Bombproof 80 series V8 Swap Info Wanted (1 Viewer)

[Heckraiser]

Pretty much any LS-series motor is known to be reliable and they all pretty much bolt up and wire up the same. 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, 6.2 pick your poison. Obviously the smaller engines are cheaper and the 5.3 is probably the easiest to find. Transmission (if going GM auto) 4l60e or 4l80e if you plan to do much towing. 6l80e is also an option but very few people have tried it out yet. General consensus is it's easiest to stick with the toyota transfer unless you're putting non-toyota axles under the truck.

No idea about cost or part numbers.

 

[samiam09]

Howel makes wiring looms and can re-flash the computers but they are not cheap. I think I had 5 wires to hook up.I used the toyota sending units for my gauges,but kept the chevy ones for the engines computer.Yes everyone knows how to work on chevys but unless they did they swap they won't want to work on them. Better off doing the work yourself so you will learn what broke and how to fix it out on the trail. Howell Engine Developments, Inc.

 

[Dirty Koala]

General consensus is it's easiest to stick with the toyota transfer unless you're putting non-toyota axles under the truck.

If you go with non toyota axles that aren't offset like the toyota's are, then you will need to relocate the gas tank.

 

[kdxman]

A benefit of using a V8 GM motor is you can walk into any parts store in the U.S. and walk out with what ever part you need.
I agree with ssbob get in touch with RockJock82 the man knows his stuff and can do a GM V8 swap thats a way lower price than a slee swap. but it is not a Toyota V8.

 

[Howard705]

Chev V8 diesel to Landcruiser 4.5L auto

Chev V8 168T early to Landcruiser 4.5L auto

 

[Bravo1782]

Ok, starting to read up on the Various V8s...leaning towards a 5.3 or 5.7. Is it safe to assume that I'll save myself an enormous amount of trouble by doing a V8+4L60E transmission versus trying to swap a V8 directly to the A440E toyota transmission? Am I really losing anything? I know the toyota transmission is known to be tough as nails, but it seems like it'd be MUCH easier to have one ECU control the engine and transmission versus trying to get the two to play nice.

 

[bloc]

I doubt you have an A440E for the record.
A440F for 91-92
A442F for 93-94
A343F for 95-97
The 440 can be run without an ecu iirc..
For the others there are stand-alone transmission controllers for Toyota transmissions but they are quite expensive.
Couple that with a GM ecu with the transmission stuff tuned out and I don't know why it wouldn't work.
The Toyota transmission has the advantage of no ckeqrqnce issues with the front driveshaft.. Though personally I'd rather deal with that than a bell housing/TC adapter and figuring out the electronics.

 

[Bravo1782]

Yep, You're right @bloc , just had a brain fart...you're totally right, I have the A442F...

And that's what I'm finding...it seems it's waaaaaay easier to do an engine\trans swap then mess with the transmission. I've only found one stand alone controller and it was pretty much prohibitively expensive.

I'll have to look into the clearance issues and see what needs to be done there...didn't consider that...

I'm thinking it's going to be better in the long run to source a V8 and trans and make it play nice with the T-case. I think in the long haul that's the "right way to do this" whole thing. I originally wanted to just rework the 4.5L, but I don't think it'll be worth it, considering how easy it is to find the right drive train and get adapters.

 

[bloc]

A good A442F is worth decent money. Just to add to the thinking you have to do.


The drive line issues have been covered here quite a bit. Basically it comes down to individual drive train placement, amount of lift, and whether you are willing to get a new smaller diameter shaft built.

The advantage to GM engine and transmission is the ability to get that package running with just a handful of wires. Yes, there is a $1400 adapter required plus headers, motor mounts, programming, cooling requirements, etc.. But like we've been saying, as long as you are willing to do the reading it has all been covered, usually multiple times.

Just start a spreadsheet to organize parts and notes and put together the things that will work for you.

 

[grndzr0]

Don't think that I've seen it on here but earlier 80 with separate trans ecm , keeping 80 trans/tc/driveshafts/etc/etc to LS with it's own ecm would be simplest to me -or 6.5 diesel.

Yea, why a 6.5!!??!?!??!? Worked on enough of those powerless pieces of crap in HMMWV's in the army to never want to be near one again.

I kinda grew up in a dodge family, so I have always been partial to the cummins, but I don't really know how to work on one, because I never had to. Seemed like Tons more power, reliability, and fuel economy compared to the 6.5's.

Maybe we always had lemons, but that was my experience.

You must have a reason why you like them, I just have some type of permanent mental block...

 

[Stuckinthe80s]

Yea, why a 6.5!!??!?!??!? Worked on enough of those powerless pieces of crap in HMMWV's in the army to never want to be near one again.

I kinda grew up in a dodge family, so I have always been partial to the cummins, but I don't really know how to work on one, because I never had to. Seemed like Tons more power, reliability, and fuel economy compared to the 6.5's.

Maybe we always had lemons, but that was my experience.

You must have a reason why you like them, I just have some type of permanent mental block...

I'm pretty sure it was the 18-22 yr olds abusing them vice them being pieces of crap. I used to do the maintenance on the Ford-based Bearcats for the Marines/Navy, and they were beat to hell also. Hell, they were just running around a Navy base in the states not even seeing any real action. I know a diesel should be able to take some flogging but I don't think anything can hold up to young military personnel driving them like they stole them every...single...day.

To the OP, if you are going to go GM, you'd be a lot better off going 5.3 vice the 5.7. They are basically the same size on the outside but the 5.3 is so much better engineered and they are easily 200K+ motors. You can easily find a nice 5.3/4l60E drive train with the computer and all accessories with ~90k miles for less than $2k all day long and you're going to enjoy it so much more.

 

[jaymar]

TLC does these in SoCal with the Corvette engines, some good videos on YouTube. The configuration they use is already CA smog-certified, so if you do what they do (or have them do it for you), you're good to go. Really fast.

 

[KevinNY]

I originally wanted to just rework the 4.5L, but I don't think it'll be worth it, considering how easy it is to find the right drive train and get adapters.

Having done a grand total of one engine conversion(Not LC) I can say that any conversion will be 10x as complicated and expensive as simply refreshing your 4.5. Let that sink in and then think really hard about owning a "one off" truck vs a stock motor.

 

[Bravo1782]

@KevinNY, I certainly agree, it will be taxing. I recognize how tricky a V8 swap could be, but on the same token, I think going with the 5.7 and 4L60E will make the availability of parts a non-issue. Everything from the transmission back will still be toyota. Honestly, the biggest fear I have are wiring gremlins more than anything. In another thread I'm musing with the idea of a carburated 350 with an all-hydraulic (think the early A440) transmission so there could literally be no electrical gremlins.

I think so long as I research it heavily and take the time to really do it right, I think it could be a really awesome swap. Plus, once it's done, swapping in replacement parts will be a non-issue.

 

[Heckraiser]

I agree with stuckinthe80's, 5.3 is a much better motor all around than the 5.7. The 5.7 was a sort of "in between" step between the old school TBI motors (junk) and the modern vortecs. Price is not going to be a whole lot different and the 5.3 is a better motor by any measure. Plus you get an extra 40hp or so.

Carbs suck off road, have to be re-tuned for altitude changes, are a challenge to pass emissions (if it's even legal in your location) and putting a carbed motor in your 80 will pretty much destroy any resale value.

 

[Dirty Koala]

^^ X 10,000

 

[Bravo1782]

I agree, EFI for this project for sure...it was more of a crazy thought experiment than anything. I think I've settled on what I'm going to do. This weekend, I'll start the build thread and give the briefing on the two 80 series I have a start the build thread. It's finally starting to get interesting in my shop! There's going to be quite a few big steps before I'll be swaping in any drive trains.

 

[slow95z]

you do know that the LS1 and LS6 are 5.7 engines right? theyuse the exact same stuff as the 4.8 5.3 and other Gen III and gen IV chevy setups.

 

[Dirty Koala]

Vortec 5.3 or 6.0 (LQ4 0r LQ9) with 4L60E or 4L80E would be your most bang for the buck. The computer is already a stand alone setup, so lends itself to a rather simple swap. Figure out your exhaust, engine mounts, cooling requirements and integration for the toyota guages and your off to the races.

 

[Heckraiser]

you do know that the LS1 and LS6 are 5.7 engines right? theyuse the exact same stuff as the 4.8 5.3 and other Gen III and gen IV chevy setups.

I was referring to the 96+ 5.7 vortec truck motor.