Another LS engine thread - refresh must-do's while it's out?

[Winchested]

Don't skimp on not doing the rear cover gasket even if it "looks" good. It's the first thing that will leak and the hardest to get to after the fact. Hence why mine leaks like seive now... And I too had the fuckin gasket to change it but thought.. Oh it looks good...

 

[budget76]

thanks for the warning. 100% will be replaced, have it in the box. I even spent the $25 for the locator tools for the front/rear covers to try and avoid leaks. Fingers crossed

 

[budget76]

updating for the LS newbies like me

this style tool worked well with LS6 .550 lift springs, it would probably be fine for stronger ones. I wouldn't use it every day, but it definitely works for a build here and there. I assume all the ones from $10-$25 come out of the same factory and you're just paying markup for US seller. unsurprisingly the prong part is upside down in the picture

 

[Bebop]

updating for the LS newbies like me

this style tool worked well with LS6 .550 lift springs, it would probably be fine for stronger ones. I wouldn't use it every day, but it definitely works for a build here and there. I assume all the ones from $10-$25 come out of the same factory and you're just paying markup for US seller. unsurprisingly the prong part is upside down in the picture

I hate those.

Have had better luck with these :

Overhead Valve Spring Compressor

Amazing deals on this Overhead Valve Spring Compressor at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[budget76]

I'd be afraid of that style bending/slipping and letting the spring launch. I'm sure it works fine though.

they also sell one that acts like a rocker arm, you put a ratchet on it. but it was 50% more and only did 1 spring at at time. tons of options out there, glad there's 2 good budget ones for guys who read this in the future.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I'd be afraid of that style bending/slipping and letting the spring launch. I'm sure it works fine though.

Hose clamp works good to keep problematic springs .

The real problem with them (though you'd never have this problem on an LS) is sometimes there's other shit on the heat that's in the way and you can't get the arms onto the bottom of the spring where you need them or you can't get the compressed spring where it needs to be.

But I still don't own another style so it can't be that bad.

 

[budget76]

Hose clamp works good to keep problematic springs .

The real problem with them (though you'd never have this problem on an LS) is sometimes there's other shit on the heat that's in the way and you can't get the arms onto the bottom of the spring where you need them or you can't get the compressed spring where it needs to be.

But I still don't own another style so it can't be that bad.

I could see that, that'd suck to fight with.

The last set I did was on a dual-overhead-cam setup for a BMW . I made up a spring compressor out of some flat plate and and old socket - worked great, alebit slow. This time, I spent the $15 to just have something that worked off the bat.

 

[budget76]

FWIW - the tack tack tack welder method worked great on my seized/broken off exhaust studs. actually only had 2, the other hole was just filled with gunk.

meant to snap a pic of the aftermath, but it's in the junk bucket now. Picture a broken stud with booger, and another broken stud with a nut on the end, and you've got it

 

[Bebop]

FWIW - the tack tack tack welder method worked great on my seized/broken off exhaust studs. actually only had 2, the other hole was just filled with gunk.

meant to snap a pic of the aftermath, but it's in the junk bucket now. Picture a broken stud with booger, and another broken stud with a nut on the end, and you've got it

Yes. I always do that. Works awesome.

Only time I differ from it is if I'm welding something really deep (TIG witha micro torch) or if I'm welding inside an iron head / block since MIG has a tendency to send shit everywhere.

 

[budget76]

might as well post it here:

knock sensors. Mine both broke when trying to remove the harness, brittle plastic. Do I buy new ones and a new harness, or do I but a plate without knock sensor provisions and have them eliminated?

reading it can be harder to tune with them gone? and I figure they're good to have? Plan is to replace them at this time vs eliminate, but I don't oppose less sensors/components if they aren't going to do anything for me


edit: did more reading. they are staying. I may move them to the side of the block for ease of access since I need a new harness anyway

 

[Winchested]

might as well post it here:

knock sensors. Mine both broke when trying to remove the harness, brittle plastic. Do I buy new ones and a new harness, or do I but a plate without knock sensor provisions and have them eliminated?

reading it can be harder to tune with them gone? and I figure they're good to have? Plan is to replace them at this time vs eliminate, but I don't oppose less sensors/components if they aren't going to do anything for me


edit: did more reading. they are staying. I may move them to the side of the block for ease of access since I need a new harness anyway

I'm in this situation right now. The bank 1 sensor is being gay. It ohms out fine but is throwing a code which I've read with retard the timing 4 degrees.

I'm probably going to extend the harness and put them on the heads. Also read only to get the real GM ones as the no name ones have a high failure out of box rate.

 

[budget76]

I'm in this situation right now. The bank 1 sensor is being gay. It ohms out fine but is throwing a code which I've read with retard the timing 4 degrees.

I'm probably going to extend the harness and put them on the heads. Also read only to get the real GM ones as the no name ones have a high failure out of box rate.

I read that too. ACDelco's aren't cheap now, but i guess I'll have to bit the bullet. Delphi's are a little cheaper and I think also OEM, I may go with those.

that or I gamble on the cheap ones and stick them on the side of the engine instead of under the intake, for ease of replacing when they fail

 

[chaplinfj60]

so my two cents on sensors and it bit me hard....
so i got the cheap replacements off rock auto. a sensor is a sensor or it could not be sold.... should work.

so i did that. nope ... we spend a afternoon chasing a mis fire , no fire situation only to put the old factory sensors back in and then it just fired right up.
get GM replacements be happy...

 

[Bebop]

might as well post it here:

knock sensors. Mine both broke when trying to remove the harness, brittle plastic. Do I buy new ones and a new harness, or do I but a plate without knock sensor provisions and have them eliminated?

reading it can be harder to tune with them gone? and I figure they're good to have? Plan is to replace them at this time vs eliminate, but I don't oppose less sensors/components if they aren't going to do anything for me


edit: did more reading. they are staying. I may move them to the side of the block for ease of access since I need a new harness anyway

For a super simple engine like you have, you don't need them.

You will run into pumping losses looooong before there is any knock detection on a 5.3

 

[budget76]

For a super simple engine like you have, you don't need them.

You will run into pumping losses looooong before there is any knock detection on a 5.3

It's a 6.0, but yeah no forced induction planned at this time. and reading says tuning is more of a pain without the sensors / you've got to be more conservative with timing? i'm pretty mild in terms of a "build" but not sure I want to make more work/variables for whoever I have tune the thing locally whenever I get that far.

thankfully I've got a LONG time to make the final decision. Intake won't go on for a while since I'm using the valley pan lift plate. I've got some sheetmetal repair work, brake system, steering, cooling, full chassis wiring, engine wiring, everything left to do before this thing runs.

 

[Bebop]

It's a 6.0, but yeah no forced induction planned at this time. and reading says tuning is more of a pain without the sensors / you've got to be more conservative with timing?

You can be dumb with timing and it won't knock

 

[Winchested]

For a super simple engine like you have, you don't need them.

You will run into pumping losses looooong before there is any knock detection on a 5.3

So on a stock engine, with just Vats and rear O2s, removed running 87 octane I'd be fine to have the knock sensors turned off in the tune? No desires for more power tuning or camswaps. Etc. I like how simple it is.

 

[Bebop]

So on a stock engine, with just Vats and rear O2s, removed running 87 octane I'd be fine to have the knock sensors turned off in the tune? No desires for more power tuning or camswaps. Etc. I like how simple it is.

Yes
You can turn off the cam sensor and MAF if you want it super simple

 

[budget76]

thanks for the .02. gives me something to think about/read up on more. I'd definitely rather simplicity than another pair of sensors, more wiring, etc.

 

[budget76]

learnings for swap guys:

2001-2002 DBW with red/blue PCM connectors are kind of an oddball. I'm not having luck finding a cheap ebay harness for my setup and may have to convert to DBC, which is fine, but I had planned to keep DBW setup. I have the pedal/TCM/harness, but the main engine harness has some differences and most of that gen was cable.

something to keep in mind if you're pulling one as a donor. mine is a 2002 LQ9 6.0 from an escalade. thankfully I have a 411 PCM which I have read can do DBC or DBW so i think its as simple as bolting on a DBC throttle body and unchecking a box in the tune, just need to confirm that


I've found details on how to make it work, but I'm not sure I feel like messing with pinouts at the PCM connectors to do so

 

[Bebop]

2001-2002 DBW with red/blue PCM connectors are kind of an oddball. I'm not having luck finding a cheap ebay harness for my setup and may have to convert to DBC, which is fine, but I had planned to keep DBW setup. I have the pedal/TCM/harness, but the main engine harness has some differences and most of that gen was cable.

Just repin the PCM connector

Good to check the pin location on a shitty ebay wiring anyway.

something to keep in mind if you're pulling one as a donor. mine is a 2002 LQ9 6.0 from an escalade. thankfully I have a 411 PCM which I have read can do DBC or DBW so i think its as simple as bolting on a DBC throttle body and unchecking a box in the tune, just need to confirm that

No, multiple 0411 PCMs are out there and some don't have the IAC driver.
Gotta make sure your PCM supports DBC.

I've found details on how to make it work, but I'm not sure I feel like messing with pinouts at the PCM connectors to do so

Too bad, it's stupid easy.

 

[Winchested]

learnings for swap guys:

2001-2002 DBW with red/blue PCM connectors are kind of an oddball. I'm not having luck finding a cheap ebay harness for my setup and may have to convert to DBC, which is fine, but I had planned to keep DBW setup. I have the pedal/TCM/harness, but the main engine harness has some differences and most of that gen was cable.

something to keep in mind if you're pulling one as a donor. mine is a 2002 LQ9 6.0 from an escalade. thankfully I have a 411 PCM which I have read can do DBC or DBW so i think its as simple as bolting on a DBC throttle body and unchecking a box in the tune, just need to confirm that


I've found details on how to make it work, but I'm not sure I feel like messing with pinouts at the PCM connectors to do so

Making your own harness from the stock 1 takes about an afternoon or two. Only prob is some connectors can be bad. I had to change the drive side 02 plug and the knock sensor plug. But all those can be bought cheap.

However the aftermarket harnesses give you a bit more length to move the ECM into the cabin.

And yes removing pins and repinning the ECM connectors is simple.

 

[budget76]

Just repin the PCM connector

Good to check the pin location on a shitty ebay wiring anyway.


No, multiple 0411 PCMs are out there and some don't have the IAC driver.
Gotta make sure your PCM supports DBC.


Too bad, it's stupid easy.

I read several LS forum threads yesterday that all said the red/blue 0411 PCM's support DBC. I'll go pull my specifics off the PCM and triple check that. Not dead set on DBW, just made some things easier to keep it "original", or so I thought.

I'll read up on the pinouts again. If you know of a thread that outlines it, appreciate it, the one I found was more focused on using the newer red/green harness on an older red/blue PCM and DBW setup, not modifying a red/blue harness to add DBW signal instead of DBC.

Making your own harness from the stock 1 takes about an afternoon or two. Only prob is some connectors can be bad. I had to change the drive side 02 plug and the knock sensor plug. But all those can be bought cheap.

However the aftermarket harnesses give you a bit more length to move the ECM into the cabin.

And yes removing pins and repinning the ECM connectors is simple.

i'm sure, but my OEM harness was crusty and it got hacked apart and scrapped since I had no intention of running it. I just snipped all the connectors and pulled the main bundle out of the way.

and time is a problem. I don't have much. So 2 weeks dicking around with a harness (to get 2 afternoons worth of time) probably means I just go spend the $5-600 on a harness that just works off the bat. Do I want to? no, but garage time is slim

 

[budget76]

hoping someone finds this useful in the future, it's become a dumping ground of info I've learned as a LS newb and had to research

 

[Winchested]

I read several LS forum threads yesterday that all said the red/blue 0411 PCM's support DBC. I'll go pull my specifics off the PCM and triple check that. Not dead set on DBW, just made some things easier to keep it "original", or so I thought.

I'll read up on the pinouts again. If you know of a thread that outlines it, appreciate it, the one I found was more focused on using the newer red/green harness on an older red/blue PCM and DBW setup, not modifying a red/blue harness to add DBW signal instead of DBC.


i'm sure, but my OEM harness was crusty and it got hacked apart and scrapped since I had no intention of running it. I just snipped all the connectors and pulled the main bundle out of the way.

and time is a problem. I don't have much. So 2 weeks dicking around with a harness (to get 2 afternoons worth of time) probably means I just go spend the $5-600 on a harness that just works off the bat. Do I want to? no, but garage time is slim

Well if you want an aftermarket harness that's proper from the get go buy a USA made harness not a China thing.

 

[Bebop]

Well if you want an aftermarket harness that's proper from the get go buy a USA made harness not a China thing.

I recommend LSX Specialties

 

[Bebop]

I'll read up on the pinouts again. If you know of a thread that outlines it, appreciate it, the one I found was more focused on using the newer red/green harness on an older red/blue PCM and DBW setup, not modifying a red/blue harness to add DBW signal instead of DBC.

It's a pinout. IDK what you want as far as guidance, look at the difference between a DBC and DBW PCM and move/add/remove the wires that are needed/unneeded.

 

[_stucky]

Isn’t yours dbw originally? I’d just keep what you have. Shouldn’t have cut the harness. I just did a L59 in an 87 k20 with dbw. It was really pretty easy. But time consuming. I unpinned, untangled, and rerouted every wire.

Also, I started after you, and got it running Friday. If I had more fun money, it’d have taken me half as long.

 

[pinchegringo]

I've done quite a few ls swaps without even changing the oil and here you guys are pinning harnesses/replacing good gaskets.
First thing with a ls is if it ain't broke don't try to fix it. You're more likely to introduce a failure than prevent something.
Second,delete the vats,rear 02,egr and maf, Everything else is fine.
Third,these things came tuned well for 87 mogas and there's no tangible improvement messing with programs and cams. If you want to make a real difference it requires changing the head flow and static compression. Even then it's hard to make much extra without big changes.
Anytime we needed to make more power we just used a garret turbo on a bone stock engine.
Bolt it in,plug it up,point and drive.

 

[RustyC]

If someone is staying with a gen3 oem PCM, here is something to consider. The pcm list below can not only support DBC and DBW , BUT is will also support the use of an engine oil pressure sensor that can be monitored over OBD2. This is useful for those of us using Android devices for engine monitoring.

2003: Serv. No. 12576106 with Hwd. No. 12570558 - Most all 2003 trucks should have this PCM