The Black Pearls LM7 5.3 LS SWAP!

SO I guess the time has came early for my 5.3L LS swap on The Black Pearl!!

LET THE HATE BEGIN!!!

I have a buddy that is a drag-racer but started working for a ****ty speed shop in the area and now he is burnt out from engines and all that; He is getting into guns and i have built a few ARs. We did some talking the other weekend and we figured that one of my ARs is worth about the same as his 400-450 horse Gen3 LM7 (706 heads, Gen4 internals. Titanium valve springs, retainers and guides)

Currently the piston rings are gaped and it has a cam setup for spray but he just hadn't gotten around to get nitro setup in the car yet. This is in a late 80s Monte Carlo BTW.

This are some pictures i loaded on my SAS build thread so i will post them up here to keep it all in one place.

This is just a general picture i found on google but thats pretty much the setup i am getting.

I have some 2010 Camaro exhaust manifolds that will be used (IF they fit!) that he threw in as well.

I went to the wrecking yard last weekend and picked up a 2000 tahoe fuseblock, harness, MAF and PCM for $40.65 out the door.

Started pulling it apart and removing ALL un-needed circuits, Factory fuse block, A/C, EVAP, Trans and a few other circuits.

i also added a few circuits such as a secondary ground circuit for the Taurus 2-speed fan i have installed. The fans are controlled by the PCM, the PCM sends ground to the fan relays to turn them on/off at set temps (that will be programmed into the PCM when it gets tuned).

This is what we have left:

To clean things up in the engine bay i am going to use a Corvette style fuel system. There is no fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail, it in in-line on the frame rail. It also uses a return-less system incorporated into the fuel filter, with the regulator.

450 is overkill but this pump is a direct for to the explorer in-tank fuel pump according to Walbro.

This fuel filter will replace the factory Explorer fuel filter. It is a Corvette fuel filter with a built in fuel pressure regulator. With a return line back to the tank for unused fuel.

These engines require 60PSI fuel pressure and the 1gen explorers are only pushing around 30-40 PSI.

 

[KurtECV]

I think i am going to mount it to the LS and run it and see what it does. I have all the specs for line pressure.

Just need to build an engine/Trans run stand with a radiator and fuel tank

 

[KurtECV]

Decided to pull the TH400 apart today.

Everything looks excellent. bushings, thrust washers, clutches and steels all look great

with the exception of the Forward clutch pack.. its toast.

 

[gmanpaint]

Awesome. Transmissions amaze me, with all the engineering that went into them.

Hope it goes back together easier than tearing it down.

 

[KurtECV]

Well if the build is easier than the tear down then I should be able to do it with my eyes closed.

Compared to the 6/8/10 speeds I've done recently a 3 speed looks like a cake walk.

Just reading through different mods and deciding which ones to go with or not.

Going to order a 4l80e direct drum, 34 element sprag/race, and the spiro cut retaining wing from work tomorrow unless we have them in stock.

 

[KurtECV]

I wasnt planning on buying the TCI reverse manual valve body just yet but I found a guy within driving distance that had one for sale for $50 bucks so I jumped on it. He didnt have the springs for it but those are available for less than 20 bucks through TCI.

I'd say that's a pretty good score

 

[410Fortune]

Just need to build an engine/Trans run stand with a radiator and fuel tank

Would be so cool to have!!!!! was thinking of just keeping part of an old sport or something for this.....lol just a dash and some frame rails with radiator support

 

[KurtECV]

Would be so cool to have!!!!! was thinking of just keeping part of an old sport or something for this.....lol just a dash and some frame rails with radiator support

That would be a lot to store. You can buy an engine run stand for like 300 bucks on Jegs

 

[KurtECV]

Picked up a Winters Shifter for the th400. $140 shipped to my door. It came off a fox body that had a C6 so i will have to buy the hardware kit and the gate plate that match the th400 (about $40 bucks total)

It is reverse pattern shifter. the gate plate i am going to buy is the same one pictured. No gate between 1st, neutral and reverse. If i get into a situation i need to back out of quickly, there is no gate to have to shift around. but that also means being able to slam it into reverse from 1st gear... going to have to watch that lol

 

[BKennedy]

I had a Turbo 400 trans in a 68 El Camino with a 396 when I was in high school. The column shifter was sloppy and it would go from D to R. I accidently did it a couple of times, once at about 25 MPH. Flat spots on rear tires, no damage to transmission. T400's are tough.

I have a B&M Megashifter for the 700R4 in the Explorer. No way to slam in reverse by accident, but it takes a second to shift. They all have their good and bad points. I have recently become annoyed with the B&M because its gotten very sloppy and has a lot of side to side play. I am going to try to see if its correctable, or I will be looking into another shifter.

Edit: It looks like there are a bunch of different shift pattern gates available for the Winters shifters. I got this picture off Poly Performance's site. If you don't like the 1st to R gateless shifter, it looks like you can replace the plate with one that has a gate.

Art Carr-Winters Shifter, Universal Flush Mount

 

[KurtECV]

Yup I can run any of those (depending on which VB I am using.) But it is a reverse pattern full manual VB.

It is ACTUALLY a lockout version. But I pulled the lockout section out last night. So I can literally use any of those.

I am going to buy the reverse rock crawler gate. If I dont like it (too many 1st to rev/park drops) i can but a reverse lockout gate and just reinstall the lockout mechanism

 

[gmanpaint]

Personally I would use the gate to stop from accidentally going into the wrong gear.

I had the stereo fall out of the dash once and land on the console. That was a laugh, but could have been bad too.

Once your used to it, it will be second nature to operate it. Just like a manual trans and wheeling, you blindly find the right gear quickly when needed.

 

[KurtECV]

It is completely smooth from 1st to reverse on the shifter side of it, there are no detents in the shifter or cable. it is all in the detents within the transmission range selector (inside the pan) so i assume i will still be able feel neutral and reverse (along with the obvious gear change)

 

[BKennedy]

Let us know how you like the shifter. My Megashifter is a ratchet type and I love and hate it at the same time. I like the positive shifting, but don't like the effort it takes to shift. I have messed with it more than I want to and really like the look of the one you picked. I would go with the stock pattern out of all of those, but I don't have or want a reverse valve body trans. I change transfer case gears often while on the trail and need N, and to be rolling slightly with the Atlas. I would be afraid of popping into R without a lockout.

 

[KurtECV]

Mine has the lockout, it came with the "lockout reverse" but is for a C6.

You have to pull up on a mechanical lever to shift in OR out of park AND reverse.

Notice the rounded edge on the gates of the "lockout" versions, those rounded edges are where the mechanical lever drops into, locking it into those positions.

 

[KurtECV]

Seeing as i am going to make an addition to my Tuffy Console i figured its time to start planning out the doubler/triple stick layout in relation to the console.

Triple Stick GM 203 to Ford 205 Doubler Shifter

Going to give ORD a call and see if they have mounting specs for their sticks, i and dont believe i saw if they were cables or not.

Found some picutres of what guys have done with their Winters shifter and tuff consoles.

 

[KurtECV]

You know what would be really awesome to have.... a power inverter that had a remote charging station wired to it.

something like this..

 

[gmanpaint]

I spy something that resembles the Atlas cable shifter's on that Jeeper console. Might be someone here that has a set not being used, from what I recall.

That remote setup on that inverter looks pretty handy.

 

[KurtECV]

That remote setup on that inverter looks pretty handy.

Sure would be handy. One would make a nice addition to that console build

 

[BKennedy]

I spy something that resembles the Atlas cable shifter's on that Jeeper console. Might be someone here that has a set not being used, from what I recall.

That remote setup on that inverter looks pretty handy.

I sold the Atlas II cable shifter kit a few months ago.

I have a little portable inverter that will charge a laptop, LED flashlight batteries, etc. I decided not to hard mount one because I have never used the one I have.

 

[KurtECV]

I was wonding about that shifter kit you had. Just got off the phone with ORD about their triple stick setup and it is pretty much a ford 205 twin stick, and then a single stick gm 203 but it all come together in one bracket... i was hoping they were going to be a cable style. Thinking cables are going to be the way to go for easy of installation and because this in not a common setup that comes along.

I could hear the Tech guy's eye bulge out of his head when he asked about the application and i said a 93 explorer with an LS/400/203/205