Author Topic: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions  (Read 10074 times)

Offline Gagecampbell82

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82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« on: December 06, 2016, 09:15:23 PM »
Hey guys, I got tired of fooling with the old small block in my 82 c10 and bought a 5.3l with harness and pcm from a dbc 01 Silverado 1500 2wd. What I'm looking for is someone with experience with ls engines. I'll be replacing the oil pump. Timing chain and possibly cam. But my truck is dropped 5/7 and I need a set of mounts,  headers  (preferably long tubes) and a oil pan/pickup that will work together and also with the drop. I'll also be running my th350 with a aftermarket flywheel.
Thanks.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Captkaos

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2016, 09:54:56 PM »
Holley has mounts and headers, I run the factory truck pan on mine.

Chris Lucas
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Offline Gwtt

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2016, 01:47:48 AM »
The stock oil pan will hit need to add a Holley retro pan or LS1 from a Camaro of firebird.

Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2016, 08:37:26 AM »
Thanks guys, I'll prob swap the pan to be on the safe side. The roads here are terrible. Capt. Did you have any problems with the o2 sensor bungs? I work in a fab shop as a painter so if they need the bungs plugged and a new one welded in that's fine. I'd just like to know before I order. Thanks.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2016, 08:40:42 AM »
Also I'd like to run a in tank pump because I will be re doing the fuel lines/ sending unit since my current setup has no return line. Do you have any recommendations for a quality pump?
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2016, 08:59:12 AM »
Also I was just checking out the Holley mounts and do you have to use the trans cross member and mount adapter they sell? I will if it's required but id like to use my current crossmember as long as the mounts don't move the engine from the factory location.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline roundhouse

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82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2016, 11:45:48 AM »
I just transplanted a 02 5.3 into our 76 K-10
We already had a 4" lift so can't help you with the oil pan

We bought a new tank for a 1987 from rock auto and used a stock GM pump
Don't buy a cheap pump
You will be replacing it again soon

We sent the computer to
"Team208motorsports"
http://www.team208motorsports.com
To have it reprogrammed
He will rework the harness and add a fusebox for a reasonable price and it comes ready to hook up three wires ,and run

We did the harness ourselves but if I do another one I will have team208 do the harness too since it takes a lot of time to rework the harness yourself

We also swapped in a 5 speed from a 2007 Silverado at the same time





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« Last Edit: December 08, 2016, 11:57:05 AM by roundhouse »

Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2016, 12:21:46 PM »
Thanks. I've heard good reviews of team208 motorsports. I'll most likely use them. I'm unsure if I want to do the harness my self or not. Not sure if I have the time. The 1987 tank is what I've been looking into. It's a direct swap right? And I found this but I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble. 
http://www.vetteworksonline.net/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=177
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Captkaos

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2016, 07:32:07 PM »
The old pan will hit what?  Your will have to have some really bad roads for it to hit.  The control arms hang lower, but many people swap pans.  Unless you plan to run the gas well below 4 gallons and you are cone racing it the existing tank will work.  You need an 87 sending unit and a EP381 fuel pump.   Did you look at my build thread?

Chris Lucas
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squarebody.biz


Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2016, 10:42:26 PM »
No I haven't capt. But I will for sure. Everything post of yours I read is very detailed so I will defenatly be reading it. One day I hope to bag the truck. But It'll be a while down the road. If anything I could always change the pan later. I just didn't want to drop it in without any info and then the pan hang to low. I'm gonna go check out your build thread now. Also, do you have any experience with Russell fuel fittings. They supposedly make fitting to go from hardline to an fittings. Assuming I use a inline corvette filter/regulator I don't have to run a return line right? Although I'll have to figure something out since my fuel rails have a return I believe.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2016, 10:48:50 PM »
Sorry for all the questions. But would I also need a fuel strainer for a 1987 tbi truck or should I get a strainer for the ep381. Assuming they aren't the stock 87 fuel pumps.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Captkaos

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2016, 07:28:30 PM »
You have to change fuel rails at the intake to go with the returnless Corvette's filter.  Many companies make hardlines conversion pieces.  If it is know I wouldn't think twice about using them.  Russell, Earls, etc
For the strainer, us the one that comes with it.

Chris Lucas
73-87chevytrucks.com
squarebody.biz


Offline Gagecampbell82

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2016, 08:41:58 AM »
Thanks capt. Your build thread is great btw. What fuel rails do you suggest I change to? I'd like to use the stock truck injectors also if possible.
1982 Chevy c-10 Scottsdale, 350/TH350

Offline Captkaos

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Re: 82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2016, 04:58:55 PM »
I run return style fuel rails.  If you want returnless you need the rails off of a 2004- up non flex fuel pickup.

Chris Lucas
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Offline roundhouse

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82 c10 5.3l swap questions
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2016, 08:29:08 AM »
Running a return line is no biggie
I just used the stock fuel line as the return line and ran a new line for the high pressure line

I used a 87 tank , it's less than $100 at Rock auto we tried using the stock tank with an external pump on the frame and it just didn't work right
It will work after you prime it , but if you ever run it out or let the level get low and take a sharp turn and it sucks air , it will never reprime itself , you have to remove the discharge hose and use a vacuum pump to reprime it

So we used the 87 fuel pump assembly but swapped the actual pump for a higher pressure one.
You use everything from the 87 pump assembly except the actual electric pump

Let me doc around and see if I have the pump number and what it's actually from

Edit :' pump is AC deco EP381
You have to shave off a little plastic tab on the pump to get it to fit into the 87 assembly

Don't buy a cheap off brand pump
Get the GM one

Used a filter from a 80s cross fire corvette I think
Let me roll under the truck and see the number

Used the dorman adapters to connect the rubber hose to the rails

Don't use the adapter behind the intake manifold to run your stock oil pressure gauge
We did that and ours cracked and blew oil everywhere

Drill and tap the removable plate above the oil filter for your sender unit 

If I had it to do again I would definitely  pay team208 to do the harness work and include his fusebox and relays box , it comes back with every connection labeled and only three wires to hook up to your vehicle and they are clearly labeled

It's very time consuming to do the harness yourself and this swap will take some time , was my sons truck and he wanted to do the harness himself just to see if he could and so he could and  tone able to say  he did it himself

And if a 16 yr old wants to spend days reworking his wiring harness instead of playing video games , I'm ok with that !


I wouldn't change the oil pump or timing chain or cam
Our engine had 260K on it and it runs great and has good oil pressure and good compression
I figured if it made it this far on the stock oil pump then why mess with it ?
We did replace all the gaskets while the engine was out ,
Intake, valve covers, oil pan , rear main seal etc

except the head gaskets, again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it . I'm not cracking open a 15 yr old stock head gasket that's still sealed up.
But the good rubber  gaskets that are reusable


I would check the compression before you install it
We checked it hanging on the hoist
Pull the plugs and hook up a jumper cable to the starter

We flipped the fuel rails to make the connections be on the left front instead of the drivers rear
And you have to do a little surgery with a sawzall and dremel on the intake , there's some tabs and junk sticking up
But it's worth the trouble to me , takes about an extra hour or so
We just painted the valve covers and Intake cover with red primer
And did some custom surgery on the intake hose , used a dremel to chop off the giant square box on the hose because it was hitting the radatior and we used the metal plate to cover it up , I snagged the plate from a 50s era coal fired power plant that was abandoned , I was with the crew mapping out the asbestos and lead to be removed and thought the metal plate was cool, turned out it was the perfect size to cover up the hole

We used the LS throttle cable
The metal cable inside the plastic tube is about an inch too long where it connects to the gas pedal
We wrapped the cable around one time and used a tiny clamp to take up the slack but you have to put something inside the loop to hold it open ,
think we used a tiny bolt with some washers and nylon nuts to make a miniature spool 

I cut a slot in the top of the stock gas pedal from the top down to the factory hole
Spread it open just a little and snapped the plastic groove into it and it works fine







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« Last Edit: December 17, 2016, 10:54:38 AM by roundhouse »