Phishincruisin gets a vortec (1 Viewer)

[phishincruisin]

As the title says I'm putting a Vortec motor into the cruiser. I picked up a 5.3L Vortec out of a 2006 Silverado with 184 miles My plan is to run the Marks adaptor kit (edit: went with Downey Adaptor) with my 4-speed until next summer when I can afford an h55f.
I started pulling the wiring harness apart today, and pulling off wires that I don't need, and figuring what I need for a stand-alone system. So far it isn't too bad, but I need to get my hands on a complete wiring diagram as there are a few connectors here and there I'm not sure about.
One thing I haven't decided on is whether to keep the A/C or not. It would be nice to keep it, but the only time I ever use it is to clear the windows to and from skiing in the winter.

 

[Kurtis]

I would keep the a/c you can just leave it on there and hook it up when your ready. I'm in arizona so my opinion is a little biased but Its so much nicer having a/c when your taking trips. I put a 5.7 in but went with the 4l60e. I'm guessing you don't have to deal with the emissions garbage in VT but if you do check it out to see what they make you keep. I pretty much have to keep everything in AZ.

 

[djawahir]

I've pulled a bunch of wires out of my wiring harness. Let me know if you want some more information on that...I may be able to help.

 

[MANUCHAO]

I've pulled a bunch of wires out of my wiring harness. Let me know if you want some more information on that...I may be able to help.

Dylan how about if you pull out a camera and take some pics from your swap

Check out alldatadyi.com they give yah all the specifics for whatever you are dropping in your LC post somepics !!!

 

[phishincruisin]

I would keep the a/c you can just leave it on there and hook it up when your ready. I'm in arizona so my opinion is a little biased but Its so much nicer having a/c when your taking trips. I put a 5.7 in but went with the 4l60e. I'm guessing you don't have to deal with the emissions garbage in VT but if you do check it out to see what they make you keep. I pretty much have to keep everything in AZ.

I think I'll end up keeping the stuff around for it, and fit it when I have more time and money. I've traveled across the country a few times from MT to VT during the summer and I prefer cruising with the windows open and the wind in my face.
Also, this is going to be registered in MT until I'm through college, and then I don't really know where I end up. Not heading to Cali, that's for sure.

 

[phishincruisin]

I've pulled a bunch of wires out of my wiring harness. Let me know if you want some more information on that...I may be able to help.

What did you do about the wires that go to the A/C cooler. One wire comes out of each plug for the PCM. A guy online, LT1 Swap said that he uses these wires to control a secondary fan relay. I think that this would be cool to do, but also seems like it could get complicated. I want to make it so I can manually control my fans for while I'm wheeling, I think I can just do that by supplying power to the relay to switch the fan on, as in, have two power inputs to control the relay.

 

[djawahir]

Frank, I'm trying to do the world's longest vortec conversion...and I've got hundreds of pics. But, if I show you guys pictures, you may be amazed at how difficult I can make an engine swap!!

Phishin, if you mean the a/c compressor, I wired up the compressor (+) wire to the PCM and the (-) wire from the compressor to a ground bolt on the frame.

 

[phishincruisin]

Phishin, if you mean the a/c compressor, I wired up the compressor (+) wire to the PCM and the (-) wire from the compressor to a ground bolt on the frame.

I think what I'm talking about is some sort of circuit that does something to cool the A/C system when it gets too hot from working too hard. I don't have the wiring in front of me, but I think it uses some temperature sensor to control that, which you can in turn use to control a cooling fan.

 

[phishincruisin]

Found a really good deal on the downey adaptor, clutch disk and pressure plate, and a spare clutch slave and master. Picked that up yesterday. The guy I got it from said he didn't have to do any modifications on the driveshafts with it, so I'm hoping I have the same luck. He had it in a 60 for 1000 miles but the engine blew up. turns out it had been bored .060 over, so the block had been pretty beaten. Good deal for me though.
Here are some pictures, the downey adaptor, and my engine how it sits right now. sorry for the cell phone pictures

 

[Elbert]

I would keep the A/C setup. You need access to a GM manual, because I don't know how you are going to know what to keep and what to discard, regarding your wiring. You also need to understand what you will have to do to get the PCM prgrammed, because its going to be looking for an auto transmission with the various sensors. And another important thing to understand is how are you going to get a speed sensor signal? Because without the speed sensor signal your engine is not going to run right. You'll need to come up with teh front motor mounts too, unless you can fab your own. I think AA sells thouse. There are a few threads on this forum with a 5.3 swap, but I think most used the GM auto trans.

 

[phishincruisin]

I have a full manual and wiring diagram and have been working through the harness. I'm going to have the PCM programmed for my setup, that shouldn't be an issue. Ill have a VSS either inline with the speedo cable, or on the output of the transfer case. I like the one Downey used to have, but they are out of business now. I'm going to get the AA motor mounts, and the center dump headers they have. I think those should work.

 

[Elbert]

best make sure the in-line speedo VSS puts out a signal that the PCM will "read"...as I think there are different VSS signals depending on what year and type vehicle. I have the downey adapter on mine with GM VSS. As I recall the speedo type VSS is not compitable withe the 5.7 Vortec?

You might want to check around ... I think either the camaro or corvette exhaust manifolds might work on your swap...don't know if they have clearance issues with the slave cylinder? I know MANUCHAO did a similar swap with a auto trans. Check out his engine swap thread.

A lot of the guys end up running a stand alone engine harness... I did, in my case its a painless brand...allthough it was far from painless to get it working after finding out that only very specific ECMs would interface correctly with the harness ( painless instructions are still unclear).

Good luck... the V-8 swap made the truck fun to to drive in my view...

 

[phishincruisin]

I have a few options for my VSS. There are also signal converter boxes available, so I can adjust my signal as needed. I think I have my wiring figured out, and since mine is an '04, I can run any of the '04-'07 PCMs, since It will have to be reprogrammed anyway.

 

[phishincruisin]

I haven't updated this thread in a while so I figured it was time to do so. I've decided that I don't want to deal with the DBW setup so I bought a cable throttle body and found the connectors I need for the IAC motor and TPS. With that my harness is almost done. I found that I have wiring for my radiator fans already wired in, and I just have to decided if I want to keep the ability to have A/C. I think I may just be able to use the wiring from the cruiser, since I'd use all cruiser parts except for the compressor (i think?). The PCM just needs to know when to idle up for the A/C. Thats what I'm thinking, correct me if I'm wrong.

Doing the harness yourself really isn't that hard, and it makes you learn a lot more about how things are working with the engine.
What have other people done with the steam vent coming from the heads? I've read some places that these aren't needed, and other places that they are. any input?

Also, I have what I believe is an old Downey Chevota clutch, and the bolt holes seem to line up exactly with those on my flywheel I pulled off a friends '02 LS1. Has this worked for anyone else? I'm picking up the bolts tomorrow to bolt the pressure plate on, so I guess I'll find out for sure then.

 

[phishincruisin]

ordering fuel line stuff... does anyone know which -6 AN connectors I need to attach my fuel line to the pickup and return line at the tank? Its cold and snowy out so I'd like to avoid digging under the cruiser if someone happens to know. thanks!

 

[CruisinFJ60]

i would keep the steam tube, just for the fact that it will move the air out of the way allowing it to cool properly when it builds a little steam. (hence the design) Id say keep the A/C, you will have to have some lines made to go from toyota to the chevy compressor but its not a big deal and pretty inexpensive. the flywheel from an LS1 is the same as your LSX engine so its all good there as well all the LS series stuff is pretty much the same and interchangeable with 4.8, 5.3, 5.7 and i want to say the LS series vortec heads even retro back to the older LT / traditional SBC blocks.... but dont quote me on that one, just what ive been told but ive been to cheap to fork over the dough to try it, (need vortec heads for my SBC to match my intake i bought) been lookin for some 96-98 5.7l vortec heads and talked to a dude at summit and he seemed to think the never 99+ 5.3 LS style heads would bolt up no problem.

 

[phishincruisin]

Yeah, I'm planning on keeping the A/C, but I'll take care of that later. I found that I don't use the GM PCM to control the A/C, just the stock Toyota wiring. With the steam line, I'm going to keep it, I just haven't figured out the best way to route it in. I know you want it to have vacuum pressure on it from the cooling system to pull the steam out.
My real question with the flywheel was if anyone else has encountered a situation where the chevota clutch fits the stock holes on the flywheel. I thought I would have to get it drilled, or buy the AA one but this seems to work, which seems strange

 

[CruisinFJ60]

oh you were worried bout wiring on the a/c yea you dont need anything other than just the engine harness and can use all the stock toyota body wiring for all of that stuff.

on the chevota clutch seems to me the pressure plate would have to be matched to the chevy flywheel in order to be a chevota peice, i think the only toyota peice would be the splines lining up with the toyota input then the slave cylinder mounting location and style which would then potentially affect the pressure plate "fingers" area and throw out bearing. all the rest should be chevy matched, so it bolting up to any old chevy flywheel is as it should be IMOP.

 

[ntsqd]

ordering fuel line stuff... does anyone know which -6 AN connectors I need to attach my fuel line to the pickup and return line at the tank? Its cold and snowy out so I'd like to avoid digging under the cruiser if someone happens to know. thanks!

Did you get this sorted out?

With more info about exactly what you want to do I may be able to offer some suggestions.

 

[phishincruisin]

Did you get this sorted out?

With more info about exactly what you want to do I may be able to offer some suggestions.

not yet. I'm going to run all stainless braided -6 AN hose and fittings. I'm just trying to figure out how to attach the stainless lines to the stock fittings at the pickup in the tank. I'll be running a Walbro 255 fuel pump and a Corvette fuel filter regulator. I just figured someone else has attached lines using AN fittings to their fuel pickup and might know what to use.