Yet another LS Swap - CO
- Thread starter wyodog
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Another route is South Dakota my aunt and uncle have their motor home tagged there because they live in it and aren't in the same state for a residence yearly... Not sure how they go about it but I'm sure a quick search of the interweb would reveal how...
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You can register a picnic table in S.D... A lot of guys get plates for their 4wheelers and dirtbikes that way, and it's popular with Military folks who move around a lot.
Either that or find a friend in the springs or the mountains and register it there. F%#& the Colorado clean air program. Its all a scam. 7% of vehicles fail smog so the other 93% are just strictly for revenue. Its bull****
Plus you can still sleep easy knowing your truck is working properly and you're not running no cats or any of that.
You bite your tongue! Lol Colorado is my favorite state! I just wouldn't want to deal with all this new Liberal BS that has been moved in to the larger areas...yeah, that sounds way better than colorado.
So, I just talked to an inspector @ the Broomfield station. He said all the normal stuff. It sounds like they go off of the Mitchell Emissions guide. He also threw out All data as a place to get some information. I talked to him a bit about a lq4 from a 2500 vs a denali. It sounds like it could pass as a 2500, but you need to look in the Mitchell guide to see if there are any differences in the emissions controls. He said, to be safe, it would be better to source a motor from a Denali.
EFIlive is $900, and if you were going to DIY your tune you could also pull in a denali VIN...I think I am going to purchase EFI Live, so maybe you can take one of the 2 licenses from the initial package. PM me, and we'll work out a deal (at significantly less than half if interested...)
You can have aftermarket manifolds, you just need to resemble stock as closely as possible and you can't throw any codes.
Last big take away were the cats. Specifically, I asked about walker cats. He suggested their CalCats, but made very clear it isn't a requirement. He feels the Walker Calcats are a better made cat that will last longer.
I think having an open discussion with him prior to going back in can only help if you're going to keep the vehicle and legally register it in Colorado. They have always seemed very helpful every time I have called them.
EFIlive is $900, and if you were going to DIY your tune you could also pull in a denali VIN...I think I am going to purchase EFI Live, so maybe you can take one of the 2 licenses from the initial package. PM me, and we'll work out a deal (at significantly less than half if interested...)
You can have aftermarket manifolds, you just need to resemble stock as closely as possible and you can't throw any codes.
Last big take away were the cats. Specifically, I asked about walker cats. He suggested their CalCats, but made very clear it isn't a requirement. He feels the Walker Calcats are a better made cat that will last longer.
I think having an open discussion with him prior to going back in can only help if you're going to keep the vehicle and legally register it in Colorado. They have always seemed very helpful every time I have called them.
Looks like my Denali salvage was the way to go on my build... Other than wooohooo I'm in Kansas and don't have to ad hear to emissions...
RockJock82
Sometimes you have to kick a little A$$
The true ticket is adding the Toyota Vin onto the GM PCM. That way no one knows wth is going on 
Is there more to this story?
- Thread starter
- #73
The story did halt for awhile. Once I felt the emissions work was going to be money on top of more money I tabled the truck. It sat untouched for a few months while I figured out my next steps.
I got a bunch of feedback, some good but mostly keyboard comando's telling me what I should have done in the first place. I had to disconnected from the various internet forums as this was not helping, hence why I haven't been posting. Please know it was a number of places online that I was getting less than stellar responses to my project. Hind sight is always 20x20 and the internet is always there to tell you what you did wrong... ih8mud is actually the only place I didn't delete my threads, but I didn't feel like sharing any further....
So... I got the truck back out and I did some more work. By chance my buddy had a 2001 Denali roll into his shop for a general repair. The owner of the truck let me take a boat load of pics, which helped us map out the items we needed to address.
Truck is registered in Wyoming. That solved 100% of the issue. But I don't like being told I can't do something. And I don't like the fact that if I needed too have the truck in Colorado it wouldn't be a option. So after getting good ol Wyoming plates on her, I took it to American Intense Racing in Arvada CO. Clint there helped me get my ECU tuned and addressed some of the emission controls that my ECU had turned off. We added the necessary sensors and he got it going in the computer. Truck runs like a dream.
I have sense found a ECU that is of the right year Denali and with the right base tune. I am going to take it back to Clint to have him help me swap the ECUs. This will address the VIN and matching ECU for engine type problems. We couldn't just swap the VIN. The VIN in the Denali would not be allowed to go into the base tune for a 2500 truck. So beware...
The original fail list :
* Non-factory tune on computer
- This is still a issue - Have new ECU to put in, need to take back to American Intense Racing to re-do and remove abuse mode...
* Computer in unlocked mode
- Fixed now with existing ECU, and should be addressed with new ECU.
* Cylinder casting does not match VIN type in computer
- Will be fixed with new ECU
* Non OE injectors (I have a set of 5.3 injectors and the engine is a 6.0)
- ECU has the right references.
* Modified Camshaft
- Yep, not changing that.
* Modified Engine
- Yep, not changing that, but ECU will reflect the engine and should not cause the red flags.
* Disabled DTC sensor/s
- All Sensors match Denali specs
* Engine combination is not a certified package for Vehicle Type
- With having a Denali VIN this will correct that.
* Altered Catalytic converters (I have two of them on, but I don't have them in the "right" place)
- Fixed....
* Missing OS rear sensor (I pushed back on him, but he told me all LS 6.0's have rear O2 sensors)
- Tracked this down, added the new O2 Sensors, my notes on this were wrong when I did this originally.
So... As of today, the truck is my daily driver. I am going to get the ECU taken care of, and then I might retry the Colorado emissions route. But this time I am more confident then I was. I believe that if I rolled in today with the ECU like it is, they might pass me. I was told that they will often over look one or two items based on everything else. But I have the ECU, just time and money to get it swapped.
I did some further upgrades, roof rack, lights all the way around, secondary power panel, rear 4x4 labs bumper is built and on. I ended up putting in new water and oil standalone gauges. The original water temp gauge was dead on the truck when I got it, so just went with the extra side gauges.
Lots more to do. Want to get seat covers, want to build out storage and drawers in the back, re-paint the fender flares. I also have a front wheel bearing going out, so I just ordered a knuckle rebuilt kit from cruiser outfitters which will be here this week.
So the story is still going, paused at times, but still trucking ahead.
Nice. Based on what you know now, do you think an EROD crate engine/tranny would have been good from the get-go? I just like the two-year warranty. I'm in TX, but have the emission thing too. Mine is a stock 1997 today.
Nice rig. Sorry its caused you so much trouble. You could always sell it to me and you won't have to worry about it anymore
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- #76
EROD would be a way togo. Only thing from that would be the manifolds and getting everything to sit in the truck right. I know some other people were able to make them work, I ended up going with short headers. When you go E-ROD, it takes all the guess work out. you get a certified piece of paper that you present and off you go.
The thing for me is the engine for my truck didn't come from a wrecked truck. Had I do this all over again and do a LS, sourcing a engine from a wrecked truck would be getting a 5.7 from a 1500 or a true 6.0 from a Denali. I had to "put" mine together, thus some of my troubles. Live and Learn...
I would also say, I don't know if I would do a LS swap. My buddy we did a 3.4 liter v6 toyota supercharged in his 4Runner, and that was pretty slick...
While I am on the subject... I did not do electric fans in mine. I am running the Stock Land Cruiser radiator, and the manual clutch fan on the LS. I have yet the truck to go over 190 in it's hardest times, 180 is where the truck sits. And I understand these LS motors usually run 197-200-ish...
You don't know if you would do a LS swap? Why? Not enough power?
I've done some research over the past couple of days...EROD is definitely an easier road to take. However, there's a catch. The 6.2L that is currently available and widely used is specified (in LS3 and LSA) to be used in vehicles not exceeding 5725 GVWR. The 5.3L that Jonathan Ward is famous for having used in his swaps can be used in cars/trucks up to 7200 GVWR, which would work for LC swaps...BUT, it's no longer being produced. I've got a couple of emails in to online engine distributors to find out more and will post up my findings.
Until then, anyone installing a 6.2L should be paying attention to the paperwork and asking questions before spending $10k on an engine...
Hmm, the engine on page 227 of the CP 2017 catalogue isn't the one? The glitch in my mind are the words pre 1995, but that's CA.
On p 195 of the same catalogue the L86 was the engine in the Denali, Suburban, etc.
On p 195 of the same catalogue the L86 was the engine in the Denali, Suburban, etc.
We all need to understand who sets the rules and who is left to enforce them. All these rules are set by EPA. It's left up to local municipalities to enforce these rules. Just like marijuana today, various areas enforce the rules in different ways. With the exception that the Dea probably has many more agents than the EPA. Not sure if that is true, but it's my guess based on my Joe job being heavily regulated by the EPA and I can count on one hand the number of times they've been out to check on things.
Nonetheless...i am going down this road with my Lq4. My Lq4 is from a 2500 which Colorado classifies as "heavy truck." the fzj80 is a "light truck." speaking with the inspector (I would suggest everyone in Colorado call their inspector and ask what they will look for as they are very helpful) and reading between the lines....he would pass me. If you give them a reason to throw the book at you, they will. If you tidy everything up to the best of your ability, they'll most likely pass you.
In terms of the erod, I wouldn't hesitate to put in a swap if I wanted to drop another $10k. Sure, if you go in with no cats, no ho2s, etc they'll throw the weight thing on the list. If that's the only thing they have to complain about, I would risk the money that they would pass you.... Jmo.
BTW, someone in California just put a crate ls3 in and got through emissions.... His thread is around here somewhere...
Nonetheless...i am going down this road with my Lq4. My Lq4 is from a 2500 which Colorado classifies as "heavy truck." the fzj80 is a "light truck." speaking with the inspector (I would suggest everyone in Colorado call their inspector and ask what they will look for as they are very helpful) and reading between the lines....he would pass me. If you give them a reason to throw the book at you, they will. If you tidy everything up to the best of your ability, they'll most likely pass you.
In terms of the erod, I wouldn't hesitate to put in a swap if I wanted to drop another $10k. Sure, if you go in with no cats, no ho2s, etc they'll throw the weight thing on the list. If that's the only thing they have to complain about, I would risk the money that they would pass you.... Jmo.
BTW, someone in California just put a crate ls3 in and got through emissions.... His thread is around here somewhere...
