Builds LX450 "Rex" Build (6 Viewers)

[NeverFinis]

The new front and rear OEM calipers came in. Bad lighting on the front due to working right next to the garage wall.

I have decided to tune the L96 myself.

All LS engines have to be tuned if the intake piping changes.

I have been to Youtube University and already have HP Tuners.

I recommend Goat Rope Garage if you want to learn.

I bought an AEM X-Series OBDII Wideband AFR Gauge kit: 30-0334. This only works on 2008+ engines.

I installed the wide band O2 sensor on the passenger side as there was more room.

I already have gauge hole for a previously used transmission gauge.

I will be only doing MAF tuning, and not Speed Density. The latter is used if you exceed the limits of MAF, which could happen if you add turbos or a supercharger.

Wish me luck.

 

[White Stripe]

In my opinion it's really hard to street tune an engine. With a dyno you get actual numbers if your change added 20hp or lost 20hp.

 

[Filo Bedo]

In my opinion it's really hard to street tune an engine. With a dyno you get actual numbers if your change added 20hp or lost 20hp.

I’m heading down a similar path with a 2015 L96-6l90e, would you just be checking for a lean condition?

 

[NeverFinis]

In my opinion it's really hard to street tune an engine. With a dyno you get actual numbers if your change added 20hp or lost 20hp.

No doubt but it is hard to start and stumbles now when first started. It does smooth out eventually. This makes it hard to drive anywhere, much less to a dyno.

As a engineer, adjusting the MAF table as a function of stoich is something I can understand. It is an iterative process that requires putting the engine under load throughout the RPM range, adjust MAF table, and repeat until the difference is minimized. Once done, the engine should be set no matter the temperature, humidity, or altitude.

From what I understand, many tuners focus on Speed Density, which can maximize HP, but might not take into account temperature, humidity, or altitude. This is why I am going with MAF tuning.

I am at the bottom of a steep learning curve right now...

I’m heading down a similar path with a 2015 L96-6l90e, would you just be checking for a lean condition?

I started it today with the wide band and the Lambda was over 1.3, which means it is ultra lean.

I guess my intake flows much better than stock. Who knew....

I will be adjusting Lamba until it approaches 1.0. Not sure if I will run slightly lean or not. Drivability vs Emissions vs Fuel Economy.

Lambda 1.0 = perfect stoich, regardless of fuel type. AFR assumes gas.

 

[NeverFinis]

I worked on the tune today, and wow, it was way way lean. The MAF sensor was under reporting the air flow by a large margin.

I first adjusted the air flow/Hz by 25%, then another 10%, then another 30%. It was then running rich about 5%, which I adjusted for.

As I was getting closer to stoich, the engine was running much better, and the numbers were more consistent.

I think it is ok to err on the slightly rich side during start up before closed loop. HP Tuners will show the Commanded Lambda, which is what you want to shoot for, rather than 1.00.

Now, with forced open loop at idle, the Lambda is very close to 1. Of course, close loop the delta is reduced.

I now have to finish a few minor things, and get it registered on the road so I can measure Lambda at more RPM/Loads.

Apple Air Tags are arriving today and I will be hiding a few, sans speaker, in the truck.

 

[wiynwiyn]

What manufacture are those slotted and drilled rotors? They look good. Are you planning on ungraded to bigger brakes for better braking since you are putting more weighs on your LC? I hid one airtag and installed a kill switch. Really wish the battery on the airtag lasts longer (one year). May add a gps tracker and apply for a concealed permit once my engine rebuild is done. Got my car stolen once when I was a poor college student.

 

[NeverFinis]

Those are Power Stop Rotors.

I might do bigger front brakes, but maybe later. I think DeltaVS will be releasing a kit soon, and there are others on the market like Powerbrake Stage 2 Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series Big Brake Kit - https://exitoffroad.com/product/powerbrake-stage-2-80-series-land-cruiser-big-brake-kit/

One of the reasons I went with 18" rims is to fit bigger brakes.

I will definitely add a GPS tracker.

 

[NeverFinis]

I have a set of Apple Airtags now, but I also bought a set of Tiles.

Tiles now have a removable battery in the Pro version, and the battery lasts 3 years on the regular versions. Bonus, they have an anti-theft mode where the speaker is silenced. You have to remove the speaker on an Apple Airtag.

 

[NeverFinis]

I might pick up a pair of these 10 year batteries for Apple AirTags. This solves the 1 year issue with AirTags.

I am still researching GPS trackers with sim cards. Some look like relays, shown in the first picture. It would hide in plain site. Cheap enough that you can always carry around a spare.

Available on Amazon but much cheaper on chinese websites. You purchase a $5/month data only plan to couple with it.

Here is another one, without the relay form factor.

I will probably go with a Viper Alarm.
Viper Smart Pro tracks your vehicle, but also provides a useful vehicle remote. Their GPS plan is $10/month, which includes roadside assistance.

 

[Filo Bedo]

NeverFinis, I’m mostly following in your footsteps but I’m using a 2015 L96/6L90E. Would you still recommend moving the drivetrain forward and over as you did with your install? Any other things that you would do differently on a second go around?
I am in awe with everything you have done to your LC, there won’t be much left that needs done to have a full restoration.

 

[NeverFinis]

NeverFinis, I’m mostly following in your footsteps but I’m using a 2015 L96/6L90E. Would you still recommend moving the drivetrain forward and over as you did with your install? Any other things that you would do differently on a second go around?
I am in awe with everything you have done to your LC, there won’t be much left that needs done to have a full restoration.

Thanks @Filo Bedo


Edited to add...weld in that extra O2 bung for the wide band when doing the exhaust...

I wouldn't move the engine as far forward, maybe .25" less. Moving it forward allows Mark's 4WD mount to hit the stock location on the transmission crossmember when using the 6L90e and I think 0.25" less would have been perfect. You don't have to dent the firewall if you move the engine forward.

I will need to measure the clearance gained when I moved the engine to the passenger side. From memory, I shifted it 0.50". The PS Type II pump return and its pulley comes very close to the Toyota steering box. One could switch to the gen I PS pump. or find a PS Type II that returns towards the rear, which I couldn't find. I think the pulley will still have clearance issues, but one can switch to a smaller pulley. Keeping the engine towards the driver's side helps with diff/oil pan clearance.

I would use the brand new Holley 302-4 oil pan which looks to have really great passenger-side driveshaft clearance.

I would use a real fuel pressure regulator/return, instead of the corvette filter. I will switch it out eventually. I am thinking of installing the DeltaVS fuse panel where I put the corvette filter,...

I would use the 4Runner V8 fuel pump or the Tundra one, and not the Aeromotive fuel pump, as someone recommended in the V8 thread, that I used. The latter uses a different sock that does not fit the fuel sump in the tank and you have to cut the base of the Toyota fuel pump bracket to fit. Or, just use the stock FZJ80 pump.

That is all I can think of at the moment.

 

[NeverFinis]

My new heater valve developed a leak today. It started out as a small drip but has gotten worse. It appears to be at the base, or at the back.

I am not sure what caused the leak but my current theory is stress on the housing from the heater hose. This is also one the initial parts I acquired, ordered from ebay. I have since gone 100% Toyota where possible.

I ordered a replacement from Partsouq today, and nearby hoses, and I plan on supporting the long heater hose run that attaches to the inlet side.

@Filo Bedo
This is looking up at the PS pump from below. That right angle fitting is on the return, and it is the only fitting I could find that helps with clearance and it is still very close to the PS box. I think it has hit actually, and has self-clearanced. Right now, unless a different PS pump could be found, I think one needs to move the motor 0.5" to the passenger side. You could change the layout and go with a top mounted PS pump, then you will need to move the alternator to another location.

 

[Filo Bedo]

My new heater valve developed a leak today. It started out as a small drip but has gotten worse. It appears to be at the base, or at the back.

I am not sure what caused the leak but my current theory is stress on the housing from the heater hose. This is also one the initial parts I acquired, ordered from ebay. I have since gone 100% Toyota where possible.
View attachment 3798655

I ordered a replacement from Partsouq today, and nearby hoses, and I plan on supporting the long heater hose run that attaches to the inlet side.

@Filo Bedo
This is looking up at the PS pump from below. That right angle fitting is on the return, and it is the only fitting I could find that helps with clearance and it is still very close to the PS box. I think it has hit actually, and has self-clearanced. Right now, unless a different PS pump could be found, I think one needs to move the motor 0.5" to the passenger side. You could change the layout and go with a top mounted PS pump, then you will need to move the alternator to another location.
View attachment 3798640

That is very tight. I’ll follow your advice and shift the motor over 1/2”. I’m contemplating ordering an atlas transfer case. By the time I order the adapter I’m within a few hundred dollars of an atlas. Then I have twin sticks and two low. My engine and transmission arrived so I can take a good look at it tomorrow evening.

 

[Filo Bedo]

Okay, I’m dying to hear an update on your LC. Hopefully you had a great holiday and are out testing your new drivetrain.

 

[NeverFinis]

Replacement heater valve arrived to replace the nearly new aftermarket one.

There was no obvious crack in the bad one.

Here is the backside where the leak appeared to be coming from.

New one installed, with new Toyota hoses.

The 180° bend on the right is the same Toyota part as the bend on the left. I like that it makes it look stock. I am laying it on its side, rather vertical as it was before. Seems to fit better.

 

[NeverFinis]

@stuntheavy asked me earlier about transmission shifting and I responded that it needed work but was usable.

Shifting the transmission into D wasn't ideal as I had to move the Toyota shifter slightly past D to get the transmission into Drive, and then the Toyota shifter could be returned to D. It was like there was extra slop in the transmission control cable.

I did notice that the end of the cable at the transmission was complex and I knew there had to be some adjustment there. It turns out GM did make a way to make slight length adjustments to the cable length.

You pull out a locking clip, which then can be shifted backwards. This allows you to pull out another clip that sets the length of the cable. The end can then be shortened to desired length. Put the two clips back to lock in the new length.

Here is how the transmission cable lined up with the transmission shifter originally. You can see that the cable end was slightly forward of the transmission shifter bushing. This means extra travel at the Toyota shifter was needed to move from Park to Drive, which was the cause of my slight shifting problem.

I was able to take out that extra length, and now the Toyota transmission shifter works perfectly, in all detents.

There is hardly any information online about adjusting the end. Hope this helps.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

To finish up the transmission cable linkage, I designed a 3D mount to hold the end of the transmission cable. It bolts up to underneath the body, behind the transmission shifter.
View attachment 3486238

I put in slotted holes to allow some adjustment. It puts the transmission cable at the correct angle.
Close up photo of the first version, without the adjustment slots.

View attachment 3486294

One needs to modify the transmission shift lever by shortening it to 96mm pivot to pivot, and changing the angle to 38° as measured by a straight line between the two pivot to pivot points relative to the top of the transmission tunnel. This is in the park position.

View attachment 3486275

This is what it looks like installed. Very simple.

View attachment 3486242

I was using the Toyota rubber isolator, but it added too much slop in the movement. I welded in a hard mount.

I am able to hit every gear position.

I had to check for clearance with the t-case since I don't have it in at the moment. I made a simple cardboard template.

View attachment 3486251

As you can see, the transmission cable mount is above the cardboard in the above picture, and as seen below, everything on the t-case is blow the cardboard

Plenty of room.

View attachment 3486253

Doing some R&R on an early style 4WD lever mount. It was extremely stiff when I received it.

This is all the parts, minus the rubber boot.

View attachment 3486262

Nice I like the 3d printed piece just made one out of steel pain in the butt for sure

 

[NeverFinis]

Just a note to myself.

The Gen IV 2 pin alternators can not run the dummy charge light on the Toyota cluster. Both pins, L and F, are PWM.

BCM -> PWM -> L Pin
F Pin -> PWM -> ECM

L Pin sets command voltage via 5V PWM
10% = 11.0 V
20% = 11.56 V
30% = 12.12 V
40% = 12.68 V
50% = 13.25 V
60% = 13.81 V
70% = 14.37 V
80% = 14.94 V
90% = 15.5 V

Nice thread on adapter the 2 pin gen iv alternator
Post #23 shows a neat arudino setting alternator voltage...

I have to look into if HP Tuners can configure the default running voltage.

 

[NeverFinis]

The truck is now insured, registered, and has new plates. It has been a long time coming.

It still needs an inspection but it can now be driven on the road legally. 7 days to get it inspected. Priority now will be clearing/fixing the check engine codes before inspection.

 

[NeverFinis]

My truck just got inspected and passed! I am thrilled. I am in Mass, and I wasn't quite sure it would.

Weak-ass factory parking brake.....and it couldn't hold the motor at 1300 rpms as required for inspection. My guess is that they don't really do that. The inspector reported the parking brake as strong.

I removed the downstream 02 sensor DTCs (P0420/P0430) that turned on the Check Engine light before taking it in. I had to take the HP Tuners course to get access to those DTCs.

Vehicles older than 15 years no longer get emission tested, so it didn't really matter. This makes swaps so much easier on older vehicles.

I prefer not to have a permanent check engine light for those, in case something else becomes an issue and triggers the light.

Lift was fine. 35" Tires + 2.5" Springs. There is a Massachusetts calculation that outlines max lift based on wheelbase length and width.

More on road testing now. I need to make sure the MAF adjustment I did was fine, which takes driving and logging. I think it is.