Thread: Thoughts on a '04 LeSabre build

All right, the Dad called me last week and told me that the transmission was acting wonky. So I plugged it into the scanner and sure enough, p1811 came up. I've ordered a shift kit to buy some time but I figure the trans' days are numbered nonetheless. With that in mind, I told him I was interested in the car as I've always wanted to do a DD LeSabre build. Well, he said he didn't give a ****, I could have the car if I found him something else to drive. So I'm currently looking for a new set of wheels for the old man.

But that'll leave me a rust-free 04 LeSabre. Car looks like it came off the factory floor, unless you count the LaCrosse wheels against it.

I've thought of building it as follows: top swap the L36, 1.9 rockers, headers, intercooled, and about a 3.2 pulley, and all the various supporting mods. Outside of the engine mods, I plan on leaving the car totally bone stock - fishbowl appearance with no tint, no obvious sign of, well, anything. I'd shoot for 300 to the tire but would realistically take 280.

I've collected about half of the requisite parts and will build the heads while they're still off the engine. Somewhere along the way I'll get a TEP trans.

Known issues I can see (I'll update this as I go along with the build):

1) The H body catback is down the right side of the car... pretty much any headers, including the SLP's I've bought, run down the center line of the car. I would assume the best option here is to take the car to an exhaust shop and say "See that, fix it, align them." I'm open to an aftermarket catback if it's reasonably quiet, though.


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Anything else I should look out for, though?

Originally Posted by hensleya1

Known issues I can see (I'll update this as I go along with the build):

1) The H body catback is down the right side of the car... pretty much any headers, including the SLP's I've bought, run down the center line of the car. I would assume the best option here is to take the car to an exhaust shop and say "See that, fix it, align them." I'm open to an aftermarket catback if it's reasonably quiet, though.

Not any 00+ H body exhaust I have seen runs anywhere but down the center of the car. Its actually a much better setup than the W Bodys. Your SLP's will fit with no problems. I have a set on my SSEi.

Here is a pic of my car when I did the Exhaust.

this is a Stock SSEi

was just looking in the drop box, theres only l36 bins for the la sabre, so you'd have to make it into a l67 bin really. dhp has a place to make the super charger present.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

was just looking in the drop box, theres only l36 bins for the la sabre, so you'd have to make it into a l67 bin really. dhp has a place to make the super charger present.

Could he use a Park Avenue bin, or are they too different?

There are at the very least 3 SC 00+ Lesabers that I know of. I think the PCM wont be all that much of an issue

Originally Posted by 2003 SSEi

Not any 00+ H body exhaust I have seen runs anywhere but down the center of the car. Its actually a much better setup than the W Bodys. Your SLP's will fit with no problems. I have a set on my SSEi.

I'll have to grab a pic of the underside next time I see it - currently the old man is driving the car. I'll definitely grab a pic for reference though, but I could have sworn the catback ran down the right side of the car.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

was just looking in the drop box, theres only l36 bins for the la sabre, so you'd have to make it into a l67 bin really. dhp has a place to make the super charger present.

I don't have DHP (yet?) but I did confirm that there are files for the LeSabre. I'm assuming that, using DHP, it would be a matter of copying and pasting over supercharger files (throttle position, boost, MAP, etc.).

As an alternative, I wonder if HP Tuners might be a way to go forward?

Originally Posted by Turbocharged400sbc

Most of the issues stem from the PCM data bus errors such as the instrument cluster digital displays reading incorrectly or not functioning.
Among the higher end cars there is some correlation but you're going to be blazing a new Trail in at least one or two aspects

For what it's worth the instrument cluster on the later model LeSabres are just like almost any other GM car (it greatly resembles the Regal dash except this particular car doesn't have a tach). Unless we're talking past each other somehow? Let me know.

dont think your gonna be able to do this with hp, not unless hp will build the bin for you. dhp and tiny tuner can do things hp just cant do.

like turn on a perf shift button or turn it off. make a sc present in a na bin. kill the cat test on 01 up cars. hp cant do any of that stuff.

for the most part all you need to swap is the map file, and the timing files, turn the sc on. anything else you change would be actual tuning.

im basically top swapped, (bottom swapped, ) my car came with a l67. ive found the top swaps like one degree less wot timing too. or they get kr.

and you need to swap the map sensor to a l67 one, like cut the pig tail off a junk yard car and splice it on your harness so you can use the l67 map, the l36 map is not made for boost.

Glad Pat chimed in.. I was going to say... I think the tailpipe comes out on one side. Beyond that, it should be fairly centered.

ive never seen an hpt that didnt save it as a .hpt

you still need the dhp for the raw current .bin, then you can make changes in tiny, open in hpt, copy in all current tables/adjustments, then save and upload, to make another change you start with the .bin and redo everything.

it sucks

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

dont think your gonna be able to do this with hp, not unless hp will build the bin for you. dhp and tiny tuner can do things hp just cant do.

like turn on a perf shift button or turn it off. make a sc present in a na bin. kill the cat test on 01 up cars. hp cant do any of that stuff.

for the most part all you need to swap is the map file, and the timing files, turn the sc on. anything else you change would be actual tuning.

im basically top swapped, (bottom swapped, ) my car came with a l67. ive found the top swaps like one degree less wot timing too. or they get kr.

and you need to swap the map sensor to a l67 one, like cut the pig tail off a junk yard car and splice it on your harness so you can use the l67 map, the l36 map is not made for boost.

Duly noting all of this for future reference. Since the build plan is fairly similar, can you comment on the longevity of an L36 bottom end at higher boost levels? I'm using stock heads so I'm probably going to stick around the 3.2 pulley level. Also how much timing st WOT did you end up settling on?

your not running a 3.2 without a ic and injectors.

Stock pulley top swap at least one degree less timing wot.

My mods are in my sig but running a 3.2 now at 13 wot.

Got it lol. Will soon have 42s as well

damn thats a thick one. lets hope the hood closes, you need modded fuel rails for the ic if you have not made or bought a set.

i made mine, cut up a stock l67 rail and added fuel line around the sides to finish them off.



fpr and connections are on the back side of the blower now, if they were up top like a zzp modded rail they would be hitting my hood for sure.

I just bought a modded car on Saturday actually. I'm pulling the prj fuel rails, rockers, and a couple other things for my build. It was a 3.2 pulley car with a short stack. I'm leaving the headers on it and pulleying up to 3.4 or so. Maybe sell the car for profit or drive it, I'm not sure. And then likely trading the short stack core for some bigger injectors for the Buick lol

Any plans for the trans ?