Author Topic: Please look my 5.3 parts list over  (Read 10908 times)

Offline spanky1205

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Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« on: April 06, 2014, 01:09:00 PM »
Most people get on the forums and ask for a list of parts. The general reply by the forum was always do some leg work and come back to us with actual questions.  I am trying this the other way around.  Here is my list please look at it and tell me what you think.  Do you see any parts that do not work well together?  Any brands you would avoid? Any problems or thoughts would be appreciated.  I have no experience with this swap so I am relying on a few of you that do.  With this being said I am currently sitting in Afghanistan on a government contract.  I am having a difficult time wrapping my mind around the hard line fuel lines we talked about in the other thread.  I am going to go that way I just can not find part numbers and associated costs.  I have left the braided stuff in as a place holder of sorts.  Please don't beat me up too bad.  I think I will get it once I can put my hands on some things in the parts store.  The attachment shows a part name, cost, notes, and link to the part for future reference.

Thanks,

Anthony

1987 Chevrolet V10 5.7 Quadrajet TH700 Trans 4x4 - Bone Stock

Offline dvdswan

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2014, 04:51:04 PM »
looks like a nice list.  I might have missed it, but I didn't see a fuel pump on the list.

Offline Captkaos

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2014, 09:53:14 PM »
Fuel pump, filter sock and if you have a pickup you need the hardline adapters to AN fittings.
Make sure you radiator is up to par, if you want an alternative to buying the steam part check my thread out.  It pretty much lays alot of stuff out..

Offline Skyshadow

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2014, 08:03:12 PM »
***How did this come up on my subscriptions list? oh well, anyways...
-You can rewire yourself for free and retune thru LT1swap.com for $75. The wiring is not a daunting as it's perceived.
-As for "drive by cable throttle body", just buy a 2003 or older LM7 and it's already cable. (saving you money brother)
-You can use your original radiator. Dont waste money like me and get a new one for no reason.
"Fuel sending unit" & "Fuel pump" explain..?
-As for all these sensors you're wanting to buy, you can use a 90's model gauge cluster and wire from your ecu. would be a part of your rewiring project ;)
-Going to need F body manifolds or headers.
-I advise getting 4L60E trans to go with for max power and efficiency.

Offline spanky1205

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2014, 12:54:29 AM »
Skyshadow, I am not sure how my post came up in your subscriptions, regardless thank you for taking the time to post. I plan to try the rewire myself.  I had listed it before I found out how to do it.  The throttle body was listed as a worst case scenario, just incase I could not find a low mileage engine of that year.  I will probably go ahead and remove it.  Thanks for the tip on the radiator, I saw it listed enough in other posts that I thought mine may not be big enough. I will re-check the "fuel sending unit & fuel pump".  I had toyed with the idea of using a blazer tank and such.  I may still have some parts listed for that.  Regardless my intentions are to use a new fuel sending unit for my pickup, since mine does not seem to work, and a high pressure in-tank pump.  I did not think a 90's instrument cluster would fit inside my pickup since it is a different size and shape.  I will look into the different options and see which is more cost effective since I would like a new instrument cluster anyway.  I have not really picked out anything specific for the exhaust.  Some of what I have read says the manifolds fit and other do not.  There has been too much differing information to make a good plan.  My plans were to find some f-body manifolds if all else failed.  I would really like full length headers but I don't like the cost of anything that is a direct bolt on.  I found a link where a guy took some bbc headers and changed the flange to fit the 5.3.  That seems cheaper than anything else I have found for full length headers.  The trans has been something else I have looked into extensively.  I currently have a fresh 700R4 so I would like to use that to save some cost.  From what I have read the only differences between the 700r4 and 460LE are the electronics.  I currently have a working trans I am comfortable with vs buying a used 4l60 that I really don't know anything about.  I am also not sure what the cost will be to hook my speedo gauge back up to the 4l60.
Thanks,

Anthony

1987 Chevrolet V10 5.7 Quadrajet TH700 Trans 4x4 - Bone Stock

Offline Skyshadow

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2014, 08:36:02 AM »
I can promise you the stock manifold will not fit. When i did my swap i kept the manifold on and it wouldn't go between the frame rails. I went with F body type long tube headers, they still required a little tweaking to get them straight, but they are bad.
As for the trans, Yea they are the same except the electronics but the electronics are the big thing here! The 4L60E has a TCC switch that stops engaging the converter when the brake is applied. That makes a huge difference.
Here is the thread over my build if you want to look it over...
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=24073.0
Also pretty much anything Cpt Kaos has posted will have fathoms of info to help you.

Offline SomeTexan

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2014, 09:06:40 AM »
03 is drive by wire, that's what I'm building. Although some people fear dbw, it can be very usefull. You can adjust throttle sensitivity, speed and proportioning. For instance, drag racing, you can adjust the tb to open to 60ish percent in the first 10% of throttle travel. Then 60-100% will be controlled by 90% of the throttle travel. This gives you better control when trying to be consistent. Also, cruise is easier to set up with dbw too.

Spanky, I don't know about big block chevy headers, but many people run small block ford headers. They just cut off the flange and weld up an ls flange. I would go with a 4l60 or 4l80 over an old 700r4. They are similar, but they cost less to build than the 700. They also have way more adjustability. Having a computer controlled drivetrain is nice, I have tuned them to lock the converter early to hide a high stall, then had tow/haul on a switch as race mode. There is no need for a "shift kit" as tuning handles it all. Plus, they are stronger and cheaper to build. I have personally put over 800hp through a stock 4l80 for 60k+ miles. Trans had 190k when I got it. Tough, and a dime a dozen. You could probably sell your 700r4 for enough to get a takeout 80 and a decent converter.

Another thing to note, the lt1swap diagrams aren't 100% correct. I took mine to a local lsx shop for them to figure out. Seems lt1swap confused a few of the pin numbers. Go by wire color and you should be ok.
86 swb c10, LQ4/glide with 80mm turbo

Offline spanky1205

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2014, 11:36:25 AM »
Thanks for the information.  I will take you words of advice and go after the newer trans, better safe then sorry.  I am currently sitting in Kuwait on my way home from Afghanistan so I have a few more days of reading and learning before getting into anything.  I also plan to have a motor and now a trans sitting at my house before buying or making any other decisions.  Thanks again for looking over my list, all of the information helps.
Thanks,

Anthony

1987 Chevrolet V10 5.7 Quadrajet TH700 Trans 4x4 - Bone Stock

Offline SomeTexan

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2014, 12:35:18 PM »
Try to get the engine/trans/harness as a set. I have seen major issues trying to make different year transmissions work. Quite often small intermittent issues will randomly pop up.

Also, for a tune, I would search for tuners local to you who do dyno or driving tunes. Make sure they have a good rep, any idiot can get the software to tune nowadays. This will be more accurate than a one size fits all mail order tune. Contrary to popular belief, these computers don't really learn a tune on their own, they will work within set parameters (the tune) to get the most efficient combustion.
86 swb c10, LQ4/glide with 80mm turbo

Offline Skyshadow

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2014, 09:05:51 AM »
03 is drive by wire, that's what I'm building....

Another thing to note, the lt1swap diagrams aren't 100% correct. I took mine to a local lsx shop for them to figure out. Seems lt1swap confused a few of the pin numbers. Go by wire color and you should be ok.

Bro, my 03 is cable. I have a 03 installed in my truck currently. I actually pulled the block numbers before i rewired to confirm. Sounds like you have a different model year then were told upon purchase. would account for the incorrect pin layout provided by lt1swap.com. Because, it was 100% accurate to my harness. My truck starts, runs and everything off his layout.
Cpt kaos may know more about this, I believe he once told me there were SOME drive by wire LM7 out in 03.
Also, not to be a nay sayer but i'm a bit skeptical on 800whp being put thru a STOCK 4L80E for 60k miles. Although, the 80 is the heavy duty. I just don't see it, blown up too many trans with much less power. Did you drive it like old miss Daisy? lol
I agree you should get your engine, harness and trans as a set if possible. (for example, my harness was for a 4wd truck so i had to do more work then usual to clean it up.)
The BASIC tune (ie immobilizer, O2 delete, EVAP, etc) can be done thru "mail order" nothing special going on there.

Offline SomeTexan

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Re: Please look my 5.3 parts list over
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2014, 11:05:47 AM »
Maybe it is because it is out of a 3/4 ton? But I pulled it out of an 03 2500hd 2wd, bought new by a good friends grandfather, then rolled by his daughter. I've known this drivetrain since new. I am running 6.0 rather than 5.3.

You can be as skeptical as you want, but it's true. It's all in how they are tuned. It had a 4600 stall and a trans brake as the only non-stock parts. It was all in a prostreet, backhalf 70 El Camino. She got hammered every weekend, and driven daily. That was also the car that got me hooked on a/c in the staging lanes. I had a catch can on the drain.
86 swb c10, LQ4/glide with 80mm turbo