Physically fitting engine accessories is one daunting challenge for any LS swapping DIYer, but getting your gauges and vehicle’s other electronic systems to work properly with your new engine is another. Some older vehicles rely on analog gauges to convey information to the driver. On the other end of the spectrum, most modern engines come with a complex maze of wiring that links sophisticated digital systems.
Integrating a computer-controlled engine with an older vehicle requires adapting those analog gauges to a modern engine management system, and for this, companies like Painless Performance and Ron Francis Wiring have you covered with basic plug-and-play harnesses.
If you have a newer car or truck, you’ll want to help your vehicle’s existing computers communicate with your new engine’s fuel, emissions, and transmission management systems. This will require a sophisticated ECU like the ones made by Performance Systems Integration, which sells complete kits for LS engines of all generations and vehicles of all vintages. This part of your swap will not only require careful planning and painstaking execution, but could end up costing you upwards of $2,000. Once again, spending good money before beginning your swap project can prevent you from having to spend even more bad money later on, not to mention how much you’ll save in terms of time and frustration.
