Considering a V8 swap...got questions

[White Stripe]

I guess if I was going with a 350 I would just use a holley sniper. The problem with a carb on a truck is it doesn't automatically adjust for elevation. So if you go up 1000 ft in elevation you need a different amount of fuel/jets. Im not sure why you don't want to do a LS. If you don't have emissions laws in your county, a desmogged LS motor is pretty easy to wire. Its like 15 wires and its good to go. They are also far easier to diagnose and very reliable. They are also easier to repair than a old 350 and parts are just as cheap and probably easier to get at a parts store than a old 350. It will also increase the value of you 60 where as a 350 doesn't really add much value.

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

^^This^^

Many years ago I retro-fit a TBI set up on the SBC that was already in my FJ40. It was definitely an upgrade over the carb mainly due to ease of starting and reliability. Few things are better than turning the key and having the engine start *every time*. However, now that I've done an LS swap I would never consider going backwards to TBI. Performance of the LS over the SBC 350 TBI is night and day and they are generally super easy to wrench on. Their ability to self diagnose is a huge advantage and I would argue parts are easier to source. I mean, how many years has it been since a production vehicle came of the line with a SBC and TBI setup? Gen III take out motors can be found everywhere for cheap and aftermarket support for them is truly amazing.

Honestly, I think some people shy away from an LS swap because of a perception they are too complicated. Certainly there are more wires, sensors, etc. vs. carbs and TBI and the initial installation is a bit more involved as a result. But once up and running the LS is incredibly reliable, easy to maintain, powerful and efficient; it out performs TBI in every way. Definitely worth the extra effort up front.

To the OP...sorry this is probably just another rant about LS vs. carb vs. TBI and may not helpful to you. But it's advice I would give to myself if I were asking the same questions you are. Regardless of which flavor of V8 you go with it will certainly transform the driving experience and usefulness of your 60. Good luck, keep us posted!

-Ed

 

[White Stripe]

The axles are strong enough for a v8. And you can use a centered tcase output but will however need to use a high angle driveshaft. I would try to use the land cruiser transfercase though.

 

[landcrusher909]

@FJ Noob here is the thread I started I dig it and its been working out fantastic. We had some issues with the cam that was installed we are in the process of swapping it out Builds - Going to the Dark side 60 Build

 

[FJ Noob]

To quote @landcrusher909 from exactly 1 year ago.. "Whatever happened to 'Right on build what you want'?"

Seriously though LC909..Thanks, I read through that post during lunch. Pretty cool build, especially the getting to see the videos.

@White Stripe & @cruiser enthuiser ; Thanks for the thoughtful input and points of consideration. Much better than a multi-sentence version of "that's stupid" with nothing to back it up. To follow up on your comments, what generation/year-range LS are you talking?

I've got a few other reasons I was avoiding considering an LS swap and maybe I'll get to that later, but my other expensive hobby is competitive shooting. Gotta get all my stuff together and ready for a match tomorrow.

 

[kirvesmies]

i'll throw in my 0.02s re: carb vs fuelie. when i 1st got into 'yotas nigh on 40 yrs ago i shoveled a built 350 sbc into a '79 sb p/u. the 350 was built for low rpm torque mimicking a unit that moses ludel built for his 40. efi was in it's infancy at the time n being a broke @$$ punk just starting a family, i went carb. rochester q-jet. found an old school q-jet guru who set it up for me. it flat out worked, off-camber, pointing straight up or down, didn't stumble. don't know what his tricks were. if you want to do some reading regarding q-jets, i believe rick pewe did an article for peterson's 4wheel n offroad on i think his buick 455 powered jeep. also moses ludel has done an article or 2 on q-jets. i also ran them on a 350 powered chevy van 90 and my 427 urged chevelle wagon.
the primal roar of the secondaries opening up n kickin' you down the road is 2nd only to sex
as far as your axles go, yeah they'll live. my '79's axles did behind the 350 n i wasn't nice to it

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

To quote @landcrusher909 from exactly 1 year ago.. "Whatever happened to 'Right on build what you want'?"

Couldn't agree more with this sentiment. Seemed like you were looking for some input rather than starting a build thread here. For guys who have a lot of experience with the SBC's and carburetors I get why they want to stay with them. I didn't and since tuning carbs is quite mysterious to me and outside of my skill set EFI systems appeal to me.

To follow up on your comments, what generation/year-range LS are you talking?

For my swap I used a 5.3l Gen III from a 2005 Silverado but there's many LS variants that would be great, no one right answer. I see Gen IV motors being used increasingly in engine swaps out there on the interweb.

 

[Seth S]

There were some ripples in the schwartz about a shop offering a kit to fit a 2Uz-FE in with the toyota manual transmission.

 

[kirvesmies]

There were some ripples in the schwartz about a shop offering a kit to fit a 2Uz-FE in with the toyota manual transmission.

that'd be something i could rock on principle alone.

 

[cruisermatt]

However, now that I've done an LS swap I would never consider going backwards to TBI.

No, he wants to go more backwards then TBI

 

[FJ Noob]

 

[Elbert]

Option # 1, get a 5.3 from a salvage yard with matching GM auto transmission, run both, get an adapter from advance auto to mate the GM transmission to the Toyota OEM transfer case.

Option # 2, get a 5.7 vortec and do the same thing, don't run the toyota manual 4 speed. Or get 5.7 variant from the truck line of engines configurations and pick your option for transmission / adapters.

If I were to do another swap today it would be a 5.3 or 6.0 from a salvage yard, married to a matching GM auto transmission with AA adapter to Toyota OEM transfercase. Bar none, and I would not even look at other things.

 

[Elbert]

If you are going to run pavement or just gravel roads etc....then a carb would work, but if you are going to do more aggressive trails (what a 60 can do) then fuel injection is the way to go. Many threads here that go into a lot of detail on engine swap to include 5.3. The modern GM auto transmissions are very smooth and work well. I have a toyota 5 speed in my truck and looking back I wish I would have just jumped on a 5.3 or 6.0 swap with the GM auto transmission. A 60 is not going to be a hard core rock crawler....but it can be a decent mild trail truck and you can have a lot of fun anyway.

 

[FJACS]

Diesel is also worth looking at and easy if you buy a truck with one in it - lots of cheap rusted out good running ones up here.

 

[FJ Noob]

@cruiser enthuiser @Elbert Good advice. Questions first and then some more background...so the local salvage yard's prices are $300 for a complete engine, whether it's a '57 or an '07. I figure ultimately differences in my overall costs will mostly depend on various trans and adapter combos? If you pulled from a salvage yard, did you automatically rebuild the engine or just keep your fingers crossed that it would work out?

Yes, this would mostly be running pavement and gravel; think Big Bend National Park in West TX type terrain. Also, this is not going to be a daily driver. Probably not even a secondary. I've got my Toyota pure 60 for that. This one was purchased after only viewing internet photos for "pennies" as a parts truck and I've already gotten more out of it than I paid for it grabbing parts for the primary 60. Overall it's nowhere near as bad of shape as some of the trucks on MUD that have been brought back to life. I don't really want to see it chopped up and parted out or dropped off at a yard. I don't 'need' it, but it provides an opportunity for a fun project that, interestingly enough, my 10 year old daughter wants to do with me. LS or old school carb doesn't really matter to me in the end, but my father-in-law is an old school Chevy hot rod guy...he knows the old SBC engines, not the LS. I might end up with a "sub-optimal" set-up compared to modern standards, but if it means my daughter and I do something cool together and she gets to make some lasting memories of Grandpa before he's gone, then so be it...That was the general line of thinking anyway. At the end of the day, I want ALL the Land Cruisers. I usually have multiple pages open on the computer looking up engine swap info on one side and searching the ads for FJ40s and FJ80s. Maybe one day I'll just be able to have variations of all of them!

 

[FJ Noob]

Diesel is also worth looking at and easy if you buy a truck with one in it - lots of cheap rusted out good running ones up here.

When my current 2F decides to permanently call it quits, that's high on the priority list. we have a good friend in Toronto...maybe I'll ask her for a tour of the salvage yards next time we visit!

 

[Elbert]

Engines come in various conditions when pulled from a salvage yard....some or sold as running and others are unknown condition. Initially I simply bought a 5.7 vortec in running condition and "we" visually inspected it and changed the oil and it ran without problems. (not the case every time). A year or two later I installed a new GM long block (just because). The other reason to get a engine out of the salvage yard or from someone who deals in those engines is to get all the brackets and drive setup and etc...(everything under the hood).

We did not see a reason to re-build my engine but again that's based on evaluation and assuming some risk. I got a good deal on a GM long block and later we swapped the long block.

 

[FJ Noob]

Only sort of related, but what am I doing wrong with the search engine? When I started searching "V8 swaps" and multiple variations related to V8 swaps, NONE of yall's threads came up

 

[87CRUSR]

If you are going to run pavement or just gravel roads etc....then a carb would work, but if you are going to do more aggressive trails (what a 60 can do) then fuel injection is the way to go. Many threads here that go into a lot of detail on engine swap to include 5.3. The modern GM auto transmissions are very smooth and work well. I have a toyota 5 speed in my truck and looking back I wish I would have just jumped on a 5.3 or 6.0 swap with the GM auto transmission. A 60 is not going to be a hard core rock crawler....but it can be a decent mild trail truck and you can have a lot of fun anyway.

What do you not like about the Toyota 5 speed and a 5.3 combo? I have been contemplating this as an option when the 2F dies. Could be a long time.

 

[cruisermatt]

The search does suck here these days since the latest forum update. I use google. Check out Holley Terminator X for LS engines. EFI is easier then ever. My next LS swap will use it. You can have the whole thing wired and running in 20 minutes after you have your fuel system setup.