Started another swap

[Fast355]

G-vans are easy to get the engine out of compared to the Express vans.

[Fast355]

Ended up taking this on a 1,200 mile road trip this past week. Averaged just over 19 mpg running 75-85 mph most of the trip with the cruise set on open road. If you do not watch your right foot it wants to keep on pulling at light throttle and peg the 85 mph speedo. 70 mph is 1,900 rpm and 85 mph is only ~2,300 rpm. I ended up using a lextech bracket and an OEM 5.7 Vortec compressor on the passenger side. Updated the condenser with a modern replacement and kept the a/c front only. A/C works suprisingly well. I did run into an small issue on the trip but it was easily resolved. Headers sit a little close to one of the plug wire boots and burned through causing a misfire. 30 minutes in an autozone parking lot, a set of Delco plug wires and heat insulating boots later and I was on my way again. Hopefully the boots will allow the new wire set to have a good long service life. I sat in the passenger seat for a good 400 miles and dialed in the fuel tables and tweaked on the timing. All those that claim the LS6 cam is a DOG honestly must have not done proper tuning. I was able to bring in the lower rpm, high load timing advance much more agressively than a stock LQ4 or LQ9 and restore almost all the low-end torque of a factory 6.0L. The 2.5 to single 3.5" exhaust this is now running is drone free at highway speed and barely noticeable but has a great tone under acceleration. On the open road the IATs stabilized out at about 100-105°F on a 95°F day. Engine runs about 190°F and the trans about 165°F with only the in-radiator cooler. The only time I even heard the cooling fans kick on to high speed was with a hot interior idling at a traffic light when the a/c head pressure kicked up the fans. I used a GMT400 truck a/c manifold with the provision for the a/c switch and the later pressure transducer threads right onto it. A/C blows 38°F on the road on high fan speed. With a new evaporator, new blower motor and resealed duct work the unit works very nicely. Overall for the ~$2,500 we have in the whole van it drives, rides and runs amazingly. Would not hesitate to drive it wherever I wanted to go. I believe my brothers next trip will be to Alaska in it. The one thing it needs changed is it needs a locking rear differential. It will lay one tire mark clear to 60 mph as it sits.