Builds LX450 "Rex" Build (3 Viewers)

[NeverFinis]

More of the same...cleaning...and more cleaning...but I got more sound deadener down today.

The dash insulator should be going back in soon.

 

[NeverFinis]

Slowing going back together.

Dash pad in.
Horizontal bar in.
Wiring loom in.
Heating Core HVAC in.

My advice, take plenty of photos of every possible angle as you take something apart. Trying to figure out where each wire pigtail ran was a task in of itself. I only had one photo to refer to, and it wasn't at a great angle.

The plan is to put the dash back on after the motor is wired and running.

 

[pace it]

Enjoying your progress and attention to the functional details (with some cosmetic details). Keep up the good work!

 

[NeverFinis]

The feels when you realize you forgot to put in the defroster ducting.... See post #82.

Yep, the defroster ducting is put back in right after the inner dash mat, and before the cross bar, and wiring.

Blower Assembly got new foam (as well as the other duct work). As far as I can tell, Toyota uses run of the mill open cell foam. It needs to be fairly compressible..

This top bolt on the blower assembly is a pain in the ass to get to. Toyota puts a rubber end cap on it due to the nearby wiring.

Steering column back in...still connecting everything.

Didn't think I would be tearing apart the dash when I started the motor swap...

 

[NeverFinis]

For this one, I blame a younger me .... I had a brake controller and it looks like I tapped into pin 2 of the ID2 connector for the brake signal. I will need the brake signal for wiring the LS swap, so now I know where to get it..

Temp fix but probably permanent. It does need to carry up to 10 amps according to the wiring diagram. Seems a lot of current for a small wire.

It is always hard to figure out how to de-pin a particular connector, and each one is different.

The ID2 has a connector lock, which has to be disengaged before you can de-pin a pin.

I didn't notice it first and spent way too long struggling...

This is what it looks like with the lock is engaged. Hardly noticeable when you are sideways under a dash.

Sanded, primed and painted the brake pedal and brake bracket today. Flat for the hidden brackets like the brake bracket, and semi-gloss for the pedal. They are mostly bare steel with only the brake pedal painted on the bottom 2/3 by Toyota. Mine had a bit of rust from mouse piss on the bare steel.

 

[NeverFinis]

I am still messing with wiring and will be for a long time..

I had to fix the insulation on more wires. I finally made a tool to de-pin, as suggested by Toyota. Screw driver..meet grinder...grinder...meet screwdriver ..

I will be de-pinning a ton of wires soon.

Some of the insulation damage was hardly noticeable

Fixed

Sometimes I think I have ADHD...went looking for the RS3000 alarm system module and came back with this, the ducting for the rear heater (and the rear heater).

Old foam removed and cleaned.

I need to find a source for 1/8" foam...

Of course, I pulled apart the rear heater, cleaned it, and painted it.

Found it and connected it!

The plan is to connect everything required for the LS motor, and check all the circuits. I figured I needed the alarm system connected to check all the circuits.

Painted the ash tray lid...why? because it had a few minor rust spots from mouse piss. No one will ever see this....

 

[White Stripe]

I am still messing with wiring and will be for a long time..

I had to fix the insulation on more wires. I finally made a tool to de-pin, as suggested by Toyota. Screw driver..meet grinder...grinder...meet screwdriver ..

I will be de-pinning a ton of wires soon.

View attachment 3398837

Some of the insulation damage was hardly noticeable

View attachment 3398839

Fixed

View attachment 3398838

Sometimes I think I have ADHD...went looking for the RS3000 alarm system module and came back with this, the ducting for the rear heater (and the rear heater).

View attachment 3398843

Old foam removed and cleaned.

I need to find a source for 1/8" foam...

View attachment 3398845

Of course, I pulled apart the rear heater, cleaned it, and painted it.

View attachment 3398848

Found it and connected it!

View attachment 3398850

The plan is to connect everything required for the LS motor, and check all the circuits. I figured I needed the alarm system connected to check all the circuits.

Painted the ash tray lid...why? because it had a few minor rust spots from mouse piss. No one will ever see this....

View attachment 3398856

Any chance you could measure the dimensions of the rear heater core?

 

[NeverFinis]

Any chance you could measure the dimensions of the rear heater core?

Sure. I will get pictures tomorrow.

 

[White Stripe]

Sure. I will get pictures tomorrow.

Thanks! I'm going to see if I can find a evaporator core that will fit in its place

 

[NeverFinis]

I have been busy figuring out wiring...on the LX450 , and the L96 motor.

The E78 ECM isn't a very swap friendly ECM, compared to the E38. Many people downgrade to the latter. For example..no tach signal from the E78...

But I can see downgrading bringing other issues since the TCM is inside the 6L90e and I would have to make the E38 compatible with it.

For now, I am going forward with the E78.

In the meantime..small projects. New thin foam tape on the rear heater duct. See post #86 to see what it looked like before. It is closed cell, but I think it will be fine.

Cleaned and painted the rear seat heater. New sound deadener replaced the factory bitumen.

New 1/2" closed cell foam attached to the bottom of the rear seat heater. I think this is definitely where closed cell should be used, but I think factory used open cell here as well.

New battery terminals. Not gigantic, and yet can connect several wires...

It is slowly coming back together...

 

[NeverFinis]

As a side project, installed @Outsane cabin filter. One a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being hard, it was a 1. It clipped right in.

Wiring...

Well, E78 ECM is a bit of a pain to work with. Most web sites, like lt1swap.com, list E38 pinouts (and instructions) but not E78. Cheap E78 harnesses are just not out there... Some people swap out the E78 for an E38 because of this, but I am not sure how that works when you have a 2020 6L90e with its built in TCM. I assume you also have to swap out the TCM to match, or reprogram it to match the ECM OS.

I was able to find a GM Van Upfitters guide for a 2019 GMC Savana that lists all the connectors and pin outs.

I also found a L96 Engine Controller Kit document that also helps with L96 crate engine swaps.

So, this is where I am...labelling...

At first, it seemed very overwhelming...but the labelling has been really helping me understand and identify what needs to be done.

Here is the X1 connector on the E78 engine harness that connects to the van's engine bay fuse box.

This is the X101 engine to chassis harness connector.

I still have to identify and label the other engine to chassis harness connector, X100, and then the elimination of unneeded wires can begin.

So, this is what I will be doing for the foreseeable future

 

[NeverFinis]

Hey Folks...I have been bin busy thinning the Toyota engine harness, and identifying and labelling IH1 and IH2 wires. FYI, those are named IL1 and IL2 in the LX450 version of electrical manual.

Not much is left of the original Toyota engine harness. All the T-case wires were left unmolested and Ignition On (14 IH1), Ignition Crank/Start (15 IH1) were identified.

What is odd is that the transmission lights (PRND2L) all go through IH2/IL2, but one: Reverse, which goes through IH1.

I picked up a water-proof relay box, which is very popular for ls swaps. The largest wire that one can use with it is 12 gauge. You can't physically crimp anything larger but the GM Starter Solenoid needs at least 10 gauge. GM uses a 40 amp fuse for the Starter Solenoid as well and the cheap relays that came with the box didn't give me a ton of confidence.

I decided to ditch the questionable relay box and bought a solid-state relay box instead. Smaller, more powerful, solid state, and has built in over current protection.

Also, I decided to make the passenger side battery primary. The starter is on the passenger side and it requires the most current draw.

With that in mind, I added a MEGA fuse to passenger side to connect the passenger side battery with the driver's side, where the Toyota fuse box is located.

Moved the ground wire over to make room for the MEGA-Fuse. I used M6 nut inserts.

Here they are from the backside.

I ran a 4 gauge wire from the passenger side to the driver's side, underneath inside the top radiator support.

I attached it, the GM alternator, and the Toyota wires, to a bus bar on the side of the driver's battery box.

There are really not a ton of locations to choose from for a large bus bar.

Checking clearance....

GM's alternator wire has a built-in fusible link. This means both sides of the 4 gauge wire is fused.

I will eventually wire in the driver's side battery as a 2nd battery. Battery is only in place to check for clearance issues.

Added another MEGA fuse on the passenger side to supply power to the GM Computer/Motor, Fuel Pump, Fuse Box, and the MSD Relay Box. The Starter shouldn't be fused and needs to be connected directly to the battery.

My next goal is the build/design a mount for the GM computer, MSD relay box, and the fuse panel.

 

[NeverFinis]

Lots of thinking...with few results...

I finally decided on the location of the GM E78 ECM and then I built a bracket for the GM bracket. The computer will be where the cruise controller was located and tucked partly behind the relocated washer bottle. Hopefully this is a good location to prevent heat soak from the engine.

I switched computer mounting brackets to model 15781315, because it is smaller than the Van's bracket that I had.

My custom bracket reuses part of Toyota cruise controller bracket with the larger rubber isolators from the original air cleaner.

The large rubber isolators should help with reducing high-frequency vibrations from reaching the computer.

I used the plastic GM bracket because it is recommended to never to mount the ECM directly to metal.

I finally decided on where to mount the remaining electronics: fuse panel/relays/MSD relay...

I made a wrap-around panel that bolts to the DeltaVS washer bottler mount on one end and to the inner fender on the other.

 

[NeverFinis]

It has been a while, but I have been slowly working away. Focusing on fuel, and cooling now. I did turn the key and the engine did crank, but didn't start due to lack of fuel. The fuel system isn't finished, which is now a priority..

Replaced these transmission things on the radiator. The old ones look like s***, but they aren't too bad after I took a closer look at them.

New radiator support grommets and brackets. Old vs new. The big radiators grommets were also replaced.

More mouse damage discovered: driver's side low beam headlight harness.

I had to re-position the overfill tubes on the dual filler neck because they hit the body. I really need to learn how to tig weld (and become a better welder).

This filler neck wasn't an LHD fjz80 part originally and I am not sure what it is from but it was what Man A Fre sent me when I bought the Long Range Aux tank many years ago.

I don't like the 1 3/4" Gates hose that comes with the kit. It is too large, and it is too stiff to make the bend. I am looking for alternative fuel filler hoses. The aux tank sold today from Long Range America uses different components and a custom filler neck.

The wire below is the shape I need for the aux tank filler hose. The middle hose is only 1 1/2" inner diameter, but would have worked otherwise. Close...but not good enough. I need 1 5/8 (or 40mm) inner diameter. The Gates hose on the right is what came in the kit. Ultra stiff and 1 3/4" inner diameter.

I bought one cheap tool to do one thing...set a rivnut in a corner. My normal rivnut tool is too big.

This rivnut tool is only designed to work with softer aluminum rivnuts rather than the steel. In the photo, I am using 1" copper pipe to gain more leverage. I didn't break the tool and I was able to set the rivnut. These rivnuts will be used to hold OTRAMM fuel filler neck, which I had to shift forward due to the dual filler neck. The front filler is about 1.5" forward of the stock location.

Spoiler

Plus, I snapped off the two orignal bolts..lol and they would be a pain to remove. You can see the remains in the above photo

That Stainless Steel Filler Neck, by @OTRAMM, is a thing of beauty. Sadly, he no longer makes them.

The fuel system is coming together...I still need to work on mounting the transfer pump.

 

[NeverFinis]

Below and on the left is Mark's 4WD M12x1.5 to BSP adapter used for the Toyota Water Temp Sensor. Notice the clearance issue with the spark plug wire. On the right is @cruisermatt machined M12x1.5 Toyota Water Temp Sensor.

The things you do to set a rivnut. This is for the fuel transfer pump bracket that I built.

Both in, but not shown is a rivnut for the ground.

Pump mounted on a custom bracket. Here I am testing the suspension at full compression to check for inteference. No rear coils springs installed.

What I didn't notice previously was that the Panhard bar actually hits the frame at full compression. This is with bump stop extenders.

I don't think this shouldn't happen under normal circumstances as the opposite spring would be pushing down on the axle when this side is compressed.

New Tank fuel lines in.

I had to completely redo all the lines at the dual filler neck do to interference with the plastic cover. I changed them to proper 30R7 hoses. I am not sure what the clear hoses that were included in the aux tank kit were rated for. They did say "Food Grade" on them.

What I also never noticed before today is that the mechanism hits the body...I will have to do some body messaging the next time I have it off.

BTW, I changed that super stiff gates fuel hose to the aux tank to a Nissan hose that I butchered and shortened.

The fuel system, other than wiring the transfer pump, is finally done. I can finally put gas into the LX450.

 

[NeverFinis]

I have been working on my fan shroud. Moving the engine 1.25" forward created a small interference issue. The fan barely rubs the top of the shroud, which means I have to clearance the shroud and recess the circular part into it.

Wiring... I have the OBDII port temporarily wired up. Initially I had no communication due one run/crank wire, circuit 439, with a poor crimp.

Once I was able to locate it and fix it I was able to use HP Tuners to read the E78 firmware. I turned off VATS1 and wrote the firmware back.

I then attempted to start the motor for s***s and giggles...crank but no start.

I couldn't hear the fuel pump.

I pulled off the return hose, and nope, no fuel.

I checked the new fuel relay that I installed, which is triggered by the ECM, and I got no power out.

It appears that the E78 doesn't have enough power to trigger the relay. It just goes to 0V. Ok, solve this one later and I might use the Toyota EFI relay to power the fuel pump, which might take less current to trigger.

Temporarily I wired the relay to the battery...and have power out, but still no fuel pump.

Back to Toyota's ECM and check all the wiring. At the tank, I saw not only no +Voltage, and no GND. This said to me that it has to be a unconnected junction connector somewhere.

There is a junction connector in the driver's kick panel, and it was connected. The Toyota manual listed a second junction connector labelled B01. This was in the driver's side B pillar, but it was connected as well but I couldn't see how B01 had the fuel pump wires since all the wires ran to the door...

Ah, here it is...

It was located underneath. No idea why I had this unconnected but I might have unconnected it to pull the connector through so I could sand and paint the rust.

I now have fuel!

Still no start....but I still need to connect the gas pedal. I am not sure the motor will run without it.

HP Tuners isn't showing me oil pressure, which is a bit concerning. It could be that the GM oil pressure sensor is broken, and/or I have no idea how to run HP Tuners. There has to be oil pressure, right?

I will wire up the Toyota mechanical oil pressure gauge ASAP. I purchased a new pigtail and oil pressure sender and they are now here.

 

[NeverFinis]

A few updates. The engine was cranking but not starting despite now having fuel.

I discovered that "Starter Diagnostics" has to be disabled in the ECM if you are not using it to start the engine. Everyone knows about VATS, but I never heard of "Starter Diagnostics."

Once done, the engine started! It startled me because I was not expecting it.. It didn't run long but it did run!

I reconnected the Fuel Relay wire from the ECM to the fuel pump relay. What happens now is the ECM runs the fuel pump for a couple of seconds when you turn the key to On, and then runs when the engine starts. So, the ECM does have power to run the fuel pump relay, it just wasn't because of the "Starter Diagnostic" was enabled.

Modified the Oil Pressure Sender pigtail. Remove the AC Clutch wire, and put a 2 pin DTM Deutsch connector on one end. I am using Mark's 4WD Oil Pressure Sensor Adaptor – to mount the Toyota pressure sender to the back of the GM Engine.

It now connects to the harness closer to the firewall. Some of the old oil sensor shielding that I removed crumbled when I touched it. I don't think anyone shields wires this way anymore. They now use twisted pair.

The Toyota Oil Pressure Gauge does show oil pressure when the engine runs.

Modified the GM accelerator pigtail to have a 6 pin Deutsch DTM female connector on one end. There is now a male DTM 6 pin connector on the harness close to the ECM as well. I will make a longer Female DTM to Male DTM extension cable when I finalize the accelerator pedal location.

I decided to figure out why the ABS light wasn't going off when I turned the key to On.

Suspected issue: plug near the center console where the accelerator box is located. Yes, more mouse damage. Speaking of mice, they are attempting to come into the garage now due to the colder weather. I have caught 5 in the last week.

Patched the wires but it was not the right plug for accelerator sensor...did all that work and not the right plug. Found the right plug, and plugged it into the accelerator box and now the ABS light goes off.

Worked on the accelerator pedal mount. The pedal is from a 2020 GMC Savana van. I followed GM minimum spacing recommendation. At least 2.5" to the right of the brake pedal, and at least 2" in front of the brake pedal.

The pedal mount was tilted forward, relative to the toyota mount, and the mounting location was to the left of the original Toyota mount.

I could have put the pedal further right, towards the transmission tunnel, but I am happy where it is located.

I am only using the two original mounting bolts that Toyota uses. Some also use the nuts where the accelerator cable passes through the firewall. The mount I made is super beefy and doesn't seem to flex much when you push on the pedal.

 

[NeverFinis]

Doing something for the first time is time consuming.

I didn't know how HP Tuners communicated with the transmission. Was it through the ECM? Was it directly? HP Tuners was showing me basic transmission options, but I knew there was more to a 6l90e.

Some say that there is a GMLAN link between the ECM and the TCM, but I could not find it in the E78 wiring diagram. The TCM does have GMLAN link but it was to the BCM, which I don't have.

I finally made up a two long twisted pair cables, one from the ECM, and one from the TCM. They meet at the OBDII port at Toyota's stock location . Yes, I could have tied the TCM GMLAN into the ECM GMLAN, but I think the OBDII port have to be terminated with a 120 ohm resistor. This way, the OBDII port is in the middle, and the TCM and the ECM are on either end. They handle their own 120 Ohm termination internally.

Started up HP Tuners and connected to the new improved OBDII port. Nothing changed...turns out you have to tell HP Tuners (VCM Editor) to read again. This time it was able to detect the TCM and pulled all that information into HP Tuners. Yes! Communication now works with the transmission!

My other big project was working on the fan shroud. Since I moved the engine 1.25" forward, the fan hits the top of the fan shroud. The solution was to recess the ring into the shroud.

Backside of the new shroud, with the ring recessed and trimmed. I used rivets, and rivnuts. The latter was used because I thought I might need to take the ring off, but wasn't needed.

Fan shroud mounted. Not easy to mount the fan and the fan clutch, but it is doable.

You will notice a cheap air filter in the above photo. I got tired of pulling the big air box in and out and the cheap air filter can stay on until everything is done.

Clearance issues with the nipple, but I think (hope) it will be fine. I could have recessed the ring less, but oh well.

 

[NeverFinis]

I started here

and then here

and finally here

I currently have the heater core at a radiator repair shop to see if they can repair it. It is NLA.

It is something you don't want to repair a second time due to its deep location inside the dash.

This makes me question whether I should be resuscitating an 28 year old vehicle...

 

[NeverFinis]

The radiator shop repaired the heater core and reinforced some areas. He said it froze at one point and I believe him. With the foam removed, the bend in the top tank is very apparent. The truck had coolant it but who knows how good it was.

It has gotten down to -20°F multiple times over the years and heater core resides deep inside the vehicle. There appears to be no other freezing damage on the truck, including the radiator.

The shop said the heater core is rebuildable and not to throw it out if it fails again but not cheap. Since this is a NLA part, rebuilding it will be the next step.

I have been doing a ton of modelling to get the transmission linkage right.

I determined that the angle which the cable attaches to the lever, and not just the distance from the pivot point, is critical. The problem is that the specific angle required if one attached the cable from the rear would be interference with the floor pan. The lever arm needs to be cut and rotated to fix this issue.

One could also attach the cable from the front and go to a push, rather than a pull configuration. No need to modify the angle of the shifter lever arm but you would need to flip the lever at the transmission if doing it this way. The @thatcabledude came up with this method.

The markings on the transmission cable are the different 6l90e gear positions: PRND2L. When you cycle through the gears via the shifter, the markings should line up with the end of the cable housing if you have the angle and pivot point right.

Edited to add I am using a Dorman 905-612 transmission cable. I would use a shorter version if I did it again,