jshull Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I've been reading on here for quite a while and Braap's threads inspired me to cave and go with the v8. This is pretty much a cut and paste from my build thread on a local forum. Well, here it is I guess. I'm still stacking parts but the build is up and running. I have a 1992 Z32 that used to have a TT swap in it but the previous owner dropped the #6 piston in. I ended up trading my turbo civic for this and a ratty del sol that I daily at the moment. My plans are to get the LQ4 (300hp/370tq) that I sourced from a 2002 Chevy 2500HD mated to my stock 5 speed from the old TT swap and all that good stuff. I have the wiring figured out I think...I wired up a separate fuse box and relays to control the ignition power and fuel pump (bypassing the stock fuel controller but keeping the stock TT pump for the time being) I built a small sub harness to plug the truck EFI harness into the Z's chassis harness. I will try and get a simple diagram up soon to show everyone what I am talking about. Not useful for me but I know there are some other Z guys on here that will use this: Also, this helped me track down what wires went to the relays/chassis and is the factory diagram for the Z: http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...tiv/VG-EFI.jpg Here are some of the sites that helped me out immensely with the wiring: http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthrea...=798904&page=3 http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/225172 http://www.lt1swap.com/ As far as mounting goes I ordered a set of universal street rod mounts from summit that look like they will do the trick: Trans-dapt part # 4501 I also have picked up a new oil pan so the motor can sit a little lower and farther back: Moroso 20140 (oil pan) Moroso 24050 (pickup) GMPP 12558253 I haven't hammered out the oil filter relocation just quite yet but will update when I do. As far as my flywheel/clutch issues I have a stock LS1 fly wheel from a F-body Camaro that has the correct bolt pattern for my engine. I am getting it turned down at a machine shop and having the Z's old ring gear installed on it as well as the old dowels and all of the pressure plate mount holes transferred over. I am losing about a 1/4in on each side of contact space for the clutch because of the way the LS1 flywheel has a wider space in the center. (will get reference pics when I can get out to the shop again) Here's a little teaser of the wiring madness I've been going through. Also, a pic of the Z and my old Civic I got the intake manifold from my friend. I crossed the numbers and injectors and it's a manifold from a 98 Camaro. The fuel rails aren't going to work because of clearance issues with the lines hitting the coils. I started looking into what options I have for my fuel situation and have come up with what I think will work pretty well. I have the TT pump in my car from the TT swap it had before and from what information I could dig up it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 290lph (13.5v) so I think I'm good in that department. I was going to try and get a set of adapters to make the stock rails from the LS1 fit but found out the FPR was missing off of the rails so I started looking around and came up with a fuel filter from a 99-04 LS1 that has an internal FPR built in that sets fuel at 58psi and was cheap (Napa part# 3737, $50.00) The filter has a pressure inlet, return side, outlet. Some parts you are going to need if you want to connect rubber hoses to it (cheap): 3/8" (pressure): DOR-800-121 5/16" (return): DOR-800-120 You can get those fittings from any auto parts store and are fairly cheap. To get a line out of the outlet you have to get a fitting from russel which effectively turns the oulet to a 3/8 NPT fitting or hit the junkyard and grab a line off a late model Chevy and make your own fitting. Russel Part numbers if AN fittings are your thing: 3/8 tube -> 3/8 NPT: 640690 3/8" -> -6an: 640850 5/16"-> -6an: 640860 I found a fuel rail kit from Professional Products that I plan on using (part#10612) it includes rails, crossover, line that goes to the fuel filter. I'm also intalling a set of Bosch 0280155811 (42lb @ 58psi) injectors. It's a bit overkill for a cam/headers/intake car but gives me a bit of room to grow later. Research I've been doing for my PCV setup since the manifold changes everything. I'm plugging up the old PCV hole in the driverside valve cover and running something similar to this setup (GO GO LS6 valley pan!): Also, I found this vacuum routing diagram I figure is good for reference. I am currently waiting for my machine shop to finish up my adapter plate and I can get it all bolted together and ready to drop in. I ended up with a 1" spacer between the flywheel (Custom length M11 bolts FTW, thank you chevy) The space between the motor/tranny worked out to be 3/4" thick, so far so good. I ended up picking up a Mishimoto radiator and strapped the SPAL fan I had on the old TT radiator. I did some rough measuring and I think I am already going to have some clearance issues with my crank pulley/water pump and the radiator/fan. Depending on how changing the balacer/pump gives me clearance I may have to cut the radiator support and lean the rad forward. On the plus side I get to reuse my coolant hardpipe kit. It looks like it will line right up! I found the Corvette harmonic balancer actually sits a good 1.75" closer to the block than the truck one I have. As far as the water pump, I'm looking for one from an LS3 because of the outlet coming out of the front like the rest of the F-body/Car pumps and the fact it has a single belt pulley. This site is awesome for LSx info and the differences between the engines: http://www.nookandtranny.com/Info_LSx.html I finally got around to getting my hood to fit after notching the core support and leaning the radiator forward. I also fabbed up a brace for the radiator and my nosepiece to mount to. I'm not real great with the fab work but I think it will work out ok. I'm in the process of finding a Corvette harmonic balancer for this reason: A friend's car...just hangin out after a valve mishap. I love wiring and all that goes with it so I've been doing a little more work on the harness now that I have decided to keep it EFI, I'm unpinning everything so I can route things from scratch and get rid of a few more unnecessary wires and whatnot. A little bit more of an organized mess with a friend in the background. The shop can get pretty busy on a Saturday night haha. The mounts look like they are going to line up pretty well. Passenger side is going to be easy. Clearance on the driver side shouldn't be too much of a problem either. I'm thinking a set of blockhuggers will work quite nicely. The motor fits nice and snug against the firewall. Looks to be around the same clearance that the VG motor had. The transmission sits a few inches back from the stock location but the bracket should be pretty easy to fab up. Tabs on the rack that need to be ground down. With them out of the way the pan will fit pretty nice. The clearance on the front of the block is WAY better than I had figured. I centered and leveled the engine and braced it tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I can get out there and get my mounts finished up and tacked to the subframe (I don't trust myself to weld them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted July 16, 2010 Administrators Share Posted July 16, 2010 This is AWESOME! Great work, thank you for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sq_creations Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Nice project and work space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negligence Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I want your garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted July 17, 2010 Author Share Posted July 17, 2010 We rent the workspace as a group of like-minded friends. It's cheap and gets the job done! 400 a month split 4 ways isn't too bad. I got the mounts tacked tonight. I need to drop the subframe one more time and put my rack back in so I can check clearance on it one last time. I was quoted a case of beer for the welding that needs to be done by our shop neighbor. I'll have updated pictures and more work done on Sunday/Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Very nice and thorough write up. Keep it up and they might even sticky it. I'm very interrested in how well that Fuel Filter/FPR is going to work. Something like that might be ideal for my VQ swap, allowing me to use a "returnless" fuel line to my engine. (maybe use both the stock 280z fuel and return lines as parallel fuel line for higher volume, I wouldn't have to replumb that way. If my VG dies in my 92, I might consider this, you're making it look easy. Phar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 (edited) Yea, it seems like it is going to make my fuel setup pretty simple. My plans are to bypass the stock TT fuel pump controller and just run it on high (if I have to I may make a trip to radio shack and build a box that will let me change the flow of the pump with the flip of a switch for the time being) I've been a little busy this weekend with IA coming to Nashville but I got out and did some work on the Z on Sunday. Mounted the fan on the front of the radiator (having to go pusher so I can even fit a fan on) I know I mentioned it before, but I didn't really have any good pictures to show what I cut out of the core support to lean the radiator forward. Here is a pretty good shot showing the clearance I have with the radiator (keep in mind I plan on using the Corvette balancer): I'm not great with fab and definitely don't have the tools for it but I get by pretty good with my grinder and flux core welder I suppose. I fabbed a throttle cable bracket so I can reuse the stock Z cable. It's really simple (two small pieces of angle iron and some extra bolts from the Z) I had to drill two holes in the manifold and cut some of the plastic out so I could get the heads of the bolts to fit. And I figured I would save this, a little bit better money shot: I'm hoping that I can get out and get my transmission mount and shifter stuff hammered out over the weekend as well as trying to finish moving the bay wiring back out of the way. Work doesn't leave me a whole lot of free time. My girlfriend jokes that the car is my second gf and sometimes gets more attention than she does. Edited July 21, 2010 by jshull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 wow this is coming along great! no cutting of the firewall either? any updates? and o yea.. girlfriends do that.. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawaiifiveoh Posted October 10, 2010 Share Posted October 10, 2010 Progress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I've started going back to college and working full time. I apologize for the lack of updates! This is from my local forum: Well it's been a bit, finally remembered to take the camera and snap some pics of the shifter/progress. I found my old wooden "prototype" I relocated the oil filter to the passenger side and ran the hoses under the oil pan. I fabbed the bracket with spare metal and my trusty box of bolts that came with the car. One more oil pan clearance pic: Made a bracket and mounted the radiator catch tank. Split the cost of a LM-1 with my roommate and finalllllllllly bought EFILive. I plan on going doing a speed density tune in open loop so it should be fun to learn. I used the Xcessive shifter kit (for putting a Z32 transmission into a S13) and it is perfect for where I was wanting my shifter. The only cutting I had to do was for a little bit on the driverside tunnel. The car is almost done! Finishing the wiring this weekend I'm hoping. I have the interior back in and my seat mounted on the stock passenger slider. I still need to take care of the pcv system and vacuum stuff. I was going to get the driveshaft shortened this week but found out the one place we had in town is closed. I picked a pipe cutter up off ebay and plan on shortening it myself now. Like this: http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/transmission-articles/493751-how-shorten-your-driveshaft.html I am going to wire the stock alternator from the VG and make it fit the C5 bracket for the time being. What I lack to start: Charging/Transmission harness finishing engine wiring (90% done) shorten driveshaft pcv system vacuum routing cleanup hoses for oil filter relocation mount alt/tensioner/belt tq harmonic balacer bolt fluids I'll post updated pictures after the weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Here's where I am at with the engine. I'm getting down to the details and it's driving me nuts! PS - sorry for the phone pics, was more convenient this time. Hoping to get out to the shop after work tomorrow and Saturday night and at least get the wiring done so I can hook EFI live up and start messing around with it and to make sure the pump primes/fan control works etc. The first month out of the house I'm hoping to get my alternator, belt, and tensioner. Grabbing 2 catch cans on ebay to fix up my pcv setup as well. I mounted the seat, used the stock passenger side slider on it (if you have one or know of one cheap I would love to pick it up so I can get a passenger seat mounted as well) I have a pillar pod for the water temp, oil temp, and oil pressure guages but I'm just not that big of a fan. I figure they look a little more subdued down in the console. FINALLY had the pipe cutter come in to do the drive shaft...this thing is massive. $35 shipped on Ebay ftw, wish I could afford a bandsaw but it should get the job done. Going to mount Turners vice to the workbench temporarily so I can get it cut/shortened soon. The only DS shop in town closed so I figure I will cut it down myself and just find someone to weld it up and either balance it or I'll balance it with hose clamps. http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/transmission-articles/493751-how-shorten-your-driveshaft.html Junk yard score, 5 pin maf connector and the red/blue ecu connectors full of pins. Those things are like $0.80ea if you buy them from AC Delco (screw that!) MB Weapons 17x9 +17mm offset thanks to a good friend: Edited April 8, 2011 by jshull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Haven't done a whole lot these past few weeks, one more week of school and I'll have some free time on my hands to get this thing finished. I am on the hunt for the white body plug that came off of the VG engine harness so I can finally get the harness done and hook efi live in and start fiddling with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Driving soon, just need front brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 very cool, congrats on getting it almost done! it sounds awesome. How well does your hood fit? is that video with the exhaust installed? Pretty cool, I wonder how much power you'll actually end up with to the wheels? Phar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) If you look in some of the other pics I cut the hood latch portion out of the core support and notched on either side so I could lean the radiator forward around 2 inches. If I could go back I think that an aftermarket NA radiator would have cleared better. As for the hood itself I had to cut the catch for the hood latch and had to notch the webbing so the radiator clears. I plan on using hood pins so this wasn't a big deal. As for power, I've got it setup as speed density/open loop. My current goal is to get it back on the road and get it tuned and reliable and then begin upgrading the motor. In the vid it's open headers in all their goodness. Right now the set up is: Stock 2002 LQ4 98 LS1 intake manifold 28lb injectors (came with the manifold but slightly larger than the truck injectors) Stock C6 Corvette headers Exhaust shop 2.5" midpipes to a modified HKS Hi-Power that has been made to fit the 2+2 It's about as stock as I can get it and should set a pretty good baseline. Edited June 17, 2011 by jshull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoolintwins Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 hey man im about to do a 6.0 with a t56 into mine how did you line up the shifter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) It drives! Having some trouble bleeding the brakes and need a permanent solution on routing the steamtube. With an exhaust I can start tuning!hey man im about to do a 6.0 with a t56 into mine how did you line up the shifter? I wish I could help on the T56 but I kept the stock TT tranny. Edited July 13, 2011 by jshull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoolintwins Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 anyway you will share how the heck you got the stock tt trany mated to the lq4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshull Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 It's an adapter plate and flywheel spacer. You can see a rough wooden version of what my finished plate looked like it the pics. Adapter plate (some bolts are counter sunk) modified LS1 flywheel with 300zx ring gear holes drilled to fit both NA and TT clutches (just have to move dowels) Custom M11 bolts flywheel spacer pressed into flywheel, the pilot bushing is pressed in the spacer The way the transmission sits you have to massage the passenger starter pocket a little, on the inside you have small area that has to be cut and shaped to fit on the tunnel. I never thought to take pictures of it while the engine/transmission were still out of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Gorilla Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Noticed you said stock corvette headers. Are there any clearance issues at all or does it work out perfectly with the fitment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.