Will need help along the way..LS1

[Briguy280Z]

First things first....the forum is great

 

Well lets get down to the nitty gritty. I have had a 78Z for about 8 years doing a complete restore. I have gone through rebuiling a L28 to a JTR conversion and now a LS1 conversion. I picked up this complete bad boy for $2800.00 with a T56 tranny..good price!

 

I just finished checking out the engine and replacing parts that were damaged..Slave cylinder and busted oil pan. Otherwise its in good condition for 36k miles on it.

 

I have picked up alot of info throughout the forum and dont think i'll spend another 8 hours looking through the rest. (Search doesnt work) So i hope you guys will help me out with some redundent questions. Jeromio has some good info on his page and i may refer to it now and again.

 

One of the first questions I have, is what fuel pump is compatable with the LS1. I believe it needs a bypass pressure regulator since it doesnt have a return line at the engine. Does anyone have a suggestion?

 

Next, would be the engine mounting. Since the engine weight is about the same a the L28 I dont believe setting it back all the way is necessary. I am going to align the shifter to where it needs to go and leave it at that. Anyone know of any problems in doing so? (Probably a question i'll need to answer)

 

VATS, will the PCM need to be programmed before i can start the engine, or will it just let it run for awile before shutting it off?

 

Will the original clutch master cylinder work with the t-56 tranny? What electronic speedo will fit into the dashboard so i dont loose the original look?

 

Well maybe I am going a lil overboard for my first post...Just let me know of any concerns that I maybe overlooking.

 

Nice to see so much support for Z-cars

 

Thanks

Briguy280Z

[Phantom]

I am working the same exact transplant too - but in a '77. I am also planning on setting the engine a bit forward, about 2.5-3.0" in front of the firewall for maintenance purposes, access to heater and AC lines, etc. Do a search on LS-tech.com and you'll see some posts on fuel pumps. I too am going for reusing the Z tank with an external pump. Lone Star 1 has already done this conversion but with the 4L60E in a 240. It is a sweet ride. He has an intereting fuel delivery system that uses his stock 240 tank.

I'm atttempting to use all my stock gauges. I think I will be successful and will post what I learn as it comes up. Still in the research stage on some of it. Car is currently apart and motor/transmission mounts being built as well as searching for a good T-56 to go with my LS-1. It is out of an automatic car. You might as well get the ECM edited. As long as the folks doing it know how your car will be set up they can do it. You'll need the VIN# of your donor car so get that if you don't have it already. For some reason LS-1 edit requires that to do its thing.

Hope this helps some.

[jeromio]

Phantom, I think you are gonna run into problems with that engine placement. See my page at

 

http://240.jeromio.com/motorswap

 

and click on the T56 page. My engine is maybe 1/2 inch, at most 1 inch farther forward than Gary's (Lonestar1) and his is pretty much JTR position. Look at where my shifter comes out of the hole. Since yours is a 280, you may not have as much of an issue. And I suppose if you don't use the stock console, you won't have any problems at all. But just be aware that in the wayback, JTR placement, the shifter comes out right about at the stock 280Z 5spd shifter location.

 

I sent my PCM to Speartech for reprogramming. $300 +$10 for shipping back. LS1Edit woulda been nice, but at $550, too expensive.

 

Fuel pressure regulator and so forth will be a problem (and $$$) if you use the datsun fuel system. Talk to John at Speartech, he'll be able to help you with the custom programming of the PCM.

 

LS1tech.com has a conversions board and that is a very helpful place to go. Look for a post there where I listed the part number of the Mcleod 3/4" clutch master that I and a few others are using. On my t56 page I have photo of how I modified my slave to work.

 

The mechanical speedo adapter is about as expensive as a new electronic speedo. I recommend VDO. I am planning on using the Camaro guage pod, modified heavily. I bought the thing for <$60 vs. $450 for all new guages.

[Phantom]

Jeromio,

If I remember right - when I was looking a Lone Star 1's engine bay it looked like his engine was 2-2.5" from the heads to the firewall. That was a couple weeks ago so maybe my memory is failing?

His is a 240 and mine is a 280. Not sure how much difference that makes since both are Gen 1 bodies and the Nissan engine/tranny combos are interchangeable.

[jeromio]

I guess I read that wrong - I thought you meant 2-3 inches forward of JTR - dumb=me. I think (from vague memory) that my passenger side head is about 3 inches from the firewall. Possibly 2 3/4.

 

The difference is in the interior of the 2 cars. 240Z never came with a 5spd and the 4spd shifter is further back about 2-3 inches. So a 280Z 5spd in a 240Z means the shifter hole has to be cut out larger and the console can't be used:

 

[Phantom]

I feel better now - especially since my 280 has the bigger hole. I'm planning on offsetting the shifter aft anyway to help with my short arms.

I've located an external fuel pump and pressure regulator that I can mont in the area of the original pump and then run thebypass fuel right back to the tank instead of from the engine injection rail.

Keeping the stock tank keeps the stock fuel sender so that gauge is OK. The voltmeter is straight forward also. The oil pressure sender will be an addtional Datsun unit installed on the LS-1; same with the water temperature. Also have an adapter that allows the T-56 to give a mechanical output directly to my stock speedo/odo. The tach is the only original gauge not yet figured out. Soon though. Don't have all the details on these yet but will eventually.

Lone Star 1 basically figured them all out this same way except for the tach. It is still a teaser.

Looks like I'll be able to maintain a totally stock appearance inside the car and close to stock outside - not counting the 16" wheels & tires and the MSA Aero II kit. Well - it'll just have a single 3" exhaust tip in the stock location and with a Flowmaster 70 series muffler shouldn't be excessively loud.

[Briguy280Z]

Well this last weekend was very kewl. I got alot accomplished and feel finaly got some progress.

 

I wish I had a digi cam so i could share some of my accompishments. The crossmember that I made up, was so good that it almost look original. I had two Z bars made up with a 4" Rectangle tube and 4" C-bar for the mounts like Maichor did. I plan on welding covers on the end of the rectangle tube and completely sealing for a finished look.

 

Next weekend plans to be a exciding one. Bringing the MIG down to do some finishing touches after setting the motor in. I noticed that the fuel lines are really close to the passanger side exhaust manifold outlet. Plan on covering with sheetmetal and stuffing it with insulation...any ideas?

 

Some things I finished.

 

1-Moved stearing firwall bracket 3/8 over to clear motor mount.

 

2-Cleared area were crossmember attaches

 

3-Bashed out trans tunnel to fit t56 tranny...at least get a good shot at the differential

 

4-Removed Camero motor mounts and replaced with S&P Mounts.

 

Trying to predict what i should plan on next. Planning to purchase an Aeromotive Fuel Pump and regulator. Havent thought about converting the oil pressure/volt meter/tachometer anyone got experience in converting these?

 

I plan to use Abbott "Cable X" for the speedometer conversion. I am not sure about doing the JAGS conversion seems like a lot of $$$

 

Thank for anyone's help

[Lone Star 1]

On the LS1 right above the oil filter, at lest on my GM crate motor , theirs a small fitting that is bolted the motor with two 10 mm bolts. this fitting is angled up and has no apparent use. I removed this fitting and drilled a 1/4" hole through the cast boar. Then taped the boar with the right tap to fit the Datsun oil presure sender. I installed a 90 degree brass fitting, and then the Datsun sender angled towards the back. This provides the sender with the motor oil pressure. To use the Datsun temp sender I carefully drilled and taped the riders side head in the same location as the GM temp sensor is on the drivers side head. The GM sensor is located at the front of the drivers side, the Datsun sender I installed at the rear of the riders side head. I removed the plug, drilled into ,but not through. This is important because the Datsun sender needs a lip inside to to hold the sender in place. Then taped to fit the datsun sender. All of this tap size information is in the JTR's book. It might be wise to just make a fitting that screws into the GM tapping and then has the right threads for the Datsun sender, But if you decided to do like I did be carfull to not drill to deep. This might also be problem later when you decide that 320 RWHP is not enought and want to do a heads and cam, because most of the CNC head porttors just want your cores, but might not want yours with this odd size tap. I bought the JTR's Fuel Injection book and made my fuel system as per their book, with a small ( maybe a cup of gas ) fuel tank. Used a low pressure fuel pump to feed this tank. From their I used a inline high pressure (107 PSI) to feed a pressure regulator set at 59PSI. From the regulator the excess gas is pumped back into the small tank, and the small tank has a free flow back to the Datsun tank. The corrected (59PSI) gas is feed through a filter and to the fuel rails on the LS1. I built all of this up on a metal rack and mounted it a the stock electric fuel pump location. For me this one project was the hardest problem to overcome. I have been driving my LS1Z for about a year now with no fuel problems. I used the stock fuel lines. At the dyno i had them ck the fuel pressure at WOT, and it only droped to 57PSI. I'm not sure how much HP that little 5/16" line will support, but it works fine for a stock LS1.

[Briguy280Z]

The engine is finally in and no pics to show

 

It fits farly well in the 78Z frame. The shifter is exactly in the middle of the shifter hole and looks lined up with the rear end very well. The engine is a little lower than jermio's but it fits well. The main pully is about an 1/8th of an inch from the rack, i think i am going to raise it up another 1/8th for good clearance. before i installed i checked my heater core cuz i didnt know how difficult it was going to be to change it with the engine in the car or if i was going to have to sweat on some 90 degree fittings on the end. The engine ended up so low that it missed the fitting and there shouldnt be a problem.

 

The Camero tank does fit well in the rear, i didnt take out the spair tire well out...its smaller in the 78Z they used a expandable tire....actually dont know what they used in the earlier models...but it doesnt sag lower than the rear differential. I am just lengthing the straps and putting some good padding for the top of the tank. Almost think that expandable foam would work well...stuff they use for bath tubs???

 

What are people using for the power steering idler arm? I know that Hotrod lane wants $120.00 for a pollished idler arm. What is everyone else using...i was thinking of modifying the power steering pump and use it as an idler arm?

Next step is to wire this beast...whaaataa party!!!

 

What is required for 17" wheels?? Coilovers...what are they just smaller springs?

 

est time to finish "hopfully before april...west coast motorsport exhibition is comming soon..3 4 5 month down the road."

c-ya there