LM7 Swap (5.3) into my 95 Camaro 3800II
#1
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I've already been told thousands of times it's best just to sell my car and buy a V8 car. Not the case with this car, I've got way too much money into it just to let it go. I've owned this car for a while and it has sentimental value, just to get all that out of the way
- Don't want to sell!
I tried searching LS1Tech and came up with nothing. One thread about someone swapping an LM7 into an IROC... About as far as I got!
The LS1 in my area isn't common at all, very hard to find a smashed LS1 car and the smashed LS1 cars go for at least a good $7-8k or so. I live in the east coast of Canada. A smashed Silverado is much easier to find than a smashed Camaro! Which is why I turn to the 5.3!
A few people on a local forum said the LM7 has interchangeable parts with the LS1. So I could just get an LS6 intake manifold or F.A.S.T or a stock manifold and get an fbody oil pan... and voila, LS1 equivalent!
What parts to use is the big question.... fbody ls1 kmember? LM7 PCM? LS1 mounts? I'd imagine a custom wiring harness would be needed... Corvette fuel rails as well. Might as well get headers while it's all out, LS1 long tubes?
I have $5000 to play with, want to get all the parts for it under 3 grand. Any info would be appreciated greatly!
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I tried searching LS1Tech and came up with nothing. One thread about someone swapping an LM7 into an IROC... About as far as I got!
The LS1 in my area isn't common at all, very hard to find a smashed LS1 car and the smashed LS1 cars go for at least a good $7-8k or so. I live in the east coast of Canada. A smashed Silverado is much easier to find than a smashed Camaro! Which is why I turn to the 5.3!
A few people on a local forum said the LM7 has interchangeable parts with the LS1. So I could just get an LS6 intake manifold or F.A.S.T or a stock manifold and get an fbody oil pan... and voila, LS1 equivalent!
What parts to use is the big question.... fbody ls1 kmember? LM7 PCM? LS1 mounts? I'd imagine a custom wiring harness would be needed... Corvette fuel rails as well. Might as well get headers while it's all out, LS1 long tubes?
I have $5000 to play with, want to get all the parts for it under 3 grand. Any info would be appreciated greatly!
![Grin](https://www.performancetrucks.net/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_grin.gif)
#2
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It will fit and you can buy the conversion parts easily you just need to make sure you dot all the I's and cross all the T's. You'll need a
K-member "stock or otherwise"
Camaro oil pan "stock or otherwise"
Camaro exhaust parts "stock or otherwise"
Low profile intake manifold
Air intake assembly
And a LS camaro computer and wiring harness would probily be your best choice to start with.
Then you may want to upgrade your radiator, rearend, drive shaft, and transmission while your looking for parts if money allows. Or just wait till they break, and see how long they last.
K-member "stock or otherwise"
Camaro oil pan "stock or otherwise"
Camaro exhaust parts "stock or otherwise"
Low profile intake manifold
Air intake assembly
And a LS camaro computer and wiring harness would probily be your best choice to start with.
Then you may want to upgrade your radiator, rearend, drive shaft, and transmission while your looking for parts if money allows. Or just wait till they break, and see how long they last.
#3
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It will fit and you can buy the conversion parts easily you just need to make sure you dot all the I's and cross all the T's. You'll need a
K-member "stock or otherwise"
Camaro oil pan "stock or otherwise"
Camaro exhaust parts "stock or otherwise"
Low profile intake manifold
Air intake assembly
And a LS camaro computer and wiring harness would probily be your best choice to start with.
Then you may want to upgrade your radiator, rearend, drive shaft, and transmission while your looking for parts if money allows. Or just wait till they break, and see how long they last.
K-member "stock or otherwise"
Camaro oil pan "stock or otherwise"
Camaro exhaust parts "stock or otherwise"
Low profile intake manifold
Air intake assembly
And a LS camaro computer and wiring harness would probily be your best choice to start with.
Then you may want to upgrade your radiator, rearend, drive shaft, and transmission while your looking for parts if money allows. Or just wait till they break, and see how long they last.
#4
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I agree with L7 Sierra.
You could use a 4l80e, but that's just more modifications(Transmission crossmember, special length driveshaft, special PCM programming), since the camaro never came with tranny.
Also, with the LSx engine/k-member you might want to consider the camaro ls1 steering rack and intermediate shaft as well - as these were redesigned for clearance issues with the ls engine.
You could use a 4l80e, but that's just more modifications(Transmission crossmember, special length driveshaft, special PCM programming), since the camaro never came with tranny.
Also, with the LSx engine/k-member you might want to consider the camaro ls1 steering rack and intermediate shaft as well - as these were redesigned for clearance issues with the ls engine.
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To put a 4l80 into a camaro any year would require surgery, and in your gen major surgery. So a built 4L60E is in your future unless your really tight with Jesus to get a 6L70-80.
The cross member and drive shaft should atleast work since the V-6 uses the 4L60 with "a different housing", and the V-6 sits pretty far back there. I've only see them so get a tape measure and see what you can come up with.
The cross member and drive shaft should atleast work since the V-6 uses the 4L60 with "a different housing", and the V-6 sits pretty far back there. I've only see them so get a tape measure and see what you can come up with.
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Try these and some other threads that have been writen already, then see what questions you still have. Your LM7 idea makes sense on the surface to keep costs low but once you put more than your toes in the water you'll feel your ***** shrivel. If you go the LM7 route you have the stuff you thought of already(K-member, tranny, car intake, exhaust, intake, harness & PCM) your also gonna need fuel rails, LT1 V8 front coils (if you do an iron block), F-body accessories & you may also have issues with the LS1 variable AC compressor. There is surely other issues but you will have to do a lot of reading and then some more asking.
My 2 cents... get a wrecked LS1 F-body, not the drivetrain THE WHOLE CAR. I think it's the only way to do it without pulling your hair out.
GOOD LUCK, Keith
http://www.dxsoftware.com/magnus/
Try these and some other threads that have been writen already, then see what questions you still have. Your LM7 idea makes sense on the surface to keep costs low but once you put more than your toes in the water you'll feel your ***** shrivel. If you go the LM7 route you have the stuff you thought of already(K-member, tranny, car intake, exhaust, intake, harness & PCM) your also gonna need fuel rails, LT1 V8 front coils (if you do an iron block), F-body accessories & you may also have issues with the LS1 variable AC compressor. There is surely other issues but you will have to do a lot of reading and then some more asking.
My 2 cents... get a wrecked LS1 F-body, not the drivetrain THE WHOLE CAR. I think it's the only way to do it without pulling your hair out.
GOOD LUCK, Keith
Last edited by 2manycars; 11-24-2008 at 10:07 PM. Reason: Cause Martha Stewart told me to
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#8
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...questions.html
http://www.dxsoftware.com/magnus/
Try these and some other threads that have been writen already, then see what questions you still have. Your LM7 idea makes sense on the surface to keep costs low but once you put more than your toes in the water you'll feel your ***** shrivel. If you go the LM7 route you have the stuff you thought of already(K-member, tranny, car intake, exhaust, intake, harness & PCM) your also gonna need fuel rails, LT1 V8 front coils (if you do an iron block), F-body accessories & you may also have issues with the LS1 variable AC compressor. There is surely other issues but you will have to do a lot of reading and then some more asking.
My 2 cents... get a wrecked LS1 F-body, not the drivetrain THE WHOLE CAR. I think it's the only way to do it without pulling your hair out.
GOOD LUCK, Keith
http://www.dxsoftware.com/magnus/
Try these and some other threads that have been writen already, then see what questions you still have. Your LM7 idea makes sense on the surface to keep costs low but once you put more than your toes in the water you'll feel your ***** shrivel. If you go the LM7 route you have the stuff you thought of already(K-member, tranny, car intake, exhaust, intake, harness & PCM) your also gonna need fuel rails, LT1 V8 front coils (if you do an iron block), F-body accessories & you may also have issues with the LS1 variable AC compressor. There is surely other issues but you will have to do a lot of reading and then some more asking.
My 2 cents... get a wrecked LS1 F-body, not the drivetrain THE WHOLE CAR. I think it's the only way to do it without pulling your hair out.
GOOD LUCK, Keith
Thanks Keith,
Unfortunately wrecked LS1 cars go for around 7k or so in my area. I have no clue who would buy a parts car for that much money but they do! So the Silverado motor is the least costly even after purchasing all those things. I'll be shopping around for prices on parts though
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Thanks Keith,
Unfortunately wrecked LS1 cars go for around 7k or so in my area. I have no clue who would buy a parts car for that much money but they do! So the Silverado motor is the least costly even after purchasing all those things. I'll be shopping around for prices on parts though
Unfortunately wrecked LS1 cars go for around 7k or so in my area. I have no clue who would buy a parts car for that much money but they do! So the Silverado motor is the least costly even after purchasing all those things. I'll be shopping around for prices on parts though
I could be wrong on this but it may be worth it to get a repairable in the states and tow it back or just get a beat up running one for 5-6K and drive it home.