5.3 conversion on 88 Turbo

Hi all,

After lurking here and reading lots of posts for info and advice, figured it was time to post about my build.

Had an engine fire a few years back, and insurance thought it could be repaired. Spent a few years in a shop with ‘stuff’ being done to it, mostly bad, before they went bankrupt. Fortunately, got the car, or remains of it, back, and my brother and I d3cided to see if we could do the swap. He is the mechanic, I am more enthusiastic, but can do some stuff.

Bought the full kit from Kentand went through all the fun of getting it to central Canada. That has been an adventure for everything I sourced from the US. Bought a rebuilt 5.3L Aluminumblock engine from a local engine shop,and the PCM and wiring harness from Painless. Learned an awful lot about how to find correct, and incorrect, sensors and parts. We got the engine in near the end of last year, then took the car in to a local body shop to fix the issues the first shop created, plus get it properly re-painted.

It is starting to look like I want it to, and after a Dyno tune and some other stuff, it is starting to run ok. Still having an issue with the fans not pushing enough air through the rad, so temp is going too high when sitting, or in stop and go traffic,but getting it sorted and running better.

And here are some pics of where it is at

David

Sigh, pics from tablet, oh well, try again.

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David

Build looks nice, clean and simple. What power did the engine make? Have you done any mods to the engine? What radiator are you running?

It is pretty stock, stock cam, Camaro rather than truck intake. The rebuild shop upgraded the Pistons, but that is about all.

Dyno showed it at about 325 HP currently.

The rad was an aluminum replacement (since original was pretty beat up) that was supposed to be plug and play to original Porsche Rad and fans, but the rad wound up being 1" higher, and fans did not fit in the shroud. Had to mount the fans on the rad with those pull thru plastic tensioners, as well as fabricate a new bracket for the rad itself.

It would appear you live in Winnipeg by the tags on your car. I am in Winnipeg as well.

Some LS are having heating problems with over heating do to water not circulating threw the heater. Try turning your heater on. If this stop you over heating at idle install a heater bypass valve.