Gen V Swap - shop?

[chris1htx]

What’s up guys. I purchased a gen v set up a little over a year ago, excited to get the swap going in my ‘84 I searched the Houston area for a shop that would tackle this for me. Found a shop willingly to do it, 8 month waiting list passes and $300 non-refundable deposit later the shop turned out to be unreliable. Luckily I was able to find another shop that looked very promising, the guy seemed like he knew what he was doing, seemed very knowledgeable. Got the old inline 6 out of the truck, the firewall was completely rusted through, decided to get it fixed while everything was out of the way. The firewall turned out great, the installation of the new motor was soon to begin, so I thought. The guy had a lot of projects going on, very unresponsive with calls or texts. Say he would get to it a certain week but 3 weeks would pass and he still hadnt touched it. I later learned he got kicked out of “his” shop due unpayment of rent, just my luck.

Sorry for the venting.

I’m picking up my truck tomorrow with the engine and all the parts. Does anyone know of any trustworthy shops in Houston that wont be overly expensive? I’m willing to tackle the project myself but when it comes to the technical items it makes me nervous. I may have gotten myself into a pickle with this swap. On a better note, my firewall looks great.

[cfan10]

Not sure if performance is still open but it was on e. crosstimbers and irvington I think haven't been around there in like 3 years...I personally think you should tackle it yourself, people tend to take short cuts jmo.

[mongocanfly]

Do you have the ability and shop room to do the swap?...I've not done a gen v ,,,but the swaps I've done are basically easy to install...

[kipps]

If the engine is ready to go in, just stick it in. The basic mechanicals aren't that difficult. Once done, you'll have the whole vehicle basically together, and you can trailer it more easily to somebody to do the hard parts(wiring, fuel, cooling, intake, exhaust, etc).

[chris1htx]

cfan10: yeah I heard of that shop, passed by a few weeks ago, it’s a Zumba studio now. Lol

Stabbing the engine in myself was probably what was gonna end up happening. I have all the parts needed to get it mounted. I can get the vintage air mounted and lines ran.

Does the driveshaft need to get shortened?

[mongocanfly]

More than likely you'll need driveshaft work done...dont worry about that till you get the engine/trans set ..

[87chevy.com]

I sent this thread to a friend that has a shop in katy. Hes done 2, on his 3rd and I do the wiring on for him. I also mod the harness for standalone aswell. I've got an 87 short bed with a gen 5 aswell.
Clint

[chris1htx]

Originally Posted by 87chevy.com

I sent this thread to a friend that has a shop in katy. Hes done 2, on his 3rd and I do the wiring on for him. I also mod the harness for standalone aswell. I've got an 87 short bed with a gen 5 aswell.
Clint

Oh sweet! Thanks man.

I’ve made some slow progress, changed out the oil pan, put on the accessory drive. I’ve read deleting the vacuum pump you would either need a hydro boost or an electric vacuum pump. Any ideas?

I’m thinking of taking off the front clip this weekend to test fit the engine to make sure everything looks good before I attach the trans to it.

[87chevy.com]

Stock booster barley fits. You can pickup vacuum source from the purge valve port with an home made or machined adapter. Looks like you don't really need a shop if you got the engine in lol. If you need the harness modified for stanalone PM me.

[chris1htx]

I wish I was that confident lol. I could get everything in but making it work that’s a different ball game lol. I’ve read modifying the ICT billet delete plug could work. Might look into it.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by chris1htx

Oh sweet! Thanks man.

I’ve made some slow progress, changed out the oil pan, put on the accessory drive. I’ve read deleting the vacuum pump you would either need a hydro boost or an electric vacuum pump. Any ideas?

I’m thinking of taking off the front clip this weekend to test fit the engine to make sure everything looks good before I attach the trans to it.

Hydroboost makes things a lot more accessible than those massive vacuum reservoirs and you aren't depending on manifold vacuum to run your brakes.

If you do Hydroboost I would get a Power steering cooler off a T800 truck... they fit behind the grille on the LH side next to the condenser and radiator opening.
With or without Hydroboost... I highly recommend changing the power steering fluid every 3rd or 4th engine oil change 15,000-20,000 miles or so. 2qts of Delco or an equivalent PS fluid is cheap.

[chris1htx]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Hydroboost makes things a lot more accessible than those massive vacuum reservoirs and you aren't depending on manifold vacuum to run your brakes.

If you do Hydroboost I would get a Power steering cooler off a T800 truck... they fit behind the grille on the LH side next to the condenser and radiator opening.
With or without Hydroboost... I highly recommend changing the power steering fluid every 3rd or 4th engine oil change 15,000-20,000 miles or so. 2qts of Delco or an equivalent PS fluid is cheap.

What are the options for a hydroboost? I’ve seen new systems run above $600 and I’ve seen people convert an early 90s Astro van for under a $100.

[hatzie]

The Diesel models and the 1 tons got hydroboost. The boosters should still be available for a lot less than $600. Get the pedals with the booster. IIRC the brake booster pushrod pin on the pedal is in a slightly different location on the hydroboost trucks.

The power steering pump is the same.
The booster has three lines. Pressure in from the pump, pressure out to the steering box, and return.
The pressure line runs to the brake booster then continues to the power steering box.
The returns from the booster and the power steering box run through a Tee back to the power steering pump.
If you're adding a cooler it goes in the low pressure return lines between the Tee and the power steering pump reservoir. Get a used cooler off a T800 chassis in the boneyard.

The PS pump to booster will need to be a hybrid with the LS pump fitting and hardline section on one end and the squarebody brake booster hardline on the other. I'd get used hoses as donors and get a hydraulic hose outfit to crimp the proper length of high pressure power steering line between the two sections of hardline... again much less than $600.
The booster to steering box line is a squarebody part.
The return lines are SAE J189 hose with constant tension band clamps or Oetiker clamps. The only exciting piece is the Tee fitting off the steering box. Source this from your 80's squarebody donor.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by hatzie

The Diesel models and the 1 tons got hydroboost. The boosters should still be available for a lot less than $600. Get the pedals with the booster. IIRC the brake booster pushrod pin on the pedal is in a slightly different location on the hydroboost trucks.

The power steering pump is the same.
The booster has three lines. Pressure in from the pump, pressure out to the steering box, and return.
The pressure line runs to the brake booster then continues to the power steering box.
The returns from the booster and the power steering box run through a Tee back to the power steering pump.
If you're adding a cooler it goes in the low pressure return lines between the Tee and the power steering pump reservoir. Get a used cooler off a T800 chassis in the boneyard.

The PS pump to booster will need to be a hybrid with the LS pump fitting and hardline section on one end and the squarebody brake booster hardline on the other. I'd get used hoses as donors and get a hydraulic hose outfit to crimp the proper length of high pressure power steering line between the two sections of hardline... again much less than $600.
The booster to steering box line is a squarebody part.
The return lines are SAE J189 hose with constant tension band clamps or Oetiker clamps. The only exciting piece is the Tee fitting off the steering box. Source this from your 80's squarebody donor.

I did a HB to vacuum swap & can confirm the pedal ratio is different between the two. The pin needs to be re-located or the correct pedal swapped in place.

[chris1htx]

I test fitted the engine this weekend. In regards to the mounts I was able to get the bolt through the passenger but the driver I was not able to. The mount rests above the clam shell. It looks like I can slide the clam shell up but I’m not sure if it will throw anything else off. Or do I need different frame mounts?