V8 Swap Log - 60's with V8 (1 Viewer)

[Elbert]

Thought it might be a good place to park information and experience with running a V8 in a 60. What key parts worked or made a difference, what works for cooling, what gear combinations / drive train. Demonstrated experience (not hypothetical solutions), parts that work, cooling solutions...etc. Wiring harness, air intakes, transmission, engine mounts, radiators. Real world feedback, real world feedback on cooling temps, trans temps, failures, what not to do. Give enough detail where it makes a difference for someone. Don't post how well it cools when you have removed the condensor and you only drive it in town for 4 miles to and from work...or at least fully disclose what is going on.

So I'll kick things off with feedback on cooling temps (demonstrated). Truck is 86 FJ60 with a 99 GM 5.7 vortec, programmed like a 97 GM truck with a painless wiring harness, engine is stock but without emissions, I run two 02 sensors in the exhaust and the exhaust is ceramic coated rams horn style manifolds and after that the exhaust mimics stock gm pickup but without catalytic converter. 4.11 gears front and rear, manual 5 speed.

My truck has been in hibernation for a while with heater core issues, I recently fixed that, and yesterday we got the A/C working again, it was low of freon (R12).

Reporting operating temps with A/C on and off. Ambient temps high 80's low 90's , north AL. Cooling is a replacement 4 core radiator that is a stock replacement, custom fan shroud, fan clutch and fan are from donor engine (stock GM) 99 GM 5.7 version. Thermostat is stock GM which I think is 195F.

A/C on, extended idle 200F or just a little less, in town driving a/c on 205F-200F. Hwy driving on flat ground and extended grades ...210F. Fan clutch engages often right off idle...somewhere around 1200 to 1500 rpm as you accelerate and works great. Fan pulls a lot of air. With A/C off the temps are less, operating temp at idle cools off to around 190F or so, normal driving is 195 or less. Turck does not sit on 210 F but will climb to that based on load. I know it will run hotter under full load in 4wd, but its been a while since I've driven it offroad, i'll post back here again. Truck has never boiled over in this configuration. Fan clutch is key and this one really is matched well to the engine...

Temps monitored with autometer gauges on driver and passenger side cylinder head, running green coolant. Also use an andorid tablet when testing that picks data off the ALDL connector using wireless bluetooth dongle, and using scan tool. Vortec 5.7 has a temp probe for the ecm there near the thermostat housing.

Key parts for me:
replacement 4 core old school brass type radiator
custom radiator fan shroud
GM cooling fan and matching fan clutch
ceramic coated exhaust manifolds (summit)
I used the mark's adapter, but I'm really not a fan (it was an option at the time)

** Post real world demonstrated temps and experience and failures ** ** important to post data from off-road real world too **

 

[rhah]

LS 4.8L stock 4 speed with a ranger torque splitter in front of it.
35’s and 4.11’s
Stock 60 radiator.... they are very good and more than enough for v8 swaps
X2 electric fans
167 degree thermostat

Have had 4 core aluminum rad in there and ended up taking it out and going back to the stock rad. Brass stock one seems to stay cooler longer, aluminum seemed to cool off quicker.

Actual run temps
Idle and in town —167-172
Hwy at 80 — 180-194
Mountain trails at altitude — 207 highest it got, usually around 190
Low land trails —190-194

 

[TroutFJ]

Ramjet 350
H55f
Stock gearing running 33's
Weight with my normal load. Including home built drawers and tool kit: 5550 lbs
ARB front bumper with winch
4plus rear dual swing out tire carrier with spare
Aluminum radiator with manual dual electric fans running a combined 3750 cfm
Aftermarket condenser and a/c setup
Snorkel hooked up with home built air cleaner box
165* thermostat
Temps read off of speedhut gauges

During daily driving around town and on highway I usually see temps in the 180-190 range with the ac on full blast and temps in the 90s. Pulling the steep grade home (I live about 4000ft higher than Denver) with the ac on and ambient temps also in the 90's I will see 205-210 just from pulling the grade.
While towing my expo trailer this weekend with a loaded weight around 2000lbs I had to throw it in 3rd to climb some of the I-70 passes to maintain 50mph and that's when I had it running the hottest. For a short stretch while topping out the passes I hit 225* with no A/C and temps about 88* outside. Needless to say I was sweating it in more ways than one! But my temps dropped right back down coming off the passes.
Offroad with no trailer and both fans running it's never gotten above 200.

I like the setup for now. I'm not in love with the fan setup since the original derale fan controller failed and left me stranded until I jumped power directly to the fans off my winch solenoid (it got me home at least.) I currently have each fan on independent switches in the cab.
Outside of that the setup has kept me going through some hot steep towing situations.

 

[Taylorious]

85' 60
99' "Vortec" L31R 5.7L
H55F 5-speed
4.10 (OEM, I believe) Gearing
MAF Front, Rear Swing, Sliders
255/75/R17 KM1's (32.5")

Key parts:
Howell Engine Dynamics Engine harness (INVALUABLE for set up)
OEM Temp sender to OEM Gauge in M17x1.5 threaded adapter for GM block between Cyl 3 and 5.
Autometer Oil PSI gauge.

During Bay Area daily driving, temp has been at a confirmed 200'f at the T-Stat housing w/ laser thermometer.

HOWEVER:
Recently I drove to-from the Western Sierra Nevada foothills with a 3-rail trailer and dirt bikes, plus the riders...
Truck got 'too hot' for my liking. Ambient air temp was 100' across the Central Valley. I'd wager the engine was hotter than 200'f.
Temp gauge spikes were all within the well 'NORMAL' range, but CABIN Temperatures were ridiculously high until I kicked the A/C on. 85'+ in cabin. For some reason, my dashboard seeps heat... not through the vents, but the firewall itself.

My current plan:
Hood Louvers
Cabin firewall and floor heat insulation (Dynamat Xtreme)
Investigate the possibility of slight timing issue creating lean condition from improperly OBD-II tuned firing at Distributor.

I think like @Elbert says above... I should re-engineer my shroud and get a replacement OEM quality 4-row radiator as well to truly quell the problem.

 

[Elbert]

one thing I've noted/observed is for those with the GM fan clutch and fan, its important or I think its important to match the thermostat (OEM stock value) with the GM fan clutch / fan. I don't' know precisely but on my truck the fan clutch does not really engage hard until just north of 200F somewhere, and the somewhere appears to be in the range of 205-215F. So in the summer as an example and you had a cooler thermostat trying to drive down temps....well the fan clutch has its own "mind" and its not going to engage until the above temps are reached. In the winter the truck will run cooler but you might find that that temp is too cool.

Another note on floorboard temps, I found that if you have the exhaust that comes up and over the transfer case, then its going to cook the floorboard and you in it too. In my case I've removed the stock carpet and have some vinyl floor mat material, since now I'm not overly concerned about mud/water on the inside. I'm not a big fan of exhaust options on the 60, depending on how much you want to modify, no real good solution that works great that I've seen so far.

As I recall my engine sits really close to the radiator, I have just barely enough room to run the GM fan and fan clutch. Also my engine sits as high as phyiscally possible and clears the hood. Then at the firewall I belive there is 3-4 inches from the engine to the firewall itself. spacing front to rear was dictated by the mark's adapter, I would prefer a deeper fan shroud but there is only so much room. I noticed a good fan shroud design on one of the V8 projects that Slee posted on their web site. It mimics the style of something like a GM pickup runs and I'm sure other vehicles too. Captures the entire core area of the radiator and provides room for air flow across teh entire core (the shroud itself does not block air flow and its spaced back from the core to allow sufficient air flow without adding restriction) and funnels that towards the circular hole where the cooling fan sits. Easy said...hard to make.

 

[dcoy]

Have a 1986 FJ60 with 5.7 Vortec (I believe of '99 vintage)
H55F
Stock radiator, fan/clutch.
Hydroboost
Numerous issues, most I attribute to lack of "skills" as far as local mechanics are concerned.
The number one problem was a fuel supply issue that was not resolved until I decided (with IH8Mud's help) to convert to an in tank fuel pump. No more fuel supply issues. I have had issues with dumped coolant without evidence of overt overheating that no one could seem to wrap their head around. One day, on a freeway run back from a new shop in Phoenix (I always check the overflow to confirm I am not low on coolant) after a complete "makeover", I experienced overt overheating that heralded a cracked head. I know people have had good experiences with the 5.7, but mine has been less than stellar. Rather than continue my almost two decade long saga of "dialing in" this engine, I am going for a Cummins 2.8. After the install, I plan to be more intimately involved with its maintenance (now that my work schedule is relaxing) and try to not let anyone in Arizona touch it.

 

[Taylorious]

I have had issues with dumped coolant without evidence of overt overheating that no one could seem to wrap their head around. One day, on a freeway run back from a new shop in Phoenix (I always check the overflow to confirm I am not low on coolant) after a complete "makeover", I experienced overt overheating that heralded a cracked head.

I had this issue!

The 5.7L Vortec has a specific issue with the Intake Manifold gasket that was the culprit on mine. Took 2 days of wrenching and 80$ to Fel-Pro to solve.

Drips down the Bellhousing some times, filling the T-Stat housing area others, and then 'from' Cyl 7 area was where the leak 'was' but it actually was the mating surface of the gasket.

Hope that 2.8L does you proper, man. Let me know how it goes!

 

[dcoy]

I had this issue!

The 5.7L Vortec has a specific issue with the Intake Manifold gasket that was the culprit on mine. Took 2 days of wrenching and 80$ to Fel-Pro to solve.

Drips down the Bellhousing some times, filling the T-Stat housing area others, and then 'from' Cyl 7 area was where the leak 'was' but it actually was the mating surface of the gasket.

Hope that 2.8L does you proper, man. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks.
That's interesting. It was difficult to know how many of the issues were endemic to the 5.7, random, or specific to my particular build. The fuel supply issue, for instance, seemed to be most problematic in the Southwest and at elevation among the crowd I polled here at IH8Mud. The people at TLC, who did the conversion and never seemed to be able to grasp the problem, did mention, after I figured it out myself, that they did go to the in tank fuel pump at some point for their conversions.

 

[Taylorious]

Thanks.
The fuel supply issue, for instance, seemed to be most problematic in the Southwest and at elevation among the crowd I polled here at IH8Mud.

I read your thread on this when I was having hesitation at occasion acceleration... Thought my issue was similar, but runs up from 0ft at the bay to 6K+ in the CA Sierra-Nevada never produced hesitation. Determined problem to ignition related.

However, I'm changing the tank to a 38g custom tank, and will likely do a in-tank pump conversion then.
So as not to thread hijack... mind sending me your pump of choice in a PM so I can recall it for later use?

 

[cruisermatt]

Electric fans rule, mechanical fans drool. Ease of access to front of engine is enough of a reason to go with electric fans.
Daily drove this whole summer in +90 degree temps without issue.

 

[fjeng]

FJ62
2003 5.3 Drive by wire with Cruise
4L60E trans
Mechanical Fan
4.10 Gears
4in Lift
35 Tires
14.5-15 MPG

No real issues I have put 53,000 miles on the swap.

 

[Elbert]

one thing I should mention in details which is likely unique to my situation. Given how my replacement fan shroud was built and given that I have a 2inch body lift, and given I use a GM fan clutch and GM fan clutch fan. I had an interference issue with the fan shroud/fan and the lower water neck on the radiator. I've mentioned this before in another thread, but in case someone wanted to duplicate this and found a problem. So what I did was have the radiator shop move the lower radiator water neck to the far end of the core (passenger side), which then allows clearance for the fan and what was happening was that the parts were not clearing the lower radiator hose and lower water neck otherwise.. As i recall I also had the top water neck re-sized to fit the common diameter used on 97-98 GM trucks with 5.7, and I did this so I could find a top radiator hose anywhere, I use the top radiator hose from a GM pickup with 5.7 and I just have to cut it down in length and its a bolt on, so no hunting around for top hose. On the bottom radiator hose we ended up using something picked from the inventory of a local napa store, I have the part number somewhere but had to resort to just getting something that worked. The mods to the radiator made things work better for me. (using the combination of parts I'm using). I decided I was going to run the GM fan and GM fan clutch regardless so I made modifications around that to make things work.

Might I suggest that people also upload pics of their fan shroud, cooling mods, fan setups, fan controllers. Might help others along the same path.

 

[cruisermatt]

one thing I should mention in details which is likely unique to my situation. Given how my replacement fan shroud was built and given that I have a 2inch body lift, and given I use a GM fan clutch and GM fan clutch fan. I had an interference issue with the fan shroud/fan and the lower water neck on the radiator. I've mentioned this before in another thread, but in case someone wanted to duplicate this and found a problem. So what I did was have the radiator shop move the lower radiator water neck to the far end of the core (passenger side), which then allows clearance for the fan and what was happening was that the parts were not clearing the lower radiator hose and lower water neck otherwise.. As i recall I also had the top water neck re-sized to fit the common diameter used on 97-98 GM trucks with 5.7, and I did this so I could find a top radiator hose anywhere, I use the top radiator hose from a GM pickup with 5.7 and I just have to cut it down in length and its a bolt on, so no hunting around for top hose. On the bottom radiator hose we ended up using something picked from the inventory of a local napa store, I have the part number somewhere but had to resort to just getting something that worked. The mods to the radiator made things work better for me. (using the combination of parts I'm using). I decided I was going to run the GM fan and GM fan clutch regardless so I made modifications around that to make things work.

This sounds like too much effort for something that doesn't warrant it. Why make your life difficult, custom radiator, custom shroud, hours thinking about it, etc... ?

My simple and easy setup.

Ford Contour fans. Stock radiator (20 years old too). Simple brackets, two lengths of angle iron (from a free bedframe) with four holes in each (plus some shaping so they don't look like i just drilled some holes in some angle iron). Upper hose is a stock 60/62 upper hose and a 240sx upper hose with coupler to convert from 1.25 to 1.5 and give the LS steam fitting somewhere to vent. Lower hose is a mystery. Any 1.5" hose with a bend in it will do.
I have had zero issue with this super simple setup in some very hot weather, and some trials on some very hot and humid days down here in Florida summer, Proof is in the results.

 

[Elbert]

This sounds like too much effort for something that doesn't warrant it. Why make your life difficult, custom radiator, custom shroud, hours thinking about it, etc... ?

My simple and easy setup.

Ford Contour fans. Stock radiator (20 years old too). Simple brackets, two lengths of angle iron (from a free bedframe) with four holes in each (plus some shaping so they don't look like i just drilled some holes in some angle iron). Upper hose is a stock 60/62 upper hose and a 240sx upper hose with coupler to convert from 1.25 to 1.5 and give the LS steam fitting somewhere to vent. Lower hose is a mystery. Any 1.5" hose with a bend in it will do.
I have had zero issue with this super simple setup in some very hot weather, and some trials on some very hot and humid days down here in Florida summer, Proof is in the results.

This is a thread to post solutions, your approach is one path. I've had the ford contour fans in the past, I prefer mechanical cooling for this truck and my setup. I don't see where you have a/c functional on your truck. The ford contour fan approach has been around for a while, does not mean everyone likes that approach or wants to stay with that approach, or that it suits everyone. Yea I had something very similar...in the past, did not like it.

 

[Elbert]

recent pic showing 5.7 vortec setup

 

[cruisermatt]

My picture was while I has still setting everything up. I have AC in it now.

 

[BigBenFJ]

1989 FJ62
2004 LM7 5.3 DBW w/ 4L60E
Dual Electric fans for about $15 a piece from eBay and a custom made shroud from a piece of metal I found in the bone pile

I run about 180-210 depending on where/how I’m driving.
I’m still working on AC but need to get on it since we’re coming into summer on the central coast

 

[Elbert]

hope people can get ideas and or see what works or what might be normal with a V-8 or get help. Obviously there is more than one approach on the V8 swaps. Different cooling, and configurations of all types. In summary regardless of the approach, the V-8 swap has made the truck fun to drive and its not a slug anymore.

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

Ok, I’ll play.

1984 FJ60
2005 5.3l lm7 mated to 4l60e
In-tank pump
Smog legal
285 70’s on 17” x 8” wheels
Stock gears 3.70
Howell harness

I’ve put 45000 miles on the swap and it’s been great. I just got back from vacation where I towed a 3500 lb. travel trailer over 300 miles.

One tip: avoid AA donut motor mounts. I was very unhappy with the vibration they transmitted and eventually swapped them out.

Regarding cooling, I run the stock radiator with custom fiberglass shroud and mechanical fan. It runs 206-211 in all conditions even with AC at full crank.

Details in my sig line.

Cheers!
-Ed

 

[Elbert]

Ok here is a question that the answer might help me and others. Back in the day there were few options on speed sensors to use on a v8 swap (speed sensor tells the ECM essentially how fast you are going). I used a product from Downy that attaches to the rear of the transfercase and a GM speed sensor installs into that. This product is no longer made. I'm wondering what else is out there...that others have found to work. Please noted the differentiation between teh housing of the speed sensor vs the sensor itself. I'm aware that there are some things that mate with the speedo cable or potentially install in different configurations.

What are others using for a speed sensor with a GM V8? What worked...total configuration.