Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Well, I finally found the time to start on this project I've had sittting around for a while. A buddy of mine (Fastrucken) has a '66 fleetside he is currently doing a 5.3/4L60E swap into. He also turned me on to a 6.0 sitting in the JY where he got his motor. I couldn't resist the deal for $400- take whatever you need! I got everything- sensors, harness, accessories- all of it.

It has been sitting a while until he started doing his swap; I just couldn't let his truck be cooler than mine ;) So, I started the unenviable task of tearing through all the spaghetti and getting into the very DIRTY motor.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

I decided after getting into it, that the motor needed freshening up. I have taken a little time to clean everything well as I go and will be doing a few upgrades along the way. The rotating assembly is mostly stock except for the ARP rod bolts- notoriously weak in these motors- the bottom end should be good for 600hp now. I won't be making quite that much, but while I'm in here I will definitely be making some heads/cam improvements. Looking for around 450...

In these pics you can also see the Trans-Dapt motor mount plates I'm using as well as the 73-87 style 'clamshell' mounts I'm switching to. I had planned on using the ECE style, but felt it placed the motor too far forward for my tastes.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

That's what it looks like now, after disassembly, cleaning, honing, more cleaning, new bearings/rings, a coat of paint, and reassembly. Waiting on my heads and cam now.

I also started tearing into the harness. I figure for $600 for an aftermarket harness, I can do this on my own. It really is pretty simple once you get into it. The harness is basically stand-alone already, you just need 4 fuses and 3 relays added to make it run. I will take some time and reroute it while it's apart because the way the trucks harness is from the factory runs over the intake and to the fenderwell- UGLY.

It's much more manageable when it's not balled up on top of the motor. I got it pared down to only what is needed to run. Out of the 160 pins on the ECM, I will only need 52! For whatever reason, the only tape I could find while labeling the harness was expensive a$$ blue painter's tape. At least it wasn't the green stuff... The box of wires is what I deleted from the harness.

Here's also a pic also of the engine that's coming out. It's actually a pretty good running little 350ci. I think I'm gonna put it in my truck. My ol'lady asked me why I was doing this when the truck already has a perfectly good engine. I asked her why she needs so many pairs of shoes... :lol: They'll never get it, I guess.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

nice job.... so are your using the exisiting 350 or 400 tranny?
you get rid of the tranny, neutral saftey sw., rear o2's wires and there goes about half your wireing...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

I'll be putting a 700R4 behind it. Minus those circuits and all the emissions junk makes for a really clean setup.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

what kind of adaptation is involved with using a 700R4?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

Not much really. Just have to find a way to actuate the TV cable and a crank spacer to line up the torque converter. The spacer is off the shelf GM. Bowtie Overdrives makes a kit if I can't easily figure anything out for the TV cable. I'm thinking I can use the old cruise control bracketry...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

Is it easier to use a 700R4, or a TH350 for a swap like this?

How much of the harness can you whittle away if you use an analog tranny (and delete rear O²'s)?

I thought the 700R4's were notorious for grenading. I always hear 3rd Gen Camaro owners complaining about their trannies taking a crap on them (all 700R4's) I am pretty sure internals were beefed up when the 700R4 went electronic (became the 4l60e), but ... I can't help but wonder if that 700R4 is going to hold up behind an LQ9?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

They are STILL putting these in trucks. You can get an allison behind the 6.0, (I think), but the standard equipment is the 4L60E. I'd recommend going back to the JY & trying to get the tranny as well, just for a more seamless swap. I'm sure you can get the 700r4 to work though.

Later,
Buddy

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

Can you tell me more about the motor mount setup.

I had to cut the engine stands off my 68 cause they were all hacked up. I'd like to use motor mounts that have the bolts running parallel with the frame, so what engine stands, motor mounts, and adapters do I need for an LS1?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

I would get the tubular mounts that you see in Killer 71's buildup. All you need is a mount with a single bolthole parallel to the frame.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

I agree that's what I'm using

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

They are simply '73-'87 Truck stands. They will bolt in place of your engine stands just like factory. The adapter plates are Trans-Dapt 4572.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1109733281
Maybe more info than you're looking for, but someone else might be able to use it. This should be the same for nearly all LS variants '99-'02. From what I have seen, there are slight variances between where some of the grounds and 5V reference power is on the PCM, but the meat-and-potatoes are all the exact same.

These are the red and blue PCM connectors on a truck. Some of the extra unused pins will be diffrerent between F-cars and 'vettes.

The highlighted yellow portions are must haves for the engine to run:

- Idle Air Temperature Sensor (IAT)
- Crank Position Sensor (CKP)
- Fuel Injectors
- Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)
- Knock Sensors (May run without them, but why?)
- Cam Position Sensor (CMP)
- Ignition Coils
- Oxygen Sensors O2 (Front- rears are emissions only)
- Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor (MAP)
- Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF)
- Idle Air Control Motor (IAC)
- Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECT)

The highlighted green are extras I will be using for convenience:

- ALDL Serial Data to hook up a scanner
- Fuel pump relay control
- Tach output
- Alternator turn on
- MIL/SES Lamp
- VSS Signal (helps with idle w/auto tranny and output for speedo)

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

And some progress- Got it bolted together some more and started routing the wiring harness. I will be hiding the wiring as much as possible. I want to be able to see my valvecovers! I will also be doing some coilpack relocation to hide them a little better than just sitting on the motor.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

makin some headway i see!:c2:

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

On board, :D. The only truck "stuff" I brought with me to NM was the 5.3 wiring harness for the CrewCab. I don't have a garage or many tools, but thought I might be able to figure out how to make the original harness work and save a few bucks. Do you know what wires you keep if you are going to run the factory 4L60E?

R

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6point-oh build
 

As far as I can tell, the highlighted red are the only ones needed to run it. This is untested and unverified, but all that is left are emissions and various fluid level sensors and traction control, but who needs that stuff?:lol:

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

you'll also need "33 brk sw ppl"

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

like this....
http://216.25.99.66/newhtml/brakeswitch.html

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Does this dude know some stuff or what?:metal: :cool:

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

To unlock the converter?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

you got it..

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

this is some usefull info. Thanks alot!

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

There was a guy who who had done something like that with taking wires out of the harness. And repositioning them to make the harness look better. The only problem was that he was getting interfearance with the mass air.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

can you elabrate?? he had a short, or the mass air flow sensor was bad itself?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

At first when we where programing it we thought it was the mass air sensor was faulty. But put another one on and the same problem occured. It just wasn't reading right I think. The only thing we could come up with was that when he ran his wires he was getting some kind of electrical interference with another wire. Maybe?? I'll have to ask a friend of mine to see if the guy fixed his problem. He had put a 6.0: I think it was out of a cargo van and put it into a late 70's vette, with a th400 behind it. I'll let you know if I find something out.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Has anyone hooked up cruise control on one of these. After a 1300 mile trip in the 48, that is a must have. I have an aftermarket unit in the 48. But with the throttle by wire, I would think that it would be easy to rig the cruise control for it.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

We need to talk 68ss into fabbing one up!

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Man there are just too many of these newer motor swaps going on I may just have to do one in the blazer after I get the 7deuce together and on the road.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

cruise control would be easy to install, if the harness was broke down (like i had it)... also just need a control pad/lever mounted somewhere to activate cruise, res, accel, and off...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Dakota Digital and Flaming River have nice ones that look stock...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

man wish i knew about that when i was doin killers wiring, cause i didnt see anything that would look stock/ good... but that looks both!!

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Do you have the part # for that handle?

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Found out why everything went wacko with this guy's wiring harness. He had routed the mass air sensor wires in with the injector wires and run them pretty close to his alternator. I'm pretty sure he moved them and fixed his problem not sure if this would happen in every case but something to think about.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Any updates on your build? Sent you a PM.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

ditto on updates.......I read the thread on the suspension upgrade and now the LS engine swap........man oh man I want to find a complete 6.0 set up.

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

The engine is on hold until the front suspension is done. Coming soon...

Re: Gringoloco's GenIII 6 point-oh build
 

Thanks for the PM. I'll be looking forward to it.

Your suspension build thread is awesome as well.