Not another LS swap... (1 Viewer)

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Apr 29, 2019
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Location
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First off, I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I just got an 80 series that I am beginning to build out for overloading. I have a 1996 without lockers. That will be changing soon as I will be re-gearing and putting in an ARB rear locker. (front one, too when my wallet recovers) I will also be putting an Icon stage 3 suspension in.

Now the reason for this thread. I eventually want to do an LS motor swap. I don't have the talent, like so many here on the board do, to do the work myself. Can anyone give me a ballpark figure after the cost of the motor how much it cost to get it installed? I know a bunch of things must be modified to make it work. I am a planning freak (I have a masters degree in strategic planning after all). I would like to get an idea to start saving money as I don't like to use debt.

Thank you ahead of time to all those who take time to contribute.
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$6000 to $15,000 after the engine.

Could be $25,000 with some of the "While you're in there" stuff........

But if you're Joe Rogan........ it's six figures.......
 
If you don't have the wallet for front lockers with rears and a lift at the same time and can't wrench like a champ ... you aren't doing an LS swap. It's not a plug and play easy thing.

Welcome to MUD though
 
$6000 to $15,000 after the engine.

Could be $25,000 with some of the "While you're in there" stuff........

But if you're Joe Rogan........ it's six figures.......

I am no Joe Rogan - that's for sure. However, this begins to give me an idea. My current motor will have to hold out a little longer than I hoped. :rolleyes:
 
If you don't have the wallet for front lockers with rears and a lift at the same time and can't wrench like a champ ... you aren't doing an LS swap. It's not a plug and play easy thing.

Welcome to MUD though

Definately not right now. I am putting about $20K doing phase one. A couple of years down the road I'll have enough money to put the $20k+ to do the LS swap. That's why I am asking now so I can start planning.
 
X2 on the response above. If you’re paying a shop to do the swap you’re looking at $25k. Is there something wrong with the existing motor?

The current motor was recently rebuilt before I bought it by a transmission shop.(?) My mechanic says he doesn't like how it was done. He said it may give 20,000 miles or 200,000 miles, he just doesn't know. I probably will only put 3 to 5 thousand miles a year on it, but eventually I will want more power.

I originally thought of buying something new - but didn't want an $800 a month payment for 5 years and the additional costs of getting it overland ready. I decided on the 80 - not to save money - but to have cost control. I can spend as I see fit, but if I need to refocus my finances in another direction I can. With a car payment, it's showing up every month regardless.
 
With the 96 you should consider the new bolt on turbo kit in recent production by Wits End!
 
why buy an 80 with a sketchy engine only to spend 25K redoing it when for 15K you could find an 80 already built with a good engine?
 
why buy an 80 with a sketchy engine only to spend 25K redoing it when for 15K you could find an 80 already built with a good engine?

Regardless of the state of the motor my plan would be to eventually do the swap anyway. I eventually want an engine with more power. I am not looking at this project as a money saving project - but rather as a project that has cost controls verse a new car with a monthly payment.

What I bought was what I was looking for: it was straight, no accidents, no rust, and clean inside. The motor was secondary.
 
What is Overloading?
It's when you use the same function name in a single scope. The compiler disambiguates by the number and/or type of arguments being passed in.
 
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That's the point my mechanic was trying to make - he has no idea.

None of us do. Typically the 1FZ motors are very hearty and most of us expect 300-400,000 miles. Rebuilt can be anything from a new head gasket to a brand new short block. I would seriously try to backtrack the info with the shop that did the work. A regear, and/or supercharger, or turbo can add significant power. What is the application for all the extra power: on road, offroad, towing,ego,......
 
Getting the swap done in CA is a whole other can of worms. From what I have read here on MUD, that means NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, the refs are pretty much making it impossible to get them past. I've turned down CA swaps from the beginning for the same reason, never know what a ref is going to want you to change, all subjective.
 

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