How to Pull an LS Engine from a Donor Truck

Today I'm pulling the 5.3 Vortec out of my 1999 Chevy Silverado donor vehicle. Im showing you guys everything you need to do in order to get he engine and transmission out as cleanly as possible.
This will work in a junkyard or in a donor vehicle of your own.
This method is the best for conserving parts from a donor vehicle so you can resell them for profit!

[@DRDE_CUSTOMS]

Pro tip on your hood just move your upper spring bolt to the lower hole it gets the hood straight up and out of your way.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Dude nice tip! I tried flipping it up like on so e other cars but the hood looked like it was gonna crack the windshield

[@Shadetree_Mechanic]

Great vid !!! Now I feel confident enough to pull an ls at a junk yard

[@puppetmasterblaster]

Yea this one was helpful, unlike the other retarded ones I wasted time watching that didnt show shit.

[@ZweiSpeed]

Damn, I'd love to live in an area where road salt didn't make bolts impossible to remove.

[@stevepope5484]

I've seen a few.took a break. For weeks/saw this video. You make this look like pulling a 327/283 nearly. I was gunna remove the fenders/why/someone else did.??? The fenders aren't real easy anyway. That rubber glove came off.I ALLWAYS HAVE A SPILL? I GOT A G.J OOD LAUGH WHEN U GOT THE LAST SPARK PLUG BOOT OFF.THANKS! FJND SOME MUSIC FROM THE 60S/70S or Just whistle.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Thanks for watching

[@tobylillie6540]

TIP--- i had trouble getting the oil pan up above the diff cuz i couldn't get high enough with the intake on, if you have a truck you dont care about like i did, i took out the cab mount bolts, then i took a scissor jack with a nut head for turning (not the rod), jammed it between the bottom of the cab and the frame, stuck my impact on it and jacked it up until i got enough clearance came out real nice with an extra foot of clearence! AGAIN I WOULD ONLY DO IT THIS WAY WITH A JUNK TRUCK

[@k.a.d.msrt8326]

Nice squarebody!

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Thanks !

[@Nicecalgarian]

Thanks Jovani. That was very helpful 👌🙏🇨🇦

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Thanks for watching!

[@The3chordwonder]

Couple of tips I've learned. I didn't see any jack stands, but perhaps they were there and I didn't see them. Ladies and gents, please use jackstands, you are literally trusting your life to a 50 cent o-ring/seal in that jack otherwise. Those pesky bolts to remove -- the longer the extension, the lower the amount of torque makes it to the bolt. If you noticed at around 6:50 when you were able to buzz off the bolt, you were a shorter length than earlier when you had the second extension on it. If you have an air compressor nearby, you can get some of the "stubby" impact wrenches into smaller areas than the cordless ones. Not an endorsement at all, but I have an Aircat TH1055 with a swivel air fitting on it, and I can get that thing into really small areas. I think there are a few out there even smaller. Nice job though. Once I get a decent donor car, I'll be on the hunt for an LS myself.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I always use jacks stands. In every circumstance.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Also just watching it back. I didn't use a jack in this video. I'm underneath the truck with all 4 wheels on the floor

[@The3chordwonder]

@@JovaniDanteGriego I saw one around the 4 minute mark, but I bet you had it holding the trans. It looked like it was holding up the truck. Glad to hear you always use the stands!

[@TheProchargedmopar]

Good work 👍

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Thanks !

[@JoseContreras-mv5yz]

Watching👀

[@drjonesxix994]

Where on the heads did you bolt the chains to? I'm trying to do this and wanna know the best way to do it

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

There's extra bolt holes on the back of the heads that take the same 15mm head bolts then you can use the front alternator bolt and a bolt on the front of the head

[@joemillion2372]

I just took out 6.0 out a 2005 silverado HD just the motor and it was rough

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Yea it's pretty tough especially on a car your not junking . There's a lot of little things to not forget

[@joemillion2372]

Yes its alot but i will get it done

[@daveg2154]

Awesome thank you

[@Squarebody1987]

Nice job bro keep up grinding thanks for sharing 👍🏽👍🏽💯

[@bnrz28]

What bolts did u use and where on the two chains towards the back of the engine ?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Back of cylinder head. All the accessory bolts fit, the heads have the exact same holes on the back as they do in the front so you can use that as a guide

[@bnrz28]

@@JovaniDanteGriego o ok sounds good thanks

[@richardchase4019]

You did it without jacking up the truck....and you unbolted the rub rail instead....everyone certainly is cut different.

[@acollins9277]

Nice.

[@kennethhead6941]

When we saw you put the computer on top of the engine was that the only wiring needed for installing in a pre injection car. I'm 75 & know zero about newer cars & trucks, yet I want to put a donor efi engine in a pre injection car. I'm really lost on all those wires and what I'll need & what I won't need. Any advice on that

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

What I recommend for people who don't want to mess with the wiring is to either order a new swap harness or send a used one out to get redone. Lsxspecialties is one company that does them or there's a few others

[@kennethhead6941]

@@JovaniDanteGriego sounds like a winner. Tthanks.

[@wolfthornhawkridge5705]

Nice video, was that a 2 wheel drive donor or 4 wheel drive?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

2wd

[@daveg2154]

Where do you connect the chains to lift it???

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I use bolts that fit into the bolt holes on the head. M12 or m10s I think. Pretty much any bolt on the engine will fit into them. Or you can buy a LS engine lift plate from Amazon it bolts to the valley plate and makes it really easy

[@brianhaw9398]

What state are you in? Do you have hp tuners programmer?

[@madisdad9796]

I'm assuming LA toxica and LA suegra lended much needed hands

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Nope just me other than lifting the hood out of the way 😂

[@steventaylor5260]

What happened to removing the front clip, that was the reason I watched this

[@Chiwaz_style]

Bro i have a 89 Cheyenne and just got a 2001 Yukon Denali for a donor car but is a 4x4 is a 6.0 4l65 combo but the Cheyenne is a 2wd can the 4l65 work or do I need a automatic trans if yes will the 4l60 work or the 4l680 be better

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I think that Denali is AWD, in which case no nothings going to work without modifying the back half of the trans, sell the trans and buy a 4l80e.

[@joshuaredmond8858]

Great video! What brand cordless tools are you using? I’m getting to making my junkyard run and want it to go smoothly.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Milwaukee. Honestly you won't find a better brand on variety of tools alone. Don't waste your time buying anything else. I've used DeWalt and one off of other brands. But if I had to pick 2 tools to start grab a 12v Milwaukee cordless 3/8 ratchet and a 18v 3/8 impact.

[@joshuaredmond8858]

Jovani Dante Griego THANK YOU!

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Ryobi is good expect they don't have options for many racthets or impacts.

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Or at least not that I've seen. I have Ryobi for yard tools

[@cademorris3304]

Snap on

[@smokyblackjacket7215]

U did not film where to put the engine host hooks at so the engine does fall

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Bolt the chain to the heads?

[@ChrisCookAuto]

Lol, what about the trans? Unhooked then driveshaft and that’s it?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Pretty much. There's the crossmember you unbolt then the shift linkage

[@sisnce]

what was that you used to latch the chain on yor lift

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

The lift block? Harbor freight has them

[@WintonLytle]

How did you get the brace above the radiator off?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I think there were some bolts on the far sides but I don't completely remember now

[@jaedagod9788]

would you say its safe to go under a truck at the junk yard?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Depends on the yard. Obviously they don't want a lawsuit. Most junkyards weld steel wheels to the frame, meaning the frame isn't going to fall down

[@jaedagod9788]

@@JovaniDanteGriego thanks for the reply man !

[@vbnation1874]

What size bots for the leveler

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

10mm x1.25 I think

[@vbnation1874]

@@JovaniDanteGriego it’ll bolt right to the block right u have any idea where I bolt the chains to the 5.3 block first project

[@ItsyaboyR.B]

How long did it take you to remove the engine?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I would say one whole Saturday

[@ItsyaboyR.B]

@@JovaniDanteGriego I got a freeze plug leak and a lifter tap in my 350 sbc. I'm about to attempt to pull out of a 78 regal and I wanna do a ls swap. I was just wondering. Any tips?

[@SOUTHSIDESUPERSTAR]

Where do you hook up the leveler chains to on the block?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

I use the accessory bolt holes on the head usually or you can buy a LS lift plate for like 25 bucks on Amazon but you'll need to remove the intake and valley plate to use it

[@SOUTHSIDESUPERSTAR]

@Jovani Dante Griego yea that's my sticking point. I want to keep everything intact while pulling it out so was looking where I can install all 4 chains too

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

@@SOUTHSIDESUPERSTAR head bolt holes in then the back of the head should have the same holes as the front

[@SOUTHSIDESUPERSTAR]

@@JovaniDanteGriego thank u sir

[@SOUTHSIDESUPERSTAR]

@@JovaniDanteGriego do you think a 1 ton hoist will pull out a 6.0 ls?

[@nickjames5885]

Why u have to take the computer out

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

@@nickjames5885 so I can use it in the new truck

[@JoseContreras-mv5yz]

Why not spray the exhaust bolts with pb-blaster?

[@sadboycali]

Men don't need lube we go in dry 💪😂

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

😂 the most I'll do is spit on it

[@sadboycali]

@@JovaniDanteGriego 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 dead

[@ImAfraidBruce]

Look up the AvE and Project Farm penetrating oil tests. PB Blaster doesn't actually change anything. There are other options that do though.

[@puppetmasterblaster]

@@ImAfraidBruce Fagins brew ftw

[@Theosescapades]

Will this be different with a 4x4 vehicle?

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

Yes somewhat but not too much is different other than removing more components

[@Theosescapades]

@Jovani Dante Griego the front and rear drive shaft are removed the same way?

[@Theosescapades]

@@JovaniDanteGriego also, how much extra wiring is there for a 4x4 2004 suburban ? I got one for my donor

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

@@Theosescapades I can't say I haven't torn apart a 4x4 but for sure there's going to be wiring for the transfer case engage solenoid.

[@Theosescapades]

@Jovani Dante Griego tysm for these videos

[@jervishere8162]

Just cut the frame and let the sh.. drop🤷 But first unbolt the motor mounts

[@JovaniDanteGriego]

If your at the junk yard sure

[@salty-9]

Lmao is this at unoh?