250 to 5.3 swap

[LeesTruk]

The LS swap has begun. Removed the front clip so that I could take out the 250 and the BIG HEAVY manual trans. as a unit. I'm using mounting plates and trans. cross member from Tejas Steelworks, and they are superb pieces. The engine mounts need to be in the lower position for proper fitment of the engine. I'm using exhaust manifolds from a Buick Ranier and they have good clearance at the frame rails













I made a bracket for the modified Tahoe gas pedal assy.



More to come...

Lee

[Dustytrix]

Lookin good, thanks for the pics.

[foamypirate]

Looking good! I've got a set of Tejas' mounts in my garage waiting for my LS swap. Scotty does fantastic work. Best part? His shop is 3 blocks from my house, so I got to watch him make my mounts and aluminum fan shroud!

[LeesTruk]

I chose to use the gas tank (new) for an '87 truck. One of the dilemma's being that the '80 truck tank has a different size hose nipple (smaller) than the '87. After having searched the "net", 'cause that's what everybody says to do, I found various ways to adapt the early/late fuel fill arrangement, like; take the tank to a radiator shop and have them solder a smaller nipple onto the new tank, or; use an exhaust pipe reducer to join the old hose with the new tank. After going blind from all the search, all I could think of was the commercial that said "The internet never lies....bonjour"

Well, I pulled my tank to see exactly what I was up against, and immediately I thought WTF is everyone thinking? Yeah, the tank end of the hose is smaller, BUT!! The filler pipe is the SAME size as the new tank inlet! I just got a fuel hose from Gates that has a 90* bend (all of $17) cut it at where I marked with the green tape (see pics) and hooked everything back together. As simple as that





Later...

Lee

[Rich84]

Gonna get started on my swap soon..Keep the pictures coming.

[LeesTruk]

Rich, you're more than welcome to come over and take a look first hand

Lee

[Rich84]

Just might take you up on that...with the beautiful weather this fall I'm not quite ready to start the swap yet. I'm enjoying driving the truck. It's a great time of year.

[LeesTruk]

Decided not to use the tilt column/auto shifter and use a Lokar Nostalgia shifter instead. I was able to mount it so that it came through the hole in the floor plate (high hump) just as the original shifter did. I could even use the stock shifter boot!



Later...

Lee

[LeesTruk]

Out with the old, in with the new...



Instead of trying to modify the 2 piece shaft original to the truck (4spd. granny gear trans., no slip yoke), it was just as inexpensive to go ahead and get a new, stronger, 1 pc. shaft (3 1/2", .083" DOM) w/new u-joints and slip yoke. Ordered on Friday am, and in my hand the following Thursday, from PST Driveshafts, in Clearwater Fla.

What's interesting, was the fact that the u-joints on the 12 bolt rear, that I took out, had smaller cups than the 10 bolt rear I swapped into the truck!

Lee

[LeesTruk]

There are some questions being asked in another thread("finally up and running" by Tilt) that I could sort of answer, but I didn't want to hijack his thread, so I'll post it here.

A question was asked about AC installation with the Tejas steelworks mounts. I'm using them, as well as their trans crossmember. The AC compressor can be mounted in its' stock lower position with these engine plates, although it's a snug fit and different (from stock original) AC hook up fittings are needed to clear the frame. Here's some pics;





This next pic will give you a glimpse of the plate and clamshell mounted to the engine;



One thing I did find out is that after removing the original trans. crossmember and sliding in the new Tejas crossmember, the new piece sat in the same location, and even two of the holes for the original piece could be used to bolt the new piece in place





Lee

[Tilt]

Originally Posted by LeesTruk

There are some questions being asked in another thread("finally up and running" by Tilt) that I could sort of answer, but I didn't want to hijack his thread, so I'll post it here.

A question was asked about AC installation with the Tejas steelworks mounts. I'm using them, as well as their trans crossmember. The AC compressor can be mounted in its' stock lower position with these engine plates, although it's a snug fit and different (from stock original) AC hook up fittings are needed to clear the frame. Here's some pics;

Looks good. If I do another one of these swaps, I'll defiantly be using the Tejas motor mounts.

[LeesTruk]

Thought I'd take a different approach for my fuel system. I'm using Dorman Products fuel line and fittings. We used this stuff in the repair shop and had good luck with it. The insertion tool is kinda pricey, and there are ways around using it, but the tool makes line construction so easy.









The nylon lines can be easily routed as long as there are no sharp bends, 'cause the stuff will kink. There are 90* fittings available if you need to make a quick turn. Also, use a heat shield of some kind (I use aluminized sheathing) if the lines pass near a heat source like exhaust pipes.



Another nice feature of the Dorman Products is that you can adapt their stuff to existing, or new, steel lines

Ready to put the front clip back on



Lee

[Rich84]

What are you going to do with the third line off of the sender?

[LeesTruk]

That's the tank vent line that I'm running back to the charcoal canister in the engine bay

[Rich84]

What would you do with it if you didn't have a charcoal canister?
I would think it would have to be used as a vent.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I used the nylon lines in my swap as well. Everyone talks about the kit they sell with the tool and a bunch of fittings for $200. However browsing the Dorman catalog I found you can buy just the tool for around $60. And then spend a couple bucks on the fittings you need.

Dorman # 800-301

[Rich84]

Is there a good reason to not use steel and FI rubber? I used them for my TPI swap 4 years ago and have not had any problems.

[LeesTruk]

Rich, I guess choices is like bellybuttons... everybody's got one I chose Dorman because I've used it before, and it's not cost prohibitive for us retired folk, such as AN fittings and steel braided lines. I'm not adverse to using steel tubing, 'cause that's how I make my trans cooling lines. I just find the nylon tubing to be a little dressier than rubber tubing and clamps.

Eric, that's what I did, just purchased the tool and whatever supplies I needed, all available at my local real automotive parts store (no kids, no computers, real parts guys)

Lee

[LeesTruk]

Making headway (nice being retired and having a lot of "play time") Nose is back on and the PCM and fan/fuel relays/fuses in place as is the TAC module




Interior is back together after gauge cluster replacement/rewire. Was also able to rework a three wire cruise lever to a 4 wire thanks to the tutelage of LS1Nova, and yes, that's a real Sun Tach, with new electronics from Williamsons located in Arkansas







The dash cover was repaired and a new (to me) AC vent panel and script installed, thanks to GMachinz



Next part of the project will be to mount the Tahoe air filter box in the original battery location. Was hoping to get a little insight on building a mount for the box from LS1Nova's build thread on his rusty truck but the hoped for pictures had been deleted. Anyone having some info or pictures of this would be appreciated

Later...

Lee

[MalibuSSwagon]

Well the mounting of the airbox was easy, there was a tab on the bottom that lined up with a hole in the battery tray, I just ran a bolt thru with a spacer. Holds it in place fairly well.

[LeesTruk]

Eric, was your air tube long enough? Mine appears to be several inches too short

Lee

[LeesTruk]

Seeing as how this isn't gonna be a race truck, thought I'd make a Y pipe, using the exhaust stubs that came with the engine. Both lead pipes are 2.5" into the merge, with a 3" outlet



After all the pipes were cut and tacked, I started to finish weld.... ran out of MIG wire

Lee

[LeesTruk]

Done and in





Ready for fluids

[conman585]

Originally Posted by LeesTruk

Thought I'd take a different approach for my fuel system. I'm using Dorman Products fuel line and fittings. We used this stuff in the repair shop and had good luck with it. The insertion tool is kinda pricey, and there are ways around using it, but the tool makes line construction so easy.

Love what you did with the fuel system. Any part numbers for all the dorman parts in this pic? The two brass pieces, the plastic connectors and the steel parts in between. Did you have to cut the ends off the sender inlet and outlet tubes?

[BR3W CITY]

The plastic PTC's are 3/8 and 5/16, any parts store should carry them. The brass pieces are compression fittings in the same sizes.