Starting a project thread for my 95 xcab, truck sat in the lot of a local junk yard part of the owners private collection since 2009. It has a 92 Corvette LT1 partially swapped in with a carb intake manifold and optispark delete on it, but the 4l60e was mated to the LT1 from the v6. Not quite the ideal v8 swap in this day an age, but the owner was going to finish it "someday", and thats where i took over.
truck in the yard
engine bay how i found it
Originally the truck is a 4.3 tbi and the factory harness seems to be intact although it was all over the place, so plans are to keep it tbi reuse the factory harness, run a v8 computer and prom in hopes that factory gauges will all still work.
pulled the grill bumper and bed and pushed it in the garage
mounting a junkyard tbi unit up
cleaned up the engine bay a bit and tidied up the wiring
plans are to get it running, then a 3/3 drop maybe more and clean up maybe repaint the exterior. Its going to be choked off with the tbi, but it should be simple to get it running and hopefully inexpensive
Is that an aftermarket TBI to LT1 intake? Check the TBI bore diameter. The 454 TBI is bigger 2" in diameter and flows about 645 CFM. There are also a number of different "pods" available. IIRC truck 55#, cop 65# (both 1.68" bore diameter TBI) and 454 80#PH flow rating.
Check these guys out; https://www.dynamicefi.com/TBI_Fueling.php
That 4l60e can be upgraded to handle the LT1's torque, but you'll need to stick to a 95 for electrical reasons.It's a one year only trans.
Computer from a 1995 C1500 or van with a 350/4L60E should work. Again 95 only. Not 94 and definitely not 96.
Gauges will be a non-issue. They don't go thru the ECM. Except maybe the tach. Dakota Digital makes a box for that. If you have a factory tach.
Lot of guys simply add an external tach.
Thanks for the insight and thanks for checking it out, i called a local salvage yard here only 95 350 tbi in the yard is a tahoe, going to buy it. I've currently installed a stock tbi pump so I'll leave the 350 tbi unit on there for now my biggest fear is this thing has been sitting for nearly 10 years untouched no idea of the real condition of the engine or transmission.
the inside of the engine looks extremely clean, now i'm concerned if that trans is any good. pretty much anything else that is of major importance suspension and brake wise will be replaced.
Probably wouldn't hurt to pre lube the engine before firing. I took and old distributor and ground the gear down so it wouldn't touch the cam and stuff a 1/2 drill on it. You'll be surprised how soon you start seeing oil pressure. Then after you install the real distributor turn it over a few times with the coil unplugged to distribute the oil. I'd also pull the plugs and spray some mystery marvel magic oil in each cylinder to lube the rings and cylinder walls. While you have the valve covers off pour some oil all over the rockers, too.
Sitting shouldn't hurt the transmission since it's full of oil. You'll likely end up replacing the input seal and maybe others. They get old.
Those headers look new.
Few updates, Installed the transmission cooler, ran 6an steel braided lines to and from the cooler ran the fuel lines, steel braided 6an feed, and a nylon braided 6an return.
added a 6an cleanable fuel filter onto the system should eliminate the need to constantly purchase fuel filters.
grabbed the ecm from the junkyard near my work some of the serial numbers match with whats on the current 4.3l, but the biggest thing is the prom chip. working in a parts store helps with a lot of what i need but proms for the older gm computers are basically non existent these days, plus when i opened it up it had a hyptertech chip in it
Engine is primed i did the distributor and drill method, plus ran the starter cranking for several seconds. I've changed the oil two times since, there was some condensation in the engine that emulsified in my oil. Oil is clean now even after spinning the engine but ill probably change it another 3-5 times after I've run it before it hits the road. Transmission is the biggest worry i went to change the trans filter and fluid no pics its basic service, but there was little to no oil in the pan meaning its been almost dry for nearly 10 years, that i know of. A minor set back that I'm encountering now is the runner for the header on the driver side sits directly over the upper nut for the l/f shock, which i need to change when i install my springs so the header will be coming back off. Headers i believe are patriot headers maybe not sure, i found them in a box behind the seats when i towed the truck to the garage, i sprayed them with vht flameproof paint but i expect that to burn off.
I had an old VW air cooled engine sitting for about 3 years. No history.
Had a bug shell which I installed it into.
Went to drain the oil...
Guess what came out?
About 1 GALLON of water. Crap.
So, it also had oil in it after the water escaped.
Well, WTF do I do now??
Yep, went for it.
Filled with fresh oil, cranked until the oil light went out.
Gave it the ether shot, and it fired right up!!!!
Ran not bad to boot.
How this happens is a mystery.
I think your transmission will be fine and I also bet the engine will run great.
I have found that someone doing a project like this (PO) would not install a junk engine/tranny.
Even from sitting, mechanical stuff generally doesn't mysteriously go bad (not counting seals and gaskets)
Good luck with this, my crystal ball says that you'll be ok with the drive train! :haha:
not much to report this weekend, my winter beater blew some power steering lines up and i had to pull my 94 out of winter storage so i have a car to drive. Finished off the remainder of the brake lines and mocked up the brake hoses on the 95.
this is just an older photo of me test fitting the air cleaner, was testing paint color on it, may keep it blue or do something else with it.
Thanks Mostizzle, i like having a touch of old school on the truck was originally looking for some older rally wheels too may end up with a set of repops in a 17" as i see bigger brakes in the future. For now i'm trying to get it running on a budget. but does that really exist? not much done test fitted the rad, and got speedway upper arms as per Connors truck seemed like a good budget friendly piece to help with header clearance.
Haven't worked on the truck much in the last month, ran into a few issues with the house and some of remnants of my father's estate. Unfortunately this truck won't get half of what i wanted for it, but ill build it to be a solid driver with heat and air conditioning. got my front zq8 springs in with drop spindles and bilstein shocks. Picked up another project that has more value to me sentimentally than this truck so i'm going to wrap this up as quickly as i can then move onto the Van.
new project that came to the garage is my fathers 88 g20 beauville van. He purchased it used back in the late 80's early 90's kept it the rest of his life sadly he wasn't able to drive after 2006/2007 so it had been sitting, but he wouldn't let it go. Now after purchasing it from my brother who was the executor of the estate (feel like i should have been given it since he was scrapping it anyway).... i'm hoping it isn't too far gone and ill be able to get her up and running and repaired for a travel/leisure vehicle.
after sitting all these years of course the fuel pump was dead but i borrowed the one out of this s10 and fired it up and drove it up on the trailer, i know it runs and moves brakes still work too surprisingly ,but all that will be gone through after this truck is done.
It really sucks the way family treats each other over estates shouldn't have been a big deal to give his brother the van if he wanted it, not like it had a lot of value. :frown2:
That tilt trailer is nice, I have always wanted one, only aluminum, but no money in the budget for trailer or tow vehicle. :dunno:
Thanks guys, Still cranking on the truck going to make it as good as i can on a limited budget. Plans keep changing and evolving wanted more for it but my 94 got rear ended twice this year and a year ago i blasted the front on a bambi.... so i dropped off the batwing air cleaner and the rear diff cover for pin striping, and i'm picking up some used torque thrust wheels this weekend for it.
the front bolt i took back out on the ac compressor if you look at the rear they were way too long, and it interfered with the alternator mounting so i torqued all four first then removed that for the time being to install the alternator. Need to pick up another bolt or cut the threads down on this one.
*linked the images, because they were bigger than the screen when i attempted to preview the post.*
So does photobucket. But they don't for the preview. I've had that happen with my flickr pictures too, but as soon as I post the forum resizes them correctly.
ok garage looks like a bomb went off was too excited to clean before taking a photo just moved everything around, stinks when you're crammed into a corner of a garage. It's so tight i cant bring my box been using the land lords stuff and bringing in stuff when i need it. Got the brakes and front and rear on, rear blocks in lines tidied up had to set her on her feet to see what she's going to look like.
Not much to report, finished up routing the heater hoses, installed my drive shaft bearing, and transmission spacer added fluids. Also pulled it out of the garage to install the bed noticed my timing is way too advanced doesn't like half throttle, but i haven't timed it properly yet so i'm not worried just yet, did a burnout. put the bed on and backed it back in. Short list of things to do fuel pressure regulator, ultimate tbi mod, exhaust (land lord's neighbor called the cops on me). All in all it's starting to look like a truck again.
not a whole lot happening this week tons of rain, hate working on epoxy floors with the door open and its too hot in the garage otherwise. started building my exhaust y pipe got it all mapped out, just need to weld it up. May take a bit before that as i have no welding skills or fabrication skills so i bought a 304 stainless hot rod kit with a bunch of bends and really only had to have one pipe bent slightly more and cut two pipes down to get this. I will probably band clamp it for the time being to drive it out of the garage and to someone who can weld it for me.