Complete 2005 LLY swap done to 2001 LB7 truck!

bonomax

bonomax

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Dec 27, 2011
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Hermitage, PA
[FONT=&quot]This write-up is for guys with 2001 or 2002 LB7 truck that want to do complete 2004.5-2005 LLY swap. As in swap to run just about everything 04.5-05 LLY injectors, ecm, ficm, turbo, etc... Ok well I'm going to try give summary how I did 04.5-05 LLY swap to 01 LB7 truck. sorry it's more like long story as I am trying to avoid a ton of questions but i know there will be some.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] This is my first write up so bear with me as try to explain it all the best I can.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Many well respected duramax guys say this couldn't be done and to my knowledge I have never heard or seen it done exactly like this. This is the reason why I am doing write up. I'll try to cover just about everything but there is a lot and sorry in advanced if I forget something. please just pm with questions and ill answer them as soon as I have time to completely answer it correctly.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Just disclaimer this swap is not a simple plug and play swap. nor is a cheap way to it but if you're pretty mechanically inclined and plan on keep the truck along while then it's not to bad and probable be worth it in the long run. My two big reasons why I was wanting to do this is to run LLY injectors because obvious reason that LB7 injectors last about half as long and are way harder to change. Second is I want to run LLY turbo being it's the biggest duramax turbo ever produce. I wanted this because I want do workstock diesel pulls and IMHO garret turbo is much reliable turbo than IHI LB7 turbo. I've have had two LB7 fail on me maybe just bad luck but done with IHI turbo and their small and tight. I know people a lot hate VGT turbo's because of higher drive pressure and more complex issues. I'm referring to is not hating on fixed vane turbo's but just don't like LB7 IHI turbo's compared to duramax VGT turbo's.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]The LLY parts that were used in this way of doing the LLY swap parts needed: engine harness, body harness, GPCM, FICM, NSBU, ECM, Cam sensor, Crank senor, complete top end: injectors, fuel rail system, air intake system, glow plugs top, heads, intake manifolds, y-bridge, etc...[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I just used an LB7 oil pressure sensor but had to rewire the LLY harness so it can read on 01/02 cluster. The LLY Cam and crank sensor plugs are different so LLY sensor must be used. LLY glow plugs must be used because LLY GPCM must be used that runs lower voltage than LB7 GPCM/glow plugs. LLY fuel system must be used with LLY injectors and heads. Although I used LBZ fuel rail system and LBZ CP3 and LBZ CP3. You must though use LLY fuel rail sensor. LLY air intake and LLY y-bridge must be used with the LLY turbo. LLY intake manifolds must be use to clear LLY turbo. There probably some other stuff I am missing but that's just off the top of my head. As this project has been in the planning/building/part hunting/head scratching for past 6 months or so. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]This was all made possible by the help with the help from Ben Tyler. He made me the custom harness and tune that he made one off for me from scratch. Simply put he took my 01 body harness connectors and put them on the 05 body harness. also had to do some custom wiring and custom calibration tune. Ben did not tell me every little wiring and tuning detail. So I can only tell you what I know but please don't bother Ben with questions from this thread. Please try to direct all questions to me, thanks. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]My biggest tip to anyone wanting to do this get complete LLY swap to 01/02 truck is buy a complete wreck LLY truck donor truck like block, coolant lines, accessories, brackets, etc. if not you will have to slightly mod the LLY stuff make FICM bracket, GPCM bracket, mod oil dipstick, coolant tube, etc... If I had to do it again def would go that route would save a lot of headaches, lol. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=&quot]I haven't done full test drive. only have done the first start up last night and idle and rev up. idle and ran like a champ. no codes engine codes and everything works perfect. More testing feedback, pictures and youtube videos to come. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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catman3126

catman3126

Ehhh?.... You don't say?
Jul 24, 2012
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I did this with just getting a complete motor with wiring. the only thing that really sucked was the FICM bracket.
 
bonomax

bonomax

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Dec 27, 2011
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Hermitage, PA
catman3126 said:
I did this with just getting a complete motor with wiring. the only thing that really sucked was the FICM bracket.
Click to expand...

never mind, I found your write your did the RPM motorsports LLY swap to 2002 LB7. https://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/threads/finished-lly-to-lb7.54892/

So, I am sorry but no you didnt do this. The way you did the swap was the RPM motorsports swap way. which i am actually very familiar with as I was going to route but tuning is nightmare because you must use LB7 electronics like ECM and FICM plus you must use LB7 turbo. This swap has many done many times before. Basically its just using the RPM motorsports modified injector harness with LLY heads and fuel system. Which has been tons of times before.

So just to clear things up so people dont get confused by your comment. The way I did the swap is using all LLY FICM, LLY ECM, LLY turbo, LLY engine harness, LLY/LB7 hybrid body harness, etc...

I dont mean to call out that write is bad way to do it. I just want to avoid confusion. sorry
 
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catman3126

catman3126

Ehhh?.... You don't say?
Jul 24, 2012
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Yep I read it.Tuning wasn't that bad......oh wait it sucked haha now that ive done it it wouldn't be bad to do again.
 
bonomax

bonomax

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i hear what your saying now but anything done the second time is always about 10 times easier the next time haha. like if i was to do it again prolly been done hell of a lot quicker. I think this brings up good point tho to show the two different kinds of swaps and compare them side by side. like each person might want to different routes for different reasons.

big thing with doing RPM motorsports swap is no LLY turbo. to some guys thats not big deal to some its huge deal. that was huge deal breaker to me because I wanted the biggest stock size dmax turbo possible for workstock pulling. The other one as we just covered would be easy to just tune like LLY ECM truck swap way but as you said once done once you know the lil tricks to get it done easy the next time.

The way I did the swap there is lots lil dumb stuff that some might like as bonus. like auto high idle, ecm kills the starter once started so cant grind the start like LB7, lower voltage glowplugs start quicker, glow plug code tells you exactly which one is bad, just easier to work all LLY truck, etc... not really big deal but nice non the less.
 
duratothemax

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
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Wyoming
Thanks for the write up Tom!!

This conversion is a fun challenge/project...because you get all of the LLY good stuff/features, without the headache of tuning and messing around with an LB7 ECM. Lots of people said it was not possible, but the way I configure everything and build the harness, everything works like factory.

The "LLY to 01-02" conversion harness is something that I now publicly offer for sale, after Tom's (the first one I did) beta test harness turned out well and is working perfectly.

What I do is modify the LLY harness to properly interface with the 01-02 body interior electronics/fuse boxes/electrical system.

What this means is you have a completely PLUG AND PLAY harness for your 2001-2002 truck. You dont need to swap underhood fuse blocks, you dont need to swap any interior wiring, mess around with custom wiring etc. Everything just plugs right in and works. No splicing, no compromises!

Factory 01-02 instrument cluster all works, tow/haul, air conditioning, etc....

Anyone who is interested in doing an LLY swap into an 01-02 truck and wants to purchase one of these harnesses, feel free to contact me. I only offer this as a completed harness ready to go...unfortunately I do not have time to do "part of it" or give away the dozens of hours of R&D, testing, and tuning that went into developing this conversion.

In addition to converting the LLY harness to 01-02, also included in the package is LLY ECM tuning, and I completely overhaul the entire harness like I do with my other standalone harnesses. That means replacing ratty/brittle split loom tubing, cleaning up all of the grease and grime, and re-wrapping the whole thing with 3M pro-grade electrical tape. I refuse to use crappy electrical tape on my harnesses...the 3M stuff I use costs 5x as much as the stuff you buy at the hardware store, but it is the only tape that will stand up to temperatures without peeling and becoming brittle/gooey. The harness you receive back will look brand new.

I am also currently working on R&D for an "LBZ/6-speed to 01-02 conversion harness"...stay tuned. :thumb: :D

Ben
 
bonomax

bonomax

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Dec 27, 2011
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Yngdmax92

Yngdmax92

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Sep 26, 2013
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i know this is about a 01-02 but so in 03 and up you can drop in a lly and plug and play?
 
bonomax

bonomax

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Yngdmax92 said:
i know this is about a 01-02 but so in 03 and up you can drop in a lly and plug and play?
Click to expand...

yes this type of complete LLY swap is only needed on 01-02 year truck.

if you want to do complete LLY swap to a 03-04 year truck its very simple and has none of the problems 01-02 truck would have. As in a 03-04 truck just do complete LLY swap everything. like its just simple plug and play.
 
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