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'73 6.2 LS3 Crate Build *Lots of Pics*


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Thanks for the replies! Exactly the stuff I was looking for. Couple more pretty basic questions but just so I hear it first hand and I'm not taking bad advice....

 

I've got an LS3 crate engine, can I use a harness and / or ecu from any LS1?

 

Will I need to get one specifically for DBW?

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  • 7 months later...

Updates have been lacking, sorry fellas. I'll update today if I get a chance. Took a long break due to the winter and no heat or insulation in the garage yet.

 

I'm kind of stuck at 2 points now.

 

When I ordered my drive shaft from JCI I had ordered it for the original 240z rear end. However I ended up swapping it out for an R200.

 

I tried swapping the flanges on the diffs, but the shafts are different. So I guess I'll need a new flange for the drive shaft? (Seeking advice)

 

Also I purchased an LS1 fbody alternator, and the OEM brackets to mount it at the bottom. However in order to get the alt pulley to line up with my crank and water pump it sits so far back that it hits the JCI engine mounts. (This is after I trimmed the shit out of the little plastic cover on the back. (Also seeking more advice)

 

Thanks guys!

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Updates have been lacking, sorry fellas. I'll update today if I get a chance. Took a long break due to the winter and no heat or insulation in the garage yet.

 

I'm kind of stuck at 2 points now.

 

When I ordered my drive shaft from JCI I had ordered it for the original 240z rear end. However I ended up swapping it out for an R200.

 

I tried swapping the flanges on the diffs, but the shafts are different. So I guess I'll need a new flange for the drive shaft? (Seeking advice)

 

Also I purchased an LS1 fbody alternator, and the OEM brackets to mount it at the bottom. However in order to get the alt pulley to line up with my crank and water pump it sits so far back that it hits the JCI engine mounts. (This is after I trimmed the shit out of the little plastic cover on the back. (Also seeking more advice)

 

Thanks guys!

What bracket setup are you using? Most jci mount guys use the fbody brackets which sit further out than the ls3 depth ones. Not sure if it's possible to do the ls3 depth setup on a Z. Got any pictures of it in the car?

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I bought the LS1 fbody bracket, front and rear, and ls1 fbody alternator. I don't really have any good pics, but it's basically what you described. The depth isn't right... Does this mean that I'm now going to have to buy a new water pump and crank pulley? Ughhh :(

 

Here's a few shitty pics.

 

Hard to see but the bracket against the block and it's already halfway into the crank pulley.

B1CCF315-4D36-489C-9989-CF2E04D7D71B-133

 

Here's one with the cover off and no bracket. With no bracket and the alt bolted directly to the block it looks like it would be line up or be very close, however the alt hits the steering rack/motor mount bracket.

 

B33B734D-0C31-468A-BAFE-B2DC5C5EF492-133

 

CD24CBA5-BCA7-443E-AEEF-498640121B9B-167

 

 

 

 

Also I got my fuel cell from summit. It's an aeromotive cell with a buil in a1000 pump, sending unit etc.

 

Thanks for the help.

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Ahh theres your issue. Yeah ls3 engines run the belt WAY further back than the f body configuration. You can probably pick up an fbody balancer for fairly cheap used, or summit makes a reasonable new one too that is SFI approved. The good news is you can get spacers to use your ls3 water pump with an ls1 crank pulley. I currently have that setup since the ls3 pump is the lowest profile LS pump out there.

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Hey RebekahsZ, this is me :D lol

 

This is good news and bad news at the same time. I'm glad I know what needs to be done, I wish I would have known about this sooner, just gotta spend more money now :(( haha.

 

I would definitely like to know where to source this spacer from and also I'd like everyone's opinion on best bang for your buck crank pulley / balancer.

 

Thanks so much for clearing this up MistaFosta

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I noticed that you had to trim the alternator a lot. I was rummaging around in the alternator room at the local junkyard when I did my build and found a truck alternator that had a much less fancy rear plastic cover. I have no idea what it came off, but I bought it , had it rebuilt (bearings were aweful) and all the mounting holes and pulley lined up with my 2006 GTO LS2, which must have same accessory spacing as an LS1. I was at the parts store the other day and a guy came in to get an alternator for a 2004 Silverado. He pulled it from the box and I would swear that was the same alternator. Check that item at your parts store and that might fix your rear clearance issues. I'm gonna google and see what I can find for LS3 water pump spacers...I bet it spaces at the block side, not a pulley spacer(?). Damn, Im coveting your lift. Bout to go drop a tranny on my back with jackstands.

Edited by RebekahsZ
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Dang, they are all over the Internet-$50US. Now to pick the right water pump spacer kit. I wonder if you will need an LS1 idler pulley, too? You don't have to buy all this stuff new, might find all that you need for cheaper on eBay. You'll just have to price out all the parts combinations.

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http://www.scramspeed.com/products/lsx-billet-water-pump-spacers-for-ls1-camaro-truck-and-ls3-vette-ls1-swap.html I use those, but check ebay, Scram Speed sells on there with free shipping. Its a very nice piece, also I use the factory captured oring style gaskets since I HATE paper gaskets. You will need to use a LS3 corvette style belt tensioner as well, since that is spaced correctly.

 

Its about $120 all said and done, but works great. Then you can just use an idler pulley instead of PS if you want, and it works perfectly!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey MistaFosta,

 

Is that the exact stuff that I will need in the link?

 

There seems to be so many different spacers out there that I'm worried I'm going to order the wrong ones.

 

I've got a new LS1 fbody crank pulley home now to put on. So these spacers will put my water pump pulley right where I need it?

 

Also I need special bolts for my Alternator? The ones that go through the bracket? Looks like they would be quite long. Does anyone have the specs for them?

 

On a good note I got a decent amount done this weekend. Axles in(they for yay) diff mounted, trans mounts bolted in and drive shaft.

 

Car is back on the ground for the first time since October!

 

E56C5972-43B9-4278-8A9B-631C907C36F6-912

 

AE6DC1B9-F9FA-4D66-A2CE-72EE40F406E5-912

 

D85FA9BC-B28C-4F2C-BB77-049736D779FB-912

 

1B073ED4-52EB-4B45-9A03-1E977B6FB7C5-912

 

Thanks for the help everyone!!

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Hey MistaFosta,

 

Is that the exact stuff that I will need in the link?

 

There seems to be so many different spacers out there that I'm worried I'm going to order the wrong ones.

 

I've got a new LS1 fbody crank pulley home now to put on. So these spacers will put my water pump pulley right where I need it?

 

Also I need special bolts for my Alternator? The ones that go through the bracket? Looks like they would be quite long. Does anyone have the specs for them?

 

On a good note I got a decent amount done this weekend. Axles in(they for yay) diff mounted, trans mounts bolted in and drive shaft.

 

Car is back on the ground for the first time since October!

 

Thanks for the help everyone!!

I bought the bolts directly from gm. They are fairly cheap through them. I don't remember the exact bolt length though.

 

The spacers I linked will work for sure. I use those on my setup, ls3 water pump, f body balancer/alt mount. I use the routing and belt in the picture here. You will need to use the ls3 tensioner with this setup, not an ls1 one.

post-5497-0-34849900-1430835115_thumb.jpg

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Awesome. Going to order those right now.

 

So LS3 tensioners are all the same? Like when I order one do I order a corvette one or camaro one? Seems so counter intuitive to use ls3 one when everything else I'm using is an ls1. But hey if it works in all about it lol.

 

Do you have a part number for the tensioner by any chance? Also is there a generic little idle pulley that I buy that goes on my alternator bracket? Would anyone have that part # as well?

 

Thanks again!! :)

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Hey Fosta, I just emailed the guys from the link you posted and this is the response I got.

 

Hello:

 

Assuming your LS3 is set up with the water pump and balancer from the 5th gen camaro, you are going to need to get an LS1 water pump to have the correct spacing. Your current water pump will stick out too far for your LS1 accessories. I don't stock the other parts you need, but they are pretty commonly available.

 

Sounds like a fun car!

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

 

 

Is this the same as your engine is/was? Or was yours from a corvette maybe?

 

Thanks again.

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Hey Fosta, I just emailed the guys from the link you posted and this is the response I got.

 

Hello:

 

Assuming your LS3 is set up with the water pump and balancer from the 5th gen camaro, you are going to need to get an LS1 water pump to have the correct spacing. Your current water pump will stick out too far for your LS1 accessories. I don't stock the other parts you need, but they are pretty commonly available.

 

Sounds like a fun car!

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

 

 

Is this the same as your engine is/was? Or was yours from a corvette maybe?

 

Thanks again.

I used this water pump. I was told from gm its the same on the camaro but my was from a corvette. Is your pump the same?

post-5497-0-68831900-1430929248_thumb.gif

post-5497-0-87635300-1430929267_thumb.png

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Also the tensioner I used was the stock 2004 vette tensioner which fits the belt spacing with the spacers.

 

As for the idler, in that picture of the belt routing, there is the part # from autozone for it. You will need to use a washer to space it correctly as it says in the picture.

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