V6-V8 swap: How to
#111
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern PA,
Posts: 10,465
My bad I assumed since he said RS V6 and he was in the 4th gen area the car was a 96 UP. My bad. Forget everything I said. I will go back and delete my posts in a few days.
#112
wow, you guys are really negative when it comes to this swap. I am currently doing this swap right now and it is pretty simple. Aftermarket k-member clears up a lot of these issues and makes it simpler and easier to work on then a factory ls1 k memeber. I am doing this on a 97 v-6 camaro and putting a 2000 camaro ls1 in it. Hardest part is the wiring which is what i am working on and it aint all that hard.
I am gonna list some changes
1)BMR k member-still using stock v-6 LCA's and UCA's, changing out the front strut to strange single adjustable with i wanna say 300 lb springs
2)Steering rack and linkage-no way around it. I am deleting the power steering setup and going with manual steering
3)Torque arm-dont car much for the stock stamped piece and the BMR on is adjustable so i can go ahead and set the pinion angle where i want it at
4)Driveshaft-yes you can re-use the v-6 one but its a two piece design, which i dislike. Just gonna slap an ls1 single piece design in there
5)Gauges-you can reuse the v-6 gauge cluster you just have to play with some wires. Luckly you dont have to wire back to gauge cluster, just to the 3 plugs that are in the passanger side kickpanel. Temp sensor needs to be changed to a 98 ls1 3 pin sensor, along with the plug on the harness. You run an extra wire through the harness back to plug c210 or c220 under the dash
6)AC-not using it so i really dont have any advice for you here
7)VAST-just take the ecu somewhere and have it unlocked so vast no longer works. I also told them to delete the egr setting too since i wont be running it
8)Coil power-v6 harness only has one power lead for the coil pack. You have to add or splice in another wire to run the passanger side coil pack. No big deal, its pretty simple to do at the underhood fuse box.
8)ABS-havent got this far yet but i do belive it will work. Still using the v6 brakes, lines, and abs unit. If it doesnt work, screw it, good bye abs!
I hope this helps some of you guys want to swap in a ls1. It is actualley easy to do if you have the time, patience, and a little mechanical knowledge. I did mine without having a donor car and so far i am not having any issue with this swap.
I am gonna list some changes
1)BMR k member-still using stock v-6 LCA's and UCA's, changing out the front strut to strange single adjustable with i wanna say 300 lb springs
2)Steering rack and linkage-no way around it. I am deleting the power steering setup and going with manual steering
3)Torque arm-dont car much for the stock stamped piece and the BMR on is adjustable so i can go ahead and set the pinion angle where i want it at
4)Driveshaft-yes you can re-use the v-6 one but its a two piece design, which i dislike. Just gonna slap an ls1 single piece design in there
5)Gauges-you can reuse the v-6 gauge cluster you just have to play with some wires. Luckly you dont have to wire back to gauge cluster, just to the 3 plugs that are in the passanger side kickpanel. Temp sensor needs to be changed to a 98 ls1 3 pin sensor, along with the plug on the harness. You run an extra wire through the harness back to plug c210 or c220 under the dash
6)AC-not using it so i really dont have any advice for you here
7)VAST-just take the ecu somewhere and have it unlocked so vast no longer works. I also told them to delete the egr setting too since i wont be running it
8)Coil power-v6 harness only has one power lead for the coil pack. You have to add or splice in another wire to run the passanger side coil pack. No big deal, its pretty simple to do at the underhood fuse box.
8)ABS-havent got this far yet but i do belive it will work. Still using the v6 brakes, lines, and abs unit. If it doesnt work, screw it, good bye abs!
I hope this helps some of you guys want to swap in a ls1. It is actualley easy to do if you have the time, patience, and a little mechanical knowledge. I did mine without having a donor car and so far i am not having any issue with this swap.
#113
I have a 1997 t/a and i bought it with all intentions of swapping the lt1 all the way back to the axel under the body of my 98 v6 camaro, what exactly kinda problems will i run into, i was told it should be almost a clean swap, that the hardest part is going to be the wiring and i already know how to do wiring. Is the k member on the v8 97 gonna slide right up under my 98 v6 like the mechanic told me it would? The reason why i dont want to keep the v8 in the t/a is because it was a parts car luckily the brain and tranny and dive shaft and axel were all left there. Even the radiator gas lines and everything needed for the swap is there. The only thing torn apart was that the headlights tail lights and interior was gone except the guages. While i have this mint condition 98 v6 with engine problems being the only problem.
#115
I have an 02 35th ann. car with 3800 auto. I also have a 97 TA with a heavily modified LT1. This is my first "car". Just wondering if it would be as simple as swapping K members and motors along with wiring harness. Shouldn't all the guages and such bolt up? Just asking? Dont jump on me too hard
#116
Clee, start at the beginning of this thread and read up on what it takes. It is not as simple as you would think and being that you would be going backwards in technology it would be best to swap out everything except the chassis and seats. The body revision in 98 included alot more than just the front sheetmetal.
Massey
Massey
#118
V-6 To V-8 Swap
To anyone that wants to do the swap, I say go for it, just have the donor available. I have done it myself. It's actually easy, just time consuming, I miss that old Camaro, someday I'll have another. I have a newfound interest in a Buick project I have to see through. Even after the Camaro swap, this Buick swap kind of scares me.
#119
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern PA,
Posts: 10,465
I think easy is a relative word. It depends on the person. We get people here that do not have the tools or the talent to change their own oil all, they have is some friend good with lawn mowers that once swapped an I6 to V8 in a 79 Camaro. I have a brother in-law that should never pick up a wrench unless it is to hand it to someone else. We have several projects in the project section that go into detail about the swap. Make sure you read swaps that are complete. We have A LOT more threads of people who started the process then we do of people that finished. I have seen some misinformation from guys not finished with their swaps. It is not hard to find threads where people got in over their heads and just gave up. If you are still up for swap after reading a competed project we will be glad to help