I need some advice on this one. I have read every conversion post in here but none seem to answer my general question. My primary car (ie only car!) is my 87 FJ 60, I live in Montana so its not uncommon to drive 2-3 hours to get somewhere. Currently my highway speed is roughly 60mph, I do not do any hard core off roading but I do a lot of climbing in both winter and summer so my rig is always in the mountains on and off roads and sometimes in the ditch. My tranny is on its last leg and I'm looking at putting in a 5 spd. I am also considering a V8 for improved HP. Now heres the question which V8? TBI, Vortec, Ram air. Or do you have other suggestions are there pros and cons to each? Is one better suited for me, my crusher, than the other? THanks for your time and posts......Ryan
Conversions & trannys oh my?
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Seems like you won't find many people doing a ram air. TBI is probably simplest as far as wiring goes and you'll probably find the most support on it here and on pirate. I've never done a conversion but I'll ask the question since it will probably be brought up: Which 5 speed? H55F is way expensive and you'll still have to adapt it to the V8. NV4500 is expensive but not so much nor so rare as the H55F and you won't have to adapt it to the V8-it'll bolt right up if you get the right version, but then you have to deal with placing it correctly to get it mounted.
Dunbar
SILVER Star
Use the H55F and rebuild your 2F! Unless you are pulling a large trailer use the 2F. Way easier than conversion. They can be hot rodded to an extent. My 3FE is fast for a cruiser engine.
Check what these guys do with I-6 engines:
http://www.cliffordperformance.com/
Dunbar
Check what these guys do with I-6 engines:
http://www.cliffordperformance.com/
Dunbar
Dunbar
SILVER Star
By the way, I am not against conversion using a SBC or a diesel application. I looked at that when I had to rebuild my 3FE. I was in school and decided it was fastest and cheapest to rebuild instead of swap.
I would love to have a Cummins turbodiesel in my 62! I do have SBC SS valves in the head of my 3FE, installed by Jim Chenoweth. He also did some P&P and milling etc on my head. 40 over pistons, speed pro rings, balanced rotating assembly and overbored throttle body woke my 3FE up! I can get rubber in 1st and 2nd if I wanted. I still have the crappy stock exhaust except for a flowmaster.
With the H55F I can accellerate up hills that used to downshift me with the auto tranny.
If you have the time, money and fabrication ablility to do a swap, by all means do so. Consider the Cummins but SBC will be easier. Otherwise rebuild that 2F and hot rod it a bit and I bet you will be happy, If you get the 5 speed.
Dunbar
I would love to have a Cummins turbodiesel in my 62! I do have SBC SS valves in the head of my 3FE, installed by Jim Chenoweth. He also did some P&P and milling etc on my head. 40 over pistons, speed pro rings, balanced rotating assembly and overbored throttle body woke my 3FE up! I can get rubber in 1st and 2nd if I wanted. I still have the crappy stock exhaust except for a flowmaster.
With the H55F I can accellerate up hills that used to downshift me with the auto tranny.
If you have the time, money and fabrication ablility to do a swap, by all means do so. Consider the Cummins but SBC will be easier. Otherwise rebuild that 2F and hot rod it a bit and I bet you will be happy, If you get the 5 speed.
Dunbar
My 60 has a TBI, H42 toyota aussie 4 speed with a grannier low (direct bolt in stock replacement from specter), and a Ranger overdrive 27 percent OD from Advance Adapters which also serves as a chevy engine to toyota tranny adapter. I likey. Fast or slow. The Yota 5 speed is only 18 percent overdrive.
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If i do a conversion I'm going to go with the NV4500, if not I'm going with the H55F. As for the engine since I am looking for more HP and if money wasn't a problem which would you recommed and why? Thanks
What about a 12H-T or 1HZ diesel and a H55F combo from G&S cruisers? It'll set you back about $8 K not including the cost of the installation. Probably have to add in shipping and customs duties as well.
You flat land guys don't realize how much the 2F suffers here in the Rocky Mountain west. Around sea level a 2F'd 60 has plenty of pep. When your driveway is over a mile high and the mountains you play in are 5 digits a motor swap is the only way to make the vehicle practical for anything other than grocery getting.Dunbar said:
HZJ60 Guy
Tank Buster
paulj said:
Either this or a Cummins 6AT and an NV4500.
Diesel all the way baby!!!
TB
Dunbar
SILVER Star
Cruisergreg said:
I lived above 5000' for quite a while in NM and drove up to 11k' often and it sucked with the stock 3FE engine and A440F tranny. Also, I recently moved to way low elevation from the hill country in central Texas (not = Rockies) but I haul my 1600lb (empty) 3600lb max trailer in these hills. I have hauled the same trailer to Ruidoso completely full so I know what slow is about. I can accelerate up hills that used to slow me down and require the A440F to downshift to 2nd. I do not have a 2F A42 and do not know its uphill ability. I do know what my truck used to do and what it does now. Major difference with the H55F and the hot rod 3FE. Flame away if you like but drive my truck first.
Dont get me wrong, my truck does not have V8 uphill acceleration but it will kick a stock 2F or 3FE's ass right now going up grade.
Again, if you have the time, skill, and cash to do a V8 or turbodeisel conversion, go for it! Let me drive it when done too!
Good Luck,
Dunbar
I think your biggest factor is your budget. Once you know how much you are working with you can narrow down your choices. If I had to do it all over again I would throw in a SBC with and Edelbrock Projection setup, Ranger Overdrive and a SM465 tranny or similar and go to the 203 to cruiser split case. Great over and under drive that way. Right now I'm running most of that except a carb and a TH400 tranny and I'm saving money for the Projection.
A realistic budget will give you realistic choices.
A realistic budget will give you realistic choices.
I don't know much about your truck. I have a red '87 FJ60 as well. With a 2F and H55F transmission. I have driven it all over the West - from Montana to New Mexico to Calfornia to Washington. When the 2F is properly tuned and the smog is well adjusted, the performance with the H55F is adequate for most mountain driving. Not fast, adequate.
I am considering improvements to the 2F to increase performance a bit - rebuild with overbore, balancing, carb tuning, slightly higher compression, better exhaust flow, etc. If I could get another 20 horses, I would be pretty happy.
The best scenario, IMHO, would be a fresh 5.3L Vortec with an H55F behind it, and change gears from 3.73 to 4.10, going from 31" tires to 33" tires, it would be a terrific combination.
This is a lot of work, and will not be cheap. In addition, I have seen a number of swaps that did not work as well as expected - wiring wierdness, cooling problems, maintenance issues, etc.
So go for the conversion if you want to - but think it through very carefully first.
M
I am considering improvements to the 2F to increase performance a bit - rebuild with overbore, balancing, carb tuning, slightly higher compression, better exhaust flow, etc. If I could get another 20 horses, I would be pretty happy.
The best scenario, IMHO, would be a fresh 5.3L Vortec with an H55F behind it, and change gears from 3.73 to 4.10, going from 31" tires to 33" tires, it would be a terrific combination.
This is a lot of work, and will not be cheap. In addition, I have seen a number of swaps that did not work as well as expected - wiring wierdness, cooling problems, maintenance issues, etc.
So go for the conversion if you want to - but think it through very carefully first.
M
