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]

Well the ecm tube request didn't go as planned. I think he was worries about me complaining about it when I got the engine installed. There are so many variations and modifications from one build to the next, a "stock" tune is almost really never the same.

Case in point, most guys will run a MAF sensor (actually 5 or so sensors in one) or a speed density setup.

I am going to be running a speed density setup with one veriation, I removed the Intake Air Temp circuits from the MAF sensor and installed an IAT sensor from a 3800ci GM vehicle and replaced the evap vent solenoid (on top of the Intake) with the IAT sensor. The probe sits right in the Intake stream to get a the correct temp.

A common tuning problem with speed density is how much intake air temp can change the air/fuel maps. Without a MAF sensor, there is no way for the engine to know what temp the Intake Air is. Now that problem is solved for me.

Back in track: so he was worried about me having to drive half way across the state to have him retune it. I tried to explain I wasn't worried about that, I just wanted a few sensors and the VATS system deleted.

Oh well. I have a buddy the knows a few guys that can bench time the ECM here in town

 

[410Fortune]

At least you have another brain to pick!!

 

[KurtECV]

Exactly. right now i am just looking to get the VATS turned off so when the drivetrain gets installed into the truck i am make sure everything is good to go with it, and i can have it tuned better when everything else is done.

 

[shran]

Cool build. LS engines belong in anything, haha.

I skimmed the thread but I noticed you mentioned the hydraulic clutch deal. I put a NP435 in my Ranger and ran into the same thing. I ended up using a Speedway clutch slave cylinder and the factory hose & master cylinder. Cut the slave cylinder end off the hose and use a compression fitting to attach it to the Speedway part. Then a piece of angle iron with bolts through it to mount it to the bellhousing.

That's assuming you have the right bellhousing - I used an '82 up F series small block one that has mounts for that truck's slave cylinder. Works great. None of the earlier bellhousings have the holes since they had mechanical clutch linkage. I'm assuming you're using a Ford bellhousing and an adapter plate to bolt up to the LS?

This is what it looks like:

 

[KurtECV]

Cool build. LS engines belong in anything, haha.

I skimmed the thread but I noticed you mentioned the hydraulic clutch deal. I put a NP435 in my Ranger and ran into the same thing. I ended up using a Speedway clutch slave cylinder and the factory hose & master cylinder. Cut the slave cylinder end off the hose and use a compression fitting to attach it to the Speedway part. Then a piece of angle iron with bolts through it to mount it to the bellhousing.

That's assuming you have the right bellhousing - I used an '82 up F series small block one that has mounts for that truck's slave cylinder. Works great. None of the earlier bellhousings have the holes since they had mechanical clutch linkage. I'm assuming you're using a Ford bellhousing and an adapter plate to bolt up to the LS?

This is what it looks like:

Thanks for the info @shran

No i am using an SM435 bellhousing (small variations between the chevy 435 and ford 435 bell housings)

Novak adapters has a bunch of mounts and adjustable throwout bearings.

The SM435 bell housing bolt up to the LS block with the exception of one or two bolt holes. That is the way GM designed the LS block. Currently i have the NP345 bolted to the SM435 bell housing and it looks good.

My biggest worry was adapting the explorer hydro clutch to the older stuff, i figured a custom line would do the trick. And also being able to fit the clutch setup between thr frame and all that near the block/bell housing.

 

[shran]

I'm assuming you mean SM-465? Just curious, I hear GM used NP435's for a few years as well. Did you have to drill & tap the Ford trans to bolt the GM bellhousing onto it?

I'd be curious to see if you can just use an off the shelf throwout bearing. I'm not super familiar with the LS engines but it seems like I read that the crank sticks out further on the back side so adapting certain manual trans flywheels to it requires machining the crank shorter. It'd be cool if you could use as many off the shelf, easily obtainable parts as possible.

Probably like a million options out there for clutch hydraulics and you can for sure use your master and cut the hose to fit. FYI the only further advice I have there is to use a 7/8 bore slave cylinder or larger. I tried a Land Cruiser 3/4" bore slave and the pedal was very stiff, so stiff, in fact, that I broke the mounting ears off the master cylinder at one point. That's what made me go to the Speedway one which was a huge improvement but still kinda stiff. If you can find an even larger one that's easily used, I'd recommend doing so.

 

[KurtECV]

Thats good to know.

From what i have found on the flywheels, the sachs flywheel (IIRC part number: nfs-1050) takes up that 0.400 difference in the crank spacing. Those are only like $75 new.

Novak has an adjustable throwout bearing, but as for off the shelf bearings, running the old chevy throwout bearing is the other way to go.

I called Novak a while ago and asked what works for their builds (mostly LS/Jeep swaps) when an LS is bolted to a ford np435: the "old chevy" are the np465, the "old ford" parts are np435 and the "new chevy" parts are LS based engines.

Old Chevy Bell Housing
99-06 Chevy 4.8L/5-speed flywheel (Sachs 1050)
Ford to chevy pilot bearing 12557583 (Novak)
Old Ford Presssure plate
and then it will be a mix of explorer/novak parts for the clutch setup

 

[KurtECV]

Well i getto rigged the fuel system and power/grounds to the ECM and starter. Ran a fake security programming on the ECM (with my daily driver) and started the LS. Loud as HELL with open manifolds on it. Only ran it a few times.

Went to the wrecking yard to drop some scrap steel off from work (rotors, wheel hubs, caliper) and got $36.00 for it all, but i did find a 4x4ish piece of 1/4 plate so i grabbed it. Walked across the parking lot with the 36 bucks and pulled three stock LS cams from some trucks and found one that looked good. $22 bucks out the door.

Local machine shop is going to polish it for me for $25 bucks and i should be able to install it this weekend and get the Nitro cam back to my buddy (assuming he is going to sell it).

The LS has an adapter for a mechanical oil pressure gauge, i just ran a section of hose and capped to build oil pressure and use it as a sight glass if you will, in case of a loss of oil pressure, better than nothing., but i do have a Sunpro gauge in my toolbox at work i am going to bring home to run on it for now. Planning to go to all electric gauges.

 

[KurtECV]

Got the motion nitrous cam out tonight. Figured I'd share some pictures on the thread.

Dual valve springs good for .650 lift.

Trunion upgraded rockers

The nitrous cam that's going home (mine is at the machine shop til tomorrow

Cam bearings look excellent

 

[KurtECV]

Oh ya and my buddy is a dirty pirate hooker for jacking up the torx bolts for the camshaft retaining plate.
GM uses two different bolts for the retaining plates. One with a Torx-40 head and a counter sunk retaining plate (like I have here.) Or a 10mm head and a flat retaining plate....

Guess I'm getting new torx bolts tomorrow at work

 

[gmanpaint]

What's stock lift ? Under 500 I imagine.

 

[KurtECV]

What's stock lift ? Under 500 I imagine.

0.457/0.466

Just for giggles n ***** I am going to do some research on the motion cam grind numbers tomorrow and see what they are at, just curious.

 

[KurtECV]

Welp the plan to go get steel for the rear bumper got trumped the the wife's plans for me this morning. So on to other stuff.

Got the cam put in and new camshaft retaining plate and new bolts.
Thinking about the SteamVents for the cylinder heads (removed hot spots and air pockets in the cooking system) I decided to tap the top of the water pump with a 1/4 npt fitting and run the steam vent tube right into the pump on the outlet side.

There are several places to tap into the top of the pump. This spot looks good to me.
Knocked down the casting boss to get the 90* pipe better centered on the pump housing

 

[KurtECV]

Using Super Lube on the drill bit and bore to keep shavings out of the pump, and a small magnet through several coolant passages on that side of the pump.

 

[KurtECV]

That is not the rubber hose I am going to use, but you get the idea. When I run back into town today I will get some proper hose the same length

 

[KurtECV]

Might out a splice in the center of that hose. The hose is extremely tight on each connection(at least it won't leak! And I can see having to cut the hose anytime I need to pull the water pump. The steam pipe system is extremely low volume, low pressure. I know the hose definitely will no come off without having to cut it.

 

[KurtECV]

What a long night...

Spent this evening (morning really!) building the Data Link Connector harness and finally tackling the fuse/relay box for the LS.

I need to redo some of the wire loom, and shorten some of the power wires, thinking about looking for a large in-line connector from the fuse/relay box to the engine harness.

It is 0417 and against my better judgement I went out to the shop and tested the relay box and the fuel pump turns on for a few seconds to prime the fuel system, and the IAC and another actuator (too tired, can't remember the name) cycle.

Tomorrow I will hook the rest of the connectors up and make sure the injectors and coils are getting power like they should.

3 fuses, and two relays power the entire engine.
Battery circuit, switched ignition circuit,fuel pump and ground the only wires That need to be hooked up to run the entire engine

 

[410Fortune]

Nicely done
I added a large plug on my bronco's power dist box so I can remove it easily and make changes/mods on the bench. Makes it much easier to add accessories and their own circuits. Then when I ran out of places for more accessories I added another 93 explorer power dist box
Seriously cannot wait to see this swap running!
The fit of the LS engine is impressive, lots of clearance, and well we already know how good these engines are........
keep up the good work!

 

[KurtECV]

Thanks. I am resisting the urge to pull the drivetrain out of the rig and drop this in there but I know I still need the clutch and hydrolic setup to buy so I'm holding off for now

 

[KurtECV]

Nicely done
I added a large plug on my bronco's power dist box so I can remove it easily and make changes/mods on the bench. Makes it much easier to add accessories and their own circuits. Then when I ran out of places for more accessories I added another 93 explorer power dist box
Seriously cannot wait to see this swap running!
The fit of the LS engine is impressive, lots of clearance, and well we already know how good these engines are........
keep up the good work!

The small fuse I'm I picked up still has 2 fuse positions and 3 relay positions.

I already have a 2 speed Taurus can installed from years ago And I thought about running the circuits/fuses/relays through there but they are already wired for automatic low speed and manual high speed override (to a switch on the dash). The relay for them is just hanging on the fender so that 5 pin relay may go into that fuse block. We will see.