The "help save my marriage" LSx swap!

[Chevydillan]

Nothing will happen. My newer pump didn't have the plug either and it's been just fine. I was glad to get rid of that variable p/s anyway.

[Skylark]

I just pulled a 2000 4.8 today and it didn't have that. It does appear to be untouched.

[Goldhawg]

Well, after two days I've completed fabbing the exhaust. Probably should have just taken it to the local muffler place, but I'm happy w/the results. All is now quiet on the western front. Now to get it to the tuner and start driving this thing!

[Goldhawg]

Well, a big fiasco over the weekend. My oil cooler lines that I had fabbed up (marrying the LSx oil cooler hard line w/stock tahoe hard lines going into the radiator) were joined w/Parker compression fittings, because I couldn't get anyone to make the factory hard crimp style. One of them started leaking like a sieve. I think the compression piece that fits over the hard line had not dug into the line when tightening. So oil went everywhere. And the line is under the motor mount and the bolt holding it to the block is almost impossible to get to. I spent 5 hrs yesterday getting it off--I won't put it back on since I can't trust that fitting to work; I put a block off plate on for now. But I was able to finally get it into the tuner last nite. I think he'll have it a few days as he is swamped. Can't wait to get it back running right.

[Blasphemy]

Definitely sub'd to this thread! I don't think you mentioned mating your LQ9 with your trans. Do you have the 4L60E and did you have to make any changes? My LQ9 is going into my '98 ECSB Silverado Z71. Also, did you use the same A/C compressor that was on the 5.7 or the one from the 6.0?

[Goldhawg]

I had to add the spacer to use the dished flexplate; I bought the spacer and new bolts from one of the vendors. Otherwise the stock tranny/torque converter bolted right up. I used the stock a/c compressor and Lextec's kit.

[Skylark]

Just for grins I looked at rockauto and an 02 6.0 and a 97 5.7 have different part numbers in both the ac delco and the delphi lines.

[Lextech]

Hhmmm. That is interesting. They sure look like the same part.

Jeff

[Goldhawg]

Well, it looks like I've got a slight air gap in the upper part of the throttle body blade. I was finally able to get the stock connector from the vortec motor to go into the 03 LQ4 IAC I had, but it made no difference. Then I put a piece of large rubber 0-ring at the top of the completely closed throttle body and the truck slowed down almost dieing and then started using the IAC. Since Ballistic Speed is out of business, what throttle body would you all recommend? Is it possible to get a replacement throttle blade? Are all 92mm throttle body blades the same?

[Goldhawg]

Well, we're almost home free now. I have the Tahoe back from the tuner, and after I bought a Nick Williams Throttle Body and replaced the Ballistic Speed unit, it runs fine with a great idle. Dyno numbers were disappointing (276 RWHP, ~320lbft across the curve), but when I get on it on the highway as if passing someone, let's say it is very feisty. I like driving it with the current power a lot. The original vortec w/all my mods only dyno'd 228hp, which I was also disappointed in. I'm running stock exhaust manifolds thru 2.5" pipe w/cats before going into a gibson single 3" exhaust. Not sure how much the exhaust is costing me. I also have a 3" elbow coming out of Diesel stock airbox filter going into 4" the rest of the way into the throttle body, so that's a potential loss. My tuner says he has seen up to 30hp loss just from larger 4WD tires like my tahoe has, so that is undoubtedly part of it. Anyway, with the Tahoe suspension this is not a drag car and it drives great, idles smooth and will flat out get up and go, so I'm glad to have done the swap.

Things to do/issues to clean up. I have no A/C, but the tuner has the compressor engaging when I turn it on, but it makes racket but no cool. So off to a shop this week. Lastly, the tuner had one problem he couldn't resolve--we can't get it to shift during WOT from 1-2. If you back off the throttle even slightly it shifts right away, but not if you keep it floored. He played with the commanded shift points (lowering it way down to like 4500rpm) way before the redline, but it didn't do anything. We had some code on "turbine shaft speed" that he didn't understand, and the only thing I found online suggested it wasn't an issue and could be turned off in the tune (so we did). The way I drive this it shouldn't be a problem, but if anyone knows what the issue is on the WOT shift, I'd appreciate it.

So swap is basically done and my marriage is still intact. What a great wife I have!

PS: Anybody want to buy a Ballistic Speed Throttle Body cheap?!