When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
LTX and LSXPutting LT1s, LS1s, and their variants into Third Gens is becoming more popular. This board is for those who are doing and have done the swaps so they can discuss all of their technical aspects including repairs, swap info, and performance upgrades.
Did a leak down test early this week and it was perfect so I decided to undo the exhaust and see if i can find my lost bald eagles and no big improvements to be found. I put the exhaust back on today and we go for a short ride and im in 3rd at 3,000 and roll into it pretty hard and the car has a slight stutter the hole way up the rpm range I backed out by 5,000. Now I have been feeling this same thing all summer but it was on a lot smaller scale making it hard to pin point...To me it feels like it runs out of fuel but that dont make any sense cause it recovers just as fast and the cycle repeats. How about timing? Could it pull timing then add it back in over and over that fast? The motor is getting choked or restricted in one way or another!
To me the plugs look about perfect but will pull one tomorrow and recheck. I havent did a log yet but after today its on my list just kinda figured the tuner would have caught a issue if there was one or maybe it has gotten worse and it will show right up when I do the datalog.
Learned something new over the weekend called crankcase windows. Looks like all the real LS car blocks got them in one way or another but not the gen 4 5.3 truck blocks. So from my understanding my sleeved block is great for boost but takes a power lose for N/A builds. No one seems to know a real world power loss number cause I have heard everything from 20-50+ hp. Few pics I found of a 5.3 getting a extra breathing hole not sure if I want to try this or sell of the block and start over with a LS7 block.
Yes, that's something I learned too when going from truck 6.0L stroker to the LS7. Crank bay windows help with oil drain back and windage losses. None of the trucks have bay windows, but some places will poke out some small holes. All the "LS" engines (car engines) have bay windows and each generation got larger openings than the last with the LS7 being the largest.
Can you attach a data log of a power pull (with traction) to redline? (got to .zip it to attach here)
Anything specific you want to look at? I haven't tried to send a data log yet so might take a little while to get the hang of it. I did a small log the other week and didn't find anything out of place. When I compared tunes one thing that stuck out was how much more fuel your ls7 needs which makes sense do to more power which also means your pumping in more air.
Last edited by obeymybird; 10-06-2020 at 01:52 AM.
Pulled it apart to look it over and looks to be missing the rear bolt and the large red gasket is in crappy shape around the injector ports so looks like I will be ordering some new gaskets along with a 102mm T/B.
Might want to get new o-rings for the mounting bolts too. The MSD is notorious for vacuum leaks and bolts backing out.
I can't remember for sure, but I think I only had a nut on the front side of the rod, and the back had a threaded insert. But I don't remember for sure.
Learned something new over the weekend called crankcase windows. Looks like all the real LS car blocks got them in one way or another but not the gen 4 5.3 truck blocks. So from my understanding my sleeved block is great for boost but takes a power lose for N/A builds. No one seems to know a real world power loss number cause I have heard everything from 20-50+ hp. Few pics I found of a 5.3 getting a extra breathing hole not sure if I want to try this or sell of the block and start over with a LS7 block.
I know the windows started with the LS6 blocks as early LS1s didnt have them. I would of thought it was standard procedure on all since, see what happens when you assume? I picked up a gen IV 5.3 aluminum block a while back and I never really looked at it it's going to have some new cam bearings along with my sons 6.0 soon so I may have to mod mine like this
love your project its nice to see some take their third gens to this level! Awesome
Yep new o-rings on order the previous owner didn't even send any.
Thank you zman this build has push me to the limit almost threw in the towel a few times now. I still haven't decided what im going to do about the windows going to wait till after the msd goes on to make a final decision. The 4" stroke of the ls7 crank without windows might be a huge downfall.
Car has been parked for over a month now been busy with a new job and my 19 year old daughter just had a baby girl. So after I get settled in my job I hope to but back some extra cash for car stuff like a few mor suspension upgrades and forged wheels. Still undecided on the motor a big part of me wants to just pull and ship it to texas speed and see what they come up with.
Should have the intake and fuel rails buttoned back up tomorrow and running. Had to order the msd throttle cable bracket my t/b mounted setup wouldn’t clear the new intake.
Also want to get my 2 step working and I’m pretty crappy at electrical so Qwk any tips for a fast simple push button would be great also I do have the extra 4 wire I/O just using 1 wire for fan.
Qwk any tips for a fast simple push button would be great also I do have the extra 4 wire I/O just using 1 wire for fan.
Sorry, I don't have a well prepared answer for you. I thought about a 2-step for myself but never did it because I couldn't figure out how it was going to help me. Seems like a 2-step helps cars that can keep traction, but I can spin tires any time I want and the tires will blow off as soon as the 2-step is done. Maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way?
Just for the sake of brainstorming....
My plan was to install a momentary push button switch to activate the 2-step, and use a 4th gen cruise control switch on the clutch pedal to deactivate 2-step when the clutch pedal is fully released. This would take 2 custom inputs (one for each switch). You could maybe tune the behavior with a delay timer on the deactivation if you wanted it to stay in 2-step mode for some amount of time after the clutch is dropped. I've not researched how to do all this in the software, might even take a custom 2-D table that decides when 2-step is on/off. My car didn't have a hatch popper button, so I installed one in the dash and was going to use that as my momentary switch for the 2-step.
It can also be automated (no push button) if you don't mind the 2-step being activated every time you're stopped. Activate 2-step when Vehicle Speed = 0 mph, and cruise control switch senses that clutch pedal is pushed in. Deactivate 2-step when cruise control switch senses clutch pedal has been released. And you could maybe apply a delay timer if you wanted. This would take only 1 custom input. You could also get around this for burnouts by disabling 2-step when TPS > xx%. That way you just stomp the pedal when you want to do a burnout and 2-step won't interfere.
Again, this is just brainstorming, I've never worked through all the details and it might need some tweaking.
I was keeping this a secret until I actually did something, but I spent the winter weighing different ideas for traction control. Look at the Davis Traction Control TC3-SL. It reportedly works very good in autocross & road course in the self-learning mode. Personally, I think it's a significant chunk of money for a hobby car builder like me, but it's probably the best performing system without going crazy high cost.
I looked into adding wheel speed sensors to my car but it will be too jerky from what I can tell. And that's not cheap either by the time you get that set up front & rear.
I always try to keep a few blue towels on stand by lol.
So got it fired up today first thing I notice is the super loud noise from the air being sucked in the t/b hurt my ears loud is this normal for the msd intake or bigger t/b? Also my old air intake will not fit over the new 102mm so going to have to come up with something else it looks.
Looks awesome. The intake noise is normal and should quiet down when you get your tube on. I used the Spectra 4" silicone adapter coupler and although tight, works really well.
I was able to make the old 4" intake work but I really want to go larger but im out of room. New issue with the t/b cable hooked up its rubbing my hood vent pretty hard going to have to clearance the vent unfortunately.
Last edited by obeymybird; 03-29-2021 at 01:47 PM.
Guess I will throw up a update even if it’s a crappy one. The only good news is the car feels a good bit faster under WOT with the new intake and t/b. Now on to the bad... let’s start with when I took if for inspection a few weeks ago. With the car up in the air I found a massive oil leak coming down the backside of the block covering the bellhousing to oil filter. Next we can move on to my oil pressure going from 60-0 and everywhere in between at random now my fuel pressure gauge at the rail say 45-50 at idle. Part throttle driving seems really bad at times maybe fuel psi related?
I have a new oil pressure sender sitting here but don’t want to peel off the intake yet so I called up speedhut and shipped back all my gauges for testing first and a color change also volt gauge was acting up a lot.
I ordered a Holley fuel pressure sensor for the rail to pin point any issues but what happens next? Yep the laptop USB port breaks so I borrow another but can’t get it to connect but some how manage to mess up the ecu to the point it needs reflashed and lost my tune.
Been trying to order new wheels and tires for autox this year but backorder seems to be the normal right now but did manage to order the front wheels and rear tires today not sure how much good that will do me lol.
I spent a little time the last week helping a friend wrap his evo I liked it so much I ordered a roll to do my car going to be adding the new aluminum door handles to.
Got the short in the USB port fixed but had to do a update to Holley version 5 but it let me upload my base tune from the dyno so not a complete loss it looks.
Well just got off the phone with speedhut sounds like the gauges are all fine so after the color change I should have them back in a week or so but going to have to peel the intake off . Only good thing about that it will let me find the oil leak I hope.
Well onto the road of recovery at this point. New oil sender is in and working good gauges are back in also had my valve covers powder coated to add some color contrast. Switched back to the tsp .660 springs.
So either the car is just working better or the msd intake and 102t/b gave it a well need boost was starting to think it was all in my head but I got a run in against my buddies trackhawk which has exhaust cold air box and tuner we did a 60 roll and by the time I topped 4th out I had him by about 4 cars.
Lookin good. Where did you hide your coils? Also, you're going to trouble with those rear C7 wheels if they are the OEM specs. I have the same gage bezel and it has been a nightmare integrating everything in to the factory dash.
I really didn’t like cutting up the dash to make it fit almost returned it. Wheels are 18x9.5 front and 18x11 rear
Coils are still on the valve covers just didn’t have them in place yet.
100% agree. I'd love to see how you mounted it. I used the two lower screws and OEM gage clips (which are hard to fit over this plastic). I also cut a hole for a firebird style headlight switch. What are your plans for that? Overall, had I known how bad this thing would fit and how much of the dash I had to slaughter, I might have gone a different route.
I was able to keep the headlight switch in place but not by much... I just looked at your gauge pics the only thing that looks different is how my speedhut gauges mount to the bezel.
I was able to keep the headlight switch in place but not by much... I just looked at your gauge pics the only thing that looks different is how my speedhut gauges mount to the bezel.
Your speedhut gages must be smaller in diameter. You are lucky. I wanted nothing more than to retain the OEM switch since its a complicated piece. I "think" ive got the two way toggle wired correctly into the dash harness. Not sure how my dome light will work.
2 step hooked up and working great it was the simplest thing to hook up not sure why it seemed like a huge deal just a ground activated momantery switch. Also just got a set of ridetech rear coil overs really wanted the umi set but with them being fazed out just seemed like a better bet to get the ridetech.
Looks good. I too have the speedhut revolution gauges and love them. I had an issue with bubbles on the face and they took care of it it. Also my volt gauge was wonky as it would PEG randomly on startups and wouldnt come down unless I shut the car off and cycled the ignition. Speedhut said they think its something that happens on startup and said to turn the gauges on after cranking. I have since installed a adjustable time delay relay and have all my gauges power on after like 7s or something. Now I Key on, wait 3s or so for fuel pump prime and crank, start and by the time Its started the gauges turn on within about 1-2s. Since I've done that I haven't had an issue with the volt gauge, so food for thought. I hope you like the coil overs... I returned mine once I mocked them up on the car due to the angle with my ford 8.8 swap. I also had front coil overs on mockup and sold them before running them on the car. I made my own weight jacks and can't be happier and keeping the suspension in the factory location is better than where the stress points with the coil over kits.
As of now the motor is still in the car but it is sold and the car was almost sold as well but sounds like he is going to back out. So now begins plans for next build so many choices not sure which way I want to go but main goal will be something that will drive better on the street and looking at either Lsa on top or Kong 2650 with tiny cam most likely full forged 6.2 or 388.
So been in the hunt for the last few weeks for a deal on a ls2 or ls3 block/short block and after sending a handful of messages out I have come to the conclusion that people like to post stuff up for sale but then seem like they don’t have any interest in actually parting with it.
But after a 3 hour drive yesterday I came home with a perfect 6.2 long block with only 45,000 miles and is so clean inside you would have thought it was just built.
Guy just pulled it from his cts-v to go fully built iron block so got a sweet deal on this LSA long block. First order will be to pull the heads mainly for just inspection purposes but other then that just going to do new bearings, oil pump, timing chain for starters.
Last edited by obeymybird; 12-28-2021 at 11:00 AM.
Turns out this perfect 6.2 isn’t so perfect can’t trust anyone it seems.
Guy said this was a untouched long block so when I pop off the passenger side head why would a new head gasket fall out? So after that I see #8 piston sitting off center in the hole so now I’m thinking bent rod so I flip it over to find what looks like a miss matched rod and cap no crank damage so thankfully he never got it running again after he was monkeying around inside.
Sorry, that sucks. Buying used engines is a crap shoot. A lot of dishonest people selling engines they don't want to fix or deal with.
I've sold a few engines and I hated it every time. I'm an honest guy and it worried me sick if the next person had any troubles even though I didn't. I probably drove redmaroz nuts asking questions how the 427 is running because I'm just a worrier and want to make sure he got what he paid for.
I always wondered what happened with your old 427 how’s he making out with it?
Overall it could have been worse block and crank look fine and have a new rod and piston with a fresh set of rings on the way. But would still like to know what happened to #8 normally they get hot and pop a rind land which isn’t surprising cause the top ring gap is only .015
The head and valves on #8 showed minor damage not sure if something small was bouncing around inside but my dad seems to think it looked like it was getting water in it.
Small little side project I been working for my friend just a small gen 4 5.3 with 799 heads with a BTR stage 1 twin turbo cam with BTR intake and I must say the fitech 102mm t/b is one nice piece.
Not much going on over the winter so far but thats about to change! Got a smoking deal on this unit which has new bearings a Eaton coupler and zero rotor damage for $1,000 just need to grab a hub and pulley combo.
Small little side project I been working for my friend just a small gen 4 5.3 with 799 heads with a BTR stage 1 twin turbo cam with BTR intake and I must say the fitech 102mm t/b is one nice piece.
I feel the Pain of your Header Flanges!
Learn from one of my very early mistakes...
Final Designs/ Installations should never have the Turbocharger supported by the Exhaust System (regardless of how small the Turbocharger is).
Always support the Turbocharger by the Center-Section of the Unit.
09-14-2020, 01:57 AM
. Only good thing about that it will let me find the oil leak I hope. 
Ridetech says they might be on backorder wth.
