New owner of 5.3 swap...few questions about Vortec Voodo

[AKFJ80]

So I love my new truck i picked up off a board member here.

Just got her de-rusted and painted fresh PPG 8Nb Blue.

All is well for the most part except the motor which is apparently a 2007 (I am having a hard time deciphering the casting coding) is doing some funky things.

It is throttle by wire....is this the preferred setup? Sometimes that actuator feels a bit lazy.

The VPM or "V-4" mode is kicking in and out and it gives the drivetrain a bit of a shudder. I understand the torque management with the trans and engine is working out a deal to prevent shock loading the drivetrain when switching back to v-8 mode but it is quite annoying to be honest. Not sure if there are any mileage gains yet.

My question is:

Can some of these strange things be programmed out? I understand the predator tuners and disable the VPM mode alltogether which seams to be the way to go.

Also, there is a hesitation in the throttle on occasion from stops. As if the truck is carbed and it is dumping a bit too much fuel etc...

I am told the MASS flow sensor may need cleaning or on its way out.

By the way it is mated to a 4l60E which I believed is matched to the engine.

Any insight to the mentioned issues is appreciated.

 

[hambone008]

Sorry bud no insight. I'm still runnin my 3FE, but I just had to say that is a bada%# rig man. Hope you get it lined out quick and enjoy!

 

[AKFJ80]

Thanks Hanbone! Few kinks to Iron out but I think shes a winner

 

[Kurtis]

The only thing I would worry about a predator tune is if there has been work done already to your ECM by whoever made the harness. I would try to find out who did the wiring on the swap and ask them what went into it. If they deleted stuff when they did the install chances are it already has a tune of some sort to deal with the codes that would pop up. If they left everything intact and are running the ecm as is it might work out.

Honestly your best bet would be to find a tuner, have him hook up and see whats going on with the harness as far as sensors installed, and whats already been done to the ecm.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

I don't know anything about V* swaps either, but that is a heck of a nice 62. If you ever find your way up to Fairbanks, I'd love to see that thing!

TK

 

[AKFJ80]

Thanks Kurtis. I will look into that. A guy on here by the handle "Iaintscared" Did the swap. He apparently does god work but unfortunately held the truck hostage for around 9 months or so from the previous owner with little contact...yeah...one of those stories. I tried to PM him however it went unanswered about what he did for setup and such.

I do know the predator tuners will save your default settings so you can always revert back perchance you screw something up.

Thanks Cruiserfreak! I will look you up next time I am up there. I am currently in Oregon and CA now (as you can see from the snowless picture) but will be headed that way in a month or so.

The interior is incredible on this thing as well. It is actually getting me a bit worried about wheeling it!

 

[Kurtis]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/174821-another-cruiser-gets-vortec.html

Looks like he used Fuel Injection Specialties in the past.

 

[mwalls54]

if your in wasilla look up roger willis of rogers autocare. he knows quite a bit about ls motors.
the v4 mode can be turned off but since the pcm has a custom tune you will have to find someone to do that not a hand held programer. I have always used blackbear performance for custom tunes.

 

[AKFJ80]

Thanks guys. I did some searching from some of his past swaps and found that just as you posted it.

I honetly had no idea how involved the programming is with an application like this but I suppose it makes sense considering how many things are not present that used to be from the donor truck.

Does anyone have a good source for deciphering the casting numbers on the block? The Previous owner said 2007 motor but he also said it had a 4l80E trans which it is not.

Thanks

 

[MANUCHAO]

FYI.

FIS did some crappy work for some mud members including me. I would check to see all is good there first before you go around messing with the programming...

If I were you I would try to go with the vin number the PCM is reading out and go from there...

You got the right color truck... it looks really sharp !!!

Good luck..and post mo pics of that thing !!!

 

[AKFJ80]

I'm beginning to gather that. For the most part the install is clean but man...lots of odds and ends to work out.

Took her on her maiden voyage today and did not get very far. I had the attendant fill the tank at the station (Oregon Law, cant pump your own gas) and when I went to drive the truck stalled out. Turns out the evap system was sucking fuel into the evap canister giving the vapor reader thing bad signals or something.

Siphoned gas out...spent the next 4 hours in the rain trying to get it to run properly....drained evap box and hoses...still no love.

Then decided to mess witht he MAF sensor. No idea why...just decided to unplug it and what do you know she runs great.

REplaced MAF sensor and runs AWESOME however now have check engine light I am hoping a battery disconect will clear...wishful thinking.

Engine swaps are fun but you are battling these terrible emision systems.

Will a good code reader find the VIN# it is working with?

 

[orangefj45]

A few things come to mind.....

1) you can ID the engine year by the casting number stamped into it. Same can be done by the trans ID number and the part number on the FBW controller. The number on the computer will also help.

2) I have been dealing with the guys at Howell engine development for about twenty years. Great products, great support and a great resource. I'd talk to them about flashing your comp.

3) no code reader will tell you the vin for the donor vehicle. But most people who do conversions for a living will write the vim on the computer. If the vehicle went to a smog ref then the donor Vin should be noted on their print out. But not always.

Hth

Georg

 

[AKFJ80]

Thanks Georg. I have been tempted to stop by and have you take a look and possibly sort out some things I have questions about. But I understand it can be a can of worms deciphering some other guys swap. It runs well now (for the past few hours) however I am concearned about this wacky evap canister and its ability to fill with fuel.

I will check the casting number now here in a few...trucks outside.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[orangefj45]

I "invested" in a new snap-on scanner a while ago so we can do some exploring......

The evap canister filling with fuel sounds suspicious. How are the vent lines routed? All the oem lines and tank still in the passenger rear panel?

Hth

Georg

 

[AKFJ80]

Yes sir, Passenger rear panel.

The Delphi evap box with the three inlets/outlets are facing aft.

I just took her for a spin and is running very well and the CEL is now off after batt reconnect.

There is the filler neck at top...and about 6-8" below that is the hose nipple with hose that routes back to the Evap canister....this was FULL of fuel from the topoff at the gas station. Now, I realize some other vehicles have had issues with this in factory setups but it is certainly not acceptable.

I can only surmise there is some sort of vacume being pulled from the evap can (duh) that is sucking the fuel inside and giving erroneous reading or none at all since there is not much vapor being pulled accross the element?

Also...there is the occasional gas smell in the cab..as if something back there is "burping" fumes. This is also when the tank is nearly empty.

I will try and get some pics tomorrow but for now wish me luck driving over the passes back to CA from Grants Pass OR.

I will certainly help repay some of that investment you made in that snapon scanner! I believe a solution is close by I just need a person more well versed on the systems.

Luke

 

[orangefj45]

i think one of your issues is the fact that you no longer have the factory vent "canister". i'm not talking about the charcoal canister in the engine bay, but the vent canister that mounts in the rear kick panel. it needs to be in there so the fuel from the vent lines and from the filler neck overflow can not get into the evap ( charcoal ) canister. i can post a pic tomorrow.

Specter Off-Road Land Cruiser Parts - Page 168 Land Cruiser Gas Tanks


#79 in the second pic down.

hth

georg @ valley hybrids

 

[AKFJ80]

Sounds good.

I do have the "canister" in the rear kick...but it is a boxy looking thing, and I cannot locate one under the hood but when it gets brighter out I will hunt for it.

Such party animals discusing fuel evap systems on a friday night

 

[Elbert]

battery disconnect will not clear new GM engines trouble codes...the good thing is that you have a trouble code. Good time to invest in a engine scanner the reads live data and trouble code information.

I'm beginning to gather that. For the most part the install is clean but man...lots of odds and ends to work out.

Took her on her maiden voyage today and did not get very far. I had the attendant fill the tank at the station (Oregon Law, cant pump your own gas) and when I went to drive the truck stalled out. Turns out the evap system was sucking fuel into the evap canister giving the vapor reader thing bad signals or something.

Siphoned gas out...spent the next 4 hours in the rain trying to get it to run properly....drained evap box and hoses...still no love.

Then decided to mess witht he MAF sensor. No idea why...just decided to unplug it and what do you know she runs great.

REplaced MAF sensor and runs AWESOME however now have check engine light I am hoping a battery disconect will clear...wishful thinking.

Engine swaps are fun but you are battling these terrible emision systems.

Will a good code reader find the VIN# it is working with?

 

[AKFJ80]

I had a check engine light, and after the batt disco I no longer have the light. As I understand it the issue is resolved however there is still an "event" logged correct? I know these modern systems cannot be cheated.

I had a 99 mercedes and you had to drive the car up to 50 miles after a batt disco for the comp to relearn and ensure the evap system is working before you can even smog the car. Crazy. I think its a Daimler thing.

The light only lit after a MAF swap, it did not illuminate when the evap system was flooded.

I will grab a scanner tomorrow at the local oreillyshuckskragen parts store.

 

[dbleon]

Heres the stock GM routing of the EVAP. Realy simple if you ask me.

Here's what I did. Keep in mind I run an in-tank fuel pump which has the EVAP vent built in (see middle hose on pump)

You also need to run the GM fuel level sender for all the EVAP to work.

FYI, your setup is probably different, I kept it as close to GM designed as possible. I have no codes, and running flawlessly.