Making Progress

Discussion in 'Member's Garage' started by MaxxAction, May 2, 2014.

  1. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    Hello from the States!

    So, 6 hours ago, this was just a long block, but I made some good progess today. I finally got the motor back a couple weeks ago, and finished getting everything else I needed yesterday.

    This motor is the one I described in my thread several months ago here:http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=327488

    This motor originally came out of a 99 Z28 Camaro (he had said previously it was a trans am, but his partner corrected him). It's an LS1, with 241 cathedral port heads.

    This install is courtesy of LOJ innovations who is making a very nice kit for an LS/z32 swap. I parted my vg motor and got all the money I needed for this swap from the sale of my parts, which is really cool.

    I used a water pump off of a c6 vette so I could gain some clearance between the radiator, electric fan. I had to fiddle around with the spacing a bit, but got everything to line up nicely.

    This motor was bored .020 over, Crower Forged Rods, Mahle coated pistons, 39lb injectors, 575 lift, 278 duration (I think?) cam, mild port work, all new gaskets, bearings, timing chain, etc. I should be able to get the motor in within a week or so.

    I am using a Megasquirt stand alone ECU and plug and play harness.

    CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!

    [​IMG]

    http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx344/ENCobb/photo2_zps9c77e8af.jpg
     
  2. QLDZDR

    QLDZDR ID=David

    There is a recent thread about kits for V8 conversion on this forum.
    The choice of transmission is a hot topic because they don't / might not fit the transmission tunnel.
    What are you using? 5 or 6 speed manual or sports shift?
    There are those sports shift auto transmissions and I have seen aftermarket paddle shift adapters which use the stock ecu, they just duplicate the switch control to the column mounted paddles.
     
  3. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    My TT transmission with some mild modification to the starter orifice because the kit uses an N/A flywheel. You have to hammer the inside of the tunnel just a bit to make the speedo sensor fit, other than that, fits like a glove.

    http://lojinnovations.com/geniiitrans.htm

    [​IMG]
     
  4. GWZED

    GWZED 97 2+2 TT Targa

    Nice video on photobucket.
     
  5. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member


    Which?
     
  6. ztoy

    ztoy Autospark Evolution

    Looking forward to seeing how the conversion kit fits. Im importing one for my conversion in the next few weeks. :zlove:

    I have a question about the adapter plate for the gearbox. It only looks like it holds onto the top half of the gearbox. Is there anything holding the bottom half of the box or is the just a huge gap?
     
  7. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member


    It mounts to 6 bolts across the top, the four long ones facing towards the block, and the two bolts at 3 and 9 are held in with allen screws that set flush with the mating surface. The oil pan is almost touching the transmission, not much of a gap.
     
  8. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    So it is running.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    So it is pretty much done. I still need a finish a couple of things, but drivetrain, electrical, fuel, ECU, base tune all done.

    I only have about 50 miles on it, but so far, I like it, a lot. The superior torque the LS puts out down low is astounding. On the other hand, this motor doesn't yet ( it needs some dyno time)feel as strong up top as the VG did when it was right.

    I ended up using a puck clutch that is supposed to be good for 550 ft lbs of torque, and that is taking some getting used to. It is grabby as hell, and you gotta rev the motor up pretty good to slip it.

    The kit itself that LOJ provided was top notch. Everything fit like it was supposed to, and when Steve, the owner of LOJ saw pictures of my motor, he told me that the underdrive pulley I had on the motor might cause problems with the belt wanting to slip, and that he had just finished a 2nd design to add another idler for an underdrive pulley, he sent it to me, and didn't charge me a thing. Solid guy, solid business.

    I would also like to say that after all the shit I went through trying to keep the VG running, I am sporting wood every time I drive it! I love my car again!
     
  9. ed300zx

    ed300zx Active Member

    Very clean looking install mate. Nice.
     
  10. rollin

    rollin First 9

    if you want a v8 this is the way to do it
     
  11. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    Thanks Fellas...

    It took about 6 months to do it. It could have been done a lot sooner, but the guy building the motor took awhile, and I took it really slow on the build to make sure everything was right. I have screwed up on projects before because of working on it for too many hours at a stretch, trying to rush. I worked on it probably 8 or 10 hours a week over the last month. Once I get it done, my hope is I don't have to F with it anymore and I can just enjoy driving it.
     
  12. ed300zx

    ed300zx Active Member

    How are you finding the ecu? Would you use the same one again? How tunable are you finding it?

    What radiator did you end up using? Are you finding that its keeping temp in line?

    What fan did you go with?

    Did you buy a radiator with an inbuilt air con condenser or a separate one?

    Does the aircon work as normal? No loss of performance?

    Was there no room to run the intake piping down to one of the smic positions?

    What clearance are you getting between the top of the intake and the bonnet?
     
  13. Chrispy

    Chrispy Pretentious Upstart

    Clear the brake booster ok?

    On RHD cars the clutch master sticks out exactly where the rocker covers go :(
     
  14. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    The radiator is from a late model Sentra SE-R. I had to have it modified, the mounting posts on top moved, and the inlet moved to line up with the LS water pump. I also cut the core support slightly at the top to make it tuck under the core support by about 3/8 inch, and cut out and make new brackets for the bottom.

    The fan is a flex-a-lite made for a Jeep CJ-7. I have yet to get the AC recharged, so I cannot comment on that. The stock thermostat is a whopping 195 degrees, which really sucks, but the temp stays right where it should. I ordered a 160 degree thermo for it, which should reduce the temps dramatically.

    [​IMG]


    If I had a pipe bender, I would probably cut the area under the headlights a bit and run the intake down. As it is, I am going to make a "box" around the filter, so it is drawing cold air from behind the headlight.

    The ECU is exceptionally easy to work with, and has a neat feature called "auto tune" which is good for establishing base tune.

    It clears the hood by about a half inch.
     
  15. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member


    Oh man....

    that blows. I didn't think about that in a RHD car.
     
  16. ed300zx

    ed300zx Active Member

    Good stuff, thanks mate.

     
  17. Speedyblue

    Speedyblue Some Bloke

    It appears there are ways around that.

    450ZX
     
  18. Chrispy

    Chrispy Pretentious Upstart

    I used a R33 master on my VH swap.

    The drift zed cut a section of the rocker cover out and welded it up.

    Plenty of ways of cooking cats, or whatever it is :p
     
  19. Zeo

    Zeo Active Member

    Very nice, excellent job. So where does the Vortex blower go!!??:D:zlove:
     
  20. MaxxAction

    MaxxAction New Member

    I think it could be done. If i were going to go forced induction though, I would probably go turbo instead.
     

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