LS/T56/240z Project Mentor Wanted

[mxgsfmdpx]

I really appreciate the suggestions. I put the pictures of my car on my lead post to try to discourage folks from telling me about all the distracting things that will waste money and time. The car has great brakes with racing pads and stops on a dime, a full coilover system with camber plates. It has a new LSD with rebuilt axles and u-joints. It has all new hardware on the drivetrain. It has a clean gas tank, a new and serviceable fuel system with clean lines. I have never experienced fuel starvation (or slosh) while autocrossing or drag racing. I have run an electric fuel pump before so all the wiring is there and I should only have to switch to a high pressure unit. The chassis is clean, rust free and all insullation has been removed. It has no interior save for seats, rollbar and dashboard. I have owned and raced this z for 17 years.

 

First of all, the pictures you posted tell us ZERO, other than your car is obviously lowered, and that you like to track it.

 

If you think peoples responses are "wasting your time" you are being foolish. People are here trying to help you, and make sure you are taking the proper steps to building an LSx Hybrid Z.

 

We have all been very nice, but you are actually asking VERY basic LSx swap questions, that can all be answered if you took the time to search, read, and study.

 

If everybody who came into this forum had a thread like this, asking all the same questions, this forum would have thousands of the exact same thread. The information is here. Find it.

[Dat260]

Hi,

Since you only want a T56 here is good information I found on LS1tech.com

 

"Dont forget, the iron headed 6.0's were the ones with a cast in crank spacer so you're limited to the 4L80E or older SBC trans choices. To use a modern 4L60E or T56 you'd have to change cranks"

 

Actually the whole thread is good read;

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1343454-lq4-iron-aluminum-heads-swap.html

 

enjoy,

[RebekahsZ]

Great stuff! I have just let an engine supplier know that I'm looking for an LS2/T56 from an '05/'06 GTO. Everybody has been great. Will order from JTR and JCI when engine/trans is on-hand. Thanks to everybody. I'll post what I learn.

[RebekahsZ]

Drove out and looked at an LS2/T56 with 43k miles yesterday. Will look at a LS2/T56 with 17k miles on Thursday. Price difference is $500. Has anybody used Jegs' universal LS swap oilpan package? It includes pan, windage tray, pickup, gasket, bolts and washers, dipstick and dipstick tube for $158 plus shipping.

[m1noel]

Drove out and looked at an LS2/T56 with 43k miles yesterday. Will look at a LS2/T56 with 17k miles on Thursday. Price difference is $500. Has anybody used Jegs' universal LS swap oilpan package? It includes pan, windage tray, pickup, gasket, bolts and washers, dipstick and dipstick tube for $158 plus shipping.

I haven't used the Jegs package but it looks like a great buy.

[Cable]

Has anybody used Jegs' universal LS swap oilpan package? It includes pan, windage tray, pickup, gasket, bolts and washers, dipstick and dipstick tube for $158 plus shipping.

 

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance/809/19212593/10002/-1

 

Its a great deal for what is included and it will fit in the S30, however the oil pan sump will hang below the engine crossmember a decent amount. Unless you buy an aftermarket custom oil pan, you are limited to the '98-'02 F-Body oil pan or the '05-'07 LS2 Y-Body (Corvette) oil pan PERIOD. Trust my experience when I say that I have done MANY of these swaps to know what works and what is available.

 

BTW, the oil pan being sold is/was a factory GM pan used in the H3 with the 5.3 V8. GM sells the oil pan kit cheaper than buying the H3 oil pan alone, go figure. No wonder they needed a 'bailout'....

[Pzary3233]

Yes, that actually looks like a truck oil pan...

 

You need to look for the F body or Vette pan as was said above.

 

The GTO pan is great for 240sx LSx swap guys.

[Cable]

Updates?

[RebekahsZ]

L24 is out and on rolling stand; Have LS2/T56 on rolling stand with camaro pan/windage tray/dipstick installed. Have A/C and P/S off. Used a neat dummy power steering pump from nookandtranny.com that allows me to use original serpentine belt (With the simple ribbed idler pulley replacing the smooth one, I was afraid of the proximity of the belt to the lower alternator bolt (even when I ground the head down to 11mm). So, belt system is all squared away. Have installed JCI front mounts, but having trouble with long mount on driver's side (too tight in the Datsun engine mount tower-will need to grind some off spacer washer or JCI mount). The little TC rod cup washer is pretty rusty and seems kind of pointless (do I weld it or epoxy it to the JCI mount?) - so I'm probably going to buy some adjustable TC rods that will replace the rubber bushings with a metal bearing. Mr. Coffey says I need more caster, so I'll kill 2 birds with one stone. Have relocated driver side brake line and as I HATE brake fluid, I'm going to get all my brake line relocating done next to have that behind me. Anybody object to my plumbing front and rear brakes directly from master cylinder and eliminating the little housing that turns on the brakes idiot light - I haven't had the wire connected for 10 years and I don't think it does anything else)? I have cut/ground out the tran tunnel ears (I still can't hear and can't get thru airport security). I'm trying to work up the courage to cut off the throttle linkage on the firewall since I'm using the DBW pedal. All this cutting is pretty hard on me..this car has been my baby for 18 years and I feel like I'm cutting out it's soul. I know it sounds funny, but I spent a lot of hours getting the stock throttle linkage to work perfectly with my triple sidedrafts and now it is in a cardboard box; the custom stainless exhaust I pulled off the car was beautiful. My modified 240z tank is about half finished. I took some pics of the inside of it before the fabricator closes it back up. I should be done sometime this summer. Appreciate all the expert advice the forum is giving me - priceless. Plan is to assemble everything for a test fit and then pull it all down, paint and reassemble. The coating on the JCI stuff looks like it will be rusty very quickly and I figure I'm going to spill a lot more brake fluid before this is all over. Taking LOTs of pictures hoping to contribute to forum.

[mxgsfmdpx]

Awesome update. Thanks!

[RebekahsZ]

I need a confindence boost before I screw the wrong threaded pipe into the JCI oil pressure adapter (mounts down at the oil filter). Can anyone confirm that the threads in the adapter and that the threads in the Datsun oil pressure sender are 1/8" NPT? I've bought some brass pipe from my local Lowes to get he sender out from under the headers, but I want to be sure that the pipe thread is correct before I put torque to the tubing and strip out the threads or crack the adapter.

[RebekahsZ]

Engine and trans are completely suspended by JCI mount kit. Still lots to do, but I wanted to share this pic with everybody who has been helping me on this thread and others. Slow progress, but progress non-the-less. One pic shows car up on jacks, one shows engine in and installed on JCI mounts, next is the modified 240z tank modeled after the dirty and rusty 280z tank. There has been a lot of discussion about the "baffles" in a 280z tank. The 280z tank basically has an internal sump. Now my clean 240z tank does too, and excessive venting removed and an 0-ring sealable access hole large enough to clean tank and even install fuel cell foam if I wind up needing it. I'll author a fuel tank thread that might be sticky-worthy when the car is on the ground and running. Taking lots of pictures for a build thread that discusses all the hiccups and mods that I've had to make. My best tools for this project are an angle grinder and a sledge. Thanks for all the support; more to follow. Keith

[mxgsfmdpx]

Nice progress!

[Pzary3233]

Looking good! Lets see some more pictures!

[RebekahsZ]

I am having trouble with the alternator clearance, just like many people. I've searched the forum and found the 2009 thread opened by Grenade. I have aggressively cut down my datsun engine mount tower and the JCI inner and outer driver side mount brackets, far more than what mnoel had to do (maybe a 240z/280z difference?) and that pretty well took care of the front-to-back clearance problem. However, my LS2 alternator is ON the steering rack adjustment housing. I can get a Camaro alternator, front bracket and rear bracket pretty cheap, and the camaro alternator APPEARES smaller in all dimensions, although I haven't held one in my hand. My 2 questions: 1) will the lower amperage of the Camaro alternator interfere with my use of the LS2 GTO wiring harness and computer? (There is no info on this issue on LS1tech.com either). 2) is the camaro alternator really any smaller in diameter (top to bottom) than the GTO alternator in such a way as to get my alternator off the steering rack?

[Boy from Oz]

These photos I prepared more for wiring connection reference than overall size but they might help. Basically don't bother even trying to fit an LS2 alternator. There are no F-bodies GMs in this country so I had to buy an alternator from the US - it was one of the best decisions I made on the project. Just to let you know what was involved, I bought the Camaro/Firebird bracket for $15 but it cost $30 in shipping - still worth it. Go straight for a Camaro/Firebird alternator - remember the engine will move on the mounts so you need good clearance. No problem with the amps unless you are running power windows, central locking, etc.

 

NOTE: There are two types of plastic cowls and the one in the photo is the wrong one... D'oh! There is one without the scoop but with ventilation slots - thats the one you want.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Boy from Oz

[mxgsfmdpx]

Go buy a CFB alternator. Done.

[RebekahsZ]

Great-thanks a million fellas. Will order Camaro alt kit tonight. What's the easiest way to fix the wiring? Looks like the terminals are different... Perhaps I just tell my wiring harness modification service (wait4meperformance) to make the change?

[wheelman]

I need a confindence boost before I screw the wrong threaded pipe into the JCI oil pressure adapter (mounts down at the oil filter). Can anyone confirm that the threads in the adapter and that the threads in the Datsun oil pressure sender are 1/8" NPT? I've bought some brass pipe from my local Lowes to get he sender out from under the headers, but I want to be sure that the pipe thread is correct before I put torque to the tubing and strip out the threads or crack the adapter.

I didn't see where you had resolved this so I figured I'd give you an answer.

I did an LT1 swap and used an 1/8" NPT brass T with the Datsun oil pressure sender and the LT1 oil pressure switch.

I can't guarantee the Datsun sensor is 1/8" NPT but mine has never leaked in the 5 years since I put it in.

 

Nice looking car by the way.

[RebekahsZ]

Big gains over past week (my wife was out of town); pics to follow. Went to junk yard and found the CFB style alternator and bought it. The only CFB alternator that they had was the vented one without the air duct. Produces juice, but bearings sound bad. Their inventory computer showed it as coming from a 1997 Chevy 1500 truck but I can't verify that and I'm suspicious of that info. Got new rear bracket from dealer cheap ($10 with bolt) after passing up a dirty one from ebay that sold $75. Front bracket is same part number between GTO and CFB. Lots better fit. 1/4 inch clearance from rack, more room on drivers Datsun motor mount, although some amount of trimming would still have been needed. Junk yard had tons of pickup alternators which are the same, but don't have the cast-in boss for the rear bracket-I guess it would be fine just using the front bracket?? If that is the case, the pickup alternator is the ticket because they are so available. Will have alternator rebuilt once I confirm that harness builder can change over the electrical plug. Pics from Austrailia were GREAT. Advice and encouragement from all else, really helpful.

 

Took fuel tank to hydraulic hose company to get hoses fuel pump/regulator/filter assembly put together and mounted to fuel tank, and fuel rail modified to accept AN flex line. Got it back; it is not as pretty as I hoped, but it is exactly what I asked for. Way too much money involved in fuel system. Pics to follow.

 

Dropping diff today, before leaving for a week at the beach, to get RT mount test-fit and start on hard lines (brake and fuel) up in the trans tunnel.

 

Thanks to everybody. When that is done, I'll be looking for advice on the wiring.