Author Topic: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10  (Read 80351 times)

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« on: February 24, 2015, 07:37:15 PM »


Just picked up a new remote control for the old man in the driveway. This thread will be dedicated to placing an 2003 LQ4 in a 1987 V10 Silverado. I will be picking the engine up on Thursday and will do all I can to document every step, bad idea and 'dam it' moments.
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 09:06:55 PM »


The newest update. LQ4 from 03 Yukon Denali. From what I understand it has a different tune over factory truck style LQ4's which gives it 25 more HP. We will see. I fully intend on using both saddle tanks and the 700-R4. I will fabricate an bracket and lever for the TV Cable and pray I get it right. First on the list is stripping the harness and making her run. This engine only has 10400 miles so its still a baby! Not sure how far I'm going to go with the rebuild yet but everything will be posted.
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 10:28:34 PM »
Nice. Yukon Denali's are an all wheel drive SUV with a 6.0L V8. If I were you I would get the transmission to match it. You will have an overall better experience with the matching transmission. Also the computer talks with the transmission also so if you dont use the matching trans, you will have to elinamte those parts in the computer.

If you do use the matching transmission, you will need to make some adjustments for it to fit and make some changes to the drive shaft and some other things.

Overall I think you would be very happy and impressed if you used as much of the factory stuff as you can from the yukon, engine, trans, cooling components, wiring harnesses.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2015, 06:59:21 PM »


Looks like spaghetti tonight.. Getting started on the wiring. Before I took the harness off the engine I labeled everything with a liable maker. I have to start pulling pins and making up my mind about the drive by wire..hmmm to drive by wire or not. If it wasn't for the TV cable it would be a no brainer! I'm not scared of the DBW just of burning up the tranny.
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2015, 08:09:14 PM »
Use the DBW, in the end you will be much happier, besides the vehicle was designed to use an electronic throttle pedal.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2015, 08:16:36 PM »


Starting with the firewall plug to the in cab fuse block. Label each wire by its number and letter designator. If you look real hard you can see letters 'A-F' on the short side and '1-12' on the long side.





Once they are labeled, pull the blue lock rail up and lightly push the black wire pin lock out to release the wires from the block. I cannot stress enough how important it is to label everything first. You can disassemble it row by row to help you label each wire.
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2015, 10:03:53 PM »
Having done this before, I agree. Taking harnesses apart is a giant pain. On the upside, I don't have to do it so I hope your having fun lol.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2015, 03:00:30 PM »


So I decided to keep the DBW and weld a lever to actuate the TV cable for the 700-r4. So I bought this should be here at the end of the week!
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2015, 11:43:47 PM »
Oh man, send 1 my way. My welder just crapped out like 2 weeks ago haha.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2015, 07:15:23 PM »
LTZ C20 Deal I will send you one but in return I need you to send me a factory five GTM kit...!
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2015, 07:19:04 PM »
Finished pulling all the unnecessary wiring from the harness. I haven't taped it back up because I will be bidding as much as I can so rerouting is needed. Welder should be in tomorrow! Im going to go ahead and get all the fuel system ordered and mockup done so hopefully I can weld a run stand and fully test the engine before I start tearing into the truck.
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline LTZ C20

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3795
  • "I'm here for a good time" -George Strait
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2015, 02:42:28 AM »
Nice. You got all this goin and I got a new tool cart today, 1 of them harbor freight red ones. Really nice actually.

By the way, I'm gonna pass on the new welder, 25 grand is a little steep for me at the moment lol.
LTZ Cheyenne C20

Offline Captkaos

  • OWNER and Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18351
    • http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2015, 01:12:41 PM »
looking forward to seeing this.  The Denali should have a LQ9 in it BTW...

Offline frotosride

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1428
    • WFO CONCEPTS
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2015, 11:20:33 PM »
looking forward to seeing this.  The Denali should have a LQ9 in it BTW...
I said the same thing to the guys I got it from, Justchevytrucks.com, and they swore it was an LQ4..either way its to my advantage so oh well. I'm planning out the fuel system now. Just to make sure Capt, the hardlines are 3/8 and return is 5/16 right. I'd hate to order the wrong hardline adapters.

My plan now is to keep both tanks and just remove the supply lines from the selector valve replacing it with -6 lines and fitting as well as a check valve coming from each pump. All the wiring will stay the same and the selector valve will still  route the return line to the appropriate tank. I think I'm going with the ACDelco EP381 unless there's a reason not to. The fuel rail has a regulator so it should be fine since the engine requires 4bar 58psi and the pump puts out 60psi. I don't think I need a regulator.

 I do have a question about engine plates. I do not want to move the transmission or cross member in either direction so will a set of plates that mount in the stock location work?
Also does anyone now where I can get the pilot bushing for the flexplate to make up the difference between it and the TQ convertor?
"Beat it like a red-headed ford"
1987 v10 Silverado(LQ4), 87 R10,83 K20, 83 cucv 6.2 Detroit
2006 Boulevard M109R 109 cid,2019 M109R BOSS
2009 Jeep XK, (future LS Swap)
GSXR 750 engine awaiting go kart

Offline Colby

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 43
Re: Getting a little fancy... 1987 V10
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2015, 11:55:08 PM »
My LQ4 had "LQ4" cast into the back of the block, just fyi.

Shawn