Anonymous
Unregistered
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Not sure how many here have seen the threads from over at VX.info, but though I'd post it here... I am swapping an LS1 out of a 2000 Z/28 along with its 4L60E transmission into my 2000 Vehicross. I have over come some hurdles so far and have gotten the motor into the VX.
I have a few more things that need to be done before Sunday February the 8th when a friend comes overs to weld up some motor and transmission mounts. I have to lower the front axle housing... this will take care of a couple problems... 1) give needed clearance from oil pan to axle housing... the motor ALMOST fits all the way down into the bay when it touches the axle... just a couple inches and I will have safe clearance... 2) I lifted my VX 2-3 inches and so my CV joints are not straight from axle to spindle... so when I lower the axle for motor clearance I will regain a straight shot on CV's which will take stress off of them.
Next I am working with Novak Adaptors for a solution to my transfer case issues. Eric is checking on some stuff to find out if we can make the TOD clearn the pan of the 4L60E or not... if so, they will machine me a custom adaptor for the conversion... cost... $50/hr... 12 hours! OUCH! $600... oh well small price to pay. If its not gonna clear, I have a couple options... Eric suggested that I consider doing a Dana 300 T-case... it has the right hand prop shaft I need and he has the adaptor on the shelf ready to ship. I am also looking into another option... the 2004 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon use a 4L60E transmission and have a right hand from prop shaft... the T'case the are using is sourced from Isuzu (names T150)... only problem with this is that I checked GMC and they don't have part numbers for the T-case or the adaptor... too new in the game to get them... I'll have to go swipe one from under a NEW vehicle on a lot... anyone wanna help?! lol
Beyond those mechanical issues, I also kinda have to rewire the front clip of the VX... I had decided that I didn't need the old ECU or its wiring harness... so I cut the plugs to the ECU and weeded the wires out of the engine bay... when I started looking at the wiring left over I got irritated. There were about 40 wires that went out of the drivers side firewall, up to the corner, across to the other front corner and right back into the passenger side firewall! WHY oh WHY did Isuzu do this?! They bundled the engine managment harness with the rest of the VX... GM... more specifically the 2000 Z/28 that donated my motor and tranny... has ONE harness for the body and ANOTHER harness for engine and transmission management... maybe this is because the F-body has different motor options... and since the VX gets ONE option... it is combined... anyway... irrtated me so I just cut and removed ALL of the wires from the front clip! DOH! Now I have to rewire the headlights and stuff... horn... and later on when I reinstall my cruise control, I'll have to rewire that... oh and ABS... not sure thats going back together! A/C will also have to be rewired later on down the road... hopefully by summer.
Anyway, just wanted to show the progress off... I hope to have her running by end of February... just in time for NO MORE SNOW! Oh well... gotta run... Check the LS1Inside pictures below... there are some other galleries there too with the stock motor removal and some of the wiring removal pictures too...
TTYL!
http://community.webshots.com/album/114543025idgovH?12
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I would consider doing a solid axle swap up front. If your going to have to relocate the diff it may be quite a bit of work that would be better spent building an SAS. Also the current front drive axles may have a problem handling the power of this motor.
Looks very impressive. I am interested in seeing how this turns out.
Also, Why didnt you put headers on the motor while you had it out? those stock manifolds look fairly restrictive. Later down the road you may want to put them on and not have the room to do so.
Keep up the good work.
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randii
4x4Wire.com Managing Editor Emeritus
Reged: 08/02/99
Posts: 9030
Loc: Fair Oaks, CA USA
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Looks like great work, and aa *TIGHT* fit!
Keep us updated!
Randii
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Randy Burleson
4x4Wire Managing Editor Emeritus
Mongrel Isuzu Amigo
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
I would consider doing a solid axle swap up front. If your going to have to relocate the diff it may be quite a bit of work that would be better spent building an SAS. Also the current front drive axles may have a problem handling the power of this motor.
I had considered this, but the actual cost of the axle and whatnot will be more to add on my already tapped-out arse! I will be nice to it for awhile and see how it handles the power... and of course, once I see regular problems... and recoop from the motor swap... I'll do that SAS... one thing at a time though. Origninally I wanted to find a way to retain my IFS so as to retain my handling characteristics... but we shall see...
Quote:
Also, Why didnt you put headers on the motor while you had it out? those stock manifolds look fairly restrictive. Later down the road you may want to put them on and not have the room to do so.
Keep up the good work.
Again, this was a money problem... I considered headers AND a cam but it was gonna be WAY more than I could afford right now... sooooo... again... maybe later. If things are too tight to get them in later, I'll just loosen things up and hoiste the motor up enough to get the manifold out and headers in... but until the... nope!
Quote:
Looks like great work, and aa *TIGHT* fit!
Keep us updated!
Randii
Yes, it is a tight fit... but so far, so good... should be JUST enough space to get everything in there. Wish me luck!
I'll keep y'all posted... should be done in another 3-4 weeks. TTYL!
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Nick
Wheeler
Reged: 01/14/00
Posts: 118
Loc: Charlotte, NC
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Wow,that is a tight fit. Keep up the good work and keeps us over here posted.
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'99 Trooper 3.5L->R150F->Duals->4.7->60/14b->38.5s
'96 Trooper DD
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Rodeo Guy
Body Damage is Cool
Reged: 12/07/02
Posts: 1074
Loc: woodbridge, va
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When I first read the title to your post, I expected you to be saying I wanna do this to my vx, is it possible? And we would answer, of course, anything is possible if you have enough money. Imagine my surprise when you are actually already doing it!
Few questions though, why in the world did you wanna put a sbc in your vehicross? Kinda swapping new and high tech engine for an old pushrod v8, right? Why not just slap the supercharger on your engine? Are you planning on building up the ls1, when you have the money? Trying to break the land speed record for funny lookin suvs?  And as for keepin the ifs for handling, wouldn't the added weight from the bigger engine throw it off anyways?
Not sayin you shouldn't do the swap, I love that you are, and its even more kick azz cause a lot of people would probably say it can't be done. Good luck!
Mike
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Mike
"Damn the carnage! Full throttle ahead!"
95.5 rodeo, 37" Trxus MT, dana 44/9", coil-overs, lockers..... http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/550454
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Very Cool! Let us know how it's going. If you need some V8 swap info, try checking out some of the Chevy S10 Forums as it might have some related info you need on the swap.
Good Luck,
Con
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
When I first read the title to your post, I expected you to be saying I wanna do this to my vx, is it possible? And we would answer, of course, anything is possible if you have enough money. Imagine my surprise when you are actually already doing it!
Yes your right... ANYTHING can be done. The money isn't that bad considering most of everything is being done by ME! I have a friend who is a pipe-fitter so all welding will be done by him... I don't trust my 90amp MIG welder for big stuff... plus he has a couple of HUGE jeeps under his belt. That leaves a couple small things... trans-tcase adaptor... leave that for Novak... or just get a different T-case...
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Few questions though, why in the world did you wanna put a sbc in your vehicross? Kinda swapping new and high tech engine for an old pushrod v8, right? Why not just slap the supercharger on your engine? Are you planning on building up the ls1, when you have the money? Trying to break the land speed record for funny lookin suvs? And as for keepin the ifs for handling, wouldn't the added weight from the bigger engine throw it off anyways?
I have a few reasons for my choice of motor... first off, my experience with the LS1... I have had three LS1 powered WS6 Trans Ams... I know they're reliable and put out a ton of stock HP and torque... RELIABLY! Next, yeah, it might weight MORE than the motor that was in there... but I think you might be surprised at how little difference there is... not that I have the actual 3.5L weight... the FULLY dressed (all accessories, brackets, belts) LS1 weighs in at around 450lbs (give or take). I think the weight difference in an already HEFTY for its size SUV is negligable. The 3.5L with the SC would still be less power and that is under boost... mine will be NA... Funny-looking-SUV-speed-record?! Maybe! 
Quote:
Not sayin you shouldn't do the swap, I love that you are, and its even more kick azz cause a lot of people would probably say it can't be done. Good luck!
Oh yeah, I have had plenty of people say it can't be done... which just drives a person like me even harder to do it! I don't like to be told "no", "it'll never happen", or "CAN'T BE DONE!"... soooo... here we are...
Alright... enough talk... gotta check a couple more boards and threads and then its off to the garage... will have the rest of tonight, and the next TWO days to work... hopefully I will get some quality time in. I'll post back later with any new pictures... or just check my webshots galleries on occassion... I'll post the pics when I get them.
TTYL!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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OK, time for me to quit slacking... and get back to work on the conversion... actually, for those who don't already know, I have been down for four weeks now with a little injury... fell down some stairs and damaged three of the four major ligaments in my left knee... complete PCL tear, partial ACL tear, and strained MCL... soooo... its been IMPOSSIBLE to work on the VX even if I REALLY wanted to... PLUS, I've been waiting on parts!
Anyway, I received my transmission to transfer case adaptor a couple days ago. It was manufactured by Novak Conversions... Eric, the owner of the company, has been VERY helpful during this process... of the 3-4 other companies out there that I found, Novak Conversions and Eric (the owner) were the only WILLING to attempt my fabrication... for that I am thankful! The link below shows some picture of the adaptor plate... it is a modified adaptor that they already make for the mating the Dana 300 transfer case to the 4L60E transmission. Check out the link...
http://community.webshots.com/album/128782869wctxes
Other than that, the motor has gone back in another time or two, having gained significant space with my front axle drop but I still need a little bit more clearance to let the motor tilt back and give the proper down-angle of the drivetrain. I will get this extra space by modifying the oil pan.
I will mark the oil pan where it touches the front axle, remove the motor and transmission so as to remove the oil pan... I will cut the oil pan creating a notch around the parts that are touching... then the pan will be TIG welded up. I will have to remove about 1" from the whole front of the sump area of the pan, and will take another small angled swatch from where the third member is. I'd rather have enough space than not enough. This will happen over the next few days.
I hope to pull the transmission apart this weekend and swap the stock output shaft from the tranny that is from a passenger car... and install the new output shaft which is stock in tranny used in 4x4 applications... I picked my output shaft up from Novak Conversions when I purchased the adaptor plate...
Once the output shaft is installed, I can start mating things up. I will have to clearence the adaptor plate a little where the TOD range selector stick goes into the T-case... there is a cup that seals things up pretty good and the new plate doesn't take this in account... I'll do that myself.
I won't know 100% whether or not the front drop will clear the tranny oil pan until the thing is completely mated up. From my conversations with Eric, he seems to think we should be ok... apparently the Dana 300 has a smiliar offset to the front drop and they have clearance to the oil pan... it will be tight, but should be fine. Stay tuned... I hope to get things moving along now. TTYL!
Coach!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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OK, oil pan is back from the welder... I hope to fit it back to the motor tomorrow and refit the motor into the bay soon. You can see pictures of the pan modification if you go to the following link and then to "Latest Updates" or whatever I caled it... Stay tuned...
http://community.webshots.com/user/ironmanvx2000 (<---edited)
TTYL!
Coach!
Edited by coachreed (03/31/04 06:35 PM)
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