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LS swap expenses

Projectjunkie

Whatever
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
306
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Loc
Tucson Az
I'm considering putting a 2002 Denali 6.0 4l65e into an old truck, I'll fabricate mounts, exhaust, the rear sump should be fine, and I'll deal with hoses such.

I will likely use the fuel tank and pump, and make new lines.

What should I expect to pay for ecm work? Should I re work the harness myself?

suggestions?

Currently drive by wire throttle body

While I'm at it, i can pull the awd t case off and run a gmt400 27 spline np241, correct?
 
Rear truck sump is super deep. You may not be able to use it. If you can't, get an H3 pan at ~$280 new complete.

Cheapest tune I've seen is ~$150 from a reputable place. If you have a friend, you could get it cheaper; in essence, you are removing VATS setting, rear o2 DTC if you aren't going to run them, purge valve DTC, etc. FWIW, in HP tuner, a specific vehicle is 2 credits or $100. I wouldn't expect cheaper.

Wiring harness isn't too big of a deal to play with. If I recall right, your drive by wire will be a two piece system: a box and a pedal. Sometime after 2004 they had everything in the pedal.

You haven't mentioned any of the intake parts. Budget a few bucks for those.

You also don't mention VSS. Transmission only accounts for one. Usually the rear sensor is in the tcase. I don't know 241.
 
Rear truck sump is super deep. You may not be able to use it. If you can't, get an H3 pan at ~$280 new complete.

Cheapest tune I've seen is ~$150 from a reputable place. If you have a friend, you could get it cheaper; in essence, you are removing VATS setting, rear o2 DTC if you aren't going to run them, purge valve DTC, etc. FWIW, in HP tuner, a specific vehicle is 2 credits or $100. I wouldn't expect cheaper.

Wiring harness isn't too big of a deal to play with. If I recall right, your drive by wire will be a two piece system: a box and a pedal. Sometime after 2004 they had everything in the pedal.

You haven't mentioned any of the intake parts. Budget a few bucks for those.

You also don't mention VSS. Transmission only accounts for one. Usually the rear sensor is in the tcase. I don't know 241.

So, do the harness myself, and pay a guy $150 to return my ecm ready to run?

or, buy HP tuner?



Oil pan and intake, it's a full-size truck, factory should be fine, maybe a cheap cold air tube, unless you're talking about swapping the intake manifold


I'll look more into the t case vss, I hadn't thought of that


edit; thanks for the info btw
 
I spent right at $4200 after buying the engine/tranny. $770 for wiring harness, $325 tune, $675 oil pan. After that it was just a tone of nickel and dime purchases.
 
You better not put it in that F150 :flipoff2:​​​​​​

Actually, I really don't give a shit, may as well do it to piss people off. Carb'd 302 with no compression will probably get better mileage though.
 
You better not put it in that F150 :flipoff2:​​​​​​

Actually, I really don't give a shit, may as well do it to piss people off. Carb'd 302 with no compression will probably get better mileage though.

Without confirming or denying, I compression tested and failed the 2nd small block ford of the week:mad3:

the next 351 is a verified runner, but in a F'N van. Then I spend $600 on intake carb and distributor to run a whopping 207hp thru a c6.

I'm checking my options:laughing:
 
Without confirming or denying, I compression tested and failed the 2nd small block ford of the week:mad3:

the next 351 is a verified runner, but in a F'N van. Then I spend $600 on intake carb and distributor to run a whopping 207hp thru a c6.

I'm checking my options:laughing:

460

Is there any other gas Ford engine?
 
Alright.

there's a 460 as well. Hooked to another 4wd c6.
also in a F'N van :laughing:

then I can run 270hp into c6:laughing:

I was hoping for easy
 
So, do the harness myself, and pay a guy $150 to return my ecm ready to run?

or, buy HP tuner?
Unless you want to sit on a $700 HP tuner or plan to do a lot of tinkering on your tune, pay someone else to do the tune ;)

If you get a complete running donor, I would do the harness myself. You know for a fact that the harness is good to go and just needs a little bit of tinkering at the firewall plugs.

Oil pan and intake, it's a full-size truck, factory should be fine, maybe a cheap cold air tube, unless you're talking about swapping the intake manifold
I was talking about the air tube/filter. Intake on a truck is like the 2nd best intake available with the TBSS being #1... if you have the hood room.


I'll look more into the t case vss, I hadn't thought of that
I'm not sure if the 4l65 2wd drum will swap into the 4wd version... I'm also not sure if the 4l65 4wd has the rear vss port. If it does, you can swap the drum and gain the 2nd vss at the transmission. I did this on a 4l80 with no problems.
 
The donor is running driving, it's an awd, I assume a 4wd t case bolts right up, just figured I'd double check

I'm not familiar with 4l65 and 241 tcase. I know in the "old days" light duty transmissions had four or five bolt holes while heavy duty transmissions had six holes. For example, my 2000 s10 truck has five bolts holding the transfer case on. My ~2004 4l80 transmission uses six holes.
 
Depends on which Ecm you’re using but LT1swap.com will do basic programming (vats and smog delete) for $75. He has wiring diagrams if you want to do the harness work. I started to do my harness but ended up sending it out for reworking to the tune of $350. It came back nicely loomed and labeled.
 
I'm considering putting a 2002 Denali 6.0 4l65e into an old truck, I'll fabricate mounts, exhaust, the rear sump should be fine, and I'll deal with hoses such.

I will likely use the fuel tank and pump, and make new lines.

What should I expect to pay for ecm work? Should I re work the harness myself?

suggestions?

Currently drive by wire throttle body

While I'm at it, i can pull the awd t case off and run a gmt400 27 spline np241, correct?

I have an 06 Silverado 4.8 and trans(4L60E) in my 79 F150. I had the computer tuned for $75.00. I used LS1 manifolds, and I have a 4inch suspension lift. I use a factory 1995 F150 fuel tank and fuel pump with a C5 Corvette fuel filter (Built in regulator) everything is basically the factory 06 truck stuff. Drive by wire makes it alot easier. NP261 transfer case. I have an Escalade AWD as well and best I can tell you can bolt the part time case to the 4L65E. Its basically the same transmission.
 
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I think I have the t case sorted

Depends on which Ecm you’re using but LT1swap.com will do basic programming (vats and smog delete) for $75. He has wiring diagrams if you want to do the harness work. I started to do my harness but ended up sending it out for reworking to the tune of $350. It came back nicely loomed and labeled.

good info, thanks

Is this who you had do the harness as well?

I have an 06 Silverado 4.8 and trans(4L60E) in my 79 F150. I had the computer tuned for $75.00. I used LS1 manifolds, and I have a 4inch suspension lift. I use a factory 1995 F150 fuel tank and fuel pump with a C5 Corvette fuel filter (Built in regulator) everything is basically the factory 06 truck stuff. Drive by wire makes it alot easier. NP261 transfer case. I have an Escalade AWD as well and best I can tell you can bolt the part time case to the 4L65E. Its basically the same transmission.

Good info, as potentially it's going on a 79 f 150 2wd

do the truck manifolds not clear the frame?

which fuel tank in which location did you run?

do you by chance have the factory gm compressor in yours, if so, how did it clear?
 
I think I have the t case sorted

Good info, as potentially it's going on a 79 f 150 2wd

do the truck manifolds not clear the frame?

which fuel tank in which location did you run?

do you by chance have the factory gm compressor in yours, if so, how did it clear?

Mine is a factory 4x4 F-150, non factory air and as I remember the passenger side manifold I had plenty of room for whatever header I wanted. Driver side flange was in the wrong position for my 4wd if I remember right. It's been about 1.5 years since I had to tackle that issue. I remember cutting the LS1 flanges off and putting my own on but retaining the LS1 flange position.

I ran a factory rear (19 gal) tank in the factory rear location.

I do not, factory truck brackets do not play friendly with the 79 Ford in terms of air compressor. I was looking into different serpentine brackets to address that. If you can live without AC for a little bit the rest of the Silverado brackets work just fine.
 
do you by chance have the factory gm compressor in yours, if so, how did it clear?

I've got the stock gm compressor on my FJ55 and it fits between the frame rails fine... I don't have the measurement handy for between the rails but this is a narrow "mini" SUV size. Truck manifolds had no chance on my frame rails. Again, much narrower than a full size truck.
 
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