Looking for a definitive guide for Vortech conversion for 60s (1 Viewer)

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it is out of NEW MEXICO. and has a but load of smog $h*t on it.
I put my 86 fj60 next to my friends CA. fj60 and every thing looks the same.
my fed. truck has all the same equipment that his CA. 60 has?
My '84 Mini is a Fed truck and the emissions label on the hood notes this. The emissions label on my '84 60 notes that it is a KA truck. I highly doubt that you can just get a Fed emissions sticker since when I replaced the one on the Mini's hood they needed to know the VIN. These stickers will have either "FED" or "CAL" in largish block letters on the bottom right corner.
 
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That's a question for the BAR as it is their referee who will be labeling it.
 
Guys also realize that the pCM can be reflashed to say it is anything. So if it needs to be from a 2003 manual tranny corvette with the most lax emissions standards you can do that.
 
Guys also realize that the pCM can be reflashed to say it is anything. So if it needs to be from a 2003 manual tranny corvette with the most lax emissions standards you can do that.

This is true, but good luck finding the VIN for an LSX powered ANYTHING with a manual transmission. Only about 5% of the "passenger vehicles" had this configuration. I've been trying...
 
This is true, but good luck finding the VIN for an LSX powered ANYTHING with a manual transmission. Only about 5% of the "passenger vehicles" had this configuration. I've been trying...


You don't need an actual VIN you just need the generic VIN.

1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured.
For example: U.S.A.(1or 4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A),
BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C), Dodge(B),
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
4th to 8th characters- VDS - Vehicle Descriptor Section. These 5 characters occupy positions 4 through 8 of the VIN and may be used by the manufacturer to identify attributes of the vehicle. Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
9th Character - The check digit "character or digit 9" in the sequence of a vehicle identification number (VIN) built beginning with model year 1981 (when the 17 character digit format was established) can best be described as identifying the VIN accuracy.
A check digit shall be part of each vin (since 1981) and shall appear in position
nine (9) of the VIN on the vehicle and on any transfer documents containing
the vin prepared by the manufacturer to be given to the first owner for purposes
other than resale. Thus, the vins of any two vehicles manufactured within a 30
year period shall not be identical. The check digit means a single number or letter
"x" used to verify the accuracy of the transcription of the vehicle identification
number.
After all other characters in the VIN have been determined by the manufacturer
the check digit is calculated by carrying out a mathematical computation
specified. This is based on vin position, sample vin, assigned value code,
weight factor and multiply assigned value times weight factors. The values are added and the total is divided by 11. The remainder is the check digit number.
The correct numeric remainder - zero through nine (0-9) will appear.
However, if the remainder is 10 the letter "X" is used to designate the check
digit value/number.

10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J), 1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), 1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
12th to 17th characters- VIS - Vehicle Identifier Section. The last 8 characters of the VIN are used for the identification a of specific vehicle. The last four characters shall always be numeric. Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production as it rolled off the manufacturers assembly line.


12-17 is basically the serial number so it is just the 1st 11 that are really needed.


Dynosoar:zilla:
 
8th character of the VIN has historically on GM products identifed the specific engine.
 
would be nice if someone would document the wiring setup for the CS-130 alternator commonually used by the 5.7 vortec (interface to the Toyota Alt harness & battery.
 
I was just staring into my empty engine bay and contemplating this very thing. I'll see what I can come up with once I get the engine in place and start wiring.

When you did your swap, did you purge the Toy harness of all "unnecessary" connectors from the 2F? I'm at the point where I want to steam clean the bay and start unwrapping the harness. I suppose I'll need to take the dash apart so I can clean everything up completely...
 
I was just staring into my empty engine bay and contemplating this very thing. I'll see what I can come up with once I get the engine in place and start wiring.

When you did your swap, did you purge the Toy harness of all "unnecessary" connectors from the 2F? I'm at the point where I want to steam clean the bay and start unwrapping the harness. I suppose I'll need to take the dash apart so I can clean everything up completely...

No I did not cut the 2F wires or plugs...I just zip tied them and hid some of them in the inner fender well or otherwise tied them to existing wiring to just clean up where possible.

I used a stand-alone engine harness (painless). I would advise going the same route..but probally using another vendor. the painless harness is well made, but their product knowledge is limited and they lack sufficient information on their web site about issues with different PCM's that work for the various year model vehicles that the 5.7 vortec was avaliable.

Don't know why you would need to open up the dash?

You may want to read up on some of the engine swaps.... unless you are pretty knoledgable on the wiring aspect I would not go down the road of trying to interface the GM engine harness with the Toyota vehicle wiring. To each his own but that's my view.
 
For pulling the wiring in the existing harness I looked into it and it is not worth the time for the wires that will be removed. However on the engine harness I used the stock (in my case 5.3) harness and striped what was not needed and did my own harness not very hard at all and completed the whole thing in about 5-6 hours really taking my time and keeping everything neat.
 
To properly remove the wires going into the truck through the firewall, the dash would have to come apart. I acknowledge the challenge of working the Vortec and Toyota harnesses together and ordered a Howell harness and computer. I was just referring to your desire to integrate the GM alternator into the existing Toyota harness. That said, I truly was considering pulling all of the unused plugs out of the truck. As a former electrician, I think it's going to bug me that that wiring is just hanging out in there. I'll probably wait until I get the engine and peripherals up and running to see what I truly don't need.

Jack, I considered working through the harness that came with the engine, but decided on the matched Howell computer and harness. It should work well.

Thanks for the replies.
 
i would recommend doing your own harness. its really not that hard, and there isn't much to merge, and there is no better way to learn about whats going on under there. If you get a good copy of the wiring harness its easy to work through what you don't need. use an ignition switched line to control a relay for everything that needs ignition switched 12v, which are all the pink wires. orange wires need 12v all the time. run all your orange and pink wires through a fuse panel. run your fuel pump through a fused relay too.
 
Another rescource for wiring harnesses is Wait4Me Performance

He did mine after Fuel Injection Services in Texas messed it all up.
 
For the fuel system...


If it is returnless:

Your choice or regulators, either aftermarket from somebody like Summit Racing mounted on the firewall utilizing the stock return to tank for the bypass, or stock corvette. I installed another finer flter just before the Fuel Pressure regulator on my firewall.

For stock Corvette, the fuel filter and regulator are one component that is available from most any auto parts store for around $40. This is specifically the fuel filter from a C5 Corvette (1997-2004). The NAPA Part Number is 3737. If you are using the corvette fuel filter/regulator part you'll need adapter fittings to make it easy to attach 3/8 fuel lines to it.

The adapters for the filter are Dorman part numbers DOR-800-121 for the fuel line in, DOR-800-120 for the return to tank, and DOR-800-155 for the feed line to the motor. these are adapters that allow you to use hose clamps and regular fuel injection hose instead of -AN stuff and fittings. They are available here for a very reasonable price (7-12 bucks each)..

..:: Midway Auto Supply Online Shopping ::..

The corvette setup allows you to avoid using an aftermarket FPR and having to add the additional fuel filter. It also gives you an option if there is an issue in the field since most all parts stores carry the filters.

For fuel pumps, I used a Walbro 225LPH pump from Summit. I have been through two. The part number for a pump that works from any auto parts store is the airtex e8248 Pump. This has the 3/8" barbed fittings to keep things simple and is available at most any napa, autozone, advance, ect. Again, the advantage here is that they are available in the field if anything goes wrong.

So for returnless the order is: Fuel tank, fuel prefilter (to keep garbage from the pump), fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, return line and motor. I used a cleanable filter from summit racing for the prefilter so I could take it apart and service it in the field.


For the type with a return on the fuel rail, it is a little bit easier. You leave out the fuel pressure regulator from the setup above and add the return line from the fuel rail instead of the FPR.


Fuel pressure should be 58-60PSI.
 
So after reading this entire thread and realizing that you all have some great experience with the V-8 conversion my question is: What is the ultimate V-8 and tranny combo for my '86 FJ 60....And who should do it?? Would like to remain manual and 5 speeds if possible..........
 
So after reading this entire thread and realizing that you all have some great experience with the V-8 conversion my question is: What is the ultimate V-8 and tranny combo for my '86 FJ 60....And who should do it?? Would like to remain manual and 5 speeds if possible..........


you will get all kinds of answers to a questions like this.... NV4500 comes to mind as a manual 5 speed and the H55F for transmissions, for engines pick your flavor but very common to swap a 5.3 or 5.7. Then of course you need to know about drivetrain and any adapters. You might want to disclose your location and you predicted budget because if you are going to pay a shop...you better have a pretty deep pocketbook.
 
Thanks Elbert and I am thinking of the 5.7 but would like a 5 speed and complete. Could go used on the engine so not set on new and $12K is my budget. What tranny would marry nicely with the 5.7 and match up with the drive? There are adapters and kits on line but will let the shop that does it pick....Tor has a great reputation any other mechanics closer to Colorado?
 
The 5.7 would not be my first choice.

Reasons?!

Short production life
Heads crack
Injector issues
Distributor issues
EGR problems
Outdated design

Which engine would I run?!

The LS series is really the way to go. You could run a 4.8 a 5.3 or a 6.0
Realistically, the 5.3 is a great choice. Plenty of power for a cruiser. If you think you need more, you can run a 6L but it's overkill.

Why the LS?
Current design
Extremely reliable
Readily available
Great efficiency
Excellent parts availability
Very very few issues

Georg @ Valley Hybrids
 

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