Builds dougbert's future 350 swap: How much torque is too much? (1 Viewer)

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You're not going to take the 250 out in favor of the Vortec are you?


LOL :rimshot:

Oh NOOOO!, the 350 stays in the FJ60 until the 350 wears out - the 5.3L pictured above is going into my 1984 GMC Pickup with no engine. My recreational plan for the FJ-60 is 30 more years - I'll be 89 then. Just need to keep the rust at bay. BTW, my 350 Gen I has Vortec heads (I call em Vortec IIs - they come from GMPP with improvements over the production Vortec heads of Gen II rigs) at about 10:1 compression.

With the 5.3L pictured, I have wanted a pickup so it goes in there. The various needed deals fell into place, and parts are cheaper for body and others parts of the rig. I know, its a Chevy/GMC Truck, and not Toyota, but this will fit nicely into my needs/plans/trips in the time frame I need now.

Will keep the 350 Gen I until it wears out (100,000 miles maybe) and THEN put in a 5.3L (or something just as nice). I AM learning more and more about the 5.3L in this action, and WHEN I get the FJ-40, I will know far more about the 5.3L, how to install/mod/tune. Several guys here at Jake's place have already installed the 5.3L into TLCs or plan to install the 5.3L into various rigs - including jake putting one into his beatup 1962 Chev PU as a sleeper. Also several FJ60/62s are targeted for the 5.3Ls as well. I hope to contribute to these, as I will cut my own harness and have the ECU flashed by www.lt1swap.com the first time, then acquire HPTuners stuff for myself down the line as I mod the Jimmy.....

This motor has some 140k+ miles on it. Also have oil leaking out of the intake manifold. I assume that the rig it came out of, laid upside down for awhile to allow oil to flow in the wrong place.

I have done or plan to do the following on the 5.3L:

Rebuilt the heads with 2.00" intake valves vs the 1.89" OE
Added Comp CAMS dual springs for .675 lift for the future CAM
Shave .028" off the head, for a mild compression increase - use GM L33/5.7 Head Gasket due to bigger intake valve
New Headers, tested in vehicle - http://www.ebay.com/itm/271799452875?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
New knock sensors and harness
New rear main oil seal
New Bosch water pump/thermostat
New Fel-Pro intake manifold gasket - GM gasket is known to fail
Paint it - Chevy Orange of course
Head Studs and nuts - Pro Comp
New Comp Cams Push rods (.105 walls - stronger)
New Comp Cams rocker rebuild trunnion bearings - GM bearings have a history of breaking and making a mess
New spark plugs
New PCV Valve
New Brake booster hose
New Rod Bolts (ARP) as OE bolts have a weakness and the engine is not in vehicle yet.
Hone the cylinders as they are "glazed" to a mirror finish
Also looks like new rings as well

FUTURE:
New CAM
New high flow oil pump
New timing chain/sprockets
New MSD Wires
New MSD Coils

All of these items have been a great learning track for me to do, and are a direct result of my doing the Gen I 350 in the first place. All usable skills/knowledge for future swaps.

dougbert
 
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My wife FINALLY made "the" statement: "I will be glad when you are done with the Land Cruiser."

Oh oh. I have reached one of the dreaded wife limits. Mmmmmmmm

dougbert
 
Removed the mechanical fuel pump and installed the block off plate.
Then installed the fuel pressure regulator (Holley 12-803BP, 4-9 psi output) and connected it to the carb, using the same line with AN connectors and braided hose. That hose was 2" short, so fab'd an offset plate and mounted that to the firewall using existing thread points, and connected the regulator to that plate. Works better than connecting directly to firewall

Then connected the return hose, the line on the bottom of regulator. Still need to get some parts to connect the existing feed line to the input of the regulator.

The actual fuel pump won't be here until Tuesday so installing that will wait.
Will be running 12 gauge wire loom down for the pump (Holley pump, HP150, with 15 psi rating). Also will be wiring through the Holley oil pressure switch so the pump will only work when the engine is running, or the starter is engaged.

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Was able to work on mounting the Holley fuel pump. Found some steel on saturday in the re-use bin, 90 degree angle, that I drilled some holes and fit the M8x1.25 bolts into and threaded into the threaded holes on the right rear frame, just above the front spring shackle mount. With the 2" body lift, I have lots of room up there to put the pump and the two filters. With the mount and an angle iron on the edge, pushes the pump away from the frame and allows the existing lines pass "under" the pump. In addition, the pump is below the tank, so flow should work, once it gets going. It is using the normal draw pipe going into the tank.

I made a 12ft power cord, 12 gauge, wrapped in tape and awaiting some loom to be applied. I forgot the camera/phone on saturday, but will be there tomorrow tuesday will take some pics.

I had to stop, because even though I had bolts, I didn't have any M8 nuts, which I bought this morning.

dougbert
 
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Got the pump installed on the mount and some pics following:

Pump connected to offset bracket, prior to installation, with the 2-pin Weatherpack connector.

Question: Is that bracket strong enough to hold that pump? :D

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Geez, the other pics of it mounted on the rail didn't post to the SD card. They are not there. Well it looked pretty good if I say so myself.
Will have to repeat and get them back here to verify my assertion.

dougbert
 
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not much stress on electric fuel pump...so I would say your bracket is fine. You might want to look into ways to mitigate the vibration of the pump working its way through wherever you mount that...and get aggravating due to noise. Rubber isolators of some type...washers or homemade section of scrap rubber material to mitigate metal against metal.
 
not much stress on electric fuel pump...so I would say your bracket is fine. You might want to look into ways to mitigate the vibration of the pump working its way through wherever you mount that...and get aggravating due to noise. Rubber isolators of some type...washers or homemade section of scrap rubber material to mitigate metal against metal.

lol

one I was joking on the strength of the bracket - it just seems so thick

and there are 4 rubber washers between the pump and the bracket, I provided those myself. The unit did not come with bolts nor rubber washers. And this is NOT a vane pump, it is very quiet. It is a geomotor

thx

dougbert
 
ok...I wondered about the question...:)
 
Got the pictures today, since it was wet yesterday:

Mounted on the right rear rail - Remember I have a 2" body lift, which gives me 2" above the frame rail to put "stuff", including the top portion of the pump motor.

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View from the front looking back

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and a final view

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This point of mount is very busy with the fuel lines, evap line, brake line, diff breather (goes up to high point on firewall) and the AIR locker line (in protective rubber hose). But looks like the right place to put the pump. The offset bracket gets the pump away from the frame, allowing all those lines to pass "beside" the pump. I think the pump will be well protected in this "hole".

The green line is the steel return line to the tank. The draw/feed/supply line is not there. Yeah, gotta add the filters and the hose, etc from tank to rear filter, but it is looking good I think. The front filter will fit fine, but need to figure a good way to mount the rear filter securely.

I do have the electrical planned out, and some wired into its own harnesses. The rest will be done on saturday.

I do have a valid question: Attaching to the existing steel line, how does one make a "bulge" on the end to help keep the clamp on the pipe?

dougbert
 
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The mounting location of your new fuel pump makes it very vulnerable to rock shrapnel kicked up from the passenger's front tire when traveling at high speed on loose gravel/rock roads... like all the dirt roads in Baja MX. I have wrecked a couple rear shocks in this way. Although your pump location is pretty high, it is still exposed, and anything can happen when flying over dirt roads at speed. It would seem safest to fabricate an extremely sturdy impact shield for the pump and fuel lines.... cuz if that thing gets hit by a rock kicked up by the front tire... you'll be talking to God.
 
thanks for the input.

I also had been pondering what type of shield I could put under it - I know it is mostly protected from fixed rocks, but was thinking exactly about flying things. It is on my short list of TODO items. I also have wondered about that entire inside frame rail. I know the skid plate will be down there closer to the front, but not covering that rail from mid point on back.
Fuel and brake lines exposed.

thanks again

dougbert
 
I agree with Output, I knocked out a holley pump, years ago on a gravel bar. Good idea on the guard.
 
Got the pictures today, since it was wet yesterday:

Mounted on the right rear rail - Remember I have a 2" body lift, which gives me 2" above the frame rail to put "stuff", including the top portion of the pump motor.

View attachment 1058818

View from the front looking back

View attachment 1058819
View attachment 1058820
and a final view

View attachment 1058821

This point of mount is very busy with the fuel lines, evap line, brake line, diff breather (goes up to high point on firewall) and the AIR locker line (in protective rubber hose). But looks like the right place to put the pump. The offset bracket gets the pump away from the frame, allowing all those lines to pass "beside" the pump. I think the pump will be well protected in this "hole".

The green line is the steel return line to the tank. The draw/feed/supply line is not there. Yeah, gotta add the filters and the hose, etc from tank to rear filter, but it is looking good I think. The front filter will fit fine, but need to figure a good way to mount the rear filter securely.

I do have the electrical planned out, and some wired into its own harnesses. The rest will be done on saturday.

I do have a valid question: Attaching to the existing steel line, how does one make a "bulge" on the end to help keep the clamp on the pipe?

dougbert


You could use a flaring kit to make a double flare in the line for the bulge you are looking for. There may be other ways. I would double flare and then use some brass fittings to connect a hose end...
 
SUCCESS on the fuel pump!

On saturday I finished all the wiring (save for the actual kill-switchs - got the wire ready, but not through firewall) and plumbing.
But ran into an issue where I started the pump, but no fuel - mmmmm. Was very tired, it was late, so I went home pondering.

This morning, I questioned my assumptions on fuel in the tank. I had put 10 gallons in the tank last December and assumed some of it was still there, but there wasn't. MMM. The pump was sucking air on an empty tank. I have no idea where all that 10 gallons went. I didn't think I ran the engine enough to use that. The other options is evaporation. Don't know.

So I put another 10 gallons of 91 fuel in the tank and fired up the fuel pump and it pumped fuel and filled a container! Connected the feedline hose to the regulator and started the pump again, and got 6-7 PSI, constant without up/down pulses.

Then got the engine running, timing set to 11 Deg BTDC, and found a good ported vacuum connector to connect to the dizzy vac diaphram. Ran it about 10 minutes and got it warm. Still an exhaust leak on driver's side which makes it hard to listen to the engine. I think there is one cylinder that is not working to its best.

One problem fixed at a time.

But the fuel system works. Right on!

Armor to protect the pump and friends on the list to do, but later

dougbert
 
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Only had a few hours today

installed new Master Brake Cylinder and bleed the brakes, nice and firm - need brakes after driving in and out of the barn where the welder and lift are

dougbert
 
SUMMARY/BOTTOM LINE: I was wrong to buy used roller lifters for this build - I should have (and now have) bought NEW Comp Cams 853 lifters. The used lifters had been used only in a series of DYNO runs. Right. mmmm. yeah. That works. Not!

In an earlier post I replaced the used lifers on the passenger side because of one of the lifters allow too much oil to pass THROUGH the lifter and not properly pump up. So the new ones now trickled oil out at idle across at 8 lifters on the passenger side. I reset the preload using the EO/IC* method on the passenger side and the clackety noise from that side went away. Last night I set the preload on the driver's side and a lot of noise went away but not all.

When I started the engine with the valve cover off, I saw much oil coming from all of the driver's side lifters.

I believe these lifters are not properly pumping up (damaged from the DYNO runs?) and allowing the oil to pass through AND not removing lash like a hydraulic lifter is suppose to. Hence much clackety noise, aka loud sewing machine noise.

So over the pass several months I have been failing to recognize that I should have bought all NEW lifters to begin with or ALL new lifters instead of just buying 1/2 of them. It is interesting to me to see myself cling to a wrong assumption/belief in order to justify my original purchase of the used lifter. wasted time and money doing that.
So the new lifters are on their way and my expectation is that they will quiet down on the driver's side just like they did on the passenger side.

While I wait, I will hunt for the exhaust leak................

dougbert


* While rotating engine, then when Exhaust value is just Opening (EO), then set preload on intake valve.
When Intake valve is 1/2 Closed (IC) pass peak, then set preload on exhaust valve.

Start on one cylinder and work back, then to other bank.
 
Doug

I have a similar "shoulda spent the money" regret going on with mine, only bigger.

I am chasing an annoying oil leak I believe might be due to the wrong head gasket being used, blocking an oil return to the lifter valley, filling up the valve cover. This engine cost me ~$1,000 and a crate engine from Jegs was on sale at the time for around $1,200 with free shipping. I wasted $200 in time easily. :-(

Stick the new ones in there with. Assembly lube, get on with life.......

More tuition.

John
 
Well put in some under hood LED strips (as per https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/best-mods-under-50.22956/page-47#post-9708448) and I love them. $7 (and Prime shipping) and an existing switch I had. Makes great light under there and since I was getting tired of the extension light, it made my afternoon and evening worth it. The sun even went down allowing me to test it out just at the right time.

No flash, just the rig and the new lights

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From a distance and it even lights up the 84 Jimmy in the background

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got the LEDs off of Amazon:

2 pcs Set Waterproof Aluminum High Power 6W 6000K Xenon White Slim COB LED DRL Daylight Driving Daytime Running Light Lamp For Car SUV Sedan Coupe Vehicle + Free Gift

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C1YI2XA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

led lights.jpg


I also have the same 10 LED "spot lights" in the "best mods under 50 link" as well and will install those in the rear hatch, cargo area and foot wells. Maybe a MAP light too. Great lights.

dougbert
 
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Oh, I had planned many things to do today all week, then my wife reminded me last night of a wedding of a dear friend of ours we were invited to. Deflate the expectation. Oh well.

So worked early in the morning on the exhaust leak, then went to wedding/reception and came home and did the lights above.

So on the exhaust leak hunt, I used a mechanics stethoscope with a vacuum/exhaust funnel on the end and located the exhaust leaks. I have RAM Horns manifolds and the leak is UNDER the outer exhaust ports - both sides. Yes coming from under. I believe that the exhaust collector pipes are pushing out ward on both manifolds causing leaking there. So will ask Jake to cut the pipe and relieve the pressure. I did add drop down (open bolt holes) gaskets and re-tightened. Helped a bit, but still had exhaust leak.

Since all four outer ports are leaking, I don't think it is non-flat manifold surface.

dougbert
 
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