G'day all, and a happy new wheeling year!
I've been reading up on LS engine swap threads for a couple months now, and if it weren't for this great resource, I wouldn't be contemplating starting this thread. Hopefully, hopefully, this may become another engine swap thread. Researching this forum the swap threads seem to have peaked quite a few years ago, maybe because it was all new back then? The info shared then is still very relevant now as our trucks seem to go on and on, and upgrading / swapping mostly hinges on parts availability. Before I explain my first question below, just wondering if the more experienced swappers out there have any thoughts about what they would do different these days, use new products etc etc?
Anyway, I'm narrowing in on a generally well-documented swap because I want something that is a fun result, proven to work and be as reliable as possible. Our right hand drive FJ62 with 3F petrol engine, H55F and 4.1 diff from 1988 has 370,000 km on the clock but runs great and reliably. As many others have said before, just a bit slow, gruntless, and getting older. We want to use the truck for wheeling and light off-road use as in touring parts of Australia, occasionally towing a camper trailer. Realistically if we can get another 100-150 thousand kms out of her, we'll probably be grey and old ourselves by then . Soo, looking at putting in an LS V8, possibly importing a Vortec 5.3L truck engine, or sourcing a suitable LS from a Holden car. 4L60e and adapter to mate to stock t-case.
While it's been done many times before, I haven't been able to find much info about driveline dimension changes. As the truck came with a long range tank fitted behind the t-case, I have started to take some measurements myself. I hung some plumb lines under the car and reckon the measurements have an accuracy of about 5mm, enough for this purpose. The drawing below will hopefully be useful for others as well.
I found some numbers on the length of the Vortec and 4L60e that I have included in the drawing for comparison, 730mm and 610mm respectively. My question here is, are these numbers okay, and how much variation is there between different models of the engine and transmission? By the looks of it, the new combination gives me a total of 1512 mm up to the point where things would bolt on to the t-case, vs 1355 mm as-is. I might just have enough space behind the t-case to place it back by the difference of 157 mm, but certainly not more.
Anyone who wants to chime in?
I've been reading up on LS engine swap threads for a couple months now, and if it weren't for this great resource, I wouldn't be contemplating starting this thread. Hopefully, hopefully, this may become another engine swap thread. Researching this forum the swap threads seem to have peaked quite a few years ago, maybe because it was all new back then? The info shared then is still very relevant now as our trucks seem to go on and on, and upgrading / swapping mostly hinges on parts availability. Before I explain my first question below, just wondering if the more experienced swappers out there have any thoughts about what they would do different these days, use new products etc etc?
Anyway, I'm narrowing in on a generally well-documented swap because I want something that is a fun result, proven to work and be as reliable as possible. Our right hand drive FJ62 with 3F petrol engine, H55F and 4.1 diff from 1988 has 370,000 km on the clock but runs great and reliably. As many others have said before, just a bit slow, gruntless, and getting older. We want to use the truck for wheeling and light off-road use as in touring parts of Australia, occasionally towing a camper trailer. Realistically if we can get another 100-150 thousand kms out of her, we'll probably be grey and old ourselves by then . Soo, looking at putting in an LS V8, possibly importing a Vortec 5.3L truck engine, or sourcing a suitable LS from a Holden car. 4L60e and adapter to mate to stock t-case.
While it's been done many times before, I haven't been able to find much info about driveline dimension changes. As the truck came with a long range tank fitted behind the t-case, I have started to take some measurements myself. I hung some plumb lines under the car and reckon the measurements have an accuracy of about 5mm, enough for this purpose. The drawing below will hopefully be useful for others as well.
I found some numbers on the length of the Vortec and 4L60e that I have included in the drawing for comparison, 730mm and 610mm respectively. My question here is, are these numbers okay, and how much variation is there between different models of the engine and transmission? By the looks of it, the new combination gives me a total of 1512 mm up to the point where things would bolt on to the t-case, vs 1355 mm as-is. I might just have enough space behind the t-case to place it back by the difference of 157 mm, but certainly not more.
Anyone who wants to chime in?