L28 + Vortec 4200 frankenstein

[zboi]

If anyone was thinking, why don't I take all the stuff on a vortec 4200 (08+) and slap it on an L28, here is what it looks like.
Firstly, there is like one post about putting the vortec 4200 in a s30 where a guy laid it in there and it looked way too tall. This is very misleading, a lot of the height comes from the front sump oil pan. Moving to a rear sump pan and the 4200 is only ~1" too tall, maybe even less. Could probably get it to clear with some trimming of the crossmember.
That out of the way, using all the EMS off the 4200 on an L28 seems like it would be pretty cheap and easy. Cheap yes I spent $250, easy no. You are basically doing the work of an engine swap electrically plus a lot of extra chopping and bracket making. I've probably put 50 hours on this and am still not done. You do end up with top notch components at the end though, full sequential ignition, dbw, torque management, etc. 

Some of the things done:

1. DBW pedal, can be drilled to fit stock location. Has a metal base that can have stock pedal welded too
2. Crank sensor. 58x (60-2 teeth). Missing teeth should be 81 degrees before TDC. Use a 2.4 ecotec 58x wheel welded to the front pulley. Contact me for centering jig if you want one.
3. Cam sensor. 4x weird pattern. Gap in halfmoon should be under sensor at TDC. Can mount to cam gear if you machine it shorter (will need endmill or lathe which I don't have), can mount to distributor if you cut distributor case half off.
4. Throttle body is much larger, will need an adapter. I made a custom 3d model for it, contact me if you want one.
5. Injectors are 14mm, tall, flow ~27lbs (a little more than stock turbo ones). Will fit directly into aftermarket fuel rail.
6. Knock sensors seem to just fit against block fine.
7. Coils need a 1/8" or equivalent mounting bar, but otherwise are direct fit.
8. The typical ECU wiring for any modern computer, tune, unlock.

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by zboi

[zboi]

[calZ]

I still have no idea why you'd want to do this, but good on you for working at it. 

[zboi]

Yeah I don't know how I got myself into this either. I had sold the LS swap out of my car, got this L28 as part of it. Originally the engine was supposed to be running good, but timing chain was noisy. Story evolved to engine stopped running one day and has been sitting for a year. Between the mystery electrical or fuel problem with the L28, and the missing wiring from my 240z which I deleted for the LS (voltage regulator, coil, etc.) it seemed this would be the cheapest way to get it running. 
I am also slapping a turbo on it, since after all this it will only cost a few hundred extra and will double the power.

[zboi]

Alrighty somewhat to my amazement I got everything wired and it fired right up! One extra change that I forgot to mention above is that the firing order is different between these engines so you will need to swap the pins for cylinder 4 and 2 on the ECU connector. Will post some videos of it running later, right now its not plumbed up to run for more than a second. Will be pulling the engine to swap in the lightened flywheel and stronger clutch, welding the turbo pipes, etc. 
But for anyone wondering this does work if you follow my instructions.

Edited November 11, 2023 by zboi

[NewZed]

On 9/24/2023 at 1:00 PM, zboi said:

Crank sensor. 58x (60-2 teeth). The flywheel is 120 tooth, so remove 2 teeth every 58 teeth. Missing teeth should be 81 degrees before TDC. Drill hole into transmission and grind away ~1.5mm to achieve proper clearance.

 

You're saying that the starter ring gear teeth are to be ground off?  What happens when the starter gear hits those two empty spots?

[NewZed]

[zboi]

I'll post a pic when I get the engine back off, but I ground them down to about half height. It is enough gap to look like a missing tooth, but still ample tooth for the starter to grab.

[zboi]

Here is the how much I took off of the flywheel teeth on the stock style flywheel, and then the aftermarket one. As you can see there is still plenty of tooth left for the starter to grab. 

[NewZed]

That's a good idea, in principle, and you made it work.  It would be interesting to hear the engine spinning with the ignition disabled, spark plugs in.  To see how the starter handles those missing tooth ends.  Hard to imagine that the tooth ends don't matter at all, but who knows.

[zboi]

Got everything together for some real runs. Engine was running not great, as if it would run okay for 1/2 the time and not for the other half the time. Looking at logs the RPM signal was all over the place. Then I realized I screwed up. The 58x signal I'm giving it is per 180 degrees of crank rotation instead of 360, so the computer is probably freaking out. I'll need to either add an some embedded system to convert the waveform, or get a 58x wheel. 

[NewZed]

Here's an old thread, food for thought.

 

 

[zboi]

$22 later I have a 58x reluctor for an LS. I 3d printed a little jig to center it on the crank pulley, worked perfectly. Just a couple tacs to the pulley to hold it on and it's done.

[calZ]

Is it not extremely out of balance with being as thick as it is with a bunch of holes on only one side? 

[zboi]

I was hoping it would be close to neutral balanced, but looking at the LS crank there is a locating hole in the crank snout in the middle of where the holes are missing in this ring. So probably is a good bit out of balance. There is a solid version of this for sale, and also a different version for the 2.4L engines. The 2.4L version looks neutral balances, I think may be worth getting that one instead, it's the same price.

[zboi]

Did some rudimentary balance testing of the LS 58x ring. It is indeed super out of balance. Waiting on my order of the 2.4 ecotec reluctor. Got the hot side buttoned up in the mean time, little Chinese t04e. Sprung for the billet compressor though, had to modify the waste gate mount to fit. I noticed the bolt nearest the inlet that holds the compressor on goes all the way through so I slapped some thread sealer on it.

[NewZed]

The exhaust manifold is on the other side.  How will you drive the turbo?  Is this a real project?  Something seems off...

[calZ]

There are a few people these days running the exhaust under the oil pan to the turbo on the right side. It's not unheard of

[zboi]

Yep crossover under the oil pan, didn't like any of the aftermarket turbo manifolds and nobody was selling a stock turbo one for a reasonable price. Was going to use the stock NA manifold but it was cracked, so modified an aftermarket header.

Edited October 24, 2023 by zboi

[Brad-ManQ45]

How about a pic underneath to show clearance?  Thx.