1984 Corvette "LS1" Engine Swap/Build

[eilax53]

Well I finally realized I never posted this here... I have on other forums and decided to post it here as well... Enjoy and the posts are just copied so the wording might not make sense. These are posts spread apart a time frame of about a month... Enjoy

Well after some research I have decided to do an "LS1" Engine Swap/Build. This was the thread that convinced me to do this swap...
Click HERE
and I started to wonder if anyone has done this swap in a C4. It turns out that corvette fever has done this swap in a C4 and its called Project C4orce. Once I saw that I knew that, that was the engine swap I wanted to do. The reason I'm not doing an actual LSx swap is because it is too much money for a high school kid.

So today I managed to get down to the junkyard and pick up an LM7 327 (5.3L) engine from a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500. It has 52k miles on it and cost me $600. It seems to be in good condition and everything but I have 30 days to return it so I am going to be doing compression test and a leak down test first. Once its good I will be swapping the truck intake for an LS1 intake, fuel rails, and injectors that I bought used for $130 (still waiting for it to come in the mail). All I need to get the motor running is a LS1 harness and ECM then it will be good to go for the swap.

 

[eilax53]

Here are some pics of the motor the way it is now (how it came from the junkyard)

It came with everything besides an alternator and belt.

My Ls1 Intake

 

[eilax53]

Well got it set up in the garage on a stand and started to rip it apart



Intake off

Cleaning it up and took off all the accessories

 

[eilax53]

Heres a quick test fit




Well finally got some free time to get a little work done on the engine. I spun it upside down and took off the oil pan to check out the bottom end and look at the cylinder walls. It looks great. You can still see a slight bit of cross-hatch pattern on the walls.

And heres the difference between the truck oil pan and the Firebird pan.

Now im back on hold untill the new windage tray arrives. Also in the market for an LS1 harness and ECM. Might start disassembling the car to get ready to pull the crossfire

 

[eilax53]

Got some more work done...

Windage tray and pick-up tube installed

Oil pan installed

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Coolant Lines and knock sensors installed

Intake, Valve Covers, and coil packs installed

Engine Harness installed (for now)

I gotta figure out some things about the harness since there seems to be extra wires that I dont think I need. This week I am off from school so I should get a lot of progress done on the engine

 

[eilax53]

Got some more work done...

Heres a look at the blizzard we got yesterday and yes thats the curb poking thro on the bottom :laughing:

Had to shovel a pathway to my car :laughing:

Heres some before shots

And the progress I got done today

I removed the air pump, alternator, power steering container, and the power steering pump (besides the one hose going to the rack, got to dark)

 

[eilax53]

Removed the SMOG pump, A/C, distributor, radiator and shroud, crankshaft pulley, and hood.

 

[eilax53]

Well... I have some more pics :cheers:

This is what it looks like today... Will keep you guys posted as my progress continues

 

[Sunstroked]

Please do keep us updated!

I have read the project C force article several times. I too am thinking of doing the truck engine transplant. I have one in my 07 Silverado and believe me, it has plenty of power. If you go to Performance Chevy LS Engine Comparison - Chevy High Performance Magazine
you will find a lot of very good information on the different LS based engines. The 5.3 is considered a real sleeper and great buy.

What are you planning on doing for the transmission? I have read you will need an adaptor to bolt up to the LS. That is 1 of my concerns I am working on addressing. My other option, is to just pick up an LS1 and transmission from a late model GTO, camaro or firebird. $3k-5k complete.

I'm still working on a budget and plan to do this right without downing my car for months.

I have already done a cost study on rebuilding my stock 125k mile LT1 to bring it up to todays h.p. levels. For the money it will cost me to do this, ($6500) I figure I can put the LS based engine in. Have the benefits of the gen 3 engine and speed parts made for this engine.

I feel for you with all that snow, reminds me of growing up in MI, no garage, and doing car repairs in the driveway or a neighbors garage.

 

[eilax53]

To be honest I havent worked out the Transmission part of it yet. I was told that my transmission will bolt right up but may need a spacer... I will let you know for sure when I get up to that part.

Not many people know about the 5.3L swap. For the money I just dont see a real LS1 being worth it. These 5.3L are also very well built for boost down the road The old crossfire was like
Thanks for the great info

 

[Rogue]

Please do keep us updated!

I have already done a cost study on rebuilding my stock 125k mile LT1 to bring it up to todays h.p. levels. For the money it will cost me to do this, ($6500) I figure I can put the LS based engine in. Have the benefits of the gen 3 engine and speed parts made for this engine.

I did a similar cost-study to put a ZZ4 crate motor into my L98 powered C4. The swap, including the ZZ4 motor plus all upgraded parts (intake/exhaust), plus the installation labor came out to $10k.

I then did another cost-study to simply upgrade my L98 with new heads, camshaft, headers, intake, computer upgrade and that came out to $5k with labor (no bottom end rebuild). If I did the work myself the labor part would have been significantly reduced.

The shop I spoke with to do the work said the ZZ4 swap would have yielded around 400 rwhp, while the L98 upgrade would have yielded 300 rwhp.

I figure an LT1 would easily yield you 370 rwhp with bolt-ons alone. Unless your LT1's bottom end is no longer viable, the bolt-ons would make the most bang-for buck without any of the complications of swapping a totally different motor along with the associated electrical/transmission hook up work. Having said that, the thought of having a 400 bhp LS motor on a C4 is nice if the swap is done right.

 

[Sunstroked]

The LT1 is a pretty stout engine. For some information on what these engines are capable of try this link. Advanced Induction - Cylinder Head Development
If I decide to rebuild the LT1, it would be a waste of time and money to not go into the lower end. It will be made into a 383 cu in "stroker". So you're looking at 3k for the bottom end. And another $3500 for the top end. That includes redoing the original heads, or buying aftermarket heads, bigger injectors, ported intake, head bolts, gaskets etc. What it does not include is headers or having a custom tune done.
Check out some of the power these engines are producing at the above link, nearly 500 h.p. without any power adders.

But the beauty of the LS swap is that the engine is a newer generation. The engine breathes better as is, but performance parts are numerous if you want to get serious. You can buy a 400 hp GTO takeout engine and tranny for well under that $6500 price, and still have the benefit of the latest aftermarket parts. Although many performance parts are now available for the LT1.

 

[Towu4free]

So are you using a stock 5.3 engine with an LS1 intake? that would yeild around 295/300 HP correct? and around 340FT LBS TQ. That oughta run pretty damn good . Are you doing any other things to the motor?

 

[eilax53]

So are you using a stock 5.3 engine with an LS1 intake? that would yeild around 295/300 HP correct? and around 340FT LBS TQ. That oughta run pretty damn good . Are you doing any other things to the motor?

Yes it is a stock 5.3L with the LS1 intake. I have heard ranges of HP/TQ numbers but 295/300 HP and 340 Ft Lbs Tq is in the ball park.

I am not sure if i wanna make sure the engine runs good before I upgrade the cam and springs to LS6 components. Not sure yet.

 

[G Winter]

You ae giving me ideas. I want to find an early 80s Malibu 4 door to build a grocery getter.
Was thinking L98 or Lt1 but for the bang for the buck looks to me like the LS pickup motor is the way to go. Bet I could get by with the OEM manifold in a Malibu.

You got a great project going there .

Glenn

 

[93Rubie]

As good as the Gen 1 Small Block 55-91 is and the LTX Series 92-96, you gotta love the LSX engines, just keep those Chevy Small Blocks down, gotta love it. LSX swaps are popular is many foreign cars RX7 for example, go figure.

 

[eilax53]

Just an update on the build...

I hit a brick wall trying to attach the tranny to the motor. I have a couple of things to try out but nothing to post picks of yet. Once I get everything worked out I will post pics and most likely put the motor into the car for a test fit. And then its electrical and making everything look good. Like cleaning the engine bay and painting the motor.

So on the to-do list for the rest of this build and in the order that it will be completed in(most likely) :
1. Attach tranny to motor
2. Figure out electrical
3. Try to Make Long Tube Headers
4. Do an LS6 cam upgrade (still debating)
5. Clean engine bay
6. Soda blast Engine
7. Paint Engine
8. Install engine
9. Work out the accessory brackets and Belt layout.
10. Get it running
11. Put car back together
12. Donuts in the parking lot

I will try to post pics of as much as I can

Cory

 

[22229stingray81]

VERY cool project. I'm diggin' it. I totally sympathize with the working on your vette in the cold in a car tent. I still do it actually.... I can't wait to see it finished. Good luck!


-Tatortot

 

[92BlackVette]

13. Fix Windshield

 

[eilax53]

13. Fix Windshield

Yeah and if you wanna keep going...

14. Finish interior
15. Fix ALL exterior lights
16. inspection and registration