Builds 1994 FZJ80 5.3l and 4L60e swap (2 Viewers)

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Oct 22, 2010
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Location
Parker, CO
1994 FZJ80 5.3l and 4L60e swap (now w/ video)

So add me to the list of the vortec swappers.I have owned my 80 for a little over a year now and while it's been a great truck, the lack of power is getting old.

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I was given the green light by the CFO to move forward with the swap.I sourced a low mileage 2006 Vortec L33 5.3l engine and 2003 4L60e 4 spd automatic transmission.

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The L33 is an all aluminum V8 and is based on the LS6. It runs Z06 heads, 9.9 compression ratio, and the cam has a bit more lift (same duration) over an iron block 5.3l motor. It's rated at 310 hp and 335 ft/lbs of torque. It will make a good bit more than that because I had the PCM tuned for performance. It will be closer to 350hp and 350 ft/lbs of torque.The last few weeks have been mostly a mission of gathering the parts. I relied heavily on the previous LSx swap threads to come up with the list and I have manage to gather a lot of what's needed. I am still waiting on the t-case adapter from Advanced. I am keeping the stock full time t-case.A few more pics of the motor with the f-body pan swap done and LS3 exhaust manifolds installed:

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I am doing my own wiring harness adaptation and have built my own fuse block to run the motor:

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I am using an FJ80 shifter to keep the stock look:

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I am using a dual fan 2 speed unit from a mid '90s lincoln continental. It's essentially two taurus fans that run together. The PCM will control the fans.

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I started the dissasembly of the 80 last night. This project will move pretty slow since I work full time and my wife and I are raising 2 year old triplets. I don't have a lot of free time so work will mostly happen at night.Stay tuned!
 
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Good luck!! I thought my wife and I had it hard with 7 month old twins, my hats off to you!!!:D
 
GEET-R-DONE!!!! I'm jones'n those exhaust manifolds.
 
pile of parts is getting bigger:

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front end getting stripped down:

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2WD 4L60e I will be using:

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Notice the difference in the MLPS on the side of the transmission. 2004 was the transition year and GM switched from the 2 plug style to the single plug style for the later years. My engine is a 2006 and the trans is a 2003, so a swap to the later style to update this trans is in order. It's an R&R deal:

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more tomorrow night.
 
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Will the new drivetrain require you to relocate the transfercase?
Why an electric fan over the factory manual fan?

the t-case goes in the stock location. The engine is positioned from there.

The later vortec trucks run electric fans (just like the lsx powered cars). While the L33 I chose could run a clutch fan (the water pump nub is threaded to accept a fan clutch), I am going to run the electric fan. The lsx motors run pretty cool anyways and the 80 series radiator is pretty big. In addition the L33 is all aluminum (block and heads) so I don't think cooling will be an issue. I do look forward to a better functioning A/C system - especially sitting in traffic. The 80s seem to suffer from not enough air flow through the condenser when the motor is idling in gear, which causes the A/C to saturate and stop cooling.

When I had the pcm reprogrammed to remove the VATS and boost performance, I also spec'd the fan trigger points to be 5 degrees lower than the silverado donor truck. The fans are two speed (low and high) so the PCM will command the speed based on the temps it reads from the cylinder head.
 
I'm not too familiar with the 80 positioning, but the electric fan should improve clearance issues up front. FWIW...the all aluminum block/head actually throws more heat faster than an iron block, so your airflow situation requires more flow and not less.

Good luck on the swap! I'm interested in seeing the front radiator clearance with the tcase in stock position.

Very cool!!!!
 
tonight I finished removing the a/c condenser and the related lines.

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I was doing some research and found this company (Doc's Blocks Home). They sell a/c compressor manifold blocks and parts to build your own lines. I think I can do my own adaptation using the denso compressor that's already on the vortec motor. Pretty cool stuff.

At any rate, I am very happy to see that the lincoln continental dual fan I am planning on using fits the stock radiator perfectly. I will have to make some mounts and fill some gaps on the sides, but the width and height is a perfect match and the fans completely cover the core.

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I also found out why the motor would stall - the rubber tube going from the MAF to the TB was split inside one of the bellows allowing for a massive unmetered air leak. that would explain the rough idle and random check engine light. note to self - don't let the monkeys at the quick lube place mess with your engine. It ran fine going in, they changed the air filter, and it ran like crap when I left.

more tomorrow!
 
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Sorry...I think I read above that you are using a 2WD 4L60e...is that correct?

yes - the mark's adapter requires a 2wd transmission. the 2wd tail housing is removed, the output shaft is trimmed a little, and then a spud shaft is installed along with the replacement aluminum housing to allow the 80 t-case to bolt up. If a 4wd trans is used, it has to be torn down and the output shaft swapped out for a 2wd shaft.
 
Nice. I did this swap in a 40 except I used the older brother of the 4L60 (700R4). I had to get a part that Toyota only made in 75 to get a speed signal. It was a fun project and I learned a lot. I was thinking of doing this setup in an 80 a while back.
What are you going to do about your gauge panel?
 
Nice. I did this swap in a 40 except I used the older brother of the 4L60 (700R4). I had to get a part that Toyota only made in 75 to get a speed signal. It was a fun project and I learned a lot. I was thinking of doing this setup in an 80 a while back.
What are you going to do about your gauge panel?

I plan on making the factory indicators work. I want the swap to be transparent other than the increased power.
 
Cool project! If it were me, I would find a way to use the OEM a/c compressor. Make a bracket and swap over the pulleys, whatever it takes to mount it to the 5.3 block. The reason I say this is, if you don't, you will have to adapt the lines to mate to the manifold on the GM (Denso) compressor. I'm sure you have taken this into consideration though.

That's not the best reason, however. If you stick with the compressor that came with the 5.3, a Denso 10S20F, you will have opted to have an a/c compressor that is ranked #1 for failure. Your cruiser originally came with a Denso 10PA17C compressor, which is among the best ever manufactured, if not the best.

A/C may not be an issue, but I just thought you (and everyone else) might want to take that into consideration when doing this swap.
 
tonight I finished removing the a/c more tomorrow!


download the catalog from doc's blocks...they don't have their full product line on the web site. IF yo decide to go that way for modifying your ac hookup.

THe eaiser route is to use the stock GM ac hoses and have the ends removed and install your toyota ends to mate with the evap core and condensor...etc.

You may have already had the hoses made by the time I post this..I jsut came acrous this thread...

V-8 rules :)

edit...run the GM OEM ends that mate to the compressor....swap teh toyota ends for the connections that need to mate with the toytoa side.
 
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download the catalog from doc's blocks...they don't have their full product line on the web site. IF yo decide to go that way for modifying your ac hookup.

THe eaiser router is to use the stock GM ac hoses and have the ends removed and install your toyota ends to mate with the evap core and condensor...etc.

You have have already had the hoses made by the time I post this..I jsut came acrous this thread...

V-8 rules :)

I may go this route. I am going to try an find a local place in denver that can make custom hoses. I kept the toyota hoses just in case.
 
Cool project! If it were me, I would find a way to use the OEM a/c compressor. Make a bracket and swap over the pulleys, whatever it takes to mount it to the 5.3 block. The reason I say this is, if you don't, you will have to adapt the lines to mate to the manifold on the GM (Denso) compressor. I'm sure you have taken this into consideration though.

That's not the best reason, however. If you stick with the compressor that came with the 5.3, a Denso 10S20F, you will have opted to have an a/c compressor that is ranked #1 for failure. Your cruiser originally came with a Denso 10PA17C compressor, which is among the best ever manufactured, if not the best.

A/C may not be an issue, but I just thought you (and everyone else) might want to take that into consideration when doing this swap.

I have heard this a few times now. What's funny is that I used to drive a 2001 silverado out of 100k miles, the a/c never had an issue. It always worked, was cold, and I lived in Orlando, FL at the time so it was used every day. The land cruiser compressor was not even close in the mounting pattern so I let it go with the motor.
 

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