Finally decided to dive in on a 5.3 swap on my 62. I have been plotting this for a few years, and have been taking notes from many of the valuable threads here.
My goal is to make this swap as straightforward as possible. To that end, I will be blatantly copying what many folks here have painfully figured out already. Thank you for the hard work, and for taking the time to post about it. @dbbowen 's driveway swap thread was incredibly valuable, as were many others that are listed in my notes below.
As you all know, many folks here like @cruisermatt and @FJ60Cam have spent a lot of time to offer parts that make this job much more straightforward. Matt's motor mounts, t-case shifter bracket, and transmission harness along with Mosley Motors's PS line, AC lines, and one stop shopping for the AA adaptor should give my marriage a fighting chance through this process.
I have never done a motor swap before, but have spent many useless conference calls reading build threads and taking notes. I have basic hand tools (no air), and a 140amp harbor freight welder that I bought to fix my rusted roof.
So, if you are looking for ingenious fabrication, amazing craftsmanship, and mechanical artistry, this is not the thread for you.
However, if you are looking for a cookie cutter swap, utilizing as many known solutions as possible, then I'm your guy.
THIS is my budget and notes doc. I will continue to update it as I progress. Hopefully it can be helpful to anyone planning a similar swap. If anyone sees any glaring mistakes or omissions, please let me know. It is more likely an oversight on my part than me knowing something that you don't.
Vehicle
1989 FJ62, 232k miles.
Purchased bone stock in 2017 on the side of the road in Bishop, CA while on a trip to Tahoe. Rust free with the exception of a couple of spots on the roof, which are now fixed.
Donor Motor/Transmission
LM7 out of 2001 Tahoe with 119k miles (gen iii, DBC)
4l60e 127k miles (from different vehicle)
Luckily garage is deep enough for everything.
Teardown begins (cold day in the driveway)
Lots of wiring to clean up....
Timelapse of 3FE and transmission coming out with an assist from my brother in law @Drewbie
My goal is to make this swap as straightforward as possible. To that end, I will be blatantly copying what many folks here have painfully figured out already. Thank you for the hard work, and for taking the time to post about it. @dbbowen 's driveway swap thread was incredibly valuable, as were many others that are listed in my notes below.
As you all know, many folks here like @cruisermatt and @FJ60Cam have spent a lot of time to offer parts that make this job much more straightforward. Matt's motor mounts, t-case shifter bracket, and transmission harness along with Mosley Motors's PS line, AC lines, and one stop shopping for the AA adaptor should give my marriage a fighting chance through this process.
I have never done a motor swap before, but have spent many useless conference calls reading build threads and taking notes. I have basic hand tools (no air), and a 140amp harbor freight welder that I bought to fix my rusted roof.
So, if you are looking for ingenious fabrication, amazing craftsmanship, and mechanical artistry, this is not the thread for you.
However, if you are looking for a cookie cutter swap, utilizing as many known solutions as possible, then I'm your guy.
THIS is my budget and notes doc. I will continue to update it as I progress. Hopefully it can be helpful to anyone planning a similar swap. If anyone sees any glaring mistakes or omissions, please let me know. It is more likely an oversight on my part than me knowing something that you don't.
Vehicle
1989 FJ62, 232k miles.
Purchased bone stock in 2017 on the side of the road in Bishop, CA while on a trip to Tahoe. Rust free with the exception of a couple of spots on the roof, which are now fixed.
Donor Motor/Transmission
LM7 out of 2001 Tahoe with 119k miles (gen iii, DBC)
4l60e 127k miles (from different vehicle)
Luckily garage is deep enough for everything.
Teardown begins (cold day in the driveway)
Lots of wiring to clean up....
Timelapse of 3FE and transmission coming out with an assist from my brother in law @Drewbie
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