Cam's FJ60 Gets a Heart Transplant
- Thread starter FJ60Cam
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- #622
...Regardless, Cam is now chillin' his ballz in the big MEM.
That mod is actually coming. I got an 80-series crotch vent from Nolen that I'll graft into the duct-work under the steering wheel
Well if the @beno approves, then that green lights me finding an FJ80 to cut up and drop a V8 in.
Funny thing is, unless it sells in the next couple days, we gonna be rolling in a pair of 80s to GSMTR this year, so now just have to look for a v8. Maybe I will try a new Ford Coyote 5.0 to be different 
All BS aside, I don't think I've ever actually said anything in this thread, but this is the cleanest and nicest swap I've read about. If you are coming to GSMTR, then I am looking forward to drooling over it.
Funny thing is, unless it sells in the next couple days, we gonna be rolling in a pair of 80s to GSMTR this year,
so now just have to look for a v8. Maybe I will try a new Ford Coyote 5.0 to be different All BS aside, I don't think I've ever actually said anything in this thread, but this is the cleanest and nicest swap I've read about. If you are coming to GSMTR, then I am looking forward to drooling over it.
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- Thread starter
- #625
Well if the @beno approves, then that green lights me finding an FJ80 to cut up and drop a V8 in.
Funny thing is, unless it sells in the next couple days, we gonna be rolling in a pair of 80s to GSMTR this year,
All BS aside, I don't think I've ever actually said anything in this thread, but this is the cleanest and nicest swap I've read about. If you are coming to GSMTR, then I am looking forward to drooling over it.
Thanks brotha
Unfortunately, I won't be able to make GSMTR. I still have a few things on the to-do list before it is completely road-trip/trail worthy. Plus I had to rob the vacation days I had set aside for GSMTR for a longer tip out west later in the month.
A V8 in an 80 would be the sh!t. It makes these things so much lighter on their feet. Not to mention that the 80 is a better platform to build off of.
I used these type coolers to isolate the transmission fluid. I would run them in line with the built in radiator cooler.
Helped a ton in low airflow heavy load situations
Helped a ton in low airflow heavy load situations
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- #627
That's what I'm leaning toward. Or at least tying mine into the radiator.
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- #628
Ruint...
That's a happy engine compartment - getting worked.
P.S. I stumbled across your youtube video when you spotted the double rainbow...
P.S. I stumbled across your youtube video when you spotted the double rainbow...
- Thread starter
- #631
We are back from the maiden voyage...2200 miles to Sparks, NV, 750 miles of off-highway travel that ended near the Nevada/Idaho border, and then 1800 miles back home.
We put more miles on the truck during just the drive out than I was able to get in for test miles after the swap.
The trip was epic, and needs its own thread, but there's still some tech involved.
For the most part, we didn't have any/many problems. 850 mile days were the norm, with a final 1200 mile push from Laramie, WY which we made with only a few hour layover at a rest area to catch some zzz's.
Cruising speeds averaged 80-85, negardless of the grade. At no time did I lose speed climbing a pass, even the big climb out of Denver. I bounced off what seems to be a governor a few times while passing (100 mph computer speed, 93 GPS speed), which is very easy to do when you are cruising 85 in an 80 and need to zip around slow traffic. At no time did I hold anybody up!
Mpg's ranged from the mid 13's to almost 18 where we had a net elevation loss.
The bad: on the way home, during a stop in Utah, we noticed gear oil was misting all over the back of the truck. Crawling under for a look revealed oil seeping out of the t-case in a few places.
We went to a nearby lube shop, where they let me pull over their pit and inspect. When I pulled the full plug, a mix of gear oil and ATF came pouring out. We drained the excess from the t-case and added a quart and a half to the transmission and peeled out. In hindsight, I should have drained the t-case and refilled, but I wasn't thinking clearly at the moment and just wanted to get home.
The misting did not re-appear the rest of the trip, but I have not had a chance to re-check the levels. I took the ignorance-is-bliss approach and only monitored for high temps and weird noises, neither of which showed up.
The other bad (which after Googling, may not be a bad): engine & transmission temps. On a few long highway climbs, my engine temp got to 210. I thought this was high, but googling seems to show 210 as a normal operating temp, with peaks of 220. Does anyone else have any feedback on engine temps?
On a looooong, slow, steep, high-altitude off-road climb, it once reached 220 briefly. Luckily this was at the top. Engine braking down the other side shed the heat immediately.
This concerns me because the ambient temp wasn't that high. I didn't hear the fan clutch come on either, which may be the culprit at low speeds.
On the highway, my transmission temps always ran 95-105 degrees above the ambient temp. On the highway, the max temp I saw was probably 180.
However, long, song, slow off-road climbs brought high trans temps quickly. I never got it over 210 or so, but it was pretty cool outside.
I'm not sure that my setup would be adequate for say Superlift or Utah in the summer.
I'm thinking I need a bigger cooler and run it online with the radiator.
I'll keep my eye on the radiator as the weather warms up, put a new fan clutch on, and maybe tweak my shroud before I spring for an aftermarket radiator.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the swap. That motor is a workhorse.
210 is nothing for a Vortec.
Just wait till summer and take it crawling. No reason to fix if you not sure it is broken.
My LS setups had computer fans the would not even kick on till 210
Just wait till summer and take it crawling. No reason to fix if you not sure it is broken.
My LS setups had computer fans the would not even kick on till 210
- Thread starter
- #633
Awesome news. The thermostat seems to work in stages. 195, 200, 205, 210. It will hold & cycle around those numbers depending on load/outside temp.
I'm not sure I have room for a trans cooler with a fan, but I do want a bigger one & run it inline with the radiator.
The problem with in line is your tranny gets real hot it will push engine temps up or vice versa since they use same vessel.
You can mount fan cooler anywhere. They don't need to be in flow area. Could be under the body.
You can mount fan cooler anywhere. They don't need to be in flow area. Could be under the body.
- Thread starter
- #635
- Thread starter
- #636
One more issue that has surfaced: my alternator is only putting out 13-ish volts. I never have trouble starting, even with the fridge running overnight.
This is weird because my truck has always shown 13v with the 2F, with two different alternators and voltage regulators and now again with the GM setup.
I'm reading it off the factory gauge, scanguage, and with a multimeter.
I didn't know it was low until @TrickyT pointed out that I should be seeing at least 14v.
This is weird because my truck has always shown 13v with the 2F, with two different alternators and voltage regulators and now again with the GM setup.
I'm reading it off the factory gauge, scanguage, and with a multimeter.
I didn't know it was low until @TrickyT pointed out that I should be seeing at least 14v.
none of the temps you mention are out of the norm. My truck too..off road when run hard in the hot weather will get to 215-220....depending on whats going on.. Sometimes the fan clutch is more active than other times around the same temp range...I've yet to figure that out but gave up. As long as I don't go past 220F I'm good. If you are not running a GM OEM fan clutch I would do so...I've never seen anything better on a GM vehicle.
Remember the engine is newer and made to run hotter.. as long as it mimics the "manners" of a GM pickup you are good. Its should run around 190F without the a/c on and about 205-210 with it on. A 10 degree spike under hard load is normal...4wd engaged / hill climbs / high ambient temps.
Trans temps sound normal too.
What you can bet on ...its that its not going to run cooler than a pickup..given the larger radiator in the pickup.
Probably no such thing as too much trans cooler on 4wd auto trans truck.
Remember the engine is newer and made to run hotter.. as long as it mimics the "manners" of a GM pickup you are good. Its should run around 190F without the a/c on and about 205-210 with it on. A 10 degree spike under hard load is normal...4wd engaged / hill climbs / high ambient temps.
Trans temps sound normal too.
What you can bet on ...its that its not going to run cooler than a pickup..given the larger radiator in the pickup.
Probably no such thing as too much trans cooler on 4wd auto trans truck.
- Thread starter
- #639
Post trip update:
While driving back to the office yesterday, the truck started stumbling and would barely run. I was able to limp/coast back to the office. It did not throw a CEL or code, though.
After letting it sit, I went out to see what was up. I could hear a weird noise when the fuel pump was priming. After starting it a few times, it started running normal again, however the pump was squeaking pretty bad.
Hoping that this was the issue, I swapped to my spare pump. However, after pulling off the old, putting on the new, and getting soaked in gasoline in the process, I found that my spare pump is DOA.
I did (after installing it) direct wire to the battery and confirmed it not to work. I did this to the old and it did. I also tested the pump wiring with a voltmeter and it is working properly.
I had this exact problem when I first tried to test fire the motor. So, either I put the bad pump away as a spare or Walbro is putting out some pumps that work intermittently.
Either way, I feel fortunate to have made it home from the trip as this happened less than 20 miles after landing in Memphis.
I've got a new pump on the way. Hopefully this one works and that fixes whatever the original problem was.
Notes to self: bench test pump BEFORE installing. Bench test spare pump before calling it a spare.
While driving back to the office yesterday, the truck started stumbling and would barely run. I was able to limp/coast back to the office. It did not throw a CEL or code, though.
After letting it sit, I went out to see what was up. I could hear a weird noise when the fuel pump was priming. After starting it a few times, it started running normal again, however the pump was squeaking pretty bad.
Hoping that this was the issue, I swapped to my spare pump. However, after pulling off the old, putting on the new, and getting soaked in gasoline in the process, I found that my spare pump is DOA.
I did (after installing it) direct wire to the battery and confirmed it not to work. I did this to the old and it did. I also tested the pump wiring with a voltmeter and it is working properly.
I had this exact problem when I first tried to test fire the motor. So, either I put the bad pump away as a spare or Walbro is putting out some pumps that work intermittently.
Either way, I feel fortunate to have made it home from the trip as this happened less than 20 miles after landing in Memphis.
I've got a new pump on the way. Hopefully this one works and that fixes whatever the original problem was.
Notes to self: bench test pump BEFORE installing. Bench test spare pump before calling it a spare.
- Thread starter
- #640
Pre-trip update:
I was too busy before, but I'll throw this out now.
My old OME front springs were clapped out. They held up the truck at first after the swap, but they weren't really flexing.
At about the same time, I pulled the springs to put in new bushings, clean & grease between the leaves, and threw my bumper & winch back on. The added weight + the newfound flexiness led to me smashing the front of the new oil pan on the axle housing. It cracked just enough to have a minor leak.
After some research, I found that the new recommendation for that much weight up front is the heavy springs + an added leaf (OME CS005 if together), so I ordered and installed those.
I also raised the motor up some by stacking about 3/4" worth of washers under my motor mount and using a longer bolt.
So far, with 750 high speed off-road shake-down miles, it seems to have done the trick.
I had to remove to engine cover grommet to get the engine cover to sit down some more and clear the hood. It will go down even further with a little trimming. In hindsight, we should have done this from the beginning (but it didn't occur to us at the time).
I was too busy before, but I'll throw this out now.
My old OME front springs were clapped out. They held up the truck at first after the swap, but they weren't really flexing.
At about the same time, I pulled the springs to put in new bushings, clean & grease between the leaves, and threw my bumper & winch back on. The added weight + the newfound flexiness led to me smashing the front of the new oil pan on the axle housing. It cracked just enough to have a minor leak.
After some research, I found that the new recommendation for that much weight up front is the heavy springs + an added leaf (OME CS005 if together), so I ordered and installed those.
I also raised the motor up some by stacking about 3/4" worth of washers under my motor mount and using a longer bolt.
So far, with 750 high speed off-road shake-down miles, it seems to have done the trick.
I had to remove to engine cover grommet to get the engine cover to sit down some more and clear the hood. It will go down even further with a little trimming. In hindsight, we should have done this from the beginning (but it didn't occur to us at the time).