LSA Swap tips

[kochevy67]

So I just picked up a LSA out of a 14 CTSV with under 10k miles. It currently has a 6L90 trans mated to it. It is 100 percent stock. I did not get a front drive setup, but I did get the gas pedal, ECm and wiring harness with it. I am going to put this in a 69 Camaro. Can someone point me in the right direction on where to start. I definitely know the tunnel needs to be opened up to clear the trans. What oil pan do you guys recommend, how about a front drive assembly and a wiring harness. Any other tips and clues as well would be greatly appreciated.

[dhutton]

Send the harness and ECM to Speartech. You may also need to pull the transmission controller and send that too.

Don

[kochevy67]

I was planning on getting a new harness, my real questions are oil pans, headers, mounts, etc. I did my Chevelle almost ten years ago and a lot has changed. Looking forward to this one.

[dhutton]

Really no different than any other LS except you only have a couple of options for accessory drives, especially if you want AC.

There is only a couple of harness/ECM vendors I would trust with a 6L90E, hence my recommendation to work with Speartech. As I said, the transmission controller may have to come out of the trans and be sent for programming.

C&R racing has a nice heat exchanger designed to fit a first gen Camaro.

Good luck with your swap.

Don

[Schwartz Performance]

You can get all the LS swap parts from Holley/Hooker, or through me if you want to save a few dollars. Including the oil pan, since you'll need one.

If it fits the budget, Ultimate Headers are a good set to go with compared to others. But there are a lot of companies that make headers for LS swaps into 1st gens now.

-Dale

[andrewb70]

With a stock frame the Holley mounts and the rest of the swap components will work great. I believe Holley recommends the 302-1 oil pan for f-bodies. They don't make a trans crossmember specifically for the 6L80, but I bet you can start with the 4L80e crossmember and have it modified to work. Holley also has complete, bolt in exhaust systems that work with their headers and transmission crossmembers.

For fuel system, get in touch with Carl at VaporWerx...or Dale Schwartz can probably hook you up too!

Andrew

[dhutton]

With a stock frame the Holley mounts and the rest of the swap components will work great. I believe Holley recommends the 302-1 oil pan for f-bodies. They don't make a trans crossmember specifically for the 6L80, but I bet you can start with the 4L80e crossmember and have it modified to work. Holley also has complete, bolt in exhaust systems that work with their headers and transmission crossmembers.

For fuel system, get in touch with Carl at VaporWerx...or Dale Schwartz can probably hook you up too!

Andrew

302-2 pan for F bodies.

Should double check for Holley mounts with an LSA since they move the engine forward relative to other mounts and the LSA is longer due to supercharger pulleys with the stock accessory drive. Holley accessories will not work with AC on an LSA.

I am a fan of Holley stuff but not certain it is the best choice for an LSA without doing some research. I do know they ignored the LSA when they designed their system.

Don

[andrewb70]

302-2 pan for F bodies.

Should double check for Holley mounts with an LSA since they move the engine forward relative to other mounts and the LSA is longer due to supercharger pulleys with the stock accessory drive. Holley accessories will not work with AC on an LSA.

I am a fan of Holley stuff but not certain it is the best choice for an LSA without doing some research. I do know they ignored the LSA when they designed their system.

Don

Don,

Looks like I was wrong about the pan. The 302-2 is recommended...

http://documents.holley.com/199r10678rev3.pdf

I don't see anything mentioned about moving the engine forward. I know they have this option for A-bodies...I'll get an answer shortly.

Andrew

[kochevy67]

Andrew I will wait to hear from you on this. I obviously trust your judgement on this. I am looking forward to starting this one.

[kochevy67]

You can get all the LS swap parts from Holley/Hooker, or through me if you want to save a few dollars. Including the oil pan, since you'll need one.

If it fits the budget, Ultimate Headers are a good set to go with compared to others. But there are a lot of companies that make headers for LS swaps into 1st gens now.

-Dale

When I purchase I will reach out to you guys.

[nicks67camaro]

Most has been covered but i'll add a couple points.

1. The ACC drive is tricky you'll need either a aftermarket unit or utlize GM an some additional brackets.
2. vapor works with a Ricks stamped tank and a cts-v duel pump moduel
3. zl1/gt500 afco heat exchanger
4. linginfelter varimax intercooler pump or gm ZL1
5. the crank pulley is long! 3 belt drive
6. stock frame will be tight with accessory drive
7. holley mid length 1 7/8 fit well
8. PSI makes a decent harness that works with the corvett pedal (and a nice DSE bracket)
9. A/C is corvette spacing (dirty dingo makes one that works with the Fbody zl1 ACC drive.

here i my build on the other site.

http://lateral-g.net/forums/showthre...t=33104&page=7

[kochevy67]

[QUOTE=nicks67camaro;1243809]Most has been covered but i'll add a couple points.

1. The ACC drive is tricky you'll need either a aftermarket unit or utlize GM an some additional brackets.
2. vapor works with a Ricks stamped tank and a cts-v duel pump moduel
3. zl1/gt500 afco heat exchanger
4. linginfelter varimax intercooler pump or gm ZL1
5. the crank pulley is long! 3 belt drive
6. stock frame will be tight with accessory drive
7. holley mid length 1 7/8 fit well
8. PSI makes a decent harness that works with the corvett pedal (and a nice DSE bracket)
9. A/C is corvette spacing (dirty dingo makes one that works with the Fbody zl1 ACC drive.

here i my build on the other site.



Thank you very much

[dhutton]

Don,

Looks like I was wrong about the pan. The 302-2 is recommended...

http://documents.holley.com/199r10678rev3.pdf

I don't see anything mentioned about moving the engine forward. I know they have this option for A-bodies...I'll get an answer shortly.

Andrew

Holley moved the engine forward to accommodate the factory AC suitcase.

Don

[kochevy67]

The calculator has me in shock after I added up what this whole build is going to cost me. But you only live once.

[andrewb70]

The calculator has me in shock after I added up what this whole build is going to cost me. But you only live once.

Never add the money....never!

Andrew

[kochevy67]

Never add the money....never!

Andrew

Just had to make sure the kid can go to college first, LOL. I guess one is going to the military, he doesn't know it yet though. I'll be texting or calling you from time to time on this one for sure. Hopefully I will have it done for next years fest.

[Toddoky]

I came across this thread this morning and thought I'd chime in regarding the engine placement provided by the Hooker 1st-gen F-body LS engine brackets.

The Hooker engine brackets do not move the engine forward relative to the stock position of the SB Chevy location, rather they move the engine transmission mating plane forward by approximately 3/4" from the factory SB Chevy engine/transmission mating plane position.

Since the LS engine block is 1-3/16" shorter nominally than a SB Chevy engine block, and the length is all missing off the back end of the engine, this has a net affect of moving the front of the LS block and cylinder heads rearward in the car even though the engine/transmission mating plane is moved forward.

This holds true with any foreward movement of the engine/transmission mating plane that is less than 1-3/16". When you put an LS engine engine into a car by putting its rear block face in the stock SB Chevy engine/transmission mating position, you are moving the front surface of the LS block and the cylinder headers further back in the car than where where they were positioned in the original SB Chevy installation.

That positioning scenario is acceptable and not problematic with some specific parts combinations (eng/trans/accessory drives), but creates a whole mess of installation/functional issues with others if the swap is intended to be carried out with no, or minimal cutting required on the car. The attached image depicts the positional relationship of the rear face of the passenger side LS cylinder head and firewall of the car when using the Hooker engine brackets. This position was chosen to provide reasonable functional clearance between components (i.e. wire harness and automatic transmission dipstick clearance behind the cylinder head) and allow the stock A/C evaporator case, or the stock SB heater core to be used in the swap.

[dhutton]

So if I am following all this correctly the Holley mounts place the engine further forward than most other conversion mounts as I stated. Hence my comment regarding caution with an LSA. Not saying it won’t work, saying caution is advised...

As I said I am a big Holley LS system fan and used it in my 69 vert with an LS3 but I am not sure it is a good choice for an LSA. Todd, have you done any LSA installations?

Don

[Toddoky]

It would depend on the specific mounts in question Don. If you are speaking in terms of common 1" set-back adapter plates then the answer would be yes as those place the LS passenger side cylinder right up against the firewall and require a BB heater core to be used. I've seen a couple of LSA installs done on the forums using the Hooker engine brackets without any fitment issues.

I discovered from a user of the Hooker engine brackets that used them to install an LSA in his 1st-gen that the Hooker engine brackets set the engine back 1/4"-1/2" further rearward than the Speedtech engine mounts (he switched from the Speedtech mounts to the Hooker), but I've never seen those in person and so have no idea as to their design characteristics. Here is an image I grabbed of the LSA in his car mounted with the Hooker engine brackets. The only issue he had was figuring out how to mount his low/mount A/C compressor as there is not much room in that area with the Hooker engine brackets lowering the engine as much as they do.

[andrewb70]

Todd,

Thank you for the clarification.

Presumably the stock frame can be notched to accommodate the stock LSA AC location...

Andrew