engine conversions? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chicago
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Holy hell I'm slow. Just spotted this thread while searching for a cure for my shifting situation.
My plan was to use an Art Carr gate shifter but after seeing the Lokars in the stock hole I think I'll order one up tonight.
My conversion has been 2 VERY SLOW years in the making. I'm running an '87 TBI 350 with 700r4 to splitcase. We FINALLY stabebd the drivetrain into the rig last Thursday evening. I mocked up the rear x-member the other night and will be getting it welded up and installed this weekend. Ordered a VSS from JTR along with their TBI conversion manual (just to make sure I haven't missed anything).
After everything is said and done I will be doing a FULL writeup of my experiences and the issues that I've had along the way. Once it's done it will be posted on our website.
My plan was to use an Art Carr gate shifter but after seeing the Lokars in the stock hole I think I'll order one up tonight.
My conversion has been 2 VERY SLOW years in the making. I'm running an '87 TBI 350 with 700r4 to splitcase. We FINALLY stabebd the drivetrain into the rig last Thursday evening. I mocked up the rear x-member the other night and will be getting it welded up and installed this weekend. Ordered a VSS from JTR along with their TBI conversion manual (just to make sure I haven't missed anything).
After everything is said and done I will be doing a FULL writeup of my experiences and the issues that I've had along the way. Once it's done it will be posted on our website.
I didn't see anyone putting a toyota v6 in, is there a reason for not doing this swap my 90 4wd extcab with open intake/chip/ exhaust. beat every 4 barreled v8 pickup in town. it would spin the 31x1050s through second..got 19mpg average. Of course it blew up after 100,000 miles but who cares it was fun while it lasted.
Waggoner5
SILVER Star
I can't believe in all the talk about which motor to run in a 60 and no one has even thought of a late model motor out of a boat. Try the TBI, then the LT1, then the LS1, and when you are tired of only adequate power, and really want to have serious power, go for the Mercruiser 502. 12.5 MPG in town and 540 ft.lb of torque.....right now torque too.
Waggoner5 said:
THAT IS FRIGGIN SICK! I love it! You need one of those propeller hitch plugs... hehehe.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2003
- Threads
- 117
- Messages
- 11,207
- Location
- Lancaster, Ohio, USA
- Website
- www.tlcperformance.com
The little propellor would spin so fast it would melt the bearing!
The good thing is that there are LOTS of options on a swap-Along with a fj62 I have an old Patrol and there are NO options short of drivetrain replacement. Anyways, I think that people get way too hung up on HP numbers-Sure a small block puts out much better numbers, but I argue they arent as good of a motor for a Land Cruiser-the last 302 I had needed to be rebuilt at 72,000 Highway miles. Most small block chevies generally need rebuilding around 100,000-120,000.(I know, someone somewhere has 800,000 miles on a smallblock) Land Cruiser motors usually get around 220,000 with 4:11 gears and offroad use before needing to be rebuilt. Keep it simple and Rebuild the stock motor.
daner said:
Yeah but I can get to 100k twice as fast with my small block as I could with a 2f
This is about 40 year old data. A modern, fuel injected SBC will last as long as a LC motor, if maintained appropriately and not abused.daner said:
one thing to remember about this HP talk and agueing over whos numbers are right is this, different engines had different numbers, a certain mustang 5.0 does 300 hp, another year put out 250'ish. t-birds and those type cars with 5.0 typically saw around 220'ish and trucks with 5.0 are usually down about 210, but the truck engines spit out 270 ft lb @ 2400 rpm. the cars are all a bit higher in the rpm range.
I just bought a 60 for next to nothing and it needs a smog. I'll smog it for now and get it running good, but I am looking for EXCELLENT gas mileage. Sure, a 12HT would be the way to go, but being that they are expensive and hard to get parts for, I am opting for a chevy motor.
Now, here is my idea. 305 Vortec in front of an NV4500, or a V6 Vortec. Keep in mind, I am not looking for MORE horsies. I am completely content with the power of the 2F because I drive the speed limit and like going below every now an again to enjoy the scenery.
With that in mind, what is the best option? Would an automatic tranny be a better choice, and if so, which one? What are we looking at as far as fuel consumption between the 305 and the 350?
Now, here is my idea. 305 Vortec in front of an NV4500, or a V6 Vortec. Keep in mind, I am not looking for MORE horsies. I am completely content with the power of the 2F because I drive the speed limit and like going below every now an again to enjoy the scenery.
With that in mind, what is the best option? Would an automatic tranny be a better choice, and if so, which one? What are we looking at as far as fuel consumption between the 305 and the 350?
srplus
Walked with the Dinosaurs
not quite 800K but...
no, only 375K on my '86 3/4 ton suburban 4WD that i just sold... original motor with no rebuilds... it was getting a little tired after dragging around all that weight for all those miles and all those years... i'm sure it wasn't put together in the factory on a friday or monday. if that kid hadn't kept bugging me so much it would still be in the garage ready to drive cross country or tow anything out there.
i think i could have gotten at least another 80K outta that engine. but, the way that kid drove outta the driveway i am sure he will be bitching about having to put a rebuilt into it in less than 10K... if he gets it to last that long. Chevy makes a great gas engine for what it is intended to be used for. but to spend over 3K to make the landcruiser perform like a vette baffles me. if the toy engine is shot that is one thing... there are very few cruisers out there with chevy motors that i would buy unless i knew only one of a few of the fellows on this board actually put it together.
daner said:
no, only 375K on my '86 3/4 ton suburban 4WD that i just sold... original motor with no rebuilds... it was getting a little tired after dragging around all that weight for all those miles and all those years... i'm sure it wasn't put together in the factory on a friday or monday. if that kid hadn't kept bugging me so much it would still be in the garage ready to drive cross country or tow anything out there.
i think i could have gotten at least another 80K outta that engine. but, the way that kid drove outta the driveway i am sure he will be bitching about having to put a rebuilt into it in less than 10K... if he gets it to last that long. Chevy makes a great gas engine for what it is intended to be used for. but to spend over 3K to make the landcruiser perform like a vette baffles me. if the toy engine is shot that is one thing... there are very few cruisers out there with chevy motors that i would buy unless i knew only one of a few of the fellows on this board actually put it together.
Last edited:
gas savings vs. install costs
Doesn't really make sense to do a conversion to save money. Now for fun to drive, I am partial to the V8.
I picked up an already converted cruiser with a rebuildable 350 for $1900. Still have that engine if anyone is interested, because I found another 350 on craigslist for $400. Costs for for parts that couldn't transfer from the old engine to the new one was about $600.
All in all, I ended up with a solid running V8 converted cruiser for just shy of $3k. Spent a lot more since then, but these are the basic numbers to get into the vehicle and drive it.
Gas mileage is about average for the board (diesels not included) at 12 - 14 mpg. The best part is accelerating without downshifting while going up a hill in 4th gear. (factory tranny)
I'm with srplus in that you should be cautious what you buy already converted, unless you set the expectation that you will have the hood open every couple weeks just to make sure everything is still ok.
Doesn't really make sense to do a conversion to save money. Now for fun to drive, I am partial to the V8.
I picked up an already converted cruiser with a rebuildable 350 for $1900. Still have that engine if anyone is interested, because I found another 350 on craigslist for $400. Costs for for parts that couldn't transfer from the old engine to the new one was about $600.
All in all, I ended up with a solid running V8 converted cruiser for just shy of $3k. Spent a lot more since then, but these are the basic numbers to get into the vehicle and drive it.
Gas mileage is about average for the board (diesels not included) at 12 - 14 mpg. The best part is accelerating without downshifting while going up a hill in 4th gear. (factory tranny)
I'm with srplus in that you should be cautious what you buy already converted, unless you set the expectation that you will have the hood open every couple weeks just to make sure everything is still ok.
what if any issues with runnng a manual trans behind one of these engines....ie if the v-8 engine came initally installed with an auto trans?
as I understand it, it's all in the harness/programming. you can program the ECM to run with a manual regardless of original trans. (starting mine within the next week or so- 5.7l Vortec w/ H-55, Marks adapter)
HTH.
