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84 el camino lq4 question

2K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  87ls5.3 
#1 ·
Just got a lq4 out of an 06 Silverado cheap with wiring harness, pedal, computer etc all the accessories. I want to swap it into my 84 elcamino and use the existing th350 trans to save money. The 6.0 I have is drive by wire. I am trying to avoid the problems with the kick down cable. My question is to switch to drive by cable can I just get a cable throttle body and then have someone tune out the Dbw? I plan on buying an Ebay standalone harness anyhow, and they seem a lot cheaper and easier to find for a drive by cable set up with non electric trans. Any input appreciated, thanks



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#2 ·
It can be done. You will need the flexplate spacer available from GM or the usual hot-rod stores. Changing to DBC from DBW is also possible. Your best spot to start is LT1SWAP.COM, There you will find the info to do it. However, there are work-arounds for the kick-down also but it would be easier to go with the DBC delete outlined at LT1Swap. The easiest would be to find a DBC harness and computer then get a new throttle body, but that is kind of over simplification. I kept my DBW and decided to run a 4l60e instead, in the end was less work and only needed a new x-member and shortened the drive-shaft a bit, but I did the same thing thinking about keeping the original 2004r trans.

Like I said, there are work-arounds for pretty much everything so my best advice on it is to read everything you can and look at all options you can find, ask here some more and take your time and you will come up with the best way for you! Best of luck!

Joe
 
#4 ·
Working in a body shop for the last 38 years I have had a saying and it applies to just about anything in the automotive field. Give 10 body techs the same wreck, and the car will get fixed 10 different ways and none of them will be wrong! Pretty much the same with an LS, or for that matter, any engine/trans swap for a hot-rod! Learn all you can and go with your gut. Hopefully, you are as happy as most of the guys posting here about how their car turned out or is turning out!

Joe
 
#5 ·
Like Joe said above - For my swap I got the transmission with the engine, in my case LT1/4L60E, including the original computer and wire harness. Personally, I like the overdrive trans, because I get the car to other towns for shows. The overdrive with 3.42 rear axle makes for a nice highway cruiser plus plenty of scratch for acceleration or the occasional burn out. :p
 
#6 ·
The biggest thing that is hitting me right between the eyes in this post is using the 350 trans to save money. Like I said, it can be done. I'm one of the first to want to save a buck on my car but came to a conclusion a long time ago. Every dollar I spend on my classic car improves it's value. Yea, I could go buy a new truck or car but not a new ElCamino! How much a month would be the payment on a new vehicle? There are people out there paying $800+ bucks a month just to drive a new car or truck. Using the DBW TB and adding a 4L60E is way more fun and in the end will be just a small road bump on the way to having way more fun in the fact that tuning is so much simpler and easier than trying to fight what the factory built. Neither way is wrong, you can do this any way you want. I will only say, read all you can and have fun!

Joe
 
#7 ·
I luv the 4spd overdrive too, with 3.73 to 4.56 gears
mostly in trucks, taller tires, towing/hauling..

over-thinking this a little more, without knowing anything about it,,
a 2006, i'm assuming it will take a special tune to delete the 4L60E from the
PCM and lose the trans feed-back portion of the control loop, and the DBW/Cable retro-fit..
I don't know, might cost more for the changes, and re-tunes for the later model stuff..
back in the old days you could just run a basic motor MAP/O2 tune,
without being fully automatic closed loop, but I think it took lots of tunein ..

don't forget, there is the LS crank / flexplate/flywheel / torque converter spacer thang..

I stopped worrying about all that stuff with the 95 LT1/4L60 combo,
don't think ill be going to any of the newer stuff.. I'm stayin Old-Scool,
I would like to have a 6spd or 10spd, 3~4overdrive automatic ..

let us know what you find out Jess..
 
#8 ·
I luv the 4spd overdrive too, with 3.73 to 4.56 gears
mostly in trucks, taller tires, towing/hauling..

over-thinking this a little more, without knowing anything about it,,
a 2006, i'm assuming it will take a special tune to delete the 4L60E from the
PCM and lose the trans feed-back portion of the control loop, and the DBW/Cable retro-fit..
I don't know, might cost more for the changes, and re-tunes for the later model stuff..
back in the old days you could just run a basic motor MAP/O2 tune,
without being fully automatic closed loop, but I think it took lots of tunein ..

don't forget, there is the LS crank / flexplate/flywheel / torque converter spacer thang..

I stopped worrying about all that stuff with the 95 LT1/4L60 combo,
don't think ill be going to any of the newer stuff.. I'm stayin Old-Scool,
I would like to have a 6spd or 10spd, 3~4overdrive automatic ..

let us know what you find out Jess..
And that sums up why I kept the 4l60e! I really want a 6 speed too, guess I'll save that idea for if I can ever do an LS 69 Vette!

Joe
 
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