5.3L Vortec V8 Conversion

[Frank Z]

See post 216 of this thread for starters.

I finally got around to shortening the shift lever on the tranny by about 3/4". I removed the material from between the pin and the lever mounting hole. Doing so allowed me to shift into all of the gears without needing to remove the shifter bezel.

I haven't addressed the shift indicator as of yet, but I'll post up my fix when it's ready for the public eye.

 

[John D]

I finally got around to shortening the shift lever on the tranny by about 3/4". I removed the material from between the pin and the lever mounting hole. Doing so allowed me to shift into all of the gears without needing to remove the shifter bezel.

I haven't addressed the shift indicator as of yet, but I'll post up my fix when it's ready for the public eye.

Great idea on the shift lever, I was going to look into that also. Don't supposed you have a pic do you?

Did you see my shift indicator pics a page or two back? Super easy, got the stickers from Hobby Lobby. Three bucks for a whole sheet of letters and numbers.

 

[Frank Z]

Yes I did john, looks good too.

Here's a pic of the shortened tranny shift lever.

 

[Team Willys]

That looks good man! I think the real key to use the XJ shifter is to just use a shorter shift lever, which in turns means shortening the chevy one. That'll get it!

 

[Frank Z]

Looks like I'm in the market for a new oil pan.

Went wheeling yesterday day and although the motor performed flawlessly, there were issues resulting from a crappy track bar bushing.
Trip report.

So be aware folks, the tall truck oil pan is susceptible to damage. The fact that I'm running a non-stock axle and steering certainly contributed to the damage. An F-Body oil pan is now on my list of upgrades. If I'm not able to locate one locally for a reasonable price I'll look into modifying the existing pan to allow for better clearance.

Stay tuned, pics coming soon.

 

[John D]

Looks like I'm in the market for a new oil pan.

Went wheeling yesterday day and although the motor performed flawlessly, there were issues resulting from a crappy track bar bushing.
Trip report.

So be aware folks, the tall truck oil pan is susceptible to damage. The fact that I'm running a non-stock axle and steering certainly contributed to the damage. An F-Body oil pan is now on my list of upgrades. If I'm not able to locate one locally for a reasonable price I'll look into modifying the existing pan to allow for better clearance.

Stay tuned, pics coming soon.

The frustrating thing about it is that it was a real freak occurance. I've flexed out the suspension numerous times with the new motor in it and no clearance issues what so ever. Hard to believe that something as simple as a track bar bushing can cause this kind of problem. I thought it was just bad luck untill we looked at Daniels TB and it was moving all over the place too.

I switched to heims about 6 years ago on my tracbar and have never looked back.

Got me thinking now... I never really considered what would happen if a bushing were to crap out. Clearance is really tight when everything is in good condition. Hmm... gonna have to take another look under there. How much lift do you run?

I know what you mean about learning to drive again. In the wide open it's easy (dunes, woods roads, etc.), on the rocks its sometimes tricky not to overshoot the obstacle.

The pics look good from the run.

 

[Frank Z]

I'm at around 5.5" up front.

Pics are HERE.

 

[Frank Z]

Oil pan repair didn't work out. Hopefully a replacement will magically shoot out of my arse at some point.

So until then the heep is sitting in the driveway waiting on new pan. The game plan is to install a shallow pan from an F-Body Camaro/Firebird or one from a Cadillac CTS.

Unfortunately they are both made from refined Unobtainium and the price certainly reflects it.

 

[John D]

Hopefully a replacement will magically shoot out of my arse at some point.

Make sure to do another thread if this happens, THAT would be some good tech :laugh3:

 

[kastein]

Sounds painful :gag:

 

[XJEEPER]

What is preventing you from shaving off the offending corner of the pan for axle clearance and TIG'ing a patch plate over the hole?

 

[Frank Z]

I cut out about 1.25" of the sump and had a local guy weld it back together. It was supposed to look like this when it was done.

Needless to say, it currently looks nothing like that. I spoke with a couple of pro's and based on my discription of the current condition it would cost $200-300 to fix it.

Lesson learned.

 

[kastein]

Local guy screwed it up?

 

[Frank Z]

Yeah...but it's a done deal now so I've got to just deal with it and move along.

Enough of this depressing stuff. More tech coming soon........ish.

 

[XJEEPER]

Bummer.

 

[Frank Z]

Well my original plan was to spend as little as possible to rework the existing pan has turned into a $250+ oil pan replacement. i should be getting my new to me an pan from and ebay sale in the next week or so. I'll be installing a pan from an 03-05 Caddilac CTS-V (5.7L) It's not as deep as the truck pan but it has a longer sump.
Going from this (Not that my pan looks anything like this now....)

The new pan:

So still no funds available for a new aluminum radiator.

 

[Frank Z]

New pan is on and the heep is mobile again!! New 3 row aluminum radiator is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

 

[John D]

New 3 row aluminum radiator is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Who did you go with?

 

[xj-grin]

f'ing excellent, Frank. Long time and torturous welding coming. And to think it might run on the highway at under 230*??? Even better! :cheers:

 

[Frank Z]

This is the one I ordered. The price was perfect.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160484733815&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT