Gary's 65 Final Chapter

[kwhizz]

A little past history of Gary's car........A couple years ago we added Ridetech Coil-over suspension...Disc Brakes.....A/C......Aluminum Radiator and Electric Fans........anticipating the future swap of a LS engine into the car........Well.....The time is here.....Gary ordered a GM connect and cruise set-up........LS3 (480 H.P.) and a 4L70 trans.....
So......Gary pulled the big block out at his house and brought the car over yesterday at 10 am......We swapped out the LS3 pan for a Holley 302-1 pan and some motor mount adaptor plates that I made up to raise the engine slightly to clear the front crossmember.......the car was originally a 6 cyl Powerglide car.....at some time in its past it was converted over to a 454 /turbo 400 car....... and during that swap, there was a second set of trans crossmember mounts welded in for the turbo 400 position......so....we had two sets of mounts on the frame......Works out easy for me as the new set-up uses the rear holes on the front mounts........a little sawzall action and I'll make up a couple small plates tomorrow to fill in the gap between the mounts and the everything is as simple as it can get......anyhow.....by 2 0'clock had the engine in and were finished for the day....
Here are some conversion pics............


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[Sonar Chief]

Here we go again .. I'm in, always learn something with your detailed posts, thanks for sharing. I'm heading down the same path here real shortly, might have some questions .... lol.

Michael

[GregWeld]

Swap Master!

[kwhizz]

After getting the engine and trans in we checked for clearance issues with the trans........had only one spot that need a little massaging.........pulled the engine out and fixed the clearance issue correctly......and before putting the engine in for the final time.......we installed the wiring harnesses.........LOL.....I had a plug for the MAP sensor that didn't fit.......after a while I called Pace Performance where the engine came from and talked to a Tech guy..........I explained the problem.......His response was classic........"Did you read the Instructions"..........then added....."look in the Envelope in the box for the adaptor harness"...........Duhhh!!!..................Anyhow we got it back in with all the wires and then installed the Kwik Performance front drive set-up.......Moving along

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/IMG_7363.jpg

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[kwhizz]

Update..............Got a lot of little Important things done.........Fuel system, all engine mounts in and ready to go......got the control modules and fuse panel installed.......(notice all the wires are almost gone).......some of the old wires are still in place and will be removed as required.....Driveshaft was shortened a couple inches.....the Air Intake system will be finished today along with mounting the DBW gas pedal.........Getting closer


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[kwhizz]

One week of just a couple hours a day........Here we are......Got the air intake system completed.....Had to find a new spot to mount the Power Steering reservoir as the inlet tube needed the space.....Got that resolved......hooked up the starter wires and spun the engine over.....Ordered fittings for the transmission cooler lines where they come out of the trans........Wanted to get that completed, but.....I guess I ordered the wrong fittings as they didn't fit........Darn.....We also got the correct Serpentine belt installed along with the Radiator.........Also got the gas pedal installed and plugged in...Getting closer.....

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[dhutton]

I just went through the same thing on 4L65E transmission cooler lines. Ordered 1/4 NPS adaptors but they did not fit. Figured out they were 9/16 ORB (o-ring) fittings. Got some adaptors and they fit great.

Don

[Sonar Chief]

Are you guys talking about the adapters from GM quick connect to -AN fittings?

I read the March Super Chevy article about the LS into the Chevelle, they got them from Sweet Performance, are there other vendors?

Ken ... this is good info and I'm taking notes, thanks for sharing!

Michael

[RdHuggr68]

Are you guys talking about the adapters from GM quick connect to -AN fittings?

I read the March Super Chevy article about the LS into the Chevelle, they got them from Sweet Performance, are there other vendors?

Ken ... this is good info and I'm taking notes, thanks for sharing!

Michael

Going LS now?

[dhutton]

Are you guys talking about the adapters from GM quick connect to -AN fittings?

I read the March Super Chevy article about the LS into the Chevelle, they got them from Sweet Performance, are there other vendors?

Ken ... this is good info and I'm taking notes, thanks for sharing!

Michael

The Sweet adapters are 1/4 NPS. They might work for a 4L60E but they did not work for my 4L65E.

Don

[Sonar Chief]

Going LS now?

Yep! Been taking notes from Ken's posts, he makes it look easy w the right parts ... and that's the key!

[kwhizz]

Update........Got all the wiring except for the dash finished.......got the shift linkage and Dakota Digital Position Indicator finished.......Got the Power Steering hoses all installed........Got the Radiator and Heater hoses finished......All that's left to do is to get the Transmission cooling lines installed (Hopefully the correct fittings will show up today).......Now it's time to get inside and get the Dakota Digital dash installed.........Then off to the Exhaust shop.......The Engine compartment looks a lot better with all the wires gone........

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[Ummgawa]

Every car in your garage is a "hell yes!" On my CARS TO OWN" list.

You Da man.

[kwhizz]

Got a lot done today.........Took the dash out and got the Dakota Digital gauges installed......Got the transmission cooler fittings and lines installed......(thanks Tom Munch)......Radiator is full.....Just need to get the Dakota Digital modules hooked up so we have the gauges working when we start it......Going for exhaust on Monday.....

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[kwhizz]

Two weeks working on it just a couple of hours a day.........Will it start ????

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/th_MAH02518.mp4 (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/MAH02518.mp4)

[kwhizz]

http://vid13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/MAH02518.mp4

[TomM]

Oh the sweet sound of success.......


T,

[Sonar Chief]

Nice work ... the rewards are in the first start!!! :thumbsup:

[kwhizz]

Two weeks ago.............

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/IMG_7329.jpg


Today............Off for Exhaust on Monday

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[fleetus macmullitz]

Congrats to you both. :thumbsup:

[kwhizz]

Well..........Gary drove the car to the Muffler shop this morning........one little problem.....We had the car off the ground while filling the trans with fluid......we ran the car thru the gears checking the fluid and setting the shift linkage........we noticed the speedometer wasn't working and I thought it was a programming issue so we didn't worry about it......The main focus was to get the exhaust system on, then tweak everything.........so.....here we go, we leave the house at 8 am with no exhaust......Pretty loud.......As I'm following Gary.....I'm wondering why he doesn't shift the trans out of low gear.....Luckily we driving on low speed limit roads and only had a couple miles to drive......So...we get into the Exhaust shop and I ask Gary why he drove in low gear..........He said the trans wouldn't shift out of low..........Hummmm!!!!!..........WTF !!!!!!........Gonna have to make some phone calls........So.......After dropping the car off, Gary gave me a ride to Frame-Up Wheelworks to pick up the Nomad..........while there I asked them if they ever heard about that issue with the GM connect and cruise system..........They said "Yep"!!!!!.........Just happened to us.......Seems that GM has two small harnesses that are made to plug into the speed sender on the back of the trans.......I plugged in the wrong one........Darn......That explains why it didn't shift and the speedometer not working.......So..........While the Car was up on the lift getting the Exhaust made......I stopped there and changed out the harness........Now when Gary pick's up the car it will shift correctly........




http://vid13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/IMG_7421.mp4

[waynieZ]

It's great when it's an easy fix.

[kwhizz]

Well.......................The exhaust shop did a great job on Gary's car.......and.....the trans shifts perfectly and the speedometer works (with the correct harness installed ....LOL ).......the other issues we had with the Dakota Digital system cleared up by themselves when we cleared the check engine light codes (when first started it was looking for the O2 sensors).......found out from the Dakota tech that the fault was overriding the function of the dash displays...........And.......Gary, driving the car with the new LS3 engine can't believe the torque and power the engine makes over the old big block.........LOL........and that's with a 3.08 rear end gears........a 3.73 and a posi unit are in the near future..........Another LS convert.......

[kwhizz]

We had two issues than needed to be resolved......#1....Fuel gauge didn't work.....ended up being a solder joint that failed inside the sender (had to pull the tank down to find it)......#2....Intermittently the starter would just "Click" "Click" like the Battery was dead....Humm!!......After checking everything out......the new starter was "Junk".....replaced the starter with a new one and everything is now perfect .............Then......After removing the Dead weight in the Engine compartment.......The front end of the car was now way too high......Gary adjusted the Coil-over shocks to lower the front end down to where it was before.............anyhow.........Here's a Video of the car running.......

http://vid13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/65%20Gary/IMG_7428.mp4

[Che70velle]

Well done sir!

[Sonar Chief]

Well done sir!

X2 :thankyou: I learn sumthin every time you post a LS swap!!!!

[Jimbo1367]

Ken,
Does this utilize the same mufflers you used in the 66 Chevelle SS? Does the GM standalone harness have electric fan controll/relays? I assume it does have the fuelpump relays/power wires?

thanks,
Jim

[kwhizz]

Yes........Yes........and Yes......


Ken

[GregWeld]

Kudos buddy!