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5.3L Vortec V8 Conversion

ever figure out the power steering problem?
 
Although I’m driving the rig and hope to get it on a trail this weekend I still have to install a new radiator and get busy installing some A/C, I figured it was time for this:
Since the end of this swap is at hand I thought I’d take up a little bandwidth and share some info in a condensed format to help those of you that are considering this swap. I’ve learned a lot along the way, wasted some money and plenty of time. Hopefully you can avoid the same pitfalls.
#1
Install your new oil pressure sending unit and water temperature sensor BEFORE you drop the motor in.
#2
The only header that will fit the 5.3L in an XJ is the Sanderson header sold by Novak Conversions.
#3
The only motor mount brackets on the market as of 06-07-10 are also from Novak.
#4
Although it s possible to adapt a GM gauge cluster to work in an XJ, the amount of time spent doing the wiring and modifying the dash is huge.
#5
Establishing and maintaining a good relationship with the local parts house will save you a lot of time and money.
#6
With the right adapter ring, you can indeed run a GM fuel pump assembly in your 97+ gas tank.
#7
Wiring in a new motor is not as complex as some believe, but basic understanding of electrical circuits is needed.
#8
A stock AW4 shifter can be modified to control a 4L60E transmission and maintain a stock appearance.
#9
Although the LSx truck intake makes more low end torque, the additional hood mods may not be desireable for some.
#10
Braided fuel lines are the simplest means of connecting the engine to the fuel tank. Yes they cost more but the time savings is immense.
#11
You don’t have to be a master fabricator to do this swap, but some basic skills are required.
#12
You don’t have to re-invent the wheel to do this swap….and you don’t have to do it alone either. Take the time to read about what others have done and use their mistakes and success stories to simplify your project.
The Thank You’s…
Thanks to all of you that have followed this thread and shared your comments and opinions.
Thanks to JohnD (naxja.org) for answering my questions and sharing his knowledge and experience.
Mega-Thanks to Brendan Patten of www.LS1Swap.com for the incredible website and back-channel assistance.
Most of all a huge Thanks to my wife and kids for tolerating my long days and nights in the garage, trips to the junk yard, mindless babbling about headers and wiring.
 
Frank Z said:
Although I’m driving the rig and hope to get it on a trail this weekend I still have to install a new radiator and get busy installing some A/C, I figured it was time for this:
Since the end of this swap is at hand I thought I’d take up a little bandwidth and share some info in a condensed format to help those of you that are considering this swap. I’ve learned a lot along the way, wasted some money and plenty of time. Hopefully you can avoid the same pitfalls.
#1
Install your new oil pressure sending unit and water temperature sensor BEFORE you drop the motor in.
#2
The only header that will fit the 5.3L in an XJ is the Sanderson header sold by Novak Conversions.
#3
The only motor mount brackets on the market as of 06-07-10 are also from Novak.
#4
Although it s possible to adapt a GM gauge cluster to work in an XJ, the amount of time spent doing the wiring and modifying the dash is huge.
#5
Establishing and maintaining a good relationship with the local parts house will save you a lot of time and money.
#6
With the right adapter ring, you can indeed run a GM fuel pump assembly in your 97+ gas tank.
#7
Wiring in a new motor is not as complex as some believe, but basic understanding of electrical circuits is needed.
#8
A stock AW4 shifter can be modified to control a 4L60E transmission and maintain a stock appearance.
#9
Although the LSx truck intake makes more low end torque, the additional hood mods may not be desireable for some.
#10
Braided fuel lines are the simplest means of connecting the engine to the fuel tank. Yes they cost more but the time savings is immense.
#11
You don’t have to be a master fabricator to do this swap, but some basic skills are required.
#12
You don’t have to re-invent the wheel to do this swap….and you don’t have to do it alone either. Take the time to read about what others have done and use their mistakes and success stories to simplify your project.
The Thank You’s…
Thanks to all of you that have followed this thread and shared your comments and opinions.
Thanks to JohnD (naxja.org) for answering my questions and sharing his knowledge and experience.
Mega-Thanks to Brendan Patten of www.LS1Swap.com for the incredible website and back-channel assistance.
Most of all a huge Thanks to my wife and kids for tolerating my long days and nights in the garage, trips to the junk yard, mindless babbling about headers and wiring.
Click to expand...
1. Yes!
2. This depends on your mounts I suppose. I made my own mounts and used Hooker 2312 headers.
3. Sad, but true. We need competition for better pricing.
4. No comment.
5. No better statement.
6. Wish you would share more on this...
7. Its actually not that bad to make your own harness following Brandon's website.
8. I am SO glad you did this! I love having my Jeep console back.
9. That's me!
10. No comment.
11. Very true, I am not a master fabricator by anyones standard.
12.Thanks to you and this thread...
13. I love you too :heart:
 
Heard it run today!!!!! WOW can you say grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Love that sound
 
Ive been following this swap here and on LS1Tech.. congrats on a great write up and awesome build. I will most likely be ditching my stroker and swapping over to an LS - I will definitely use this for future reference!
 
Where is this LS1swap.com? It's never there when I click on it, says it's for sale. =(
 
Frank, would you be willing to go into more detail on what wiring needs to be done on the XJ itself? I want to see what is involved before I commit to the swap. I have limited time between wheeling holidays so I'm trying to figure out how much needs to be done and how much time I need to allot for it. Novak is reluctant to give up the info unless you buy some parts from them. It might just be easier/quicker for me to freshen up my turbo motor if there's too much to deal with. Let me know. Thanks.
 
Frank, if you don't mind, Im gonna throw in my .02 worth on the swap do's and don'ts.

#1... depends on how you do it. I used the bypass log on the oil pan and tapped it for the jeep oil sender, It's pretty easy to get to even in the jeep, but would be easier out of the jeep. As far as temp sender... I made a manifold to go in the upper radiator hose to put in the jeep temp sender and the coolant vapor line.

#2&#3... agreed 100%, although I did manage to destroy a rubber isolator on the Novak mounts on the first trip out... not sure that they are going to hold up very well to 400 HP.

#4... Call up Novak, as long as you aren't in a huge hurry, they can send off you factory Gauge cluster and have it modified to work with the Chevy engine... and YES, all of the gauges work, including the tach.

#5... Yeah, no kidding!

#6... If you are using a Non return fuel system GM engine (such as an LS2) the factory Jeep pump is more than sufficient. When we dyno tuned the LS2 XJ, it had plenty of fuel pressure, even at WOT and 6200 RPM.

#7...Yep! But be patient!

#8... Yep, and you can even use the factory Jeep shift cable and trans bracket, but the bracket needs modifying.

#9... The difference in torque isn't great enough for the amount of work it involves. Just go with an LS intake and be done.

#10... see #6. You can just clamp a FI approved rubber hose onto the Quick disconnect at the frame of the jeep, and hook the hose onto the engine's quick disconnect.

#11... pretty true...

#12... Very true, read other's write ups. That's what I did and my swap went very smooth. I did go out on a limb a few times and do it differently, but everything worked great for me.

#13... if you are kinda scratching your head, keep in mind that I do LS swaps quite a bit. If you would rather somebody do it for you, bring it to me! Lol, and yes I am a paying sponsor on here so I can say that!
 
xtremexj94 said:
Frank, would you be willing to go into more detail on what wiring needs to be done on the XJ itself? I want to see what is involved before I commit to the swap. I have limited time between wheeling holidays so I'm trying to figure out how much needs to be done and how much time I need to allot for it. Novak is reluctant to give up the info unless you buy some parts from them. It might just be easier/quicker for me to freshen up my turbo motor if there's too much to deal with. Let me know. Thanks.
Click to expand...

It really is all in here http://www.lt1swap.com/wiringharness.htm

I studied for a while then it took me a Saturday to do it.
 
xtremexj94 said:
Thanks John, but I was referring to the wiring that needs to be tied into on the XJ itself.
Click to expand...

Oh... I think Frank yanked his Jeep stuff just like I did. When you do that there is hardly anything to tie in. Check the LS2 build over in advanced fab. Tyler kept all the Jeep stuff and is running both PCMs in tandom.
 
Team Willys said:
Frank, if you don't mind, Im gonna throw in my .02 worth on the swap do's and don'ts.
Click to expand...
Not at all, that's what this thread is for.

xtremexj94 said:
Frank, would you be willing to go into more detail on what wiring needs to be done on the XJ itself? I want to see what is involved before I commit to the swap. I have limited time between wheeling holidays so I'm trying to figure out how much needs to be done and how much time I need to allot for it. Novak is reluctant to give up the info unless you buy some parts from them. It might just be easier/quicker for me to freshen up my turbo motor if there's too much to deal with. Let me know. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I got a set of schematics for the donor rig and a printed out schematics from my XJ FSM as needed and went wire by wire until it was done. I wasted alot of time working on the GM gauges and body control module though. Had I not done so I would have had it (wiring) done in 3-4 days.
 
Well folks I FINALLY got this project of the pavement and onto a local trail. My family and I took the afternoon and ran a local trail called Eagle Rock (You can see the rock formation in the back ground).

004.jpg


016.jpg


My son's rig...
032.jpg


037.jpg


058.jpg


071.jpg


074.jpg
 
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