Old and New: 5.7 Vortec to 6.0 LS Swap, ‘69 FJ40

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Mike Shull said:
I get the feeling that you have lost a charge or two?

I thought that my hookups on the evaporator were AN fittings. I installed the 90* (AN?) to o-ring fittings that came with the kit and I was thinking about removing them and running the line straight to the evaporator.
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Oh no, I was referring to the fact that the heater core uses #10 AC fittings. It doesn’t make sense on a heater core
 
@Rock40, do you have onboard air? If so, what do you have and do you like it? I am using a ViaAir setup that is 25+ years old and there is no way that it will fill a 40” tire in a reasonable amount of time.

I saw your locker compressor on your firewall and I was thinking about replacing mine with an upgraded onboard air compressor and running my locker lines to an air tank. Thoughts?
 
gonzopancho said:
At what temp?

I see a 300a ampacity rating for a 75C (167F) wire in a 25C (77F) environment, but it’s for bare wire.

Insulated 2/0 copper stranded wire is rated around 175A in the same conditions. Your under hood temps might be higher than your living room.

IJS…
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I was look8mg at the Polar Wire site which is appears to be identical in construction to the wire I’m using.


325 amps at 86 degrees, 304 at 104 degrees. Sure it’ll be hotter under the hood, and i believe that’s likely enough of a safety margin. Powermaster calls for #2 cable as long as the run is under 6’. Pretty big difference between 2/0 and #2 cable
 
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Mike Shull said:
@Rock40, do you have onboard air? If so, what do you have and do you like it? I am using a ViaAir setup that is 25+ years old and there is no way that it will fill a 40” tire in a reasonable amount of time.

I saw your locker compressor on your firewall and I was thinking about replacing mine with an upgraded onboard air compressor and running my locker lines to an air tank. Thoughts?
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Yeah, I have the small ARB compressor on the firewall and that is feeding a 3 gallon air tank in the rear. There is nothing fast about the small ARB compressors tho. Great for the lockers. I’ve aired back up in a pinch but I don’t prefer it.

I carry a PowerTank also and that is QUICK for filling tires. Would probably inflate a 40” tire under a minute but I’ve never tried it. Converted AC pumps are pretty fast, I’ve just never run one
 
Tired of wiring nonsense, would much rather fabricate something

Relocated the power steering and coolant reservoir bottles

Rear mount for steering fluid, sits essentially directly over the pump


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Front mount for the coolant reservoir…


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DUN


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Firemedic831 said:
looks good what tig set up do you use ?
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Thx, I’m using a Miller Synchrowave. It’s an older transformer machine but it welds DC really, really nicely.

Love the TIG for the heat control and the fact that it doesn’t splatter all over nearby expensive components like MIG. Definitely way more sensitive to any contaminants or dirty metal tho
 
A little progress today…

As much as I want to, there’s zero way to run a lower 20AN radiator hose. The thermostat housing and radiator outlet are too close together and there isn’t enough room for the AN fittings, let alone any 20AN hose.

Bit the bullet and ordered a 360 degree swivel thermostat housing from CVR. It has a 1.5” outlet, lower radiator is 1.75” As far as I can tell, an LS thermostat housing with a 1.75” neck doesn’t exist

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So I have to have a spliced radiator hose (which I don’t like) and a reducer.

Used a reducer from JTR. Transitional Hose Splicers - https://jagsthatrun.com/collections/best-sellers/products/transitional-hose-splicers This is a different size for reference, they make quality stuff

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And the lower hose will look like this, plus a few more clamps 😂


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Made up the 10AN heater hoses up to the firewall also


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Upper radiator hose is done. Dollar bill is for size comparison, they are LARGE full flow fittings.

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I like that
 
Yeah, ultra clean. And unfortunately a huge price tag to go along with that
 
Here’s my main gripe with Vintage Air heaters and AC units. Granted I only have heat in my 40 but the AC units are the same

Vintage Air uses #10 male AC fittings on their heater core. INCONVENIENT to say the least. As far as I could find, there is no such thing as a #10 AC to 10AN fitting. Nothing. If Vintage Air used NPT, barb or literally anything else it would have been easy

So I got some plain #10 AC fittings and welded a 10AN male to them

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Went up to my neighbors fabrication shop to do the welding and ended up assisting with these brackets. They are seat supports for one of the NY state ferries. If you’re riding the ferry in the future and the seat doesn’t collapse you can thank me 😂


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Heater plumbing is done. This might not look like much but it was a pain to get things to fit, go figure


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And got REALLY lucky with the exhaust. I built the stainless crossover long before the engine was ever test fit, just had an idea of where I wanted it to terminate basically

Original exhaust had a 6” flex piece, I bought a stainless steel 8” and it essentially bolted right in. Welded on the exhaust flange and that was it. Would love to do full stainless exhaust but this is WAY over budget so that’ll have to wait


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Rock40 said:
Here’s my main gripe with Vintage Air heaters and AC units. Granted I only have heat in my 40 but the AC units are the same

Vintage Air uses #10 male AC fittings on their heater core. INCONVENIENT to say the least. As far as I could find, there is no such thing as a #10 AC to 10AN fitting. Nothing. If Vintage Air used NPT, barb or literally anything else it would have been easy

So I got some plain #10 AC fittings and welded a 10AN male to them

View attachment 3580908


Went up to my neighbors fabrication shop to do the welding and ended up assisting with these brackets. They are seat supports for one of the NY state ferries. If you’re riding the ferry in the future and the seat doesn’t collapse you can thank me 😂


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Is this not what your Vintage Air heater came with?

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Mike Shull said:
Is this not what your Vintage Air heater came with?

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Yes. That is not useful, at all. All it gives you is the option of routing rubber heater hoses through your firewall, which I don’t like. They are not correct for AN pushloc hose and because the core is set up the way it is, you are stuck with the barb fittings 👎

It’s odd because Vintage Air DOES sell a very nice AN bulkhead connection, 2 fittings for heat and 2 for AC. How you are supposed to get to AN without welding custom fittings like I did is beyond me.
 
Saginaw box is back from PSC 👍


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Fabbed up the steering shaft support today. Used a stainless Borgeson bearing and tied it into the AA motor mount


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DUN

The shaft fits just BARELY between the frame, exhaust header and shock hoop


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