NeverFinis
SILVER Star
Missing the other half of the equation: 4" Snorkel and trimming of the inner fender.
Registry 8x Series V8 Swaps (6 Viewers)
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Do you feel that enough air is available in the fender without any modifications to it?
torfab
Supporting Vendor
The hole in the fender is rectangular so it has plenty of capacity, I've found that diverting air to the hole and blocking the rear openings to prevent scavenging has been the best version so far.
We have modded to a 4" snorkel also in the past, especially for the moonlight snorkels, etc. We also sell a blank plate so people can install snorkels, that's why there are bolt holes in the inlet.
We have modded to a 4" snorkel also in the past, especially for the moonlight snorkels, etc. We also sell a blank plate so people can install snorkels, that's why there are bolt holes in the inlet.
NeverFinis
SILVER Star
This post is how I just adjusted my transmission cable. The Toyota transmission lever is now spot on in all detents with my 6L90e.
I had an earlier posts (here and here) on how to modify the lever at the Toyota transmission shifter, keeping the Toyota shifter lever on the stock side to get the correct geometry for the correct linear movement of the transmission cable . With all that, I still had to shift past D, and back to D, to get the 6l90e into Drive. It was as if there was extra shifting distance I didn't account for. It turns out there was...
Picture of what I adjusted. More information with the first link.
I had an earlier posts (here and here) on how to modify the lever at the Toyota transmission shifter, keeping the Toyota shifter lever on the stock side to get the correct geometry for the correct linear movement of the transmission cable . With all that, I still had to shift past D, and back to D, to get the 6l90e into Drive. It was as if there was extra shifting distance I didn't account for. It turns out there was...
Picture of what I adjusted. More information with the first link.
Last edited:
Hello everyone! Lots of really REALLY good content in this thread. I look forward to posting some of my content here as well once completed. I've got a 1991 FJ80 that I am swapping a 1UZ-FE (non-VVTI) into that is out of an early LS400. I'm trying to figure out who has done motor mounts for this specific conversion? I've scoured the internet for hours looking for a mount and keep coming back to "Mckinnons Cruisers" FJ40 to 1UZ mount. I've contacted them and they said they'll work for a FJ80, just need to trim them down a bit to fit. But I'm wondering if anyone on here has used these or what your recommendations are? Thanks in advance!!
tmxmotorsports
SILVER Star
Just fab your own
NeverFinis
SILVER Star
Drove my LX450 to the gym today. First real drive, besides my local street, and longest drive to date. 
Code P0420 and P0430 both ways. Downstream bank 2 O2 sensor not happy.
After driving away from the gym, I saw a note under the wiper. I thought it was a ticket, nope, just said "Cool Ride Bro!"
First time in public, and someone writes a note...
About half way home, the rear axle started to have a severe vibration.
It was the parking brakes acting up. I guess I set them up way too tight. Parking brake is required to hold the vehicle at 1350 rpm for inspection. Yea, that is not going to happen...
Very wishful thinking.
Parked it, wife picked me up. I came back later, loosened both parking brakes and then drove it home.
Code P0420 and P0430 both ways. Downstream bank 2 O2 sensor not happy.
After driving away from the gym, I saw a note under the wiper. I thought it was a ticket, nope, just said "Cool Ride Bro!"
First time in public, and someone writes a note...
About half way home, the rear axle started to have a severe vibration.
It was the parking brakes acting up. I guess I set them up way too tight. Parking brake is required to hold the vehicle at 1350 rpm for inspection. Yea, that is not going to happen...
Very wishful thinking.Parked it, wife picked me up. I came back later, loosened both parking brakes and then drove it home.
Curious. Do you need emissions for second bank of o2? I didn’t use them. No emissions area.
NeverFinis
SILVER Star
Maybe....
Massachusetts changed its laws sometime ago, and I am not well acquainted with them.
Apparently, vehicles >15 years old no longer need to be emission tested, which was done via the OBD2 port.
I am not sure if having a newer engine, with a modern emissions-compliant OBD2, changes that.
I will be disabling the rear O2 sensors asap, and hiding the OBD2 port, before I go for the inspection this week.
Hello fellow v8 swappers, I'm preparing for a 5.3 swap on a '93 fzj80 this year.
Not a ton of mechanic experience, but recently did a timing chain job and a transfer case rebuild job that gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to figure it out. I have friends with lots of mechanic experience including swaps and rebuilds to ask questions to and help along the way. Looking like I might have access to a large shop and lift also for this. So, as the itch grows, I'm going to start gathering information and parts to hopefully attempt the swap this year.
Reason for swap: Better fuel milage, I want to daily this Cruiser as well as take in on cross-country road trips. More power, and amazing V8 exhaust sound. I don't want new vehicles, I want this truck to last me 20 years.
Cost: Goal is around 5k. I will be doing all the labor myself as well as some unpaid mechanic friends. Cost might go over depending on if I get a custom harness, and how much a shop charges me for a fully custom exhaust.
Engine: gen 3 5.3 LM7 or L33. I really like the idea of the L33 and found some for sale around 100k miles for $6-700ish. I don't want to rebuild the engine, but I will replace seals gaskets and timing components before installing. I will also be installing all new accessories on the 5.3.
Transmission: 4L60E or 6L80. While I would prefer 6 gears, 4L60 seems to be way more plug and play as far as wiring and ECU goes. If anyone has information on this I would love to hear it.
Adapter and Transfer Case: stock Tcase with Marks adapter.
Wiring Harness: Not sure if I should get a parts truck and retrofit the GM harness? I don't really know what the difficulty on that is, some youtube videos I watched made it seem there's only a few things you have to retrofit (AC, gauges, etc) Also I believe I have to keep the stock ECU? Or should I purchase a custom harness from PCI or someone? I'm willing to make the investment if it removes the guesswork.
Method: Because I am also doing a full restoration, painting the engine bay, treating the frame and axles for rust as well as coating, replacing the body mounts, I'm gonna just pull the body off the frame. I want to be through as I live in the rust belt and I want this truck to last me 20 years. In theory this should make a lot of things easier such as pulling the engine and mounting the new one.
I will be documenting the swap and restoration on Instagram and possibly YouTube.
I'm the newbie to all this stuff so feel free to correct me or point me in a different direction if you like.
Lot of good info in this thread, I might have to take a couple weeks off work to read all 225 pages!
Not a ton of mechanic experience, but recently did a timing chain job and a transfer case rebuild job that gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to figure it out. I have friends with lots of mechanic experience including swaps and rebuilds to ask questions to and help along the way. Looking like I might have access to a large shop and lift also for this. So, as the itch grows, I'm going to start gathering information and parts to hopefully attempt the swap this year.
Reason for swap: Better fuel milage, I want to daily this Cruiser as well as take in on cross-country road trips. More power, and amazing V8 exhaust sound. I don't want new vehicles, I want this truck to last me 20 years.
Cost: Goal is around 5k. I will be doing all the labor myself as well as some unpaid mechanic friends. Cost might go over depending on if I get a custom harness, and how much a shop charges me for a fully custom exhaust.
Engine: gen 3 5.3 LM7 or L33. I really like the idea of the L33 and found some for sale around 100k miles for $6-700ish. I don't want to rebuild the engine, but I will replace seals gaskets and timing components before installing. I will also be installing all new accessories on the 5.3.
Transmission: 4L60E or 6L80. While I would prefer 6 gears, 4L60 seems to be way more plug and play as far as wiring and ECU goes. If anyone has information on this I would love to hear it.
Adapter and Transfer Case: stock Tcase with Marks adapter.
Wiring Harness: Not sure if I should get a parts truck and retrofit the GM harness? I don't really know what the difficulty on that is, some youtube videos I watched made it seem there's only a few things you have to retrofit (AC, gauges, etc) Also I believe I have to keep the stock ECU? Or should I purchase a custom harness from PCI or someone? I'm willing to make the investment if it removes the guesswork.
Method: Because I am also doing a full restoration, painting the engine bay, treating the frame and axles for rust as well as coating, replacing the body mounts, I'm gonna just pull the body off the frame. I want to be through as I live in the rust belt and I want this truck to last me 20 years. In theory this should make a lot of things easier such as pulling the engine and mounting the new one.
I will be documenting the swap and restoration on Instagram and possibly YouTube.
I'm the newbie to all this stuff so feel free to correct me or point me in a different direction if you like.
Lot of good info in this thread, I might have to take a couple weeks off work to read all 225 pages!
tmxmotorsports
SILVER Star
You went past your budget already on the 4th paragraph and haven't gotten to all the other parts.
tmxmotorsports
SILVER Star
Nevermind it's 600 to 700 not 6000 lol.
Clean intake. Very nice.
I want to achieve the same intake setup.
I just ordered 3.5" to 3.75" adapter from air cleaner to MAF (I will cut off the flanges and trim the rolled lip as needed) and 3.5" - 4" from MAF to 4" inlet pipe. I already have a 4" elbow. Do those sizes map onto what you used?
@ Wisco80. Will be a fun project but you will probably run into some stressful situations, puzzles to solve. My budget was around 5 grand as well. However, ran into some mishaps, escalated beyond 7 grand and I stop doing the math. You should have a contingency budget of +1-2k. I taught myself to weld, fabricated the exhaust, still cost me 500$ (pipes, flanges..) 300$ for the welder. Wonder how much a shop charge for the custom exhaust. Fortunately, we have great and knownledgeable people in this forum to give us advice. Thankful for. Good luck man.
Thanks brother. From my limited research it seems a custom exhaust should run me $1.5-2k. I do want to get a welder and learn, but I feel that I wouldn't do a very good job on the exhaust and I want it to last lol.
I don't mind going over 5k, especially if I buy a custom harness. My priority is to do it right, and that includes replacing as much maintenance stuff that I can all at once.
Does anybody know this:
The GM transmissions have the shifter on the right side. Most people retrofit the linkage so the shifter is in the stock location.
If I don't keep the shifter in the stock location with a retrofit, how much farther to the passenger would it be mounted?
The GM transmissions have the shifter on the right side. Most people retrofit the linkage so the shifter is in the stock location.
If I don't keep the shifter in the stock location with a retrofit, how much farther to the passenger would it be mounted?
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
@NCFJ is the GM install expert. He literally does this all day long, every day.
Check him out at Hardline Fabrication Services and the NC clubhouse
Check him out at Hardline Fabrication Services and the NC clubhouse
A lm7 will be a bit cheaper. I would spring for a lq4 for a tad more money. You can buy a whole tahoe or Yukon for fairly cheap. Get one that is 2wd for the marks adapter. You can part out the rest to make some money back. I would make you own harness from the factory harness. It's far better to start a build thread for your swap so others can help you along the way. Have your wiring planned out before you start. In your area I would consider galvanizeing the frame after you get your mounts welded in. It's cheap and protects the frame well.
My goal is to get 15 mpg or more, from what I understand that gets a lot harder with the 6.0.
I'll probably end up with a complete parts truck with an LM7, but I gotta say the L33 making more power, better fuel efficiency, and being 70 lbs lighter is tempting.
NeverFinis
SILVER Star
GM transmissions that I know of have their control on the left side, not the right side.
Why wouldn't you keep the stock Toyota shifter in the stock location? It doesn't have to be moved at all.
Trailblazer SS transmission cable plus so minor modification of the toyota shifter arm = perfect.
