991 Z71 Standard Shorty 350 Moter Beefed Up 91 Z71 Standard Shorty

TECH ARTICLE
LS Swap into 88-98 GM Truck

---

Nosotros take e'er wanted to build a 88-98 sport truck, and with the popularity of these trucks coming dorsum, now was the perfect time. At the moment, these trucks are relatively inexpensive to pick up, and can be constitute with full ability, Air-conditioning, tilt, etc. For the base of operations of our projection, we started with a 1990 C1500 truck that we purchased locally. We were able to buy the truck for $three,300, in which the owner claimed a "383", simply nosotros knew that probably wasn't true. Knowing nosotros had pranks to LS swap the truck, we did not worry besides much most the engine in the truck, and was looking more for a straight & clean trunk.

Our intention was to see how cheap nosotros tin can do the swap, and kept record of most costs. By using as many parts from the donor Yukon, nosotros were able to keep cost down and give it a more factory look. Virtually every bit if the truck came with a LS. At the end of this article, we volition breakup the cost we incurred, which covers about items, and maybe just missing a few misc. items.

The engine is a 5.3 / 4L60E combo that was pulled from a 2005 Yukon. The beginning tasks were to clean up the engine, and do some preventative maintenance to it, knowing it has over 100K miles. Plus, it is easier to work on them out of the truck and exercise these things at present, rather than later on.

We stripped the complete harness off the engine. The h2o pump, knock harness in the valley cover, intake gaskets & thermostat are all replaced.

Water Pump: Gates 45005
Knock Harness: Dorman 917-033
Intake Gaskets: Fel-Pro MS92211

Thermostat: Motorad 456-187

Knowing we will accept Air conditioning in the truck and re-use most all that is there, nosotros needed a subclass for the compressor. All other accessories were used from the 2005 Yukon. We turned to Muddy Dingo for the Ac bracket, which mounts it upwards on the rider side, same area as the factory compressor. We could have used the R4 compressor that originally came with the truck, but decided to replace it with a new Sanden 508. Using the Dirty Dingo adapter on the back of the Sanden 508, immune us to employ the manufacturing plant Ac lines with fiddling "massaging" to get them to line upward. No need for new hoses or anything, which kept costs down and made the process that much easier.

Ac Bracket: DD-LS-SANDEN-AC-TR

To arrange to the manufacturing plant vacuum booster on the truck, we needed to become a vacuum port fitting to become into the back of the manifold. Some LS engine will have this blocked off, like ours did. This spinous plumbing fixtures is a Air conditioning Delco function, 12559760.

At present that we got the engine all prepped for install, information technology was time to work on the harness. This was our get-go attempt every bit modifying a harness, which went smoother than I thought. Just have to accept patience and keep very organized. LT1swap.com is a great source for everything needed to change your own harness. It will even tell you where to get the fuse block and relay connectors. I mounted the calculator to the core back up with a GM mount, PN 15995679.

We once over again used Muddy Dingo for the mounts to set the LS in the truck. These mounts make it so much easier to install, since they take suit for both forepart-to-back and side-to-side. Being we used the factory exhaust manifolds from the Yukon, nosotros had to shift the engine ever and then slightly to the drivers side, and also move information technology dorsum some.

Dirty Dingo Mounts: DD-2550C

Once dropped in, information technology looked correct at home in the engine bay. We modified the factory intake to articulate the new compressor bracket, and added a aftermarket file to the end. Even the factory clutch fan worked in the shroud, and cools the truck great. Now it was time to address the fuel pump. The earlier 88-95 trucks with the TBI engine used a low force per unit area fuel injection arrangement / pump. We replaced the in tank pump with a AC Delco unit that could provide the force per unit area needed for the LS engine. This pump adapted right to the manufacturing plant drib-in associates. Keep in heed, because the previous organisation was low pressure level, you will need to change all soft hose on the fuel lines, since it deceit handle the college pressures of the new pump. Using XRP fittings and hose, we plumbed in a Corvette fuel filter and regulator combination to brand things like shooting fish in a barrel. This was installed in the same place as the factory filter. If installing in a 96-98 truck, then you can use the pump already in the tank, and and then adapt the mentioned Corvette fuel filter / regulator inline.

The upper radiator hose and PS lines from the Yukon were able to be used every bit well. They hose worked great, and used a steam port hose adapter, to plumb the steam port hose into the cooling system. The upper radiator hose was a great fit into the factory radiator.

Corvette Fuel Filter / Regualtor: WIX 33737
In Tank Pump: AC Delco EP381

Note:
We did not use the spinous fittings and clamps you see attached to the fuel filter and fuel rail. Later on a few hundred miles, we found leaks and proved very difficult to seal the system. This is not something nosotros wanted to take a chance on, and so opted to upgrade to all AN fittings from XRP.

Promise this helps the next guy doing an LS swap in his 88-98 truck, and provide a general walk through of what we did.

Cost Breakdown:
5.3 Engine / 4L60E Trans: $one,900
Fuel Pump: $thirty
Knock Harness: $22
Intake Gaskets: $34
Thermostat: $11
Water Pump: $65
Vacuum Port Fitting: $8
Muddied Dingo AC Subclass: $250
Dirty Dingo LS Mounts: $105
Belt: $31
Fuel Filter: $45
Fuel Fittings / Line: $150

Exhaust: $300
Air Filter: $28
Harness Fuse Block Parts: $20
Misc. Items: $fifty
Total: $3,049

diazladvized.blogspot.com

Source: https://azproperformance.com/pages/88-98-gm-truck-ls-swap

Share this post