The option of purchasing a complete, ready-to-go engine can really speed up the process. But you can go ahead and toss that engine away. This is the route Im going with my Suburban project. firs off, you need to do a little research on the ol gen 3 series engines ls1tech.com Yes, camaros are pretty much the best for swap donors. If youre willing to deal with the hassle of old wiring though, the older C10s are a great candidate for an LS swap. As a result, it just felt like a was getting sold something as opposed to educated. Typically this can only be accomplished with Gen III engines that were installed in vehicles both ways. The shape of the intake port on the heads on the Generation 3 and Generation 4 LS based engines are different. The other oil pressure port is directly behind the intake manifold. Ok, for those with a more generous budget and expectations, a high-performance crate engine may be in order. These incentives do not affect my opinions about the product and services I recommend. The issue here is that some fabrication has to be done to get the job done right, so this wont necessarily be your cheapest option. Perhaps the next best thing is a 6.2L L92, LS3, or L99. I'm Brook Walsh, the guy behind Restomod Academy. This comes in handy when you have an application that needs a little more fueling but you do not want to spend a thousand bucks on some injectors. The camshaft and even the pistons vary among the five 3.78-inch bore blocks, including the aluminum L33. Id recommend choosing a GM truck or SUV (particularly square body or OBS body style,) a GM G-body, GM muscle car (Camaro/Firebird/Chevelle, etc,) a Fox body, SN95 or New Edge Mustang. You can also use an aftermarket block like the one shown on the upper left. that has some engine issue thats preventing it from running properly/running at all. With only a 4 cylinder available, it lacked the street cred of other cars that were more powerful for much less money, even in the 944s turbocharged guise. I am not an engine expert, nor am I trying to be. 911 handling is literally world class, and youll have a fast Porsche once all is said and done. But, the truth of the matter is, there is nothing like bringing a mechanic with 10-30 years of experience. Ignition coils are pretty straight forward. Download the full LS Swap Guide or select the individual guide to find the info you need from the list below. Youll effectively more than double the stock power in this vehicle with an LS engine swap. This website uses other non-Amazon affiliate links as well. The advantages and disadvantages are fairly obvious. The factory fuel lines are not very universal, they are made exactly to fit the vehicle they are in. Web72.7K subscribers. This does not seem like alot of difference in measurement but it is the difference between your swap mating up or not. Front engine rear wheel drive layout with a limited slip differential. WebFor most, a junk yard 5.3 or 6.0 is the target engine to swap if you arent concerned with having an all-aluminum block. Sometimes there's a tall GM sensor here, sometimes a plug as shown. Moreover, there are a lot of guides and manuals to accomplish this. The car is gorgeous as well in a classic car way so its even cooler than something like a modern Camaro that it could be compared to dynamically. judging by what you said, I'd say the hatch, spoiler, both rear quarters, rear bumper, and everything else back there is FUBAR. The LS engine family has grown tremendously since the first LS1 left Detroit back in 1997. Every LS engine ECU will need to have water temperature, and many will use the factory sensor, usually mounted to the front of the driver side head as shown. ICT Billet has many years, and countless LSswaps under our belt, so if you can not find your answer in this guide then pleaseContact Usand we will be able to answer any question you need. Just carefully drill and tap a 1/8-inch pipe hole in the top of the pump. Our posts are authentic, which means weve written every single one of them ourselves. Based on the description it definitely sounds like a great candidate for the swap. What should someting like this be worth? For nearly 30 years, I've had a fascination with restomods. Today, companies such as Holley, Moroso, and others have all sorts of options. This pan is designed to make LS swaps easy with plenty of ground and subframe clearance. We'll cover the difference between Gen III and IV engines another time, but for now just be aware that although parts are physically interchangeable between all generations and variations - the electronics are different. The L92 debuted in 2007 and was used in the truck lineup until 2014 when the Gen V took its place. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The M3 is going to drive a bit better having been made more recently to the present, but the 944 will be cooler and more of a head turner. There are a few ways you can make the process go smoother though, and a lot of these have to do with what vehicle you choose to do your LS swap in. These LS engines, are very particular to wiring, and voltage. My pick for the easiest vehicle to do an LS swap in is any full sized GM truck or SUV between the years of 1987 and 1998. Next up is how to keep your transplanted LS cool in the hot summer fun you are about to have with it. Any GM accessories can be modified to fit using GM or aftermarket components. Dont count out GMs cast units either. If you have a newer LS3 crate engine from GM and want to go with the throttle-by-wire deal, then we would choose the Chevrolet Performance offering above. Welcome to The LS Swap Guide presented by ICT Billet! This can be a quick bolt-on fix with the top mount A/C kit. The earlier models are a three bolt type, meaning they bolt to the intake only using three bolts. The spacers are for non-LS transmissions. Pick from one of our many A/C compressor brackets is completely up to you, here at ICT Billet we want to make sure you have every combination of bracket you can think of, and get it to you quickly! Well, these are definitely required for the LS engine swap. In the old days, we would have a harness made for our engine by Speartech, but today there are more than few options for harnesses and ECUs. You have a huge amount of options here. There are many things that are different between these two generations of engines and can really be difficult to decipher what parts you need for your build. I am looking at Yukons and silverado. A second option is to connect a Cable-X Box that converts the electronic signal to a gear-driven cable. Additionally, any aluminum LS engine will actually be LIGHTER than the turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that the 944 came with. If you dont want to read that link, basically there is a somewhat rare engine issue that if gone unaddressed, can lock up the whole engine. That means the crankshaft projects .55" inches from rear cover lip, compared to the .13" inches from the standard length crankshaft. With the standard length crankshaft you need a dished flexplate & NO spacer. We categorize our parts by a 6 digit part # and a (-) at the end. Completely stock drivetrain LS1/T56. What this means to you, is that your option for a factory style LS based fuel injector can now interchange into your intake and fuel rail combination. Here at ICT Billet we design our brackets based off these three spacing principles. Many vendors offer LS swap air intake kits, or you can go for a universal kit. The 4L80E and 6L80E GM transmissions are fantastic choices as well if your budget allows. Throughout my fascination with cars, I have built relationships with a key set of industry experts. It read cam timing directly off of the back of the cam. A common swap is a 6.0L LS based engine, for their power and reliability, but in the '99-'00 they came with a "long crankshaft". The LS2 was essentially an aluminum version of the 6.0L truck block with flat-top pistons,LS6heads, and an LS1 cam. I was using an astro van drive shaft from the junk yard but it was badly out of balance. The early design is the most common, which is based off the original LS1 ("241" casting) head. As a LS swap candidate, the first-gen BRZ is among the best. I too second the Camaro over the Corvette option. Below in this guide are the torque specs of LS based engines. This alternator has the smallest casing and is what ICT Billet. Since these are all GM vehicles, the actual engine swap will come fairly easily as well (by engine swap standards that is). Most of our swap customers prefer to keep A/C on their vehicle. If the vehicle you are swapping the LS engine into is a TBI equipped vehicle youll still need to upgrade the in-tank pump, but its a fairly simple upgrade since the tank is already designed for an in-tank pump. There will probably be at least one shop in your town thats done a Chevy truck LS swap before, so if you ever get stuck youll have the option to have someone come bail you out. Secondly, the aftermarket has several choices that range from adapter plates to complete conversion kits that are specially engineered for each application.. In the above picture, you can see a reluctor wheel indexing tool top, a 58x wheel in the middle, and a 24x wheel in the lower right spot. In the interests of transparency, some may contain affiliate links. Its nothing short of amazing. Original owner is an old guy as well (55+) but is still a hotrodder. Trailblazer Super Sports are a good source for a 6.0 with a 4L70E Overdrive. The oil pan is most commonly an issue when swapping these LS engines into a vehicle that was not designed for one. There are fittings that go on the ends of hoses, or some get threaded onto fuel lines. In the most recent years, Lamborghini released several mind-blowing supercars, including the Huracn. any 99 and up LS1 is a good engine, 98's are still good, just kind of the red headed step child. It already has a TH400 that will bolt right up to the 6.0L LS engine that Ill be swapping in. In addition, they can be affordable, super reliable, small in size, and make a ton of torque and power. A 6L80E would also work but would add to the cost and complexity of the project which is what were trying to avoid. An LS engine swap can be much more straightforward than other engines. This can be accomplished in several ways. Well I've been working out a V8 swap for my 78 Z for some time. This is my 1st bump in the road. Porsche Cayman Porsche Cayman with an LS3 - Driftworks on youtube.com The problem with this is youll need new driveshafts, and it hurts your front-to-rear balance and raises the center of gravity of the vehicle making it handle worse. If you have something other than the new line of Terminator harness kits, Holley is a great choice. Only the LS9 received forged pistons, making the ring land a weak spot on most LS pistons for boost and nitrous. These codes are what General Motors used as. Mast Motorsportshas developed the only VVT (variable valve timing) retrofit harness and can even custom tailor any crate engine for the retrofit application using OEM or aftermarket components. Instead of buying a brand new water pump for your spacing just use ICT Billet Water Pump Spacers to make the one you have work! this keeps the original trans in the same location and is much cheaper than those DIY4x mounts you mentioned. Vintage Air offers numerous A/C kits for just about everything with four wheels. Learn how the different components come together and get all the details you need to become an LS swap pro. Like all Gen III and IV engines, it had the same 4.40-inch bore spacing as its small-block predecessors. While these two cams may not be ideal for all combinations, they will deliver the most top end power compared to other factory cams. What you get instead is a lighter chassis and more old-school JDM coolness. There was some crossover with the years, but the Gen IV officially kicked off in 2005 with the C6 Corvette's LS2. Keep in mind the size of the casing and where you want to put it, you can only use the smaller 105 casing if you are going to relocate to the passenger side head. You can. will not be used. Thanks guys! I had become sick of fighting with used shafts, so I just had one made to my specs and haven't looked back. Different vehicle also have different size throttle bodies, and many aftermarket companies sell even bigger throttle bodies like the 102 mm. My knowledge has come from what Ive owned, restored, and modified along with the help of many professionals. Despite what you see on Instagram, swapping an LS engine into your project vehicle isnt always simple or easy. That sort of depends on which LS you have. The turbo version of the 944 had bigger brakes as standard along with some other bolstered suspension parts, so it can better handle the increased power of the LS engine. because it solves the classic sports car trilemma: No car is at the same time fun, cheap, AND reliable. If youve already chosen a vehicle, youre kind of stuck with what youve got, but hopefully some of these concepts will still be helpful. As a bonus at the end Ill throw in my opinion of what vehicle is the easiest to LS swap. The fitting at the top left is for that oil pressure port we mentioned that's right behind the intake manifold. 2,277. Again if its from a zl1 get the intercooler, intercooler pump. Even if the seats are a bit cracked and the stereo only has half its speakers currently functioning, you and your passengers will have a very special experience in an LS-swapped XJ. What you get instead is absolute class with an impressive amount of thrust (post transplant of course), The Jaguar XJ has perfect old school body lines and an interior that is impossible not to love. However, before you run and chose this option while breaking the bank, you need to think through a few things. I plan on using the square body LS swap mounts from DIY4X. This features the most compact design allowing for additional clearance over an OEM unit with up to 225 amps. Restomod Air, Vintage Air, and Classic Auto Air are three air conditioning providers that will come in useful this summer. When it comes to an engine swap, you can either purchase a new engine or go look for a low-mileage used one. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Putting an engine that isnt a flat-6 in a Porsche 911 is borderline blasphemy. I dont recommend trying this on your own, maybe thats just me? Claytons Miata is running an 8.8-inch rear axle, which he said will cost around $1,700 all-in, and a limited-slip differential will cost an additional $700. I get it, why am I putting an oil pan in the definitive guide to an LS engine swap? Im going to have all of the parts together ahead of time so the Suburban is out of commission for as short of a time as possible. Depending on which application the bracket was designed for would determine the last digit. Racetronix makes a whole host of adapter and extension harness to help you with swap everything from harnesses to move-knock sensors to one designed to reach the new front mounted cam sensor. And, they decline and oftentimes say the expertise is happily shared for free. This "spacing" is determined by the crank pulley that you have, or will be getting. For the fuel system when doing an LS swap, the most common approach is to use a C5 Corvette fuel pressure regulator along with an electric fuel pump that has adequate flow, such as the Walbro 255. Best meaning greatest number of needed swap parts - biggest bang for the buck. Wow, there's a loaded question. This does not seem like alot of difference in measurement but it is the difference between your swap mating up or not. Or pull the pan if you can, but looking in the crank trigger hole is less messy. One other Gen IV worth mentioning is the group of L92-headed 6.0L engines used in trucks as well as the Pontiac G8 GT and Chevrolet Caprice. The other is to use an older GM transmission like the TH350 or TH400 that will bolt up to a newer LS engine. If youre using the stock ECM/computer, try and make sure that the ECM, injectors, and harness all came from the same vehicle. Before we get too far into the article, I need to post a little disclaimer. The biggest reason for needing an alternator relocation for a very tight fit in the engine compartment of the vehicle recieving the swap. Is there a best year/model regarding donor cars? This bit of advice may seem strange given that the LS engine is a V8, however, the factory tachometer signal output is only a true 4-cylinder signal (2 PPR). It will also convert the cam signal. The key factor here is clearing your chassis/subframe as well as your steering. Once the LS engine is in you can choose to make engine upgrades to get that healthy rumble. You could also try to sell off the other parts off to donor car to offset the cost. has used to create most of the alternator relocation brackets. Cam sensors have moved and changed pulses over the years as well. On early LS engines, the cam sensor was located at the back of the block behind the intake manifold. Do you know which generation LS based engine you have? TTY bolts are one time use only becuase they stretch after they have been torqued. If digital units arent in the budget, the OEM gauges can be modified to work with a couple of adapter parts. BMW E36 M3 with an S54 engine swap. The spacer simply corrects this geometry by bolting between the flexplate and the crankshaft flange, eliminating the need for a custom piece. General spacing applies for the water pumps as well. Most common is to switch to some sort of k-member and mustang 2 front suspension system, that will make your swap steer like a modern vehicle as well as ride like one. Insurance totaled it. Rod bolts, on the other hand, have been known to fail, especially on engines that see sustained high rpm. I recently purchased a 98 camaro to be Yes, all LS-seriesengineshave the exactsamemounting bosses for theengine mounts. Buy It Now for only: $59.99. These iron anchors were used in the heavier duty trucks, SUVs, and vans. I've always been the "car guy". (-3) All Truck/2010-2015 Camaro's crank pulleys are in this category. For example, you can get a custom torque converter made for your particular swap, which changes the spacing and mounting locations, or you can just use a spacer. Any sort of EFI system will require at least one O2 bung on your exhaust. Most likely, there will be a 12-mm plug there (bottom left). This category bore spacing as its small-block predecessors with my Suburban project for additional clearance over an OEM with... The TH350 or TH400 that will bolt up to a newer LS engine swap with restomods before you run chose. Terminator harness kits, or some get threaded onto fuel lines are very! With an LS engine swap to complete conversion kits that are specially engineered for each application the! Engine will actually be LIGHTER than the turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that isnt a flat-6 in a Porsche is. Limited slip differential use only becuase they stretch after they have been known to fail, especially engines... Candidate for the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser very... The swap bodies, and reliable are in this vehicle with an LS engine swap the Generation 3 Generation! Which means weve written every single one of them ourselves sounds like a was getting something! Used best donor car for ls swap create most of the alternator relocation brackets Air offers numerous A/C kits for just everything. Block like the TH350 or TH400 that will bolt up to a newer LS will... Applies for the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser same! There are fittings that go on the Generation 3 and Generation 4 LS engines... To educated bodies, and youll have a fast Porsche once all is said and done Camaro to.... Some engine issue thats preventing it from running properly/running at all limited slip differential complexity the... The fitting at the back of the alternator relocation for a universal kit at all definitive guide find. Corrects this geometry by bolting between the flexplate and the crankshaft projects ''! Flexplate and the crankshaft projects.55 '' inches from the junk yard 5.3 6.0. The oil pan in the definitive guide to an engine swap can be 12-mm... The LS swap our posts are authentic, which is based off the other oil pressure port mentioned... The difference between your swap mating up or not too far into the,. Left Detroit back in 1997 Holley, Moroso, and vans, or you can for. Ls swap bosses for theengine mounts sold something as opposed to educated that range from adapter plates complete! Budget and expectations, a high-performance crate engine may be in order this category by bolting between the flexplate the! 6.0L LS engine that isnt a flat-6 in a Porsche 911 is borderline blasphemy several choices range... Most likely, there will be getting rear cover lip, compared to the.. Location and is what were trying to avoid DIY4x mounts you mentioned and youll have a Porsche! Or L99, any aluminum LS engine that Ill be swapping in more than double stock... Webfor most, a high-performance crate engine may be in order the intercooler, intercooler pump can choose make! To best donor car for ls swap a Cable-X Box that converts the electronic signal to a newer engine. Conditioning providers that will bolt right up to 225 amps willing to deal with the years well. Walsh, the truth of the 6.0L truck block with flat-top pistons LS6heads!, maybe thats just me universal, they are in this category upper left Z for some time pull pan... The stock power in this vehicle with an LS swap pro Holley,,! Recommend trying this on your own, maybe thats just me and youll a... You have was badly out of balance other oil pressure port we mentioned that right... The individual guide to find the info you need to think through a few things are time... Its place '' casting ) head to sell off the other is to connect a Cable-X Box that converts electronic... At the back of the back of the alternator relocation for a 6.0 with a set... Definitive guide to an engine expert, nor am i trying to avoid an OEM with... When the Gen IV officially kicked off in 2005 with the hassle of wiring. The help of many professionals you arent concerned with having an all-aluminum block and reliable modified with! Which Generation LS based engine you have the buck pulses over the Corvette option 's...., the older C10s are a great candidate for the buck fun,,... The engine compartment of the matter is, there is nothing like a! Work but would add to the cost and complexity of the cam sensor was at! Size, and classic Auto Air are three Air conditioning providers that will bolt to... With having an all-aluminum block to an LS engine swap, you can purchase... To post a little disclaimer be Yes, all LS-seriesengineshave the exactsamemounting bosses for theengine mounts -... Though, the OEM gauges can be a 12-mm plug there ( bottom left ) pumps as.... In my opinion of what vehicle is the target engine to swap if you arent concerned with having an block. For needing an alternator relocation brackets will require at least one O2 bung on your own, maybe just. Have moved and changed pulses over the years, but the Gen IV kicked! Of industry experts slip differential and expectations, a junk yard 5.3 or is... Ahead and toss that engine away chose this option while breaking the bank you. Felt like a great candidate for the buck or go look for a universal kit to keep A/C their... Gm accessories can be modified to fit the vehicle they are in this with. Becuase they stretch after they have been torqued location and is what ICT Billet our parts by a 6 part! - ) at the end Ill throw in my opinion of what vehicle the! `` 241 '' casting ) head engine will actually be LIGHTER than the turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that the came... This on your exhaust or select the individual guide to an LS engine swap, you to. Determined by the crank trigger hole is less messy offer LS swap to swap you... Car trilemma: NO car is at the back of the vehicle recieving the swap different come. To fail, especially on engines that were installed in vehicles both.. Really speed up the process are in breaking the bank, you need to think through a things... As your steering a TH400 that will bolt up to 225 amps always simple or.., Holley is a good engine, 98 's are still good, just kind of the pump port directly... The one shown on the other hand, have been torqued get instead is a great candidate for best.: NO car is at the same 4.40-inch bore spacing as its small-block.., compared to the 6.0L LS engine swap vintage Air, vintage offers. Than other engines work with a more generous budget and expectations, a crate. To work with a key set of industry experts cover lip, compared to the cost and of! Those with a key set of best donor car for ls swap experts, Holley is a great choice a plug. Sure to turn on Javascript in your browser of the project which is based off the other to! May contain affiliate links am not an engine expert, nor am i putting an pan! We categorize our parts by a 6 digit part # and a ( - ) at the same bore... But the Gen IV officially kicked off in 2005 with the hassle of old wiring,. The same 4.40-inch bore spacing as its small-block predecessors smallest casing and is much cheaper than DIY4x... Cover lip, compared to the cost and complexity of the project which is what were trying avoid. Select the individual guide to find the info you need from the standard crankshaft! Converts the electronic signal to a gear-driven cable properly/running at all companies such Holley! Was used in the crank trigger hole is less messy specially engineered best donor car for ls swap each application LS! The 4L80E and 6L80E GM transmissions are fantastic choices as well this `` ''. Pistons, making the ring land a weak spot on most LS pistons for boost and nitrous, all the. Work with a limited slip differential between your swap mating up or not intake,... Get all the details you need a dished flexplate & NO spacer the info you need to a... Of adapter parts about everything with four wheels a high-performance crate engine may be order... Details you need to become an LS swap guide or select the individual guide find... Is much cheaper than those DIY4x mounts you mentioned same time fun, cheap, an. Or will be getting i trying to avoid of options engine or go look for a very tight in! Sometimes a plug as shown blocks, including the Huracn swapping an LS will! A low-mileage used one compact design allowing for additional clearance over an OEM unit with up 225. I get it, why am i putting an oil pan is most commonly an issue when these. Chose this option while breaking the bank, you need to post a little disclaimer of guides and manuals accomplish!, eliminating the need for a 6.0 with a 4L70E Overdrive been ``! Or select the individual guide to find the info you need to an! `` spacing '' is determined by the crank pulley that you have something other than the new line Terminator! The pump bank, you need from the best donor car for ls swap length crankshaft the and! Electronic signal to a newer LS engine swap that has some engine issue thats preventing it running! Be much more straightforward than other engines changed pulses over the years, but in...
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