Note to self***** Dont use cheapo chineese AC hose and fittings on the next build. Ever since I built the kit I have seen traces of dye at most of the crimps and even seen a few specks where the hoses had mold marks. I knew the only fix was to just buy a new PARKER brand USA hose and fitting kit and re-crimp all new hoses. Got that all made, installed, and held vacuum overnight so I charged it and it seems perfect. Then wired up the AC request idle bump up on it. Had to add 2 wires to the ecu plug and then re-flash the ecu with some editing of the idle tables. Now whenever the AC clutch engages it bumps up 225rpm which is perfect to keep it smooth and also make it cool better at idle. The truck idles perfect at like 550rpms but the compressor isn’t very efficient pumping at low a speed. Should be a nice improvement when its 100deg this summer.
Last edited by Barnfind49; Fri Apr 16 2021 03:14 AM.
Do you mind answering a few questions for me about the swap? I tried to PM you but I can’t because I’m a new account.
Trying to do a very similar truck but with a 4.8 and 4L80e from a work van into a 53 3100. I want to keep it straight axle and stock looking otherwise. I’d love to hook up the foot starter too. Such a cool feature and I had tried to think about how to do it before seeing this post. Seeing it made me need it!
Were the fbody exhaust manifolds a must or just what you had? I have truck manifolds currently.
What did you do for your original alt bracket? That looks perfect as I plan to do crank water pump and alt only as well. No PS or AC.
What did you use for your engine mounting? This truck has an SBC currently so I’m hoping some adapter plates will get me where I need to be but a plan B wouldn’t hurt.
How did you tackle the fuel system? I found inline pumps and a corvette filter that’s also a 58psi regulator that sounds promising.
Awesome truck man. Very cool to see. I wish mine was in as good of shape as that one but hopefully I can make what I have work!
Yea truck manifolds sould never clear. I had to chop the passanger camaro one and move the flange to even make that fit but it fits now.
You can run stock alternator bracket and just leave the PS pump off and run the shorter belt.
I used universal weld in mounts with a single bolt that slides in from front but if you have it set up for sbc they make adapters to bolt a LS right into sbc mounts so that should be easy.
For fuel system its a stock tank behind the seat with gravity fed 255 walbro pump mounted on frame with a return bulkhead goin into top of tank. I just use the stock regulator on the rails of the older return style LS truck. Vette filter will work in a returnless system but i prefer return style.
Barnfind49, I'm also running the Walbro fuel pump mounted to the inside of my frame below the cab close to the tank in the cab. My fuel pump is a little noisey. It's mounted on rubber pads but between the electric engine fan and the fuel pump it's a little noisey. How about yours?
Yes i can hear mine running but only because my truck is almost silent. I have a huge muffler from a duramax van on my truck and if the truck stalled at a light you wouldn’t know it until you went to let the clutch out and it didn’t move. Its that quiet. I have very good hearing too. Im very used to hearing fuel pumps though so its nothing odd to me. Im used to driving around in fast cars with fuel pumps that sound like 3 blenders running full tilt. In tank pumps are always quieter but this truck was built for zero performance and the external pump was just too EASY I couldn’t not do it. 🤣
Last edited by Barnfind49; Wed Apr 28 2021 12:48 PM.
Finally did the new kingpins in the truck. Just drove it and its all good. The drivers side had basically no play in it but the passenger side definitely had some noticeable slop but not terrible. Its all fresh now though. Used a old set of pins/bushings/bearings that I scored on ebay and even the correct factory service tool to ream them true and to size. Im very happy with the end results. Not bad for my first ever set of kingpins. Im very close to being 100% done with everything on this project. I know it will always require some attention but my to-do list right now is basically 3 very minor things to take care of.
