Old and New: 5.7 Vortec to 6.0 LS Swap, ‘69 FJ40 (4 Viewers)

[Rock40]

AN fittings arrived for the engine too.

Lopped off the end of the water neck…

AN compression fitting installed

The same compression fittings work on smooth tubing also. This is the heater mix valve for the Vintage Air heater.

I frankly dislike heater hose with clamps, too prone to leaks, AN should be WAY better

 

[Rock40]

It’s in for good.

Just so ridiculously tight on everything. It’s so tight that the engine mounts and headers have to be installed when the engine is about 2/3rds installed.

Got an extended oil fill from a junkyard. Nope, zero chance of that fitting

Got the engine fuse/relay box mounted on the firewall, ECM is mounted under the glovebox and I also shortened the throttle cable just a touch

Chassis harness to LS harness connection. I don’t like wiring, this is the best I could do to not end up with a rats nest of it. At least EVERYTHING unplugs quickly at this point and it’s all covered by the engine plastics anyway

Fresh little boot on the bellhousing, these super old ones are getting a bit tough to find.

On the VSS wiring, I coiled the wires with a drill and then ran them through this fancy shielding. It’s called Flexo Anti-Stat and it’s supposed to block nearly any interference.

I’m “hoping” to run the Autometer speedometer off the 4k signal produced by the ECM. We will see if that works. If not, I’ll use the signal from the VSS

 

[Rock40]

Here’s a shot of just how FAR back the engine is nested into the firewall. Friggin’ tight

The steering shaft is going to be a hurdle. I have a support bearing of course but there is incredibly little room between the header and shock hoop. Very little room for error

 

[Firemedic831]

You may have to dent the header in some ? Everything is really tight .

 

[Rock40]

You may have to dent the header in some ? Everything is really tight .

Yeah, maybe. There may be just enough room to make it work, really can’t tell until box comes back from PSC

 

[Rock40]

This is “probably” where the intake is going to land. Not great, not terrible. There is just virtually zero room for it

Tossed the radiator back in temporarily while setting this all up

Water pump outlet is going to be REALLY tight

 

[archie73]

This is “probably” where the intake is going to land. Not great, not terrible. There is just virtually zero room for it

I routed mine back to the air vent by the clutch master. Got me the straight run before and after the air flow sensor that the internet said it wanted. If I ever get around to it, I’ll make a cold air box…

 

[Bripars40]

I thought you could flip the intake 180 on those engines and run it through the interior?

 

[Rock40]

I routed mine back to the air vent by the clutch master. Got me the straight run before and after the air flow sensor that the internet said it wanted. If I ever get around to it, I’ll make a cold air box…

I wish I could, shock hoops are very much in the way

 

[Mike Shull]

It does look tight in there. My engine compartment is starting to get cramped, too. I stripped everything out at the beginning of the project and I thought that I would have a ton of room leftover. Ha!

I really like the wire loom that you used, and nice work with the placement of your front bump stops. This is giving me some ideas.

I borrowed Peezy’s magnifying glass and I noticed that your right bump stop is higher than your left. Are you bumping against your differential? Do you like this setup? I might be able to bump my old leaf spring perch but I is looking tight in that area. If I do run out of room, I’ll need to bump somewhere else, like the lower link arm bracket or maybe the differential.

View attachment 3572011

 

[Rock40]

It does look tight in there. My engine compartment is starting to get cramped, too. I stripped everything out at the beginning of the project and I thought that I would have a ton of room leftover. Ha!

I really like the wire loom that you used, and nice work with the placement of your front bump stops. This is giving me some ideas.

I borrowed Peezy’s magnifying glass and I noticed that your right bump stop is higher than your left. Are you bumping against your differential? Do you like this setup? I might be able to bump my old leaf spring perch but I is looking tight in that area. If I do run out of room, I’ll need to bump somewhere else, like the lower link arm bracket or maybe the differential.

Thx, yeah. You nailed it, passenger bump makes contact with the top of the differential housing, hence why that one is higher.

Those are really budget Daystar bumps but they HAVE lasted and they’ve been installed since about 2011. I’ve changed the pucks several times but that’s it. Would love to convert to Kings but it’s a ton of screwing around and not in the budget.

There is just not much room to link a 40, let alone doing it with very minimal lift. By the time you’re all done, the room has been used up. I’m running a 5 link radius arm, maybe one of the only ones out there in a 40. There was just no room for a 3 link with the high pinion D60 and hardly any lift. It is ridiculously tight with the front driveshaft and starter as it is.

 

[Rock40]

Well unbelievably all the plastics still fit. They’re from an ‘06 Escalade and they are insulated which hopefully will dampen a bit of the lifter tick these engines are known for

Got the Vintage Air heater reinstalled, plugging away at wiring still.

Made up 2/0 cables for both the starter and alternator. Had some really nice, super flexible cable from another truck that I was saving for this.

Battery to alternator cable

Alternator is a 240 amp Powermaster so the goal is to have the ability to get ALL of the juice from the alternator directly over to the battery. Looked it up, the 2/0 cable is rated for 304 amps

And back to the battery. All the lugs are soldered

 

[CreeperSleeper]

That is looking amazing!

 

[Firemedic831]

Very clean work . Do you still have a heater ? I have my Battery pretty much where yours is and i can not mount the blower motor so i am kinda at a stand still on my heater .

 

[Rock40]

That is looking amazing!

Thx dude

 

[Mike Shull]

Very clean work . Do you still have a heater ? I have my Battery pretty much where yours is and i can not mount the blower motor so i am kinda at a stand still on my heater .

When you buy that Dakota Digital cluster, also get the Vintage Air unit. Everything is packaged nicely under the dash. I think that is what he has?

 

[Rock40]

Very clean work . Do you still have a heater ? I have my Battery pretty much where yours is and i can not mount the blower motor so i am kinda at a stand still on my heater .

Yes, gotta have a heater.

I’m running a Vintage Air up under the dash, essentially where the OEM core used to be. Saw the tag today, it’s 2010 vintage and I’ve never had an issue with it. Heat and defrost are FAR more effective than the original heater

 

[Mike Shull]

Yes, gotta have a heater.

I’m running a Vintage Air up under the dash, essentially where the OEM core used to be. Saw the tag today, it’s 2010 vintage and I’ve never had an issue with it. Heat and defrost are FAR more effective than the original heater

So is that like double vintage?

 

[Rock40]

So is that like double vintage?

Lol! Exactly

I do like the heater, hate the stupid AC connections they use tho, completely pointless and dumb. Make it a barb, make it NPT, make it ANYTHING other than the AC fitting.

I’m making custom fittings to convert it to AN, more on that later

 

[Mike Shull]

Lol! Exactly

I do like the heater, hate the stupid AC connections they use tho, completely pointless and dumb. Make it a barb, make it NPT, make it ANYTHING other than the AC fitting.

I’m making custom fittings to convert it to AN, more on that later

I get the feeling that you have lost a charge or two?

I thought that my hookups on the evaporator were AN fittings. I installed the 90* (AN?) to o-ring fittings that came with the kit and I was thinking about removing them and running the line straight to the evaporator.