5.3 vortec engine swap

[leatherneck]

Ok fellas here it is starting tommorrow I'm going to do my engine swap from a 04 tahoe 5.3 into my 97 tahoe 4x4. hopefully I'll have plenty of pics to put up here by SAT or at least have it done ..

 

[ta-hoes]

waiting on some pics and some write up of any problems and shortcuts. I am very interetsed in this swap, if it works out im in for swapping my 97 tahoe with a 6.0 drivetrain.

 

[leatherneck]

Well I'm doing this slowly but surely at my shop and of course by my self hopefully I'll have it running by friday its the lil stuff that has been kicking me in the but but when i get it all done and running I'll take pics of verything i had to special order and everything i could use from a factory GM truck 00-06 from the engine to fuel lines.

 

[ta-hoes]

if you were not so far away I would be donating my extra time to help you out. I live for doing engine swaps into vehichles they dont belong. I have done some easy to major swaps allready, but i have alot of interest in a newer gm smallblock into my 97 tahoe.

 

[ta-hoes]

BTW if you need any wiring diagrams or thoughts for fabbing something up, just let me know or send me a pic and ill figure something out.

 

[leatherneck]

Ok well i've been working on this truck for 3 weekends straight but if it aint one thing its another i didn't get to much done this weekend cause i broke a rocker arm stud in my 78 monte but today i got as far as i could get and then filled up the fluids and what happens my battery was dead so I'll give it a try tommorrow as soon as i can drive the truck home i'll post up a lot of pics letting everyone know what i had to modify and so on all i need to do now is get a battery and make me a solid bracket for the new computer I'm going to put on top of the passenger side fender well.

 

[leatherneck]

here it is

ok check it out i for some reason can not uplaod the pics so I'm just going to add them on my CAR Domain webpage
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3183532

it will also have my other project on there just go to the last page
nvm it showed up ok in these pics were just a few wires i had to splice into like the speedo/cruise control

 

[leatherneck]

5.3

these pics of course are just diff angels

 

[leatherneck]

5.3

ok here you see my horrible weld job for my brakcet to hold in the new comp.
then i had to cut my exhaust cause the original flange was smaller then the one on the ls exhaust manifolds so i had that done by the pros for obvious reasons.

 

[leatherneck]

5.3

here you see the ls motor mounts then the orginal clam shell motor mounts bolted to the ls plates then the flexplate you have to use a 4l60E flexplate get new from the dealer and it will come with the longer bolts and spacer needed for the job

 

[leatherneck]

5.3

here i needed to move the trans up foward to mate with the engine so i ended up taking all the salck i could from loosen the trans mount bolts and even having to drill new holes in the frame for the cross member to be moved up so over all about 2in foward
in the next pic is the fuel lines if your like me on a budget you want to make sure you can get to use as much factory parts as possible before having to go after market
anyways the fule lines were from a 2000- up pick-up/suv the fuel lines almost matched right up with just a lil bending the return line had to be modified cause on newer truck it runs all the way to the tank in my case it ran in two pieces so i just cut and flare and it has worked fine so far.
No you can not use two of the same fuel lines cause they are different sizes at the engine!

 

[leatherneck]

5.3

Ok so where do i start parts:

painless performance 6017 wire harness and comp

complete 5.3 or at least as much as possible
NOT: remember if your egine drop out comes with a return line and or is elec or mech throttle body

the 4l80E flexplate from the dealer cause it comes with all the hardware botls and spacer needed
NOTE on the flexplate making the torque converter holes a lil longer will be needed if using original torque converter

you will need two water temp sensors one will be for the new computer the other will be for the gauge. the threads in the aluminum head are metric so i suggest get a few adapters that are brass from home depot and i believe it is a 3.8 brass fitting that goes into the head you will just have to re thread it with a metric 10mm tap you will know more when you take out the plug that goes into to the passenger side head use those threads as reference. your going to have to make the threads or buy the after market part. same with the oil pressure sensor.
and remember the water temp for the gauge on some tahoe's at least mine are separate from that of the comp. I had one for the comp and one for the gauge. the one for the gauge is a one wire and is on the driveside head..

and either use your own oil pressure sensor or a 5.3 oil pressure sensor just make sure you have the pig tail to go with it.
stock fuel lines from a 2000- up pick-up/suv 5.3

air intake

upper and lower radiator hose from 2000- up pick-up/suv 5.3
You will have to figure out if you want to go mech or elec throttle body

the painless wire harness was real helpful it was all labeled and even came with instructions.
If at all possible find a junkyard that has up to date vehicles so that way you can use as much stock parts from the donor car as possible

You will also have to figure out what route you want to take when it comes to routing the radiator fluid through the throttle body. either get the radiator that have the 5.3 or drill a hole into your water pump tap and die for a fitting and route your hose from the throttle body to there for the radiator fluid to circulate its to warm up the throttle body.

Another thing electrical make sure you are using all your grounds for the old comp that still will be used and the new comp and also for the engine ..
I'm sure i'm forgetting something but when i get another chance I'll put up some more pics. I'm waiting on my parts for the the A/C now