holy crap its nuts chirping the big tires at 80 when it bangs to second. Absolutely hularious and again, couldnt be happier with it.

 

Rear end was in need of help so switched to a 90s rear end with 3.73 posi. It works pretty good too.

 

Scrapped the x pipe and went true duals. The exhaust hung down low before because I did it so quick. Not it tucks up nicely. Made a transcrossmember too for better clearance when I swapped the trans over. 

Painted up a new engune cover too. 

May get to do some body work this year but im more interested in working on the 68.

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