How to LS Swap a FJ60 or FJ62. Quick and dirty guide for regular folks wanting to do an engine swap in their driveway. (6 Viewers)

[dbbowen]

IVe read this thread twice. Taken notes, copied links and started to work on a spreadsheet of required parts. Thank you for the significant amount of detail yo have put in to this. And thank you to the Cruiser Heads that build their livelihood around Cruisers and motor swaps. You all have made me more comfortable that I can do this.... with help. The wiring still has me in a frenzy, but hell, whats the worst that can happen?!

Dude that is amazing! you totally got this man. Once you get started youll see its not as bad as youre thinking it is. Especially the wiring if you use a good harness! That is awesome!!

 

[Cruisunder]

Like Adam there, haven’t quite finished reading your journey twice but I’m sure i will have, or maybe even three times before i start . I wonder how you had “only” 50 little tasks, think my list has 150 lines already! You’re right Brian, understanding and planning each task makes it less daunting. Someone once taught me to visualize and step through each task in your head, like a mental dry run, to not forget things and anticipate possible issues.

I might print my job list and hang it off the garage wall to work on. Pondering and planning this diy project is half the fun!

Great write up, big thanks!

 

[dbbowen]

Like Adam there, haven’t quite finished reading your journey twice but I’m sure i will have, or maybe even three times before i start . I wonder how you had “only” 50 little tasks, think my list has 150 lines already! You’re right Brian, understanding and planning each task makes it less daunting. Someone once taught me to visualize and step through each task in your head, like a mental dry run, to not forget things and anticipate possible issues.

I might print my job list and hang it off the garage wall to work on. Pondering and planning this diy project is half the fun!

Great write up, big thanks!

Haha i might have gone a little conservative on the amount of small tasks! Printing the list would be nice because you can strike them out with a sharpie as you knock them out. The mental dry run helps alot, i cant tell you how many times i drove around town looking for M10 bolts or heat shrink, or random stuff while in the middle of a project. Really wasted a lot of time.

Happy to help man! Feel free to reach out with any questions. Good luck getting the motor from the US all the way down there. Thats an entire job in itself!

 

[Cruisunder]

What are your and other peoples’ thoughts on the power steering cooler, is it a nice to have / recommended / required? How does an engine swap require this cooler?

 

[gonzopancho]

The L31 is not a TBI engine.

TBI was phased out of production cars by the mid-90s, The L31 started production in 1996.

Holley says the same thing I did, but you're the expert, @cruisermatt, right?

(Florida Man strikes again.)

 

[cruisermatt]

Holley says the same thing I did, but you're the expert, @cruisermatt, right?

(Florida Man strikes again.)

we were talking about fuel rails. Nice dig.
I still don’t agree with vapor lock on a EFI pump but whatever if you want to listen to some marketing dude with clean hands

 

[gonzopancho]

we were talking about fuel rails. Nice dig.
I still don’t agree with vapor lock on a EFI pump but whatever if you want to listen to some marketing dude with clean hands

You said, “ gas does not get hot. Lol”

I said it does, based on personal experience with a L31 (which is not a TBI engine in your attempt at retort), and now here’s Holley (yes, their marketing guy has clean hands) saying the same thing for a return-less system on a LS.

Perhaps it is only that you lack experience in hot climates such as: Las Vegas, Phoenix or El Paso.

 

[cruisermatt]

You said, “ gas does not get hot. Lol”

I said it does, based on personal experience with a L31 (which is not a TBI engine in your attempt at retort), and now here’s Holley (yes, their marketing guy has clean hands) saying the same thing for a return-less system on a LS.

Perhaps it is only that you lack experience in hot climates such as: Las Vegas, Phoenix or El Paso.

Maybe I need to leave Freezing Florida more often. It was a freezing 43 degrees today, probably the coldest day in the last three years.

So do you have any advice for LS swaps or do you just have a giant ego you have to prove for some reason? Have you even done one?

 

[White Stripe]

I personally like to get all the wiring mapped out and figured out first before starting the swap.

 

[gonzopancho]

So do you have any advice for LS swaps

If you’re in a hot climate, put the fuel pump in the tank. Especially if you don’t run a return.

or do you just have a giant ego

Yes

you have to prove for some reason?

No

Have you even done one?

One GM drivetrain is enough, thanks. They work, and they’re inexpensive power, but it’s just not as cool to me.

All the others (3 40s, 3 55s, 2 62s, 1 75, 1 80) are all Toyota. Only one of the 62s is as originally built.

 

[dbbowen]

What are your and other peoples’ thoughts on the power steering cooler, is it a nice to have / recommended / required? How does an engine swap require this cooler?

I think its a nice piece of mind to have. I put one on mine because if you are doing a lot of wheeling it will help to keep you PS fluids cooler. Its definitely not required, as the 60 didnt come with one stock. Id say if you are mostly just using your truck for road driving you could skip it but if you are doing a lot of off roading its good insurance to not burn up your nice new saginaw PS Pump!

I personally like to get all the wiring mapped out and figured out first before starting the swap.

I agree. I figured there was a few ways to do it, but for the standalone harness for me, it was easiest to lay it in there 100% and mark and measure everything for length and routing before looming it. That way your harness is tailored for your application

 

[Godwin]

as the 60 didnt come with one stock.

This is incorrect. The 60 series, both 60s and 62s, have a stock hard cooling line that's located across the front frame crossmember.

 

[dbbowen]

This is incorrect. The 60 series, both 60s and 62s, have a stock hard cooling line that's located across the front frame crossmember.

Id hardly call that a cooler. That does more of just adding volume to the system than actually cooling it with cooling fins and air. Theres no heat sink on the tube and no airflow running over it. Just heat from the bottom of the rad

 

[Godwin]

Id hardly call that a cooler. That does more of just adding volume to the system than actually cooling it with cooling fins and air. Theres no heat sink on the tube and no airflow running over it. Just heat from the bottom of the rad

Toyota calls it a cooler.

 

[dbbowen]

Toyota calls it a cooler.

If you want to rely on that for cooling versus a stacked plate style cooler, be my guest. You are just running a better PS pump with the LS swap, on a better motor. There is no planet a 2-3 foot tube is going to cool like an actual cooler will.

 

[NobleVentures]

So depending on what transmission you are running, at this point it gets a little different. If you are using the 4l60e or 4l80e or 6l80e you will use an adapter to mate the transmission to your transfer case. The adapter you will use for a H55f i believe is on the bellhousing side. If you are using a 4l60/4l65/4l80 etc, you HAVE TO USE A 2WD TRANSMISSION!!

Super thankful for this consolidated thread. Incredible work! I'm about to purchase an L83 with 6180e 4x4 tranny. Any insight on why I should NOT use that drivetrain? Read a lot on disabling the AFM... but want to confirm that 4x4 transmission is suitable if the adapter is used for transfer case?

 

[dbbowen]

Super thankful for this consolidated thread. Incredible work! I'm about to purchase an L83 with 6180e 4x4 tranny. Any insight on why I should NOT use that drivetrain? Read a lot on disabling the AFM... but want to confirm that 4x4 transmission is suitable if the adapter is used for transfer case?

Sure thing man no problem! This thread pretty much applies to the newer stuff too, the wiring and some of the setup will be a little different though. For example that 6l80e will need a tap shift shifter, but lokar sells those so that wont be a big deal. This is the adapter kit youll need for the 6l80e (link). But you will need to either find a 2wd one or swap the 4wd output shaft to 2wd. If you are looking for a different transmission, the 6l90e is significantly stronger than the 6l80e if you plan on adding a bunch of HP to your motor. If just keeping it stock, the 6l80 will be okay. For the work involved swapping the output shafts in your 4x4 trans, if it were me, id just try and find a 2wd trans. Youll also need to make a bracket to hold the shifter as they dont supply one with the kit.


Outside of that, the L83 and 6l80/6l90e would be great for a swap. Compared to my gen3 lm7 I used, its got direct injection vs port injection that i have, variable cam timing, and higher compression. Its just more modern. Pretty sure it makes more peak hp and quite a bit of torque stock to stock too!

 

[dbbowen]

@Cruisunder I was looking again, and Advance adapters suggests adding a cooler on the newer trans adapter instructions sheets, but doesnt specify one on the 4l60e instructions. Honestly heat is the killer of the 4l60e as its generally not a very strong trans to begin with. Id say adding one is something youd want to definitely do.

 

[Cruisunder]

@Cruisunder I was looking again, and Advance adapters suggests adding a cooler on the newer trans adapter instructions sheets, but doesnt specify one on the 4l60e instructions. Honestly heat is the killer of the 4l60e as its generally not a very strong trans to begin with. Id say adding one is something youd want to definitely do.

You are referring to the trans cooler here I assume? Then yes, agree. Would your engine donor vehicle (Silverado) have had a PS cooler in stock setup?

 

[Megadoomer]

The Silverado had a cooler in the radiator but if you got the towing package you got an external cooler that went infront of the ac condenser. I used a radiator that did not have a cooler and went straight to a super high gvw external cooler and it have been great.







You are referring to the trans cooler here I assume? Then yes, agree. Would your engine donor vehicle (Silverado) have had a PS cooler in stock setup?