Transmission Adapter?

[Camp1967]

Hello everyone. I am new to this site, but I am hoping to get some advice and information. I have a FJ62 (1989) and the stock engine is trashed. I am wanting to swap in a 5.3L Chevy Vortec or something similar to improve HP and make it more fun to drive. I found the place to supply the engine (thanks to this site) - BDTurnkey Engines in Reno,NV - However, here is my problem:
The shop I am considering (in Denver) to do my swap, is saying I cant use my original tranny and that their are no adapters to make anything link up with the 5.3 Chevy..........Any thoughts or advise would greatly be appreciated.

 

[Elbert]

take a look at the advance adapters web site... You want to use the GM auto transmission...not the Toyota, then adapt from the GM transmission to the toyota transfer case.

Edit..yes I'm talking about a auto transmission....since the FJ62 came with auto trans...FYI.

I have a manual transmission too...but I'm sitting in a FJ60 and I have a marks adapter to mate the 5.7 vortec V8 to toyota 5 speed manual.

 

[Camp1967]

Thanks for the referral to Advanced Adapters.....So I cant use the stock Tranny with Chevy 5.3L Vortec?

 

[M1A1cruiser]

You CAN mate the toyota transmission to the Chevy engine. That's the whole point of the bellhousing adaptor. I think Elbert is saying that if you're going to use an auto transmission - a la your 62 - you will want the 460le (the chevy auto) and the toyota transfer.

Search for vortec or 5.3 or swap on the main page of this board and you'll find plenty.
In my sig line you can see where I used the advanced adaptor, as did other guys who decided to go with a manual transmission (rover67, scrapdaddy, EOE_overland, a few others but that's off the top of my head).

Lots of research is your friend in these deals. Even if you're having someone do it for you; if they're not a land cruiser engine swap specialist (Georg, TORFAB, IPOR, etc) you will want to be able to speak intelligently about what they are doing or not doing to your truck.

Good luck, TDC.-

 

[orangefj45]

I've done quite a few of these conversions. Bottom line, use the GM transmission.

You're probably asking "why"?!

1) the Toyota transmissions hold up great but they weren't designed to have a 300HP power plant in front of them.

2) your transmission probably has a lot of miles on it. Running it behind the vortec will put added stress on it which will speed up the process of it wearing out.

3) rebuilding the A440f is expensive and most shops aren't familiar with them.

4) the gm transmission is very very common, so are parts and every transmission shop is extremely familiar with them.

If I had a customer come to my shop for a vortec swap into a 62, I would strongly recommend they run the GM transmission .......

Hth

Georg @ Valley Hybrids

 

[Camp1967]

Wow...man, just trying to work with a 10K budget. So, I was trying to leave the tranny alone. After hearing everyones suggestion on the GM tranny, is it realistic to purchase the 5.3 Chevy Vortec and include a rebuilt GM Tranny and include labor for 10K???? - Thanks so far for everyone's comments. This has been very helpful.

 

[orangefj45]

By the time it's all said and done you'll have a bare minimum of $6-7k in parts alone. Usually more.
That doesn't leave a lot on the table for labor .......

Georg

 

[Camp1967]

Thanks Georg....I might not be able to do the Vortec then since I have to involve a new tranny. What are your thoughts on re-building the original engine? Yes, I wont have the zip and extra power....but I don't have many other options??

 

[orangefj45]

Before you throw in the towel ..........

The vortec engine and 4L60/65E transmissions are extremely reliable. We've installed good used units without any issues. It's not uncommon or these engines o o over 200k miles without needing any serious attention. And the transmissions can go almost that far.
So if you're on a budget, why not try to find a good used low mileage pair from the same donor vehicle?! You should be able to get them for $2000-2500 if you're patient.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids

 

[Camp1967]

Anybody out there have a good used Chevy Vortec 5.3 with a 4L60/65E transmission ??

 

[The Machinist]

If you need to do it as cheaply as possible, I'd recommend you start searching your local junkyards for GM trucks/SUV's that came with the 5.3. Chances are you will find several rather quickly. Like Georg mentioned, you'd be golden if you could get an engine/trans from one truck, you'll have everything you need right there too, so grab everything.

I had to drive our family's 2001 Suburban, which has the 5.3, to work today because my 60 was in the shop after failing smog on Saturday... (I'll see what he came up with tomorrow morning...). Despite my severe dislike of automatic transmissions, that thing really gets up and moves! And the "Burb'" is HEAVY... I can only imagine what kind of trouble I could get into with a 5.3 (or even a 4.8) in my 60.



The thought of sending mine out to Georg for a swap of some sort has been floating around in my head practically since I bought my truck about 2 years ago. (Has it really been that long already!?!? ) Now that I have a plan for what I want to use my truck for, its getting more and more tempting... I may need to start pinching my pennies right about now if I want to make it happen within the next two years... I'd like to travel around western North America after college, and the thought of climbing countless mountain passes with the 2F while laden with gear is frightening to say the least. Maybe I'm crazy, but it cant be good for the engine if its always working at 100% just to get you down the road; thats why I'd consider a V8 in my 60.

George; for the sake of asking, would the 4-speed from my 60 be worth keeping in such a swap, or similarly to Camp1967's situation, would it be smarter to go with a GM transmission? Manual VS. Automatic is almost a tossup for me, but I do prefer manual in most cases. What would be the option if someone wanted to switch to a GM manual, and how would costs compare to a GM auto or H55?

 

[Mace]

I see no reason to do a v8 and NOT use a overdrive transmission of some sort.

NV4500 is the gm manual that you would want to use. In the end, it would be cheaper to use the NV over a H55F and adapters.

 

[orangefj45]

If you need to do it as cheaply as possible, I'd recommend you start searching your local junkyards for GM trucks/SUV's that came with the 5.3. Chances are you will find several rather quickly. Like Georg mentioned, you'd be golden if you could get an engine/trans from one truck, you'll have everything you need right there too, so grab everything.

I had to drive our family's 2001 Suburban, which has the 5.3, to work today because my 60 was in the shop after failing smog on Saturday... (I'll see what he came up with tomorrow morning...). Despite my severe dislike of automatic transmissions, that thing really gets up and moves! And the "Burb'" is HEAVY... I can only imagine what kind of trouble I could get into with a 5.3 (or even a 4.8) in my 60.



The thought of sending mine out to Georg for a swap of some sort has been floating around in my head practically since I bought my truck about 2 years ago. (Has it really been that long already!?!? ) Now that I have a plan for what I want to use my truck for, its getting more and more tempting... I may need to start pinching my pennies right about now if I want to make it happen within the next two years... I'd like to travel around western North America after college, and the thought of climbing countless mountain passes with the 2F while laden with gear is frightening to say the least. Maybe I'm crazy, but it cant be good for the engine if its always working at 100% just to get you down the road; thats why I'd consider a V8 in my 60.

George; for the sake of asking, would the 4-speed from my 60 be worth keeping in such a swap, or similarly to Camp1967's situation, would it be smarter to go with a GM transmission? Manual VS. Automatic is almost a tossup for me, but I do prefer manual in most cases. What would be the option if someone wanted to switch to a GM manual, and how would costs compare to a GM auto or H55?

Hey Darrel.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it. Engine and transmission swaps are major work and a fairly serious "investment" in your cruiser. If you plan on keeping the rig, then do your homework and take your time. I always recommend that perspective customers find a vehicle with the power train they think they want and see if they can talk to the owner and possibly even o for a short drive with them. Most fellow cruiser owners are fairly open to the idea of sharing their first-hand knowledge and experiences with other owners. It's worth so much more than reading what "user x" decided to post on a forum because he heard it from his uncles' cousins' friends neighbor.
The debate of auto vs manual is a broken record. Bottom line: build the vehicle so it suits your needs and to your liking. So if you plan on using the cruiser as a DD and occasional camping/exploration/mild wheeling rig, then stay away from big lifts and tires. There's not "one correct way" to build a cruiser even though some people and shops seem to believe that there is. It's your rig. Build it the way it makes sense for your needs. Period!
If you go with an auto, then get the engine and trans from the same donor vehicle.
If you decide on a standard trans, then go with an overdrive ( so a 5-spd ). That realistically narrows it down to two choices: the Toyota H55f and the nv4500. I like the h55f a lot better but behind a V8 in a 60-series rig you have to run the marks adapter. These work but to say the least, I'm not one of them.
I'm not a huge fan of the nv4500 but they make for a cleaner install as well as costing less.
I would definitely run the split case no matter what.
Hth
Georg @ Valley Hybrids

 

[Ridge Runner]

Just out of curiosity, Georg, why do you like the H55f? Better shifting and lighter weight?

 

[orangefj45]

Smoother shifting, reliable ( theyll go well over 200k miles without needing any work ) , closer gear "splits" ( when you shift from one gear to the next the engine RPM/s change the same amount ) and overall much quieter. A taller 5th gear would be nice.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids