A few day ago on
@Chris build thread, they were discussing V8 swaps. Blaine had posted...
"I don't know of any LS swap that was done that did not have a range of issues that needed to be sorted, dealt with, trouble shot, and resolved over about a year's time after it was up and running.
They range from overheating, electrical issues, gauges not right, not running right, trans shifting like dogshit, etc.
If anyone knows of any individual who has nailed a swap in very short order and has a reasonably tolerable standard of how stuff should be, I would like to chat with them.
Be aware that I have nothing against LS swaps at all. I have lots of issues with doing something that takes so long to get dialed in or get left to be crappy and just put up with. That and most I know of don't make the AC work which ain't gonna fly in Chris's world."
So this got me thinking about the common issues, and how to approach them.
Overheating. I'm on the side of the fence that the TJ's cooling package is just barely adequate for the standard 4.0 and 30-inch tires. Any inefficiencies can cause the system to slip into... inadequate very quickly. It's not going to get better with a larger engine. A radiator swap is required just to make it work.
I chose to go with a
superior radiator since I haven't heard anything bad about them. There is a built-in trans cooler that the website claims is "bigger". I've purchased their fan and shroud kit as well. This (the fan) can be upgraded later if needed. I've also considered using a mechanical fan from an early 5.3 and TJ shroud. It seems I've read somewhere that you can make the factory TJ fan shroud work. If there is room, I'm going to consider this as an option.
It seems that the area available for cooling is just not very big. There is the radiator and AC condenser fighting to keep things cool, so I'm thinking of placing an auxiliary cooler behind the bumper, under the winch plate with its own cooling fan. I've chosen this location because it will have plenty of cool air. The radiator trans cooler will still be utilized so if the under-bumper setup fails, there is still a backup. Maybe taking some of that heat from in front of the cooling package might help a little.
Hood vents and, fender vents will help with underhood temps.
Electrical Issues & Gauges. I'm not even fucking with old wiring. A new standalone harness, complete with all new wires and all-new connectors is handling this task. Mine is from PSI. A few bits of factory harness will remain to control the basics, like headlights, signals, HVAC, etc, but the rest is being removed. That also means the factory ECU is coming out. The Jeep will be running a set of aftermarket gauges. Simple is best here. speedhut makes a set of gauges that get their info directly from the GM ECU. The Speedo will be a GPS-driven unit.
Not running right. I've decided to keep things as close to factory Silverado as I can. Same transmission, truck exhaust manifolds, truck intake, truck accessory drive, factory camshaft. The trucks this engine came out of are incredibly reliable so the closer to stock it stays, the better. A wild tune, aftermarket camshaft, mismatched intakes, and mismatched pullies are all a recipe for unreliability. The 315 HP the engine left the factory with will have to do.
Trans not shifting right. I'm at the mercy of others here. Hopefully, zero gravity knows what they are doing.
Air conditioning. I can't imagine going this far with a build, then losing interest before the AC is done. This part doesn't seem very daunting to me. GM compressor, Jeep everything else. I'm going to be replacing all the old stuff with new stuff. The condenser is beat to shit from decades of rocks being thrown at it, and since it sits in front of the radiator, it might add to cooling issues. Past that it's just custom lines.
This is my plan of attack so I don't spend years chasing down issues or worse yet live with a shit build.
