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]

This is the first time I've ever welded with 16g and also the firs time using .025 wire so my welds look like crap.

We have a fancy new smoke machine at work. I am going to bring the manifolds to work and smoke test them, and weld up any pinholes with the shop welder so I know the system will read correctly.

 

[KurtECV]

Man it's been a minute since I've updated this thread!!! Sorry guys.

Finally got my plates in! They have been sitting at the licensing office since about August and no one knew.

Holding off on the Eco-box for now, so i decided to get the slip-yoke eliminator setup going on the NP241 transfer case. The output shafts are heat treated a few millimeters into the metal, so I cut about a 1/4 off the back of the shift, and drilled and tapped the center.

I got the trans and power steering mounted, nothing spacial on this side.

I did get the factory explorer steering box rebuilt and drilled/tapped/plugged for future hydro-assist.

I had the local napa auto parts build me a custom power steering pressure hose, from the LS pump, to the explorer gear box. There are a few inches of each factory hose/line (to use their respective fittings) and then to a very common hydraulic JIC -6 mating ends. I was assured that these are the absolute most common fitting used at any place were hoses are built so it will be very easy and cheap to build a replacement while on the road/trail.

The rear driveshaft is about 35-36 inches long, I found one that was freshly rebuilt. The front driveshaft from a 2010 F350 diesel is only a few inches longer, requiring a cut and balance. They use 1350 joints and is double carden so it worked out well.

Before getting the rear driveshaft back from the shop, I decided to pull the truck out and get the shop cleaned up which marks the first time the truck has moved under it's own power for the LS swap. Front wheel drive only and no fluid in the brake system but hell it moved.

I have a few videos that I am unable to upload them to the forum.

 

[Godzilla2y]

I have a few videos that I am unable to upload them to the forum.

Can you upload them to YouTube?

 

[KurtECV]

Needed to clean the shop of Really Bad, and figured the best way was to move the explorer out of the shop, so I threw a bunch of stuff together and moved it for the first time.
Dont mind all the hoses and everything, still a lot of small stuff to do.

 

[Godzilla2y]

Amazing. It sounds good, dude

 

[KurtECV]

Amazing. It sounds good, dude

Thanks. Nothing too spectacular about the engine, lots of upgrades to the valvetrain for "reliability"

 

[Godzilla2y]

Thanks. Nothing too spectacular about the engine, lots of upgrades to the valvetrain for "reliability"

It's a hell of an upgrade over the OHV, and that's spectacular enough

 

[KurtECV]

It's a hell of an upgrade over the OHV, and that's spectacular enough

Yeah I originally bought a 5.0 out of a 95ish f150 but it was only like 100hp for all the work, and my buddy had built 5.3 in his drag car that he got tired of, and into guns so I traded him a ar15 truck gun straight across and we drove his car to my shop that weekend, pulled the engine and flat towed it back to his house a few blocks away.

 

[KurtECV]

Well finally got the transmission cooler lines ran. -AN fittings at the th400, 3/8 high pressure trans fluid hose, several feet of ~5/8 split loom and a couple P-clamps secured with 1/4-20 rivnuts to the inside of the frame.

 

[KurtECV]

 

[KurtECV]

A little sneak peek of an awesome project for the Black Pearl. Thanks to @gmanpaint and all the hard work he did on it, and for the piece de resistance that I just got installed, it REALLY ties it together.

 

[KurtECV]

IT LIVES!!!

FINALLY got the first LS swapped explorer on the road! AND it's "legal" lol.

It's got some pep in her step. Trans is shifting well, I can actually bark 2nd gear on dry pavement, but I run the risk of breaking the lugs inside the trans case so I wont be done that anymore but at least I've got some bragging rights!

The steering/alignment needs to be tweaked a little. Above 55ish it's a little sketchy. Got it up to 70 mph and that was enough excitement for me.

There is a little drivetrain vibration at 50-60 but I noticed NONE of my tires have wheel weights in them.

The body roll is white knuckling, definitely need to get a front/rear sway bars at some point.