Official NBS 4.3v6 to GEN 3 V8 swap Guide

[b18c1turboedek]

I got my truck running perfect now. It was low on tranny fluid, that was causing the higher revs.

Just too add a little note in here, i swapped a 2003 4.3 motor too a 2003 5.3 motor, the torque converter worked with no adapters or extensions needed. I used the stock 5.3 flexplate with it as well...

I just tought i would state that for future people looking too do this swap.


Now time too turbo the truck.I want more power already!!!

[zebra]

well... then you'll want a higher stall to build some boost when you launch

[carnell]

Well I'm at a stop for my engine swap. 3 weeks ago, I gave my wiring harness to a local car electrical shop after they told me that the splice and repair would take just over a week. That was 3 weeks ago. When I call I get the owner who says he is going to call me back but he never does. I left him a nasty message last night and he called my wife this morning saying that she can pick up the harness after 2pm. He calls her and asks for a delay. My wife, digs her teeth in and he now says that he's going to drop it off at our house tonight, again after a few hours past, my wife calls and he says he just around the corner. That was 3 hours ago. My guess is the for what ever reason he doesn't have the harness. I'm not sure what my legal options are but I now have to find a full working engine wiring harness. WTF......

****Update****

The shop owner just left my house (10pm). The harness he had wasn't mine. I had every connection taped with blue & white tape stating location and purpose of plug. Not one piece of tape was on there. The 2 big connections for the PCM where wrong. I have a blue and red and his harness was blue and green. It also had a DBW connector and I have a 02 5.3 that has a cable throttle. I'm beside myself...... Needless to say he took the harness back with him to make the changes.

[gottaswapup]

File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, for starters.

[RedHeartbeat]

Sounds to me like you're dealing with Oscar Juarez, crook extraordinaire.

[gottaswapup]

I just spent my evening researching transmission options, can anyone confirm the FLT level 3 will live with a stock LQ9 towing up to 6500 pounds, but no racing, nitrous, or other abuse? Until tonight, I was a Bowtie Overdrives believer, but it seems the FLT is now the right company for me. It's going in an '06 RCLB 2WD WT 1500 with few options, and 4.10:1 gears, and 245/70R17 tires

[RedHeartbeat]

Seriously, you need to change over to an 80e transmission for that level of towing. The 60e was never designed to work that hard.

[gottaswapup]

Thank you for being willing to type what you felt would be helpful, but it doesn't really directly answer what I'm hoping to find out.
To all future responders, a 4L80E is NOT happening. The TCI 6X is too costly, plus would require another axle ratio change, this time going back to a 3.73:1 gear.
does anyone from FLT ever log in here? I'm looking at a combined weight of around 11,000 pounds dry. Not very much. In fact, adding the GVWR of pickup and trailer comes to only 14,000. Not a serious load. Stock 4L60Es are rated to do that with a 5.3L.
It occurrs to me that the elevation I live and drive at affects engine output, so I researched that. It seems I lose 4% per thousand feet. I live at 4500 feet, so I'm losing 18%. So, 380 ft-lbs times 0.82 is 311.6. That's right between a 4.8 and a 5.3. A level 3 should do. But I want to tow to the Olympic mountains, ( among other places, ) and the base of those is near sea level.
Looking at FLT's info, compared to level 4, the level 5 adds a billet 4th gear servo, but I don't tow in fourth, ever. It also adds 5-pinion carriers, which aren't needed below 450 ft-lbs.

[Frenchy]

You're going to kill a 60e, I don't care what GM rated it for, you'll burn it up towing anything. So either blow your money on whichever one you choose than replace it with an 80e when it breaks, or put an 80e in it now. But then from reading your other posts it's taken you a decade to put a new rear end in it, so I can see why you don't want the hassle of the 80e swap, the truck would be permanently down. And then you'd have to get it tuned for the 80e and God knows tuners are just out to steal your money.

[RedHeartbeat]

You do not need the TCI controller for the 80e to work on a Gen3/4 engine, the PCM can be tuned to control 100% of the shift functionality. You don't need to change gears to get the 80e to accelerate quickly either, the 80e converter is a lot looser than a 60e converter is. It's your money, spend it how you like but do it wisely and well informed.