I'm no trans expert, but I think that little truck will be fine with a 4l60 or 65. Especially a lightly beefed up one. 
Build Unicorns are real... My dream car FJ73 build
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so let me get this right.. it is now gonna buy a whole car to get another transmission and motor when it started with I have an LS sitting on a stand in the garage.. You have problems sir.. YOu have problems.. Yeah i'd just buy a donor vehicle to get the whole package out of .
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Got that in Vera....
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- #344
Look in the mirror and you’ll find the guy that started me down this land cruiser road!! I’d be so much better off if I just handed you my wallet back then!
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Bumper came back from powder coat
If I was on a budget putting in a LS I would have a no ECM engine with a Q-jet carb and no EFI using a common chevy to TLC adapter plate to the stock toyota 5speed, If I had to have a auto it would be a 87-93 700r4(pre-electronics only TV cable)......If you're willing to drop the extra cash I'd get the 6L90e and a standalone aftermarket TCM. A 4L80E or 4L60E can be made to shift manually with a simple electric switch array, but with harsh shifts and always at full line pressure. The Major benefit of the 6 speed is the lower first and higher OD. With the power of the LS, neither will be necessary and it will take a lot of fuel savings to recover the cost of the 6 speed and TCM. If you were putting in a lower powered diesel with a limited RPM range the 6 speed would be more advantageous.
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Carb on a LS is a complete joke get out of here with that
That, and it doesn’t sound any cheaper to me
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Maybe you mentioned it, but what do you want out of a LS combo? What is the main intended use of this cruiser? How much do you want to spend on the swap? You can use afaik a gen 3 motor with a gen 4 ecu. Which then you could use a gen 4 trans. You would need a dbw throttle body and a crank reluctor ring converter.
Simplicity has value. Anyone who is confident comfortable, and unconcerned with putting together/transplanting a EFI system with ECU etc. Should do so.........If it isn't easy and comfortable for you to do then old manual/mechanical/ fuel and fire physics is easier to understand and execute. There's also a few of us who value our 70 series as being the ultimate doomsday vehicle to run and be simply repairable when everything else is failing. ECM's electronics etc.. negate this....Different ways of looking at things. I envy people who see and understand all the electronics.That, and it doesn’t sound any cheaper to me
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I totally understand how some people want everything mechanical and few electronics.
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Great question, and as I am at this decision point, good to revisit. I welcome people's opinions as I do not know what I am doing. I have very little GM experience, and this is my first LS swap.
I plan to daily drive this rig as well as be my overlanding rig. Basically, be able to drive 80mph to Colorado, 10 hours on the highway, and then shift into low, air down and hit the trails.
So from that, I do like the idea of the lower low and higher overdrive of the 6 speed.
At about 4k lbs, I thought the 5.3 is all I would need for power. It appears the 6.0 is about the same size.
I plan for this to be a long term rig, so I want to do this right. If I have to buy a parts rig to get a full powertrain and 6 speed, that is a fine decision.
What this is coming from is that finding a 4l80 is harder than I thought it would be. With no core, I am looking at 2.5k or so. add to that a harness and computer and I am closer to 4k.
So, the decision I have is does the x factor of the 6 speed and a couple thousand make this a good decision to jump? Really, in perspective, we drop $6k to put a turbo or supercharger on 80 series, so this does not seem like an excess amount of money to upgrade from stock 120hp.
@cjmoon brought up the issue of the 6l80 being wider. I know that 80 series rigs got this figured out with different driveshafts, but as far as I know there are not any other LS swaps for 70 series that have threads, so no idea if there will be an issue using a split case.
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I hope to never own anything with a carb ever again.....
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I would highly advise against a 6l80 without the matching engine, PCM, TCU all out of the same vehicle
You already bought a 4l80 adapter right? Just stick to that and keep it all Gen 3 and keep your life easy. Throw 3:1 gears in the tcase in the future and be golden.
4l80 is simple and bulletproof. You don’t have to get a new one. In fact I’d have no qualms with a high mileage used one of it came out of a running Van or truck. Stay away from ones with perfect clean fluid since that usually means someone flushed it trying to fix a problem
You already bought a 4l80 adapter right? Just stick to that and keep it all Gen 3 and keep your life easy. Throw 3:1 gears in the tcase in the future and be golden.
4l80 is simple and bulletproof. You don’t have to get a new one. In fact I’d have no qualms with a high mileage used one of it came out of a running Van or truck. Stay away from ones with perfect clean fluid since that usually means someone flushed it trying to fix a problem
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- #356
The choices that I have right now is stay on current course. -- Find a 4l80 and wait until March when the adapter gets back in stock,
or call Advanced and swap to the 6l80 adapter, buy an entire running wrecked 6l80/LS car and swap everything over.
Honestly, seems like the second choice is easier.... please tell me if I am not thinking clearly.
Lol to me #2 sounds like a big PITA.
Buy a 4l80. Like Matt said just get a used one. Call Marks and buy an adapter from them... you’ll have it in a week. Cancel that Advance Adapters order.
The way you work you could be done by March, not just starting.
Buy a 4l80. Like Matt said just get a used one. Call Marks and buy an adapter from them... you’ll have it in a week. Cancel that Advance Adapters order.
The way you work you could be done by March, not just starting.
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- #359
Well, I trust you two, so will keep on this path. Thanks for guidance....
In regard to the adapter, this is the adapter I need, I don't see it on Marks website, so that is why I have not jumped ship.... I am going to a split case transfer case.
www.advanceadapters.com
In regard to the adapter, this is the adapter I need, I don't see it on Marks website, so that is why I have not jumped ship.... I am going to a split case transfer case.
50-1701 : GM 4L80E 4 speed automatic transmission to the August1980-1990 Land Cruiser 19 spline transfer case,adapter kit. | Advance Adapters
Advance Adapter The 4L80E adapter to the Land Cruiser 19 spline transfer case is 3.19” in length. And the overall length of the transmission and adapter is 29.19”. The adapter material is 356 T6 heat treated aluminum alloy. The adapter kit includ...
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If its tough to find a 4l80 by itself, maybe just buy a 6.0 truck with a 4l80 and put the 6.0 in with the 4l80.