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1984 Corvette "LS1" Engine Swap/Build

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ls1
42K views 64 replies 28 participants last post by  Lethal Tendencies 
#1 ·
Well I finally realized I never posted this here... I have on other forums and decided to post it here as well... Enjoy and the posts are just copied so the wording might not make sense. These are posts spread apart a time frame of about a month... Enjoy

Well after some research I have decided to do an "LS1" Engine Swap/Build. This was the thread that convinced me to do this swap...
Click HERE
and I started to wonder if anyone has done this swap in a C4. It turns out that corvette fever has done this swap in a C4 and its called Project C4orce. Once I saw that I knew that, that was the engine swap I wanted to do. The reason I'm not doing an actual LSx swap is because it is too much money for a high school kid.

So today I managed to get down to the junkyard and pick up an LM7 327 (5.3L) engine from a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500. It has 52k miles on it and cost me $600. It seems to be in good condition and everything but I have 30 days to return it so I am going to be doing compression test and a leak down test first. Once its good I will be swapping the truck intake for an LS1 intake, fuel rails, and injectors that I bought used for $130 (still waiting for it to come in the mail). All I need to get the motor running is a LS1 harness and ECM then it will be good to go for the swap.
 
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#5 ·
Heres a quick test fit :D




Well finally got some free time to get a little work done on the engine. I spun it upside down and took off the oil pan to check out the bottom end and look at the cylinder walls. It looks great. You can still see a slight bit of cross-hatch pattern on the walls.









And heres the difference between the truck oil pan and the Firebird pan.








Now im back on hold untill the new windage tray arrives. Also in the market for an LS1 harness and ECM. Might start disassembling the car to get ready to pull the crossfire
 
#6 ·
Got some more work done...

Windage tray and pick-up tube installed




Oil pan installed
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Coolant Lines and knock sensors installed


Intake, Valve Covers, and coil packs installed


Engine Harness installed (for now)




I gotta figure out some things about the harness since there seems to be extra wires that I dont think I need. This week I am off from school so I should get a lot of progress done on the engine :D
 
#7 · (Edited)
Nice man! but i would of saved up and got the ls1 you can find them kinda cheap now =p
But anyways looks like a fun project. how much did that tent type garage cost you i been wanting to get 1
 
#11 ·
Nice man! but i would of saved up and got the ls1 you can find them kinda cheap now =p
But anyways looks like a fun project.
To do a real LS1 swap I would need a budget of atleast 10k... Here are the big priced items... Motor, Tranny, and the Dana 44. Too much money for a high school student. This swap so far has kept me under 2k. And all I need are motor mounts and ECM.

Another reason to go this route is that its only about a 9-10 HP difference between a 5.3 LS1 and a 5.7 LS1. and the 5.7 is all aluminum that only saves about 75 lbs, which isnt a big deal for me since this car will be my Daily Driver
 
#8 ·
Got some more work done...

Heres a look at the blizzard we got yesterday and yes thats the curb poking thro on the bottom :laughing:






Had to shovel a pathway to my car :laughing:




Heres some before shots




And the progress I got done today


I removed the air pump, alternator, power steering container, and the power steering pump (besides the one hose going to the rack, got to dark)
 
#14 ·
This looks like a fun project. Keep us updated on your swap:thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
Guess i learn something new everyday on this forum dident know there was a 5.3 l ls1 im still leaning towards the 383 3k and you get 500hp/500ft lbs tq.
I feel you on the money issue but im saveing up my car runs great now so its no hurry i guess.
 
#24 ·
That will be great... I would keep track of how much I am spending on mine, but it would get too depressing. I would rather be happy with the results than sad due to the monetary figures. :smilielol5:
 
#34 ·
Out of curiosity, is the 6.0 liter engine bigger in physical size compared to the 5.3's used in trucks?
 
#41 ·
Just an update on the build...

I hit a brick wall trying to attach the tranny to the motor. I have a couple of things to try out but nothing to post picks of yet. Once I get everything worked out I will post pics and most likely put the motor into the car for a test fit. And then its electrical and making everything look good. Like cleaning the engine bay and painting the motor.

So on the to-do list for the rest of this build and in the order that it will be completed in(most likely) :
1. Attach tranny to motor
2. Figure out electrical
3. Try to Make Long Tube Headers
4. Do an LS6 cam upgrade (still debating)
5. Clean engine bay
6. Soda blast Engine
7. Paint Engine
8. Install engine
9. Work out the accessory brackets and Belt layout.
10. Get it running
11. Put car back together
12. Donuts in the parking lot :lol:

I will try to post pics of as much as I can

Cory
 
#46 ·
I cant find that mag, I do remember that all bolts line up ex 1, you need a spacer for the flexplate. I was hoping to get you some part #s. this was in Chevy high performance or Car craft about a year ago. sorry I couldnt help more, if I do find the mag I will let you know.
 
#50 ·
Well today I finally just bought a bell housing that I hope will work with my tranny and my clutch setup. I also received in the mail motor mount adapter plates from Speed Hound Parts. I will post some pics of everything sometime this week :thumbsup:
 
#52 ·
Well lets get this thread moving in the right direction.... After many months of research, buying parts, sending them back, i think i have finally found stuff that will work.

Here is a 486 Bellhousing on the right and the stock one on the left.



The new bellhousing is for a 168 tooth flywheel and has the same mounting holes for my tranny. But there is a downside to this bellhousing, it needs an adapter since the bore is bigger than the stock bore. pictures of the adapter is below.

Here is the a Sachs fly wheel that is for my truck and a clutch kit for a 1979 Camaro







And now to assemble onto the engine.









Now that everything fits, i gotta check if everything is centered.







and once with the adapter ring



Everything seems to work and i dont need to move the bellhousing around at all so now time to test everything with the tranny.

Ring on the tranny









Inside the clutch fork hole



Now all that everything SEEMS to work on to the next part. the throw out bearing, the clutch fork, the pivot stud length, and mounting the slave cylinder. In the mean time my dad will hopefully get some work done on my harness for me so we can have it done before the fall
 
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