'04 5.3L in a '01 V6 Camaro.

[whitels1]

Glad to see it worked out for you, as far as I know V6 sender is 0-90 (old chevy) and LS1 is 240 - 33. You might just be able to swap out the sender.

[Clyde65]

nice work Chris! Ill need to come see her soon. Are you thinking of going to the Ft Worth Cruise for the cure? Dad and I will be there with his crew cab. Hope to see you there.

[clinebarger]

Some updates on the Camaro....

The exhaust I built is not working out well, I adjust it, That works a few days....Then back to rattling/hitting the body, The Y-pipe set-up SUCKS....Causes a really bad "rasp" at WOT. And it drones at highway speeds.

So I bought Hookers Blackheart true dual system & matching Mid-length Headers, Headers are 1 7/8" 304 stainless, Exhaust is dual 2.5", Pipes are 409 stainless, Mufflers & Tips are 304. I would have went with 1 3/4" headers.....But plan on upping displacement soon & did not want to buy yet another set of headers.

[cableguy0]

That's a sweet looking system. Just a quick tip. Everywhere you use those band clamps add a tack weld. It will stop the system from twisting in the clamps. Stainless is super hard and claps don't pinch it well. Just throwing it out there I deal with that stuff everyday at work. Havent used that system because we bend our own stuff for the most part plus the cheap asses in the area I work in wouldn't go for it. LOL. Post some pictures once installed Im really curious about how it fits especially knowing how tight it is under those cars with just a single 3 inch pipe.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by cableguy0

That's a sweet looking system. Just a quick tip. Everywhere you use those band clamps add a tack weld. It will stop the system from twisting in the clamps. Stainless is super hard and claps don't pinch it well. Just throwing it out there I deal with that stuff everyday at work. Havent used that system because we bend our own stuff for the most part plus the cheap asses in the area I work in wouldn't go for it. LOL. Post some pictures once installed Im really curious about how it fits especially knowing how tight it is under those cars with just a single 3 inch pipe.

Thanks for the tip! I used to do exhaust work many years ago when I was a teenager working at a Midas Muffler but didn't deal with stainless very much. I will let you know on how it fits, Installing the system the first part of June. Had to schedule a open lift at work.

I installed a BMR Panhard Brace relocation kit trying to fix what I have, So I have a lot more room over the axle. Hooker calls to install spacers on the Brace where it bolts to the unibody to fur down the Brace....Hopefully I don't need those spacers with the BMR kit?

I know where I messed up on the exhaust, I used universal mandrel bends (45's & 90's) I had no choice but to use a 45 going over the axle when I needed about a 30 degree bend. To get the 45 to work I had to move the pipe closer to the diff.....And the diff hits the pipe over the smallest bumps.

Where the Axle Tube hits.


BMR Relocation Kit.

[cableguy0]

A lot of the kits have that over the axle pipe flattened slightly to give extra clearance. Anyhow stainless is an annoyance to me. Very difficult to bend because the metal itself is much stiffer than regular steel. Tight bends without a mandrel bender are near impossible. Also anywhere you need to add a hanger weld the hanger to an exhaust clamp because welding to the stainless with mild steel wire will cause rust eventually. The small tack welds at the joints wont really affect anything but stop the system from moving and twisting after you get it in place. We usually don't bend those pipes by hand in anything bigger than 2.5 and even that is pushing it. If they want 3 inch in the rare case someone actually shows up with a v8 car wanting duals we just order a 3 inch mandrel bent pipe to use. We do far more v6 cars and vehicles than I care for but it is what it is.

[clinebarger]

Finally have a game plan for this years upgrades (Besides the Exhaust & Headers).

Scored a Aluminum Drive Shaft from a '02 Camaro SS, Installed new greaseable Spicer U-joints.

Circle D 278mm 3000-3200 Stall Converter.

Of course the trans will be out for the Converter swap, So will be performing a few mods I didn't have in the budget last year....

Sonnax Input Drum reinforcement kit.

Sonnax HD 3-2 Shift Valve (Keeps the Overruns "On" in 1st & 2nd while the shifter is in D3). Protects the Forward Sprag.

Sonnax "Teflon" PTFE Rear Stator Bushing.

Clevite Wide front Stator Bushing.

Been driving it Very Hard the last month, And will continue 'til June. I installed Alto High Energy Frictions when I built it last year, Using 8 .062" 3/4 Frictions, & 7 .077" Kolene Steels with factory Backing & Apply plates to further Beta Test their product in 4L60E's. Already tested them in 700R4's with great success! The 3/4 Clutch Circuits are different enough between the 2 too warrant separate testing.

Their .062" Red Eagle 3/4 Frictions are bad about "Coning" under constant cycling that gets them real hot. Going to see if the same is true for the thin High Energies.

Will pull all Alto Frictions for close measurements & inspection. Installing OEM Borg Warner Frictions in their place (7 .080" Frictions & 6 .077" Kolene Steels in the 3/4 Clutch)

On another subject, I was trying to buy a LQ4/LQ9 Long Block too throw a Cam in & install in my car.....The prices are STUPID, 100,000 mile engines for $2000. It has to be because of Income Tax Return time?? Thoughts? $1000 for a LQ4 & $1300 for a LQ9 is reasonable.....F@ck, I've bought Complete LQ9/4L65E PCM/MAF/Pedal/TAC & Harness packages for $1500 before.

[solidaxel]

So those parts have been "tested" with great results,
Are these parts replacements for "stock" rebuild parts or extras?
Are these parts much higher than stock rebuild parts including the converter

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

So those parts have been "tested" with great results,
Are these parts replacements for "stock" rebuild parts or extras?
Are these parts much higher than stock rebuild parts including the converter

The Alto HEG Frictions are all I am testing, Everything else in my trans including the new stuff shown above I have been using for years on High Performance builds.

The Circle D Converter is one of their Cheaper ones...But still cost $450. Where a stock rebuild runs about $100 from a local rebuilder.
GM puts a 278mm (1900 RPM) Stall in the I6 Trailblazer, They are notorious for Torrington Bearing failures in HP applications, And sends Aluminum through the trans when it fails. Used 100's of Circle D modified 278mm converters with NO failures.

The Input Drum Reinforcement isn't needed when running a Stock Stall-2800 Stall Converter, High Stalls shock the crap out of the Aluminum Drum leading to Cracks where the Input Shaft splines into the Drum. Runs about $70.

The HD 2-3 Shift Valve protects the Froward Sprag from taking 100% of the Torque in 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Runs about $40. This will explain it better...http://www.sonnax.com/parts/2464-hea...-3-shift-valve

The Stator Bushings, I do in every customers unit, I just didn't have any on hand when I built mine, And Mine were in good shape.

The Borg Warner Frictions are OEM & more expensive than Alto or Raybestos.

[solidaxel]

Thanks Cline,
I will take this info to my trans guy and ask for him to do the same.
Is there a reason for the high stall converter, I think mine is like 2200 in my 53, what is the factory stall in a Tahoe with a 5.3?

[clinebarger]

I "Plan" to swap in a mild cam 6.0L or 6.2L next year, I do not want to "Re-Stall" later, That's the reason for the 3000-3200 Stall, Though this Circle D converter is REALLY streetable....It doesn't Flash up 'til your really on the throttle!

A Factory "TMBX" 300mm Converter (What I have now, & what would have been in a Tahoe) stalls to about 1400-1600 if your really getting on it.

The latest upgrades mentioned are to compliment the parts already installed last year.....

Sonnax Performance pack (Shift Kit) Includes....
Pinless accumulators & springs
.490" boost valve
PWM delete valve
Servo springs
Accumulator valve shim (Did not use)
Pump slide spring
Torlon Check Balls
Servo Release Valve
.076" 2nd feed hole, Not the .086"-.093" recommended by Sonnax. Followed directions on the other Orifice sizes.

Sonnax smart shell
Sonnax wide sun gear bushing
Sonnax 4th super hold Servo
GM "093" Vette 2nd Servo
GM 5-Pinion Input planet, Cheap as a 4-pinion on Amazon!
GM 4-Pinion Reaction planet (High Speed), $100 cheaper than a 5-pinion.
Borg Warner forward sprag.
Borg Warner (OE) 2-4 Band.

If you would like a Custom Parts List to fit your needs, Let me know with vehicles specs.

[solidaxel]

Thank You Cline
When I get the engine mounted in the chassis I will give you a call for the remainder of parts
I do not want to do this twice!

[clinebarger]

Got the exhaust, headers, converter, trans upgrades, & driveshaft installed this weekend, Exhaust install went very smooth, Hooker did a good job in the development of this system, Clears everything, Sounds great, And doesn't rattle. The Headers fit well...Especially with 1 7/8" primaries.
The Circle D Converter feels good......Haven't got on it hard yet, Got to wait a few miles for the Band & 3-4 clutches to fully break in.

On a side note, The Ceramic coated BBK headers that were on this car only a year did not hold up well at all, Rust spots are all over the collectors, Very disappointed......Not worth the $500 I paid for them.

[clinebarger]

The bad news, The PCM still does not recognize the 12v A/C request!!! I could wire around that, But what I found out when I jumped the A/C Relay really made me upset......The Fans do not respond to A/C pressure, But they do to coolant temp.

The A/C head pressure is getting read by the PCM, Makes no since to me, I have sent this PCM off TWICE to fix this stuff to no avail. You would think having my PCM for 2 months total more than one of my issues could be resolved.
I will start a new thread on this, Maybe someone has some suggestions.

[Clyde65]

Nice!

[69gmcc10]

Now that your poking around the forum again do you have a update for us on how the Camaro is doing? What else you have done to it (LQ9?) and if you ever got the PCM to control the fans?

[clinebarger]

Wow.....Didn't expect this! I only posted this here because you guys are like family! I kinda regret leaving the way I did.....But me & another member just couldn't get along!

The Camaro now sports a 6.2L L92 out of a 2007 Escalade....Pretty much stock besides a Cam-Motion stage 3 LS3 camshaft, Hardened pushrods & Bushed rockers. Converted it to 24x/1x.

Ended up running a 2005 Silverado PCM which had electric fans from the factory. Now that HPtuners has the Segment Swapper.....I probably could have got the 2004 PCM to work.

Swapped to a 4L80E & now swapping back to a 4L60E. Don't care what anyone says.....4l80E's are power robbing pigs, If you ain't makin' over 550 RWHP or a really heavy vehicle, Don't bother!

[oldman3]

Glad to see you back, miss your great input...Jim

[69gmcc10]

I see you still have a MAF sensor, is there a reason you have not gone with a Speed Density tune?

Pure curiosity. I am gonna run a the MAF, but I thought all the cool kids ran SD tunes.

So happy to have you back!