The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Should I keep my LT1 and 4L60E

Here's my dilemma...I purchased the above to put into my '50 3100. I know the donor cars history. It had 118,000 miles on it and is complete with all accessories including the harness. My issue is I have next to no knowledge on the electronics...not something I can work on. I'm considering selling the unit and then buy a more "user friendly" small block with a 700R4. A conventional aspirated engine I can work on and I think the tranny is more compatible with the original speedometer...I could be wrong with that assumption. I realize that the accessories are worth a lot of $$$$$ and may not come with my preferred option.

I think I have a buyer. I told him I would let him know by the weekend.

Please share your thoughts and opinions SOON.

Here is the problem with your post that got it moved or deleted. It sounds as though you are fishing for offers on engine. Buying and selling in these forums is not allowed. Whether to sell or not is your decision. Post in the Swap Meet Forum.

Check out barnfinds truck he has the engine installed and if you read a few of his posts you would be amazed and more knowledge for your decision

Justhorsenround..not fishing for offers, that I have...looking for input to go with the parameters I mentioned. Seeking advice as to which way to go...give me pros and cons.

LT1---no oil leaks SB---valve cover, intake end seals, rear main, timing cover
LT1---runs smooth at any horsepower rating SB--- gets lumpy from 300hp up
LT1---300K miles engine SB---very worn out at 150K miles
LT1---starts no matter how hot or cold SB---problematic if exhaust near starter or hot rodded
LT1---starts and returns to correct idle automaticly SB---@*&% choke
LT1---25mpg with 400hp engine SB---12mpg with 300hp engine
LT1---no overheat problem SB---Heat problem if over bored past 0.030
LT1---Idle all day 100* and a/c on SB---forget this

Just a few things that come to mind but it's your decision.

I think you may have made my decision. Questions remaining...what should I expect to pay someone to hook up the electronics? I want to use my original speedometer. I've read where that can be done, however, mods to the tranny, different tailshaft required? Final analysis, what would you guesstimate the cost to be for the above?

Yeah I just came from a 350 sbc in my 37 pickup to a LS in my 49 pickup and I gotta say, I'm liking the fuel injection and good gas mileage. Like coilover mentioned. Around here labor for the wiring could be as much as $100 an hr. It might be worth finding a buddy in your area that could help. I'm not good with the electrical side myself so I would have to have help.

I just got started with my LS swap. It appears to be pretty complicated since there are about 5 miles of wires laying in a pile on my garage floor.

Another thing to consider the fuel system. The LS requires from 44-58 psi of fuel ( I think the LT's require a bit less, but more than the stock engine). This has led me to consider using the LS long block with a conventional intake manifold and carb to get it into the frame and operational. Then I can upgrade the fuel system after I collect all the expensive bits.

Around here we have a couple options. First is to take the vehicle with the LS/LT engine installed and the 4L60/4L80 transmission along with the factory harness to a place like True Street in McKinney, Texas and have them re-flash the computer to delete all the stuff not needed; like anti theft, etc. Runs <> $600. Another route is to replace the factory do everything set up with an after market unit; $1000-$1500. We have had good results with FiTech units but Edelbrock and Holley ones also get good ratings. The FiTech throttle body unit is self tuning which is good for low techs like myself. Does require the above mentioned FI fuel pump and an O2 sensor bung welded into an exhaust head pipe. A picture of each set up:

Factory set up in a 49 3100:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/0zZQKfKJ/IMG-4398.jpg[/img]
Computer and relays mounted:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/14C4zM6n/IMG-4389.jpg[/img]

Aftermarket Holley LS FI in a 54 3100:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/w18d0sLT/IMG-4838.jpg[/img]

FiTech LS FI unit in a 70 Blazer (ignore the Edelbrock coil covers):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/crH51YwB/IMG-5001-1.jpg[/img]

As far as a speedometer is concerned I'd check out a GPS one. They are round so one mounted in the factory bezel can be made to look nice plus they are dead accurate no matter what tires or gears. Getting rid of cables and adapters is also a big plus. Run in the $60 range on ebay.

What year are we talking about. And what was the donor car?

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Im more savvy with LS stuff but same rules basically apply.

The wiring is actually pretty easy. Once you do one you will laugh on the next one. If you put power to all the pink wires and the orange and red wire on the “C2” connector it will run! To correctly hook everything up with relays and some fuses its a little bit of work but its really not that scary. I tried really hard on my first one.....6 swaps later i did my 49 gmc and i threw that harness together as quickly and “hacky” as possible. Its runs like a dream and I honestly left the whole harness together and just de pinned what i wasnt using and left all the wires in the harness unused. No problems here. As for fuel pressure.... a $100 frame mounted pump is VERY easily plumbed from the stock gravity feed tank. All the stock fuel parts and intake manifold should serve you well and support plenty of power.
Once you get it setup correctly you wont have to “work” on a fuel injected setup. As for the speedometer you can get crazy and change parts of the trans to adapt to cable drive or you can use the “cable X driver” and it converts a digital input from trans to a mechanical cable output. Someone just set one up on here with success and i have also in the past. That way you can use your 100% stock speedo and keep the truck looking stock from the driver’s seat. Check out my build and you will see anything’s possible with a little trickery. If any real “AD expert” hopped in my truck they probably wouldn’t even know it was a LS swapped truck. They MIGHT catch the fuel pump whine when keyed on but if they didn’t have great hearing they would miss it and start it from the factory floor switch and pull the factory column shift into gear and drive away with ease like every other stock truck with all working stock gauges and accessories. Only thing not hooked up is the choke/throttle pull knobs. One will be used for a inline heater cut off valve at a later date though.

harv...1995 Buick Roadmaster.

Barnfind49...I'm going to use your post. You stovebolters have convinced me to hang on to what I've got.

I might be confused, but isn't the LT1 still a SBC? A lot of @coilover's LS attributes are not present on the LT1. I'm of the opinion shared by many that if you are going to go through the effort of a swap, you might as well go LS.

SimS

Yep the LT1 is still small block. This was one of the last in the SBC line, the Vortec was the really the last before the introduction of the LS. The Vortec heads breathe a lot better than the LT1.

I put a 1989 TBI 5.7 , 4l60E in my jeep commando out of a chevy pickup and I love it. After looking over my harness and finding several iffy wires and connectors I found a guy on ebay that was building new harnesses and bought one for less than $200. It was well worth the money as everything was new. It came with a fuse panel and everything was plug and play all I had to do was ad power and replace the brake light switch with the one from the donor truck. I also cut the top out of the donor truck fuel tank and welded it in the jeep tank so I could use the factory pump. Don,t do this unless you are comfy in welding on fuel tanks. The nice thing about it is it can set for 6 months then when you try to start it, turn the key on, listen for the fuel pump to kick off, hit the starter and it fires right up.

Guys,
I had forgot about the LT1 small blocks and we recently installed the late generation 465hp LT1 dry sump engine in a longtime friends air boat. It is also offered in a wet sump configuration and is definitely NOT the early sbc. Shows why donor should be listed from the beginning but on the other hand last time I tried to walk on water I sunk so lets just help the man with his decision.

Hahahah i was thinking about the new LT series engine too. Yea I wouldn’t bother with a old style LT. sorry for the confusion. I should have read more carefully. I usually recommend any of the 99 and up style v8’s. I honestly looked into running the “Atlas” style in-line engine in my truck during my build process. The truck was made for a inline 6 anyways but it was more cost effective and more of a proven setup to go V8 and its what I know.