Vortec engine swap

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From my recent research that cost of the engine and transmission is really respective to the region.
For me on the west coast these prices are pretty "average"...
- 5.3L with ~150k will run around $1300 (no computer or wiring harness)
- 4L60 transmission with ~150k will run around $1000 (not rebuilt, but can find rebuilt for same price online)
- Advanced Adapters Toyota T-case to 4L60 adapter will run you about $900 (with shipping)
- LS Motor mounts will run you about $100-$150 depending
- Wiring harness from Pacific Fabrications/Painless/Howell will run your anywhere from $600 - $900 depending on length and any special items
- PCM reflash will run you ~$200
So right there in just big items you are looking at ~$4500. Then add to that little ancillary items, parts that go broken or need replacing, new exhaust work, engine hoses, belts, etc. and you are looking at closer to $6k-$8k and months of downtime while you do the work yourself.
 
gregnash said:
From my recent research that cost of the engine and transmission is really respective to the region.
For me on the west coast these prices are pretty "average"...
- 5.3L with ~150k will run around $1300 (no computer or wiring harness)
- 4L60 transmission with ~150k will run around $1000 (not rebuilt, but can find rebuilt for same price online)
- Advanced Adapters Toyota T-case to 4L60 adapter will run you about $900 (with shipping)
- LS Motor mounts will run you about $100-$150 depending
- Wiring harness from Pacific Fabrications/Painless/Howell will run your anywhere from $600 - $900 depending on length and any special items
- PCM reflash will run you ~$200
So right there in just big items you are looking at ~$4500. Then add to that little ancillary items, parts that go broken or need replacing, new exhaust work, engine hoses, belts, etc. and you are looking at closer to $6k-$8k and months of downtime while you do the work yourself.
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Agree, which is why I said $5-10kish if you do it yourself. Check www.car-parts.com tons and tons of motors on there for fairly cheap. I have searched on there a lot for a 6.2L, had a few guys send me pics and video of a few. It has been 2-3 months but the last one was out of Texas, 35k miles, $5k and it came with everything, ECU, all wiring, pedal, accessories, ect. And that $5k included shipping to my door, got to see/hear it run in the video too. I damn near bought it.

Wiring is not as big of a deal as most people think. I used to think, oh man the wiring is the worst part of all this! I still think that but it is not that bad really. Basically you just get the engine and trans wired up sand alone and then splice what you need into the stock Cruiser harness, like gauges. I recently swapped a 5.7L vortec into an older Chevy that had a TBI in it. Not a plug and play swap at all but as far as the wiring, I just had to splice into the existing TBI harness and power up what I needed in the vortec harness. Hook up the VSS so the speedo works, few aftermarket gauges and that is about it. Everything works as it should. It was done the exact same way in my last v8 Cruiser, the 80 in my signature. In fact in the Cruiser there was not that much of the stock harness being used, gauges, lights, p/w & locks, heater and not much else.

Cheers
 
Have this Vortec conversion on the road from Bend, Oregon to Ft Collins, Co and loving the cruise....Had no expectations on the mileage so checked as we left Bend and had the cruise set at 61/1740rpms and got 13.8(Oregon has lame speed limits!) On down the road with real speed limits(80mph/Idaho) I set up at 75/2100rpm and got 14.6. Higher rpm and more efficient performance. Lots of pick up and love the passing ability and just overall feeling. This FJ60 tracks true with not a lot of drift which is contrary to my last 2 Cruisers so it was a pleasure to drive and not a battle to keep straight. Please remember that I still have the stock tach in so questionable on the accuracy of rpms. Pictures when I get home.
Also running 31" Toyos on 15 inch rims. and 3.73
 
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Hope you enjoyed the drive home Scott, always good to hear people have fun with their LS Cruisers :beer:

To address the questions on the cold air intake box:

Here's a shot of one of our conversions using the custom cold air intake and fan shroud. We use a factory GM air filter, which is also a part of their EROD and GM Performance line. They're spendy, but way better than any aftermarket brand like K&N, etc. I prefer the 4" opening throughout so as to not have any restrictive properties of the intake system. The air box is sealed to the fender and it pulls from two openings into the side fender and generally stays clean even in dusty terrain. We tested the intake air temp of a cruiser before and after the cold air box, and the temp difference was huge. No cold air intake read 180*, cold air intake read 70*.

Cheers!

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Factory Radiator?
 
Awesome to hear about this FJ60. I drooled over it up at Tor's a few weeks back while picking up some parts for my Fj40. You have me seriously debating getting another FJ60 and swapping it. Looks like a great rig. Hope to hear the reviews as you put it to use on the road.
 
Will try to get some photos tomorrow in good sunlight. Also will try put a video for sound as this is one mean sounding machine. Scared a jeep today as I pushed it a bit going by....He took his sunglasses off and lost some saliva as the drooling was obvious, he did not have a chance...So fun!!
Thanks again Tor!! Taking it in to my guy here for shoulder belts in the rear and he is going to install a gauge for Tach and Temp that runs off the obd port....That old tach doesn't like the big V-8....and the stock temp gauge stopped working on the way home.
 
ScottCo said:
Will try to get some photos tomorrow in good sunlight. Also will try put a video for sound as this is one mean sounding machine. Scared a jeep today as I pushed it a bit going by....He took his sunglasses off and lost some saliva as the drooling was obvious, he did not have a chance...So fun!!
Thanks again Tor!! Taking it in to my guy here for shoulder belts in the rear and he is going to install a gauge for Tach and Temp that runs off the obd port....That old tach doesn't like the big V-8....and the stock temp gauge stopped working on the way home.
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It is awesome isn't it!? That is the thing about v8's in Cruisers, until you drive one you have no idea what you been missing out on! ;)

Just get yourself some sort of scan gauge running off the OBD2 port. Leave the stock look if you can, aftermarket gauges work but if your truck is clean keep the clean look is my opinion. The scan gauge will track everything for you including mpg, rpms, temp and much much more. It is also accurate since it is running right off the ECU.

Cheers
 
I cant agree with keeping the stock gauges, they were vague at best when they were new.

Autometer in original housing, far more accurate and no BS getting them to work, even a new sending unit in the tank

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As much as I love the stock look I do like the set up in the pics from NCFJ. Very clean. I looked at Speedhut gauges? Looks like Auto Meter in yours....Dang I am torn because my true speed is displayed on my GPS screen and the tach is close but can peg it at times....I will think on this one....Still smiling when I get in this beast and how long was it before you stopped pushing for the clutch when you got in? Ha
 
Ok so I have been paying more attention to the gps in the '86 Crzr and have had a chance to put some more miles on for mileage checks the last few days. I am shocked at the difference 16" wheels and 31" tires make on the stock odometer and speedometer....In reality I am averaging 14 mpg in town and have taken one freeway ride that netted 16.4 on a tank of gas and I did not baby it. So there you have it and it is not so bad......Will continue to monitor and will let you all know if there is any change...Still smiling
 
I would drive it and have fun....I can't tell you the last time I check mpg, torfab does some very clean work...looks sharp. I'm thinking on some future changes....which might entail a 6.0 and auto trans, but not made up my mind if that's happening on the 60 or a new project (80).
 
They are 5" and 2 1/8". They do not just fit right in.
 
I would never expect to be so lucky. I didn't realize that Autometer made those multifunction gauges so that goes on my to do list. Was it a matter of enlarging the openings or was the difficulty the rear mounting?
David
 
Autometer makes the quad gauge in a wide variety of their entire line. Lots of cool faces to choose from. Yes and yes, a fair amount of massaging to get them to work.
 
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