Registry 8x Series V8 Swaps (7 Viewers)

[Joe Link]

Whew, that was a lot to read! I've been reading this entire thread and taking detailed notes over the course of the past week.

Some of you may be following my completely ignorant deep dive into rebuilding nearly every mechanical system of my FZJ80 here. A couple years back I bought a 5.3 LM7 (Gen 3), intending to swap it into either my dad's CJ-7 or my 1965 Impala. I wanted to get some 'simple' swap experience before attempting an FJ80 swap due to the more advanced wiring/integration. I pulled the 1FZ for a refresh and, now that it's out, I've decided that if I'm going to LS swap the 80 there's no better time than now. I've read a ton of build threads in addition to this thread, but I'm still trying to come up with a solid game plan. Budget is a fairly large factor, but I'd rather spend the money and do it right rather than have to re-do it in the future, so I'm considering all my options. Since this swap involves extensive modification to both the vehicle and engine harness, I think my best option is to learn how to do the wiring and modifications myself.

I think the transmission choice is my most difficult decision. Due to the cost of the Mark's adapter and the fact that they aren't interchangeable (right?), once I pick a transmission I'm going to have to stick with it. Unless someone here says something to change my mind, I've ruled out the 4L60e family. Though they have better gearing than the 4L80e and weigh considerably less, I'm worried about reliability (see goals), and around here they're around $1500 to rebuild. I think I'd feel comfortable buying and running a used 4L80e. I'd really like a 6L80e, as it seems to be the best in terms of reliability, driveability, and gearing, but it would require the purchase of a Gen IV engine (which I'm not opposed to) and I'm concerned about increasing the difficulty of the swap (asked about below).

Options

1. 5.3L LM7 'As-Is' / 4L80e - It has 165k on it and I heard it run/checked it over before the guy pulled it. I'll admit it's a little hard for me to think of installing it as-is while it's out of the vehicle with everything accessible, but this is the most budget-friendly option. I could sell this engine as it sits for ~$800 (so for comparison purposes that's what I'm putting here) and I could get a used 4L80e for ~$800, total cost $1600.
2. 5.3L LM7 Refresh / 4L80e - I figure it'll be around $1200 to 'refresh' the LM7, replacing all seals, bearings, rings (reusing pistons), and having the heads gone through. That'd bring the total cost to $2800 (approaching Gen IV/6L80 territory).
3. Gen IV LY5 5.3L or LY6 6.0L / 6L80e - I've seen low-ish mileage (~130k-150k) combo's on eBay for around $3500, a bit more for the 6.0L. It seems I could save a at least a few hundred if I bought the engine and transmission separately, but I've heard horror stories of these engines and transmissions from different vehicles (asked about below).

Goals

1. Reliability - If I can't rely on this thing to get me to remote areas and home there's no point in owning an 80.
2. Ability to use 87 octane and get decent fuel mileage.
3. Power - I'm not sure if the increased fuel consumption and reduced range of a 6.0L would make up for the increase in power. I honestly didn't think the 1FZ was too bad.

Questions

1. I've seen a lot of different motor mounts used over the years, which ones do you recommend now?
   1. It's been mentioned repeatedly that sticking with the GM mounts is recommended due to the way they isolate the vibrations of these engines, but I haven't seen anyone who has done this.
   2. These from The Land Cruiser Shop are tempting, as they're made for our application and they're finished nicely. As others have said though, I'd be stuck with the position they chose. I emailed them about availability on 11/16 and still haven't heard back.
   3. Mark's have difficulty with LHD vehicles, but I could modify them and it appears they may be included with the 6L80e kit, saving me money.
   4. Dirty Dingo kits seem to be a popular option, I think most go with the hot rod kit?
2. How much more difficult is it to swap a 6L80e over a 4L80e, both in terms of fitment and wiring? Hoping @bloc, @Lionsgarage, @MAG58, @Squad1, @TonyP can shed some light.
3. Do any of you wish you'd gone with a 5.3L or 6.0L rather than what you went with?

Thanks for letting me get my thoughts on paper. Hoping some of you might have some opinions or advice

 

[bloc]

Whew, that was a lot to read! I've been reading this entire thread and taking detailed notes over the course of the past week.

Some of you may be following my completely ignorant deep dive into rebuilding nearly every mechanical system of my FZJ80 here. A couple years back I bought a 5.3 LM7 (Gen 3), intending to swap it into either my dad's CJ-7 or my 1965 Impala. I wanted to get some 'simple' swap experience before attempting an FJ80 swap due to the more advanced wiring/integration. I pulled the 1FZ for a refresh and, now that it's out, I've decided that if I'm going to LS swap the 80 there's no better time than now. I've read a ton of build threads in addition to this thread, but I'm still trying to come up with a solid game plan. Budget is a fairly large factor, but I'd rather spend the money and do it right rather than have to re-do it in the future, so I'm considering all my options. Since this swap involves extensive modification to both the vehicle and engine harness, I think my best option is to learn how to do the wiring and modifications myself.

I think the transmission choice is my most difficult decision. Due to the cost of the Mark's adapter and the fact that they aren't interchangeable (right?), once I pick a transmission I'm going to have to stick with it. Unless someone here says something to change my mind, I've ruled out the 4L60e family. Though they have better gearing than the 4L80e and weigh considerably less, I'm worried about reliability (see goals), and around here they're around $1500 to rebuild. I think I'd feel comfortable buying and running a used 4L80e. I'd really like a 6L80e, as it seems to be the best in terms of reliability, driveability, and gearing, but it would require the purchase of a Gen IV engine (which I'm not opposed to) and I'm concerned about increasing the difficulty of the swap (asked about below).

Options

1. 5.3L LM7 'As-Is' / 4L80e - It has 165k on it and I heard it run/checked it over before the guy pulled it. I'll admit it's a little hard for me to think of installing it as-is while it's out of the vehicle with everything accessible, but this is the most budget-friendly option. I could sell this engine as it sits for ~$800 (so for comparison purposes that's what I'm putting here) and I could get a used 4L80e for ~$800, total cost $1600.
2. 5.3L LM7 Refresh / 4L80e - I figure it'll be around $1200 to 'refresh' the LM7, replacing all seals, bearings, rings (reusing pistons), and having the heads gone through. That'd bring the total cost to $2800 (approaching Gen IV/6L80 territory).
3. Gen IV LY5 5.3L or LY6 6.0L / 6L80e - I've seen low-ish mileage (~130k-150k) combo's on eBay for around $3500, a bit more for the 6.0L. It seems I could save a at least a few hundred if I bought the engine and transmission separately, but I've heard horror stories of these engines and transmissions from different vehicles (asked about below).

Goals

1. Reliability - If I can't rely on this thing to get me to remote areas and home there's no point in owning an 80.
2. Ability to use 87 octane and get decent fuel mileage.
3. Power - I'm not sure if the increased fuel consumption and reduced range of a 6.0L would make up for the increase in power. I honestly didn't think the 1FZ was too bad.

Questions

1. I've seen a lot of different motor mounts used over the years, which ones do you recommend now?
   1. It's been mentioned repeatedly that sticking with the GM mounts is recommended due to the way they isolate the vibrations of these engines, but I haven't seen anyone who has done this.
   2. These from The Land Cruiser Shop are tempting, as they're made for our application and they're finished nicely. As others have said though, I'd be stuck with the position they chose. I emailed them about availability on 11/16 and still haven't heard back.
   3. Mark's have difficulty with LHD vehicles, but I could modify them and it appears they may be included with the 6L80e kit, saving me money.
   4. Dirty Dingo kits seem to be a popular option, I think most go with the hot rod kit?
2. How much more difficult is it to swap a 6L80e over a 4L80e, both in terms of fitment and wiring? Hoping @bloc, @Lionsgarage, @MAG58, @Squad1, @TonyP can shed some light.
3. Do any of you wish you'd gone with a 5.3L or 6.0L rather than what you went with?

Thanks for letting me get my thoughts on paper. Hoping some of you might have some opinions or advice

I haven’t fit a 4L80 so I can’t directly compare. I do know the 6L seemed quite simple, and a serious upgrade in terms of operation. Simple ability of it to calibrate the clutch clearances by itself is awesome. Much better ratio spread. Much simpler adapter setup. TCM built into the unit reducing wiring. As long as you can deal with the quirks like no direct reverse light output or starter interrupt it seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[thatcabledude]

@Joe Link there have been members who have used OEM GM rubber to mount the engine. The only one that sticks in mind right now is @kirk second engine swap into his 80. He changed from a LT1 to a LS2. He made his own mounts that used rubber OEM trailblazer engine isolators.

 

[thatcabledude]

Found a pic @Joe Link

Basically identical to Advanced Adapter style, but with OEM rubber instead of a urethane puck. Pretty tits if you ask me.

 

[TonyP]

1. I've seen a lot of different motor mounts used over the years, which ones do you recommend now?
   1. It's been mentioned repeatedly that sticking with the GM mounts is recommended due to the way they isolate the vibrations of these engines, but I haven't seen anyone who has done this.
   2. These from The Land Cruiser Shop are tempting, as they're made for our application and they're finished nicely. As others have said though, I'd be stuck with the position they chose. I emailed them about availability on 11/16 and still haven't heard back.
   3. Mark's have difficulty with LHD vehicles, but I could modify them and it appears they may be included with the 6L80e kit, saving me money.
   4. Dirty Dingo kits seem to be a popular option, I think most go with the hot rod kit?
2. How much more difficult is it to swap a 6L80e over a 4L80e, both in terms of fitment and wiring? Hoping @bloc, @Lionsgarage, @MAG58, @Squad1, @TonyP can shed some light.
3. Do any of you wish you'd gone with a 5.3L or 6.0L rather than what you went with?

1. Don't cheap out on mounts. The Land Cruiser shop ones look decent but if at all possible fab a mount to use an OEM mount. Don't bother with the Marks mounts and definitely don't go with the Dirty Dingo mounts. I'm not a fan of puck style aftermarket mounts.

2. Wiring is the same-ish. The TCM is internal to the 6L80E so it's just a big plug going into the 6L. Fitment, they both fit but you may need a custom, smaller ID, front shaft to fit. Some people may need to do some case/pan shaving. Also when you're placing the mounts to burn in, keep looking at that front driveshaft. Pushing the motor a little to the driver's side can be the difference between a driveshaft fitting by a mile or not fitting at all.

2.1 - One thing I would recommend is replacing all of your body mounts with new OEM. I have a theory this is one of the reasons for the wide variation in some engines/trans fitting different in different rigs. A 30 year old rig's body mounts could be squished to half the size to when they were new. This will increase clearance. Not only will it add comfort, it'll help out the swap overall.

3. Anyone that has a 5.3 and doesn't wish they went with a 6.0 or 6.2 is talking nonsense. The HP/TQ on tap vs the increased cost is very worth it.


Also, I'm selling my L92/6L80 setup. It's all rebuilt, essentially brand new, never run. I just decided to go with a 1HD-FTE for a few personal reasons. Let me know if you or anyone wants a turnkey 475hp setup. Basically selling for a little more than cost of the rebuild (not cheap but it will save you money). I'll post up a for sale ad in the next few days.

 

[Joe Link]

Thanks for the replies guys! All good info

I'll reply when a get a chance.

 

[MANUCHAO]

3. Anyone that has a 5.3 and doesn't wish they went with a 6.0 or 6.2 is talking nonsense. The HP/TQ on tap vs the increased cost is very worth it.

 

[cruisermatt]

3. Anyone that has a 5.3 and doesn't wish they went with a 6.0 or 6.2 is talking nonsense. The HP/TQ on tap vs the increased cost is very worth it.

Bold words from someone who hasn't driven their cruiser with either swap done, you must really know exactly what you're talking about

 

[matzell]

I have driven a ton of Yukon's and Tahoe's with 5.3's I also drive a 6.0 Denali as a DD. All these vehicles weigh more than a 80. They all pull good. You can wake up a 5.3 with a $1500 cam and head kit and be around 400hp. I am not sure you need that much in a 80 series. My 6.0 Denali is all wheel drive and will "s*** and get" when you get on it. It will pull any mountain at speed. It is stock with 325 hp. I can only imagine what it will do in a 80 series. I am debating a LS swap in the 80 I just purchased. I have a couple of 5.3/4l60 combos and a 6.0/4l80 that could go in. I am not sure I would pay more for the 6.2/6l80 but that combo is 403 hp stock! vs 285-325 hp from the stock 5.3-6.0 packages. If you have to build a 5.3 or 6.0, I would buy a low mileage 6.2 and run with it.

 

[TonyP]

Bold words from someone who hasn't driven their cruiser with either swap done, you must really know exactly what you're talking about

Bold words from someone who hasn't driven their cruiser with either swap done, you must really know exactly what you're talking about

Don't assume you know everything about a person from the little they share on the internet.
If you have questions about my knowledge or background, you're more than welcome to PM me instead of trying to big-dog me with rolley eye emojis. If we met, I'm sure we'd get along. Lets not let hyperbolic internet chatter cloud communication.

 

[thatcabledude]

I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with the 5.3s power level in my 80. 40k mi later and not a ounce of regret for not going bigger. At this point it’s basically a weekend job if I wanted to move to a 6.0 for some reason. If I was at all concerned I would have bolted this on when I dropped the 5.3 in:

It would have made fitment a little better too as it sits lower than the truck intake.

 

[cruisermatt]

I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with the 5.3s power level in my 80. 40k mi later and not a ounce of regret for not going bigger. At this point it’s basically a weekend job if I wanted to move to a 6.0 for some reason. If I was at all concerned I would have bolted this on when I dropped the 5.3 in:

View attachment 2516078

It would have made fitment a little better too as it sits lower than the truck intake.

Do you still have that? I might be interested

 

[thatcabledude]

Do you still have that? I might be interested

Nah, it’s on a friend’s 5.3 swapped and AWD converted street truck. Should be making about 750+

 

[White Stripe]

I am pretty hesitant to use a used gm transmission. I bought a rebuilt one. The 4l80e only has a few more wires going to the ecu over the 4l60e. The 4l80e sucks about 15 more hp compared to the 60 from what I've read. With a 5.3 and a 4l80e it will be sluggish off the line with the taller 1st but drive great once moving with the closer ratio gears.The 5.3 will suck less fuel when towing compared to the 6.0 from what I've heard.Towing my 3500lb camper on the highway I lost 1mpg compared to unloaded up the passes with the lm7.

Keep in mind compression ratio in the motor you choose in relation to intended use. In my lq4 build I considered bumping it up to lq9 compression, but if the ecu senses pinging it will go to the low octane fuel table from what I understand and you'll lose power. Towing tends to induce pinging more afaik. So may need to run premium to keep from losing power.

Also consider the torque curve of the motor more than the hp on a cruiser. I bought a used lq4 after hearing it run. Took it apart and found a few bad pushrods and worn cam bearings. If I just ran it as is it probably would have lasted quite a while. If your wiring is good and you do a quality swap it will be very reliable and easier than the toyota motor to do repairs/maintenance. As you do the swap look for ways to make access to things easy for yourself. For example dont put the o2 sensors in a location you cant get a wrench to and such.

 

[White Stripe]

Do you still have that? I might be interested

I believe you can get lsa supercharger kits for like 4k for cathedral port motors. With the supercharger and adapters.

 

[cruisermatt]

I believe you can get lsa supercharger kits for like 4k for cathedral port motors. With the supercharger and adapters.

yeah you can. If you watch for deals I've seen complete setups go for as low as $2500, not a bad deal for how relatively easy they are to install, but really should budget another $2K at least for supporting fuel system, standalone, etc

Turbo is a much more budget friendly option

 

[Joe Link]

@Joe Link there have been members who have used OEM GM rubber to mount the engine. The only one that sticks in mind right now is @kirk second engine swap into his 80. He changed from a LT1 to a LS2. He made his own mounts that used rubber OEM trailblazer engine isolators.

Found a pic @Joe Link

View attachment 2515276

Basically identical to Advanced Adapter style, but with OEM rubber instead of a urethane puck. Pretty tits if you ask me.

1. Don't cheap out on mounts. The Land Cruiser shop ones look decent but if at all possible fab a mount to use an OEM mount. Don't bother with the Marks mounts and definitely don't go with the Dirty Dingo mounts. I'm not a fan of puck style aftermarket mounts.

Sounds like the only way to use the factory GM mounts is custom fabrication then? Are there any off the shelf options you guys know of that would give me a good starting point? It's not out of the question, just not something I had anticipated.

2.1 - One thing I would recommend is replacing all of your body mounts with new OEM. I have a theory this is one of the reasons for the wide variation in some engines/trans fitting different in different rigs. A 30 year old rig's body mounts could be squished to half the size to when they were new. This will increase clearance. Not only will it add comfort, it'll help out the swap overall.

That's a good idea! I noticed mine are cracked the other day.

I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with the 5.3s power level in my 80. 40k mi later and not a ounce of regret for not going bigger. At this point it’s basically a weekend job if I wanted to move to a 6.0 for some reason.

This is sort of what I'm thinking. I could go with my current 5.3L and if I really want more power later on, I could build an LQ4/LQ9 and it wouldn't be too much work to swap it out.

I am pretty hesitant to use a used gm transmission. I bought a rebuilt one. The 4l80e only has a few more wires going to the ecu over the 4l60e. The 4l80e sucks about 15 more hp compared to the 60 from what I've read. With a 5.3 and a 4l80e it will be sluggish off the line with the taller 1st but drive great once moving with the closer ratio gears.The 5.3 will suck less fuel when towing compared to the 6.0 from what I've heard.Towing my 3500lb camper on the highway I lost 1mpg compared to unloaded up the passes with the lm7.

Keep in mind compression ratio in the motor you choose in relation to intended use. In my lq4 build I considered bumping it up to lq9 compression, but if the ecu senses pinging it will go to the low octane fuel table from what I understand and you'll lose power. Towing tends to induce pinging more afaik. So may need to run premium to keep from losing power.

Also consider the torque curve of the motor more than the hp on a cruiser. I bought a used lq4 after hearing it run. Took it apart and found a few bad pushrods and worn cam bearings. If I just ran it as is it probably would have lasted quite a while. If your wiring is good and you do a quality swap it will be very reliable and easier than the toyota motor to do repairs/maintenance. As you do the swap look for ways to make access to things easy for yourself. For example dont put the o2 sensors in a location you cant get a wrench to and such.

That's good advice. I found out about the additional power loss with the 4L80 vs 4L60 while researching. To me it seems like that's a small price to pay for the increased reliability. What should one expect to pay for a rebuilt 4L80? Have you had both the LM7 and the LQ4 in your 80?

 

[White Stripe]

Sounds like the only way to use the factory GM mounts is custom fabrication then? Are there any off the shelf options you guys know of that would give me a good starting point? It's not out of the question, just not something I had anticipated.



That's a good idea! I noticed mine are cracked the other day.



This is sort of what I'm thinking. I could go with my current 5.3L and if I really want more power later on, I could build an LQ4/LQ9 and it wouldn't be too much work to swap it out.



That's good advice. I found out about the additional power loss with the 4L80 vs 4L60 while researching. To me it seems like that's a small price to pay for the increased reliability. What should one expect to pay for a rebuilt 4L80? Have you had both the LM7 and the LQ4 in your 80?

I dont have my lq4 installed yet so I'm just going off of research. Stock lm7 with performance tune should put out 380ftlbs torque at the crank and around 340hp. lq4 stock with performance tune puts out 440ftlbs at the crank and 400hp. More cubic inches produces more torque down low in the rpm range. I would think a rebuilt 4l80e would cost no more than 1500.00 locally unless you go with a high end performance rebuild. I just searched around local transmission shops until I found a good deal. As I said too in a few earlier posts, you also have the 4 speed option in the 4l65e and 4l70e. Both use the 4l60e gear ratio and case, but stronger than the 4l60e. I had my ecu tuned to program firmer shifts in my 4l60e, which should improve longevity. Not sure how it will do behind the lq4 but I'll find out.

 

[thatcabledude]

I dont have my lq4 installed yet so I'm just going off of research. Stock lm7 with performance tune should put out 380ftlbs torque at the crank and around 340hp. lq4 stock with performance tune puts out 440ftlbs at the crank and 400hp. More cubic inches produces more torque down low in the rpm range. I would think a rebuilt 4l80e would cost no more than 1500.00 locally unless you go with a high end performance rebuild. I just searched around local transmission shops until I found a good deal. As I said too in a few earlier posts, you also have the 4 speed option in the 4l65e and 4l70e. Both use the 4l60e gear ratio and case, but stronger than the 4l60e. I had my ecu tuned to program firmer shifts in my 4l60e, which should improve longevity. Not sure how it will do behind the lq4 but I'll find out.

That’s the same thing I did to my 4l60. Corvette servo and using HP tuners changed the tune to basically “tow/haul” all the time. Copied the file that’s been used for years in a K5 on 40s that also has a 5.3/4l60

 

[SNLC]

FYI we have this available right now.

For Sale - Boise, ID 6.2L & 6L80 + adapter 80-series swap package ALL NEW

@TonyP has decided to go diesel in his project so we have this swap package for sale. 6.2L aluminum block v8. Fully rebuilt with new heads and forged pistons. Setup for 475hp but can easily do more with the upgrades it got. This is pre-tune hp. 6L80e 6spd trans, fully rebuilt and setup for...

forum.ih8mud.com

Cheers