1979 K20 5.3 Swap

[smurfasaur]

There is a camaro fbody three wire temp sender that you can use to provide signal to the PCM and to the gauge... This should fit in the original spot on the drivers side head towards the front of the engine. You will need a pigtail as well... Links below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OVAUN2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Michigan-Mot...rd_wg=Hal3r&psc=1&refRID=PZ5KQTA8JGMG4GH8HBPB


The headers I used are the shorty headers and there were two issues I ran across. One was that they originally had collectors and as they sat it was going to put my O2 sensors in a really bad spot, proactically smashed against things (like the floorboard). Ideally you want the O2 sensors pointed up to keep moisture out and to prevent them from fouling but if you can get them above the midline of the exhuast then that will be fine, so that is why i converted to the V-band clamps. Was just a matter of making it easy to clock them better and also like i mentioned previously, not having to mess with collector gaskets. The other issue I had was that when I got my trans I got an older 4l60E that was from a 1997 Z71. It used the older style one piece transmission body so it had the same bellhousing shape as a 700r4/th400/th350 and as such the ears on the trans come in the path of the headers. I suspect you would run into the same issue with the long tube headers. The easiest solution is to chop the ears off. Not pretty, and stops you from being able to use the stock dust sheilds, but it gets the job done. I'll live with that for a while but once I get my move done and set up my garage I'm just going to find an old aluminum 4 x 4 dust sheild and modify it to make a proper dust shield that makes up for what I trimmed off, just to keep dirt, mud, and whatever else from getting in there when and where I go offroad.

I don’t have any clearance issues with the ears on the trans, surprisingly that’s about the only thing that clears fine lol



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[rpcraft]

You used a newer transmission or your orginal 700r4?

 

[smurfasaur]

You used a newer transmission or your orginal 700r4?

Using a 4l60e. Truck came with a sm465 granny tranny but I wanted overdrive


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[rpcraft]

OK, yeah the shape of the bellhousing is different with the two piece 4l60E so that makes sense. My older one was the one piece body and they share the old flanged out style like 700r4's and 4l80E's had so the bottom part kicks out and goes right in line of the headers. I think if I had known that was going to be an issue when I found that trans I would have waited a little longer and found a better deal. In the long run I may still end up going with a 4l80E and from what I can determine it has the old body style anyways so seems like no matter what I am going to have a collection of cut off bell housing ears and will be making my own dust/inspection shield, lol.

 

[smurfasaur]

Well it was a very productive weekend. Got the tranny crossmember all fabbed up painted and installed, and also got a bunch of wiring cleaned up and the headlights and fog lights wires thanks to my dad.

I’m very thankful I don’t have to make a living as a welder, I’d be broke

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Next big project is getting the headers modified to not hit on anything and fit up to the existing exhaust.


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[roundhouse]

This is what concerns me about swapping an LS in, very rarely do you read/hear about someone completing the swap with it still being a cheap swap.

I think mine cost about $2500
All together

$500 for the engine ,$500 for the NV3500 five speed
$300 for the NP208
$300 for the computer reprogram
Did the wiring harness ourselves

$400 for the new gas tank and pump and lines and fittings

$50 for late model Camaro manifolds
And the rest on misc small parts


Buy a running wrecked donor vehicle
Don’t buy a engine that you can’t hear run
I made that mistake and came out ok but just assume every seller is a liar

$1700 for vintage AC

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I think mine cost about $2500
All together

$500 for the engine ,$500 for the NV3500 five speed
$300 for the NP208
$300 for the computer reprogram
Did the wiring harness ourselves

$400 for the new gas tank and pump and lines and fittings

$50 for late model Camaro manifolds
And the rest on misc small parts


Buy a running wrecked donor vehicle
Don’t buy a engine that you can’t hear run
I made that mistake and came out ok but just assume every seller is a liar

$1700 for vintage AC

They can be done quite economically, the trap most people fall into is they are coming from Gen 1 engines that are much older and were made to less exacting standards to begin with, so they start down the "while you're at it" rabbit hole.

While you're at it, may as well regasket it, and replace those bolts, and hot tank it, and have those bores cleaned up, new springs, seals, etc etc... Before you know it you've blown the budget to hell lol.

Or, like me, while you're at it, may as well put a turbo on the thing

 

[rpcraft]

Well it was a very productive weekend. Got the tranny crossmember all fabbed up painted and installed, and also got a bunch of wiring cleaned up and the headlights and fog lights wires thanks to my dad.

I’m very thankful I don’t have to make a living as a welder, I’d be broke

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Next big project is getting the headers modified to not hit on anything and fit up to the existing exhaust.


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I can tell you right now your headers and that crossmember are not going to like each other. Your' probably going to have to drop the sides down more to tuck the exhaust up over it, or risk having them run under it and get crushed when you go over stuff and hit the higher center point.

 

[smurfasaur]

I can tell you right now your headers and that crossmember are not going to like each other. Your' probably going to have to drop the sides down more to tuck the exhaust up over it, or risk having them run under it and get crushed when you go over stuff and hit the higher center point.

Negative ghostrider. Plenty of room to run the exhaust over the top of the crossmember. It’s 2” tubing so there’s a ton of room above it

But, I am getting different headers anyways. My dad talked me out of hacking up my camaro headers and getting some speed engineering swap headers.

Camaro Long tube headers probably up for grabs for anyone with better fabrication skills. Paid $160 I’d take $100


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[4WDKC]

I think mine cost about $2500
All together

$500 for the engine ,$500 for the NV3500 five speed
$300 for the NP208
$300 for the computer reprogram
Did the wiring harness ourselves

$400 for the new gas tank and pump and lines and fittings

$50 for late model Camaro manifolds
And the rest on misc small parts


Buy a running wrecked donor vehicle
Don’t buy a engine that you can’t hear run
I made that mistake and came out ok but just assume every seller is a liar

$1700 for vintage AC

See I was thinking
cost of engine and tranny?
already have a 208
have a friend that bought HP tuners adn said I could buy credits from him.
would do the same.
have an 87 wit ep241 already installed.
have a set under the work bench


hard to find running trucks cheap here, If I cant hear it run, I figure its a core and buy accordingly.

AC worked before vortec head swap...and now it is on its 2nd broken valve spring.

 

[rpcraft]

The harness is a bit of a pain if you want to trim down but it's easy enough to do it DIY style but if you want to you can use the original fuse box and use some jumpers to feed the power and input to that directly without having to have the harness trimmed down.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

The harness is a bit of a pain if you want to trim down but it's easy enough to do it DIY style but if you want to you can use the original fuse box and use some jumpers to feed the power and input to that directly without having to have the harness trimmed down.

I did my firs swap like that, ran for 3 years, harness draped everywhere, fuse box flopping lol

 

[smurfasaur]

Contemplating exhaust situation:

Speed engineering shortys are out of stock everywhere I’ve looked. Restock date 4/30. $160

Speed engineering long tube c10 swap headers supposedly fit K series trucks. $250ish

Stock camaro manifolds also supposedly fit without issues (I thought someone on this thread had used them with success but I can’t find the post). I can find them with flanges for $100 or so.

Decisions decisions....


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[Jrgunn5150]

Contemplating exhaust situation:

Speed engineering shortys are out of stock everywhere I’ve looked. Restock date 4/30. $160

Speed engineering long tube c10 swap headers supposedly fit K series trucks. $250ish

Stock camaro manifolds also supposedly fit without issues (I thought someone on this thread had used them with success but I can’t find the post). I can find them with flanges for $100 or so.

Decisions decisions....


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TBSS manifolds fit C10's, not sure about the K.

Did you try the Facebook guy for Speed Engineering?

 

[smurfasaur]

TBSS manifolds fit C10's, not sure about the K.

Did you try the Facebook guy for Speed Engineering?

Yeah he’s who I’d be getting the LTs through.


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