pulled the trigger... LQ4/4L80 swap (6.0 vortec)

[branndon_b]

yeah, i wanted to put bigger wheels, but they had to screw into the bottom of the 4x4's i used for legs, so that was my limiting factor. need to get some shorter bolts to spin my motor over, the ones i used to mount them to the stand were too long, and they hit the stand when you try to spin it over. once i get the bolts swapped out, i'm gonna probably pull the oil pan and check my bottom end, i should get some gaskets coming i suppose huh? thanks for the interest everyone, my first big project like this compared to car audio installs or changing the carpet and dropping the headliner in my truck. i told the guys at the o'reilly auto parts store here that we'll be on a first name basis before this is over with. lol.

 

[SunlitComet]

just use them for part numbers and get the needed item cheaper online if you don't mind waiting.

 

[ezdaar]

Buy rubber, they last forever and are reuseable if needed, Preferably the blue silicone based gaskets, Orange raw rubber works just as good tho, for every gasket and silicone. just skin the gasket so it sticks to the metal surface of things sutch as valve covers, oil pans, etc... saves Alot of headache when reinstalling itels as gaskets dont move and is less likely to leak...

One trick I've learned over the years is to clean all gasket surfaces with 91% rubbing alcohol with white paper towls.. untill no more black discoloration on the towls...
Doing this method has had every engine I have built leak free indefinatly.

 

[branndon_b]

went to harbor freight today, dropped a couple bills. got 2 sets of taps and dies, a torque wrench, and a breaker bar. spent some time today cleaning out intake and exhaust bolt holes, got the 2 broken exhaust bolts out of the head (ez outs i got from sears), just kinda piddled today as well, gonna probably pull the oil pan tomorrow, and looking to change the rear seal while i have it this far down. lot easier now than later. my buddy works at a machine shop, says he'll gasket match my headers/heads, and port and polish them for me. gonna start looking into a cam, and maybe a different set of rockers and pushrods. i'll probably ride with the mild headwork/cam/rockers for now, hard to justify getting the L92 heads (i think that's right) -- $$$$. gonna leave my bottom end stock i believe for now, there's always later to start getting ridiculous with it. i just want a beefy daily driver for now, something reliable, but something that can also give the tires hell if i press on the happy pedal. anyhow, enough rambling. i'll take some more pics of the oil pan off and such as i get them done.

---------- Post added at 10:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 PM ----------

and thanks everyone for the nuggets of wisdom and good advice along the way

 

[foreverfalcon40]

Kudos for silicone and gaskets. Harbor frieght is the shit spend like 2-300 bucks its a steal. ANY SEARS bolt remover is worth its gold in weight. Save your reciept family and friends night is soon get an additional 10% off. Thats how it is here in NY.

Take pics!

 

[992dr]

Congrats on the purchase. Great deal to.
Its good to see someone finally diving into this swap.

 

[branndon_b]

got the oil pan off tonight, took some pics, sorry for the foggy haze in the pics, cam had been in the house and then going outside it got foggy. i'll take some better pics tomorrow in the daylight. but i'll post them up for y'all to look at.

in the pan, you can see the oil pickup tube sticking down (up)

looking towards the harmonic balancer

foggy pic previously mentioned

another one

inside the pan

more pan

some crank action

oddly enough, the oil pickup tube fits into a hole in the front of the block via an o-ring, and there are SUPPOSED to be 2 bolts there, however, mine only had one. dunno. gonna look to see about getting a second one for when i put it back together, evidently it wasn't hurting anything with only one, but i'd feel better if i replaced it. anyway, it's neat peering into the inner mechanations of these things, seeing what they're talking about with 6-bolt mains and everything. chased out some more holes with the good ol' tap, gonna see about getting some o-rings and gaskets to start closing it up. honestly, i really didn't have to take the oil pan off, but i wanted to see how it looked, and really was just curious. so i'll see about changing the rear seal while i'm this far down. hate to have to fight with it later. i'll take some better pics in the sun tomorrow probably.

 

[SunlitComet]

Lots of varnish could probably benefit from a big oil cooler and maybe some increase in oil change intervals in the future. Otherwise looking good.

 

[billowred]

Very cool swap!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AtomicHoe094]

Dont blame the foggy haze on Baking out the house man. lol

 

[foreverfalcon40]

Dont blame the foggy haze on Baking out the house man. lol

LMAO

Seems like your on the right path...

going to color match the block white too?

 

[ezdaar]

Lots of varnish could probably benefit from a big oil cooler and maybe some increase in oil change intervals in the future. Otherwise looking good.

Say hello to ****** PCV design. This is exactly what happens when blowby and burnt up oil mix for extended priods of time..
Look at that dipstick tube. yuck...

When you get it assembled, beshure to setup your PCV system right and with a Properly built catch can.
you will never have that again.

 

[branndon_b]

went to the stealership today and dropped like $280 in gaskets and seals today. gotta go back to work tomorrow night (friday), so i didn't get balls deep in anything today that i couldn't finish. anyhoo, bought a rear main seal, rear seal assembly gasket, intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, and some other odds and ends. hope to be buttoning up the bottom end soon. so anyhoo, nothing spectacular to report as of now, but hopefully soon i'll have more for y'all.

 

[branndon_b]

got some more pics, nothing exciting, just flywheel removal and rear seal housing and rear seal removal. i'll post them up later tonight. gotta get ready for work.

 

[branndon_b]

got started on pulling the flywheel and replacing the rear seal and the rear seal housing today. there are 6 15mm bolts that hold the flywheel on, took those out, sprayed some pb blaster or pblaster or whatever that stuff is and gave some light love taps from the backside with a hammer.

better pic

so that's the ass of the crank right there, and that's the housing that holds the rear seal. better pic to follow.

so you pull those 10 or 15 10mm bolts on that silver plate, and off comes the plate with rear seal.

outside:

inside view:

and the gasket that seals the cover to the block:

straddle the cover on some blocks of wood, put a screwdriver in the back of the lip of the old seal, couple sprays of pb blaster, couple love taps with a BFH (big f***ing hammer) and the old seal comes on out.

hard to see in this pic, but there is an "outside" stamped on the seal, so you don't get it backwards.

pic of said BFH

i didn't put the new seal in yet, need to get some steel wool or crocus (spelling?) cloth and buff the outer race of the crank so the seal won't tear up prematurely, and some brake parts cleaner or carb cleaner to clean the mating surfaces. anyhow, like i said, nothing real spectacular to report, just an update. i'll try to remember to put the torque settings on this thread as i go back together with it so maybe it'll be worthwhile for someone that cares to do this or has to do this later. have a good weekend subscribed threadwatchers.

 

[AtomicHoe094]

My dad has a 5.3 in his avvy, hes changed the knock sensors (2 of them) about 3 times in the last 5 years. Acdelco brand and there still going bad. So finally he replaced the whole knock sensor harness out (300 bucks for the harness and 2 knock sensors)

Might want to buy new ones since you have your intake manifold off already..

 

[branndon_b]

may be a good idea there adam. the knock sensor covers are kinda sketchy anyway. but i hear they're a pain in the ass to get out though.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------

and for ls motor owners, this may be of some help here...

http://www.afbforums.com/index.php?/topic/29478-ls1-torque-specs/

again
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?category=1

 

[992dr]

Those links are great.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[branndon_b]

found this too. http://www.pleasurecraft.com/manuals/L510016.pdf

 

[SunlitComet]

Archived.