LS swap questions

[4WDKC]

Thinking about picking up a clean LWB 2wd roller for a ls swap and flip if I can get a good idea of price of stuff needed to make a basic swap correctly.

First is there a parts list somewhere of what is needed to do a swap?
What is a realistic price for doing it on the cheap with little to no new parts purchased and without selling old parts for offset?

 

[Crispy]

Engine, trans, ecu, harness (best deal if pulled from a single working vehicle)
Gaskets, seals for new drive train
Repin the harness yourself (or send out for $150+)
Custom ECU tuning (remove vats, egr, downstream 02, etc)
Fluids, belts, hoses, filters
Engine mounting solution (2wd non ac vehicles may be able to get away with cheaper plate adapters from ebay, or DIY)
Not sure where the V6 or I6 mount in relation to SBC but its something to look into if you are buying a 6 banger. You may need frame stands from a V8.
Driveshaft length???
Air intake solution
Speedometer correction (VSS output to mechanical input)
Fuel system
Exhaust (should be able to source cheap manifolds, possibly even use existing manifolds in a truck???)
Electric fans if mechanical fan doesnt fit (should in a truck chassis)

I found my old spreadsheet with an LS swap planned for a 64 Skylark and it totaled about $1700 not including the trans since I was going to go 200-4R with setback plates and I wouldnt have to change my driveshaft. The engine price was $500 for a 4.8 which was pretty common to find at the time. If you have any more questions or want some specific part numbers I can get those to you.

 

[smurfasaur]

I’ve seen posts and YouTube videos of guys claiming to do a swap for under $1000 counting selling old parts. These days it seems you have to get pretty lucky finding a good pullout motor with all the accessories and harness etc in order to make that realistic though. Not impossible if you can find a good motor for cheap on Craigslist or something but it seems like folks have realized that there is a market for these motors (or at least my neck of the woods they have).


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[Rustybucket73]

Definitely possible to do it for close to $1000.

I started with a 73 SB with a 350/350

Got as much as I could from the junkyard, especially on 50% off days.

5.3 w/ harness, pcm, & accessories was around $250, found a broken valve spring so add $7
Got a 4l80e @50% off for $80 lol
Put a HD2 kit in the 4l80e for ~$120
Had the pcm reflashed at lt1swap for $75
didn't need a new driveshaft, just changed the yoke to a 4l80e one.
Used a fuel sender from a '87 together with a walbro 450 for $150ish
Swap mounts from ebay were probably $75ish, definitely under $100
The other small things like push-lok fittings and line for fuel and trans cooler, throttle cable from a newish blazer, Elec speedo gauge cluster from a 91 square w/ a camaro tach made up the rest.

after selling the old 350/350 combo, it came out to around $1000-1200.

Since I want to add a turbo later on, I reused the stock manifolds (converted to v-band) and kept the stock cam.

Just wanted to get the thing running.

 

[4WDKC]

Definitely possible to do it for close to $1000.

I started with a 73 SB with a 350/350

Got as much as I could from the junkyard, especially on 50% off days.

5.3 w/ harness, pcm, & accessories was around $250, found a broken valve spring so add $7
Got a 4l80e @50% off for $80 lol
Put a HD2 kit in the 4l80e for ~$120
Had the pcm reflashed at lt1swap for $75
didn't need a new driveshaft, just changed the yoke to a 4l80e one.
Used a fuel sender from a '87 together with a walbro 450 for $150ish
Swap mounts from ebay were probably $75ish, definitely under $100
The other small things like push-lok fittings and line for fuel and trans cooler, throttle cable from a newish blazer, Elec speedo gauge cluster from a 91 square w/ a camaro tach made up the rest.

after selling the old 350/350 combo, it came out to around $1000-1200.

Since I want to add a turbo later on, I reused the stock manifolds (converted to v-band) and kept the stock cam.

Just wanted to get the thing running.

I wont buy a used engine for more than cost of a core if I cant hear it run. There is plenty of guys around here that part out those trucks so I should be able to find one.

 

[Rustybucket73]

I wont buy a used engine for more than cost of a core if I cant hear it run. There is plenty of guys around here that part out those trucks so I should be able to find one.

I agree, thats the safer option. But around here, people want $750-1000 for just a 4.8 w/accessories, no trans and 100k+ miles.

I wanted to do my swap on a budget, so I took a chance.

 

[roundhouse]

Usually Cheaper to buy the donor vehicle than to buy just the engine

Then you get to hear it run and have a lot of spare parts to sell

And you’re right

Do NOT buy a engine you can’t hear run

 

[smurfasaur]

I agree, thats the safer option. But around here, people want $750-1000 for just a 4.8 w/accessories, no trans and 100k+ miles.

I wanted to do my swap on a budget, so I took a chance.

That’s how it is where I live too. Communist bastards


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[4WDKC]

I agree, thats the safer option. But around here, people want $750-1000 for just a 4.8 w/accessories, no trans and 100k+ miles.

I wanted to do my swap on a budget, so I took a chance.

There was a complete 6.0 harness and ecm sitting on a pallet for $800 here bout 6 months ago.

 

[roundhouse]

I agree, thats the safer option. But around here, people want $750-1000 for just a 4.8 w/accessories, no trans and 100k+ miles.

I wanted to do my swap on a budget, so I took a chance.

Same here
But the donor vehicle is $1000 if you shop around

I bought one that I didn’t hear run
And I got lucky , but the seller said it had 170k , and I ran a carfax after I found a VIN on the engine and it had 270k when it got wrecked

 

[ajd89]

Same here
But the donor vehicle is $1000 if you shop around

I bought one that I didn’t hear run
And I got lucky , but the seller said it had 170k , and I ran a carfax after I found a VIN on the engine and it had 270k when it got wrecked

I bought a 99 4.8 4x4 for 450 drove it home. No idea on miles but drove about a month before the rearend fianlly gave up and the frame was shot but you can find deals if you look and wait long enough! Was gonna put it in a k10 project but sold all that and got a crew

 

[roundhouse]

I bought a 99 4.8 4x4 for 450 drove it home. No idea on miles but drove about a month before the rearend fianlly gave up and the frame was shot but you can find deals if you look and wait long enough! Was gonna put it in a k10 project but sold all that and got a crew

That’s what I figured out
Odd as it sounds , it’s cheaper to buy the entire vehicle than just the engine
Which had half the wires and sensors
Destroyed when the neckbeard ripped it out

 

[smurfasaur]

That’s what I figured out
Odd as it sounds , it’s cheaper to buy the entire vehicle than just the engine
Which had half the wires and sensors
Destroyed when the neckbeard ripped it out

That’s what I’m dealing with too. Stupid frustrating. The whole back half of the harness was hacked off so I had to depin the plugs and start fresh.


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[4WDKC]

That’s what I figured out
Odd as it sounds , it’s cheaper to buy the entire vehicle than just the engine
Which had half the wires and sensors
Destroyed when the neckbeard ripped it out

I dont have room for the entire vehicle at my house but, will help remove it from the vehicle so I get everything I want undamaged.

 

[roundhouse]

I got a friend that rented or borrowed a trailer
Bought the donor and removed everything he needed one weekend while it was still on the trailer and Sold it to a junkyard for $200 when he was done

Dunno if you live in a HOA
( I could never live in one )
But where I live the city is always on your case if you have an unregistered or inoperable vehicle visible

If it’s under a nice cover (not a blue tarp) they won’t say anything
And if it’s sitting on a trailer that has a current registration, they can’t do anything about it

Been here, done that battle .