New Heart Same Soul

[rover67]

Pulling up this old thread for more updates...

I bought a VSS from Jim at Downey and installed it because i was having a stumbling at stop lights after decelerating, and the engine had a popping/backfire on decel i finally got sick of. Turns out (big surprise) the computer really likes knowing when the truck is moving. I didn't think I needed the VSS at first, but after having it it makes a world of difference. The truck was totally drivable without it, but having it makes it run sooo much nicer. Idles great coming to a stop and no popping or backfiring. I have even noticed a difference just cruising down the HWY. I am excited to see if having it improves economy since the computer has a "lean Cruise" featur built into it that only works if it know's it's moving.

Anyways, I also figured out my code I was getting for the Lean condition. Turns out that when I set the fuel pressure at 58psi a year ago it didn't stay there. I think it was at like 45 or 50 psi when I checked it a few weeks ago. Turning it up to 60 fixed it. I really didn't know what was going on untill I finally broke down and bought the HPTuners software and was able to see how the fuel trims were working. I'd notice they were both at full rich most of the time... knowing somethign was forcing it to run lean led me to the fuel pressure finally which was easy to check since I have a gage mounted to the FPR. I guess I rarely look under the hood while it's running so I never noticed it.

Anyways, next steps are to add the emmisions equipment back onto the truck. Unfortunatly as it turns out the smog guys here check to make sure it is all on there.. mainly the rear o2 sensors (which i had deleted). This is frustrating since now I will have to remove the wiring harness and send it back to FIS. I guess it will give them a chance to reprogram the computer again though... It won't Idle up when the AC is requested, and sometimes the fans decide to not turn on when it's hot.

I am actually excited to put all of the smog stuff back on it and add the rear o2's again though... i feel like the computer needs all of it's original inputs to run like it ran in the original truck. We'll see how it ends up turning out!

Again, thanks to all here for the feedback/support during this long project, I have learned a lot. And special thanks to Randy!

 

[rover67]

more updates. Ended up cutting and welding the oil pan.

It always seemed to hit.

first pic is before, second is after. I highly recommend doing this since it allows you to optimize engine placement. I also recently helped with a 5.3 swap where we used a camaro pan, that one also needed cutting and welding at stock ride heights.

 

[rover67]

also, I finally figured out that I needed an in tank pump to make things more perfect. spent a little while researching how to do this and ended up using a stock pump and a corvette FPR/Filter setup. thread here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/394565-tank-fuel-pump-conversion.html

It has cured my lean condition codes i was getting and has settled my fuel trims down.

 

[rover67]

Also ditched the contour fans finally and went mechanical. I used a stock fan from the GM motor and modified my FJ60 shroud to make it all work. It cools very well now with the stock fans. I was a fan of the contour setup until i went mechanical. I went mechanical because I kept having electrical issues with the countour fans that made them a headache. I will try to post pics sometime.

 

[Bomar]

Get it all sorted out and then I can bring my 62 up there and you can work your magic.

 

[rover67]

Ha! no problem Bomar!!

Here are a few shots of how the radiator shroud turned out..

 

[rover67]

Few more shots of it installed

 

[rover67]

last few. I also added a small 10" pusher fan in front of my condenser. I wanted to make sure that the condenser had enough airflow at Idle when stopped. I wired it to come on when the AC compressor clicks on. It works super great.

 

[rover67]

Last upgrade to the cooling system was a Steam Vent Tee from Jags that Run

Stealth Conversions V8 Cooling System Parts - LS1 Steam Vent Tee

This has helped make it IMMENSELY easier to bleed the air out of the cooling system. It didn't really affect my operating temps though. I added it because my steam vent line was plugged where it exited the throttle body and it just seemed right to make it go where it was supposed to.

There are lots of suggestion on where to route it.. some folks drill and tap the top of the casting where the upper radiator hose hits the motor and run it there, others tee it into a heater line. I chose the upper radiator hose location because it was the highest point in the cooling system, and the Tee came with a petcock that really helps in getting the air out.

Also, a note to think about is that the Chevy Trailblazers (with the V8) come with a heater hose that has the nipple on it for the steam vent line. So, GM did it like that too.

I lifted the non Toyota pics form another site so they'd be here for posterity. There are pics of the thermostat housing tapped, and a motor with the Trailblazer heater hoses.

The picture of my motor (cover is off of it because the injectors were out getting serviced) shows where I put the steam vent Tee from Jags that Run. It also shows the new upper radiator hose I run with my new shrowd The NAPA 8991 part number seemed to work well.

 

[rover67]

Another Update, I realized that I never posted this, but I ended up sending my harness a while back to Wait4Me Performance

Jesse fixed me up right. He found several issues with th eharness as provided by FIS (Fuel Injection Services). Mainly the power for everything was coming from one small wire. He added the appropriate wires and it helped the top end a lot.

I ended up sending him the harness and ECU after FIS was never able to figure out some of my issues.

Also, the issues with the lean condition I think are totally resolved. I am almost 100% certain that it was due to the fuel system all along. The new In Tank pump works very well and keeps a steady supply to the motor. I think my old setup with the inline pump was cavitating for some reason.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Man Marco, I've just read through this.

I've got to come check this one out! Not that I'm about to gas-engine anything, but there's an outside chance that the 60 will be getting a new motor soon, and you've got a few things there that I'll need to deal with anyway....

Dan

 

[rover67]

Any time!

The Tub for the 40 is here too.

 

[MANUCHAO]

Awesome Marco... I run the steam vent out of my heater hose.... I did not know that what it was for.....
Thanks for the update.

Maybe one day I'll take the plunge and run a mech fan....

 

[rover67]

Update....

I pulled the tranny/tcase/clutch a few evenings ago to address some issues...

issues:
1.) Intermittent vibration that follows RPMs
2.) burning up t case oil
3.) clutch inspection

Well, the transfer cast low range gear that spins on the output shaft when it's in high range spun the bushing. it was REAL tight on the output shaft and the bushing was black with burned oil.

I also think I found the source of the vibration....

ready for it???


well, the tranny input shaft dosen't really engage the pilot bearing from what I can tell. I have to measure again to make sure, but from teh looks of the input shaft on the tranny the two were never touching.

Now, I remember there was a random spacer and small bearing in the mark's adapter kit when I got it years ago but I just used a pilot bearing from NAPA that fit right instead of the spacer they gave me.

The spacer that came in the Marks' kit was just a ring to allow the use of a 35mm OD bearing in the 43.3mm hole. It didn't space the bearing out at all, that's why I just went with the bigger 43.3mm OD bearing instead.

I have done some research online and it looks like the 5.3 has a crankshaft that is recessed about .4" so the pilot bearing does in fact need to be spaced out some depending on the tranny one uses..

Does anybody have a photo of their pilot bearing installed? the one I have in there now is a 43.3mm OD x 15mm ID bearing that fits pretty deep.

The clutch looked OK which surprised me. I think I am still going to go with a new one. debating on whether or not I should do a center force again or get one of these:

(P/N LC165473S) | Advance Adapters

any advise there? I just don't like the weights on the center force clutch. They seem hokey.

 

[rover67]

Here is the issue with the pilot bearing and input shaft assembly...


I measured to see where the input shaft sits with respect to the front of the bell housing adapter, and measured the crankshaft with respect to the block face to come up with the CAD mock up of what I have going on.

you can see that the mark's adapter spud shaft in its most "seated" position on the tranny input shaft was just barely engaging the pilot bearing. the picture shows where it was wearing at the tip, you can see a slight groove developing. Also, it must have been coming out all the way at times also, the pilot bearing I was running had a mark on it from the Marks adapter spud shaft also pushing up against it.

After researching a bunch, I saw that there are a few options out there for extended pilot bushings to help solve the problem, but they don't quite reach far enough for my situation. The part numbers are Mcleod Racing 8617 (can get a summit) and Dorman 690-035

I don't know if my setup is weird or what, but the extended pilot bushings don't quite reach far enough so I am thinking I am going to have to have a spacer machined to push a pilot bearing out. Also, Lehiguy here on the board mentioned that the Mark's kits eat up pilot bushings so I'd rather go with a bearing. From the looks of it, I can definitely tell that spud shaft was moving back and forth.

FWIW, I emailed Mark's Adapters in AU and they replied with only very little help. They basically said that yes, the Gen III engines had a shallower crank and that i'd either have to space the spud shaft out or pilot bearing toward the tranny. They weren't able to give me any dimensions and suggested I measure everything and figure out what my setup needs. I thought that was weird, but maybe that is the case since the Mark's adapters weren't meant to work with the Gen III motors in the first place, I don't know. All I can say is if you are doign a Mark's kit and a GenIII motor, be certain of the pilot bearing engagement!!! When I put it together a few years ago, nobody told me I had to worry about any of it (not even the folks I go the adapter from) so I never checked.... The adapter was supposed to work fin with a "stock type pilot bushing or bearing"

Anyways, here are a few pictures to show what's going on, the CAD shows how it was running with the pilot bearing I had installed (GM pn 12557583 ):

 

[Elbert]

man that's some $%^.... with the Mark's Adapter...but is it right that the adapter was not made for that specific engine? I've not looked at the 5.3 and 6.0 engine adapaters but does AA make another adapter that you could replace the mark's with? IF not I guess you might be talking NV4500 or auto trans.

I'm pretty sure on my 5.7 that we did not have this issue. Don't have the trans out just yet.

What do you see as a solution?

 

[rover67]

I am going to have a friend of mine make a spacer for the pilot bearing to get it out far enough. You shouldn't have the same issue since the adapter was made for your motor...

This is an issue that is apparently known in the GenIII swap world, it just has never come up here. A search for "extended pilot bushing" brought up a ton of threads on other forums with people looking for solutions and doing the stepped pilot bushing I listed above. With my particular setup a stepped pilot bushing would still not get the input spud shaft and pilot bushing to mate properly thus the need for a custom part.

I just wonder if other folks here have had the same issue and either did a custom part, used an extended pilot bushing, of are running it like I was.

Again, this is specific to the GenIII blocks in particular, it'd probably apply to any AA bellhousing be it Mark's or otherwise coupled with that block. Folks would have to measure to make sure.

 

[Str8Razor]

Did you ever get any video.....I'd really like to see you putting the coals to her.....I'm collecting parts for my own swap and am debating on motor....5.3, 6.0, or maybe a 6.2 Escalade motor....the 6.2 isn't really feasible but it would be ridiculous.......

 

[Elbert]

A little off topic but I was looking at a freinds 2011 GMC 1/2 ton truck...it has the 6.2.
What is crazy... the 6.2 engine makes more torque and hp than the 6.0 and the 6.0 only comes in the 3/4ton trucks.

I don't know for sure but did the 5.3 and 6.0 engines ever come with a manual transmission?

 

[rover67]

A little off topic but I was looking at a freinds 2011 GMC 1/2 ton truck...it has the 6.2.
What is crazy... the 6.2 engine makes more torque and hp than the 6.0 and the 6.0 only comes in the 3/4ton trucks.

I don't know for sure but did the 5.3 and 6.0 engines ever come with a manual transmission?

Pretty sure the 5.3's and 6.0's never came with a MT.

The 4.8 motor I believe did have a MT mated to it.