77 K10 LS Swap

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Madhorn

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1977
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K10
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5.3/NV4500/NP205/4:56 gear/35in tires
They fit great!!!! The only mod was I had to cut a small ear off the bell housing. Cleared the manual clutch linkage with out issue and no issue with front drive shaft. O2 sensors fit great as well.
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rpcraft

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Jimmy
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LS 6.0 364 CID
Those look great. I might need to go ahead and pick up the plug wires too. I've talked with Sam at Speed Engineering to see if they could make a system that bolts to the C10's and could maybe be adapted to the K5's as well but he said they most they do is C10's but it would be up to us to adapt to the K5 just because of the lack of demand and after looking the system over it looks like it would be more trouble than it is worth.
 

Madhorn

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Tomorrow I will install the front shaft and get a couple pisc.
Are the K5s that mush different than the K10?
 

rpcraft

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Nope, only thing that changes is the parts that go from the axle rotors out.
 

rpcraft

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Nope, only thing that changes is the parts that go from the axle rotors out.
 

Camar068

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10 yrs Air Force
They fit great!!!! The only mod was I had to cut a small ear off the bell housing. Cleared the manual clutch linkage with out issue and no issue with front drive shaft. O2 sensors fit great as well.
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lol nice n clean. At that point I had shoe prints next to the headers on the frame lol.
 

rpcraft

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I was thinking about this last night and got to wondering if the bracket that has the front pinion snubber on it would still fit. I don't think I will need it because I am going to still do a lift kit but It would be nice to know something is there that would prevent axle to oil pan contact in case I ever launch the truck. I am pretty sure the headers prevent that. Those long tube's look really good though.
 

Madhorn

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5.3/NV4500/NP205/4:56 gear/35in tires
With some help from my boys we got quite a bit accomplished today.
Front clip installed
Bled the brakes
Mounted the computer
Ran the wiring for the lights and wiper motor
Installed radiator
Radiator fan and shroud
Upper and lower hoses


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Crispy

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Awesome! Glad to see the fit well. Now on the to the next step lol
 

Camar068

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Nice n Clean
 

rpcraft

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Just curious what radiator you are using? Looks like you are planning on using the mechanical fan. Just curious how well your fan fits into the shroud? Also what engine mounts did you use?
 

Madhorn

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Using factory radiator and shroud. The mechanical fan is centered in the shroud better than it would have been. But it needs to be an inch or 2 forward. I intend on converting over to electric fans in the future. As far as engine mounts go, I used ICT Billet adapter plates using the factory clam shells and motor mounts.

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rpcraft

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See, I've known this was a problem for a while, and I did some research on finding a fan that had a longer connector nut or protrusion of some type (where it attaches on to the water pump pulley). I've been told if you can find the clutch of a Kodiak or Topkick that it has a 2 inch long "Nut" and it pushes the fan forward but I am not sure on the years and it's not easy looking up parts for them because they are usually service vehicles and not real available on places like rockauto or what not.

There is a ford part I have found that has a longer extension but it requires some trimming and fitting of the fan assembly which I have not done yet. I figure you have to be careful with the cutting and stuff because it will affect the balance, and I have not quite crossed that bridge yet. I did not think about it at the time but it's probably possible to use the fan off the original ford assembly and that would work as well. The Hayden part # is Hayden Automotive 2789. I found a great resource on their website for looking at the dimensions of their various fans and combined with RockAuto.com you can look up the part # and then they have a link at all vehicles that the fan clutch is used on and go from their to look at a fan. I'll probably do that right now in fact and next time I get a chance to go to the salvage yard find my new discounted fan, lol..... It is a reverse rotation fan clutch, as required by the LS motor.

Alternatively you could probably just get some thin ABS and cut a loop of it long enough to go around the outside of the fan shroud and wide enough to get it pushed in further and then rivet it to the shroud but I am still not sure if it would draw enough air that way.

Hayden 2789 Fan - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C39C1I/

One other thing to make sure of in case you try it, if you bypass the heater outlets you must have the inlet and outlet connected together. ICT makes a small bypass hose that I think is 5 bucks but in a pinch you can just use a heater hose loop long enough to not kink. If you are hooking up your heater hose already and need a way to hook up your steam pipe you can use the adapter below that is made to go in the heater hose (I believe it goes into the return pipe OEM but you might want to verify the exact pipe). If anyone has told you it isn't needed then they have misinformed you.

ICT LS bypass hose - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013QNJ9SQ/
Four seasons heater T fitting - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000DELVTC/

Another factor you may run into is overheating, even with a 4 core old style radiator. Some guys have problems, an I assume it's because their radiator is old and has not been cleaned. and then again even with a 4 core setup cleaned others have had issues. It seems the older radiators just do not flow quite as well as some of the newer ones. As such most of the guys that have done swaps end up swapping in the an OEM style radiator out of the newer trucks. It is a direct fit unit that drops right on the rubber mounting pads and then you either need to use the big block radiator top plate or use some sheetmetal and fabricate your own version. I'm probably just going to make mine out of aluminum unless I decide to go with E-fans.

Spectra CU730 Rad - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C7TVYM/


You may have considered these things already but if not hopefully this will help add some detail.
 

rpcraft

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Jimmy
Engine Size
LS 6.0 364 CID
Looks like that is a common fan on any 97 to 04 F150 or F250 and the dimensions of the fan are 20 inches across and about the same thickness so it should fit, technically.
 
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