Builds Mark's LX450 build

[RiverCityDave]

Time for some updates.. I have been very busy at work this year so I have not had time to document the little work that I have done to the LX450. I will try to get the thread caught up.

March 2016

AC Lines… I got ready for summer by getting the AC operational on the LX450.

I have a couple of quick questions,

You aren't worried about running that line so close to the headers with no heat shielding? (I have no idea what you might do about it, just curious)

May 2016

Carpet
Installed new carpet – not many pictures sorry

Rear Storage
I decide to pull the real storage system that I built for the FJ62 and use it in the LX450 until I have time to build one for the LX450.

Where did you get the carpet? Mine is in great shape, but I like having options.

Beautiful build man.

 

[MarkN]

I have a couple of quick questions,

You aren't worried about running that line so close to the headers with no heat shielding? (I have no idea what you might do about it, just curious)


No... I doesn't seem to get hot.. I can reach down and hold the house after a long drive and it is not hot at all. The Hooker manifolds must do a great job of taking heat away from the engine.



Where did you get the carpet? Mine is in great shape, but I like having options.

91-97 Toyota Land Cruiser Carpet Complete Kit


Beautiful build man.

Thanks....!

 

[daytonadogie]

Hi MarkN. I followed and copied your FJ60 swap, and recently picked up a '97 FJ80 to drop a 5.3 Vortec into. Was it any more difficult to do the 80 build than the 60? What oil pan did you use? Did you rebuild the transfer case? What do you think about trying to do this swap without a major suspension lift? I admire your work, and hope that my 80 turns out half as goo as yours did!

 

[bloc]

Hi MarkN. I followed and copied your FJ60 swap, and recently picked up a '97 FJ80 to drop a 5.3 Vortec into. Was it any more difficult to do the 80 build than the 60? What oil pan did you use? Did you rebuild the transfer case? What do you think about trying to do this swap without a major suspension lift? I admire your work, and hope that my 80 turns out half as goo as yours did!

You should check out the 80series v8 swap thread in the stickies

 

[MarkN]

Hi MarkN. I followed and copied your FJ60 swap, and recently picked up a '97 FJ80 to drop a 5.3 Vortec into. Was it any more difficult to do the 80 build than the 60? What oil pan did you use? Did you rebuild the transfer case? What do you think about trying to do this swap without a major suspension lift? I admire your work, and hope that my 80 turns out half as goo as yours did!

The 80 wasn't any more difficult other than the wiring integration and exhaust routing. Cruise Control and dash light integration was more complex. I did not rebuild the transfer case, the vehicle only had 165000 miles on it. F-body pan, over 25,000 miles and no problems. I have read others have done the swap without a lift, I had front driveline clearance problems without my 3" front/2" rear lift. The LX450 is my daily driver, it turn out as well as the FJ62, just not as cool looking.. Thanks for the complements. Good luck with your build.

 

[MarkN]

Update... on 03/30/2018 I hit 50,000 miles since the first drive. Not bad for a $600 Craigslist L33 and a home built 4L60E.. Still going strong..

 

[McDowra]

Thank you so much for this build thread. Have you towed with it if so how did it do?

 

[alia176]

just curious, have you been tracking your MPG not to be confused with SMG (smiles/gal)?

 

[afraptor22]

If you get a chance can you post some pictures of how your exhaust was routed, especially how they passed the driver side over? Thanks!

 

[bushdoctor]

Not all build threads are created equal..There's others then there's this..excellence. You need to get paid for this kind of stuff

 

[Filter]

Thanks for the awesome write up. Did you stick with the stock toyota fuel pump?

 

[Squad1]

Thanks for the awesome write up. Did you stick with the stock toyota fuel pump?

I'm using stock Toyota fuel pump in mine. Been 2 years now with a 5.3L and no fuel issues. Using #6 AN fuel lines and a Corvette filter with built in regulator. My 2013 engine does not use a fuel return from the rail, the return and pressure regulator are in the filter.

 

[Squad1]

my exhaust starts with caddy ctsv manifolds and is 2.5" stainless into a y where it goes to 3" on the left side of engine. it crosses over the back of the tcase and into a 3" muffler and 3" tailpipe

 

[Brian Schindler]

Update…

Had a few hours this last weekend to work on the project… Started by getting the Transmission shifter installed. I used a cable and some homemade brackets to connect the LX450 shifter and the 4L60e. It worked out well, I do not have it set up to manually go into 1st gear, I doubt I will ever need that functionality, but if I do I will address the problem then. Also the custom mount I made for the Transfer case shifter worked out prefect.

You can see the three bolts and fender washers for the shifter end of the shift cable in this picture.

I didn’t get any picture of the bracket. I will try to getting something later.
Sub-woofer going back in.

Console in place

All the wiring completed under the passenger side dash (expect the Tach signal convertor.. still waiting on it.

Seats installed.. Finished up under the driver’s side dash as well (except for the gas pedal)

Started working on the Air Intake system

I also got the wiring connected to the stock fuel pump and it appears to have plenty of pressure for the 5.3.. not sure about the volume yet, but I am going to give it a try. I am running the stock FJ62 pump on my 88 land cruiser with the same engine… and it has been fine for over 33000 miles.. and I drive it hard, so maybe we will get lucky.


Hopefully I can get back on this in the next few days… Below is a high level punch list that I need to complete.

Install Tach Signal Convertor
Modify and Install DBW pedal
Install new gear on Passenger power seat.. It is stripped out.
Exhaust
Considering swapping out the block hugger headers for Hooker cast iron manifolds.
Need to decide if I am going to do the exhaust system, or have it custom bent for me.. leaning toward custom bent
Going to use magnaflow 2 in to 2 x-pipe muffler
Install lift kit going with 3 inch leveling kit – This is needed for the 4l60e/driveshaft clearance
New brake lines
Install plug wires
Install O2 sensors
Finish up the air intake system
Brake booster hose
Modify OBDII port to allow the fuse box cover to work with my ScanGauge
Install rear seats and the rest of the interior
Figure out what I am going to do about tires.. Leaning toward 315/75/16 or 295/75/16 tires on the stock wheels.. not sure about the width of the tire to wheel. Thought about 255/85/16, but tough to find and might be to skinny…
Re-check every bolt on the drive system

Why did you create a custom mount for the Transfer case shifter? Also, is that a Trailblazer cable you used for the connection between the shift lever and the 4L60?

 

[Brian Schindler]

Update time.. it has been 6 weeks since my last update.. Very busy with work, family, holidays, ice storms, earthquakes, etc...

Got the interior back together… with most of the internal wiring completed.

Then all progress stopped.. for a while.. we had our first ice storm of the year on Nov. 30th and I had a tree fall on my home… It really didn’t cause that much damage but it did scare the hell out of us at 3:00am. Lol.. took a little bit to clean it up..

Back to the LX450..

Decide to go with the Hooker cast iron manifolds instead of the advanced adapter block hugger headers. I like the way that fit better and they exit in a better location than the block huggers.

Replaced the evap solenoid with a custom piece that a good friend made for me..

Built a plate to mount the DBW foot pedal assembly. It mounts in the original LX450 foot pedal mounting holes.

Modified the assembly by added the LX450 pedal.

All together..

Could you please provide the part number for the Hooker exhaust manifolds you got. They're rear dump instead of the center dump I've seen others install. Any reason you went rear instead?
Are these the ones?
Hooker LS Cast Iron Exhaust Manifolds 8501HKR

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Damn dude very nice....very

 

[Miller605]

Had a spare L33 laying around and decided to rebuild it.

Back from the machine shop..

Reworked an old head bolt to chase the head bolt threads.

Cleaning tools..

Prep for build

Crank is in place

Pistons

Torqueing rod bolts

Pistons installed

Oct. 2016
Heads on..

Which oil pan kit did you use?