My 5.3 Engine swap

[humvee]

I'm in love with this truck. Already working on the exact same stinger design and similar hood (fiberglass). Will cut open the hood too for better circulation.


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[06 H3]

Yea it's a good amount of work for a 5.3...luckily I didn't have to mess with transmission stuff because I just took the one from the 5.3 and my H3 one and swapped parts around no issues.

Nice thing is that a 6.0 and 6.2 will drop in with just a tune and some minor adjustments since factory 5.3 guys have put in the bigger motors before

 

[GreatDaneHummer]

The real fun is changing over a 3.7 to a 6.2 ... I would like to see how that works out.

 

[JPaul]

I don't see how it'd be any different than doing a 5.3 swap, other than the additional steps you'd need for the 6.0/6.2 with the tune and whatnot. At least what I gather is that there isn't much difference between them. If I end up having to replace my motor myself, I'm considering skipping the 5.3 and going with at least a 6.0.

 

[humvee]

I don't see how it'd be any different than doing a 5.3 swap

True, the intake manifold is different so a revised air pipe design is needed too.


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[humvee]

I had completely forgotten that the alpha comes with a power steering cooler. Paying the price and waiting for a tow truck.

Anyone ever tried an aftermarket unit?



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[06 H3]

Weird...never added a cooler but I'm running a different setup with the SAS

 

[humvee]

You have the nissan box right?


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[4speedfunk]

BTW...I got a set of stock H3 power-steering hoses, and they have the cooler. Pipe-up if you want it. It did NOT come from an Alpha, and I have seen several 5-cyl. models with the PS cooler on them.

 

[humvee]

BTW...I got a set of stock H3 power-steering hoses, and they have the cooler. Pipe-up if you want it.

Thanks! appreciate it. Sam's got some aftermarket units lying around, he uses them on JKs.
I think South African models didn't get them, I hope its the pipe that burst and not the pump, these things cost around $500 here.

 

[CaseyS]

This is my new power steering line next to my old one. I had a new hose crimped on the old stub that lasted for a year then blew off twice in two months. This is a standard hydraulic fitting crimped to the hose and a compression ferrule swaged to the line. No problems since. BTW I have the same end fittings and just a different length hose.

Also no cooler here. Where is the factory one located?

 

[humvee]

Looks stock.. Factory cooler is meant to be below the pump, near the oil pan mounted somewhere.


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[humvee]

So we fixed the vacuum solenoid pipe, and I'm still getting smoke from the dipstick pipe.

What I do know is that the engine was clean when I got it, no issues with oil whatsoever.
I'm still getting the oil warning on the ODO, comes and goes, especially when I'm pulling up to park at an incline.

Does anyone have any ideas on what could cause this? One mechanic said it could be because we deleted the heater hose. Sam and I don't agree.

Maybe sea foaming the oil chamber? The motor was lying around for 4 months, sand storms and whatnot.

 

[Mr_Rich]

There is an adapter just above the filter on the block that can be tapped for an oil pressure gauge. I would want to know what the actual oil pressure at idle would be before chasing your tail with other fixes. That adapter is used on Corvettes for an engine cooler IIRC. Good luck!

 

[humvee]

There is an adapter just above the filter on the block that can be tapped for an oil pressure gauge. I would want to know what the actual oil pressure at idle would be before chasing your tail with other fixes. That adapter is used on Corvettes for an engine cooler IIRC. Good luck!

Thanks Rich, will do that first thing Saturday when the shop opens.
I'm very alarmed at the fact that I've been testing the truck with this oil pressure issue looming. I was doing some reading and feel I might have already damaged the engine.

Know what reading is considered optimal?

 

[CaseyS]

Simple question. I know you need the alpha specific oil pan but what about the pickup? Is it the same. Is there a tube bolted to the block that can possibly leak. Is it possible anything got bumped on the suction side when the pan was off?

 

[humvee]

Is it possible anything got bumped on the suction side when the pan was off?

We did design our own oil pick-up strainer. I think you got it once again, this should be where my problem lies.
Will check it out asap.

 

[CaseyS]

Check the welds and check that a gasket was installed and the bolts are tight at the pickup. I would blue locktite those bolts too for piece of mind.

By fab guy used acetone to test for leaks. Make a blank flange and bolt it to the pickup end and fill it up like you have it sitting now and let it sit for a while and make sure there are no pinholes. Also make sure the strainer is not too close to the bottom of the pan where it may be vortexing trying to get oil in. Looks like the only intake is at the bottom which is where it would be facing the flat oil pan bottom.

Cheap part if it were readily available there for you.
http://www.directgm.com/oe-gm/12608...w9BZ5_UMgsWOuLX0g_z7cBrcKzvmFY-S7kaArrN8P8HAQ

 

[humvee]

Check the welds and check that a gasket was installed and the bolts are tight at the pickup. I would blue locktite those bolts too for piece of mind.
Cheap part if it were readily available there for you.

Will follow these steps. I think ill park the 3 till the part arrives. Ordered it last night just to be safe.

If it were available here, it wouldn't cost under $130 btw

 

[Mr_Rich]

When I was bolting up my engine (on my car) all the books I read mentioned replacing the O-ring gasket on the pickup tube with a new one. Seems like such a simple thing but I follow those recommendations.

 

[CaseyS]

This link says the windage trays and pickup tube are specific to each pan design. One pic about 2/3 of the way down clearly shows a blue oring on the pickup tube. I would order that part as well. If you welded on the tube, did the o-ring get removed? If it didn't, did it get heat damage?

http://www.lsenginediy.com/ls-swaps-oil-pan-guide/

 

[humvee]

This link says the windage trays and pickup tube are specific to each pan design.

I couldn't find the windage tray for the H3 online.

Found an article that says this is what I need for the H3: 12611129. But I cant verify that on GM parts websites. All point to the LS3.

all the books I read mentioned replacing the O-ring gasket on the pickup tube with a new one.

Thanks, ordered, and a new gasket for the pan just in case mine comes out damaged.

A lot of the reviews said that this solved their oil pressure problems. I hope this also means an end to the white smoke.

 

[humvee]

So while we wait for these parts. I need to address another issue.

When I shift from N to D, theres a 1.5 second delay before the gear engages and I can drive.
N to Reverse is very responsive.

To recap:
I upgraded the sun shell, installed a new band and corvette servo.
New input drum, and replaced the stator shaft with an alpha one that fits in the TC.

I noticed the mechanic did not use petroleum jelly before plugging in the new servo.

Anyone had this problem before? Valve body possibly?

 

[Mr_Rich]

Windage tray pics from my Firebird build. The one you would probably need would be full length (10 bolts) vs. the shortened one (8 bolts) used with F-bodies to clear the K-frame.

 

[humvee]

Thanks Rich. Looking at older pictures, I do have the windage tray up there. Amrg's crate LS3 came with its own tray so I retained his old one.