Started another swap

[Fast355]

My brother and I are building up a 1987 G20 Van for him. The little 104K mile 305 TBI had to go. Stock it was pretty gutless. It is getting a 2007 LQ4 6.0L complete with DBW swapped into it. It may end up getting a 4L80E in place of the TH400. The Van currently has a 3.08 rear end so the overdrive is not going to be hugely important at the moment but might be nice on long trips.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170709_015650_zpsijvemzqg.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170709_015650_zpsijvemzqg.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170709_015614_zpsk443qhqu.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170709_015614_zpsk443qhqu.jpg.html)

My super low dollar LQ4 with 90K from a 2006 2500HD cab & chassis truck. I bought it from a friend of a friend for parts for another 6.0L. He thought it had a bent crank because of an almost imperceptible crank pulley wobble. Turns out GM even has a TSB and a brand new 6.0L van had 3x the wobble this one does. Going to run it as is. This was startup before it came out of the wrecked truck. One of the bosses for the low mount compressor was damaged as well but I have no plans for a low mounted a/c compressor. Will use Lextech brackets and a L31 Vortec compressor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wGkuHNC6nw

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/00202_8ZjRn2NmmMd_600x450_zpspni9s3co.jpeg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/00202_8ZjRn2NmmMd_600x450_zpspni9s3co.jpeg.html)


I am hoping I can use the 2006 Hemi Ram Accelerator pedal I had laying around for this. It fits perfectly on a GMT800 truck pedal bracket and plugs into the GM connector. After removing the factory G-van accelerator and bracket the GMT800 bracket bolted right to the firewall with 3 self tapping flange head bolts. With some repinning of the connector the electronic function of the unit seems to be the same as tested with resistance values on my trusty old Fluke. Guess I will know for sure when I get the engine installed, plumbed, wired and fired up.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170709_125240_zpsc1qt8gzb.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170709_125240_zpsc1qt8gzb.jpg.html)

[Fast355]

The 6.0L is in.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170716_214157_zpshfafzbvj.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170716_214157_zpshfafzbvj.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170718_204726_zpshbp7xyxt.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170718_204726_zpshbp7xyxt.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170718_204753_zpsipmspkbu.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170718_204753_zpsipmspkbu.jpg.html)

[kacy]

The 6.0L is in.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170716_214157_zpshfafzbvj.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170716_214157_zpshfafzbvj.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170718_204726_zpshbp7xyxt.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170718_204726_zpshbp7xyxt.jpg.html)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/Fast355_album/20170718_204753_zpsipmspkbu.jpg (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/Fast355_album/media/20170718_204753_zpsipmspkbu.jpg.html)

Thanks to photobucket, most build threads no longer have pictures in them. Please use a different photo hosting service unless you want to pay photobuckets fees.

[tayto]

Fast, can you clear out your PM's? I have a question for you but does not relate to this thread. Thanks.

[wanderingturtle]

Sounds like a good swap. I'm still considering doing something like that with my van and ditching the outdated TBI system. How hard of a swap was it? Pulling van motors is a pita. Did you go out the front or out the bottom?

By the way, the pictures don't work.

[Fast355]

Sounds like a good swap. I'm still considering doing something like that with my van and ditching the outdated TBI system. How hard of a swap was it? Pulling van motors is a pita. Did you go out the front or out the bottom?

By the way, the pictures don't work.

I refuse to pay photobuckets fees so the pictures won't be back.

The 6.0L engine and 4L80E are both sitting in it. I have it mostly mocked up. I have to pull the engine swap the cam and heads as well as timing cover then finish the plumbing and wiring.

Its not too hard of a swap. I actually prefer working on the vans to most cars. Working slow, I can get the engine out of one in about 2-3 hours out of the front.

[lionelhutz]

There is a Chrome plugin that makes Photobucket pictures work. Might be something similar for other browsers.

[Chewy1576]

There is a Chrome plugin that makes Photobucket pictures work. Might be something similar for other browsers.

This one works - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-hotlink-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?utm_source=gmail

[Fast355]

I refuse to pay photobuckets fees so the pictures won't be back.

The 6.0L engine and 4L80E are both sitting in it. I have it mostly mocked up. I have to pull the engine swap the cam and heads as well as timing cover then finish the plumbing and wiring.

Its not too hard of a swap. I actually prefer working on the vans to most cars. Working slow, I can get the engine out of one in about 2-3 hours out of the front.

Just thought I would update on this. Finally got this up and running although I have some work still left to iron out. It has been on the back burner.

Still need to build an actual exhaust system and rebuild the suspension and brakes.

The 6.0L/4l80E moves the van effortlessly despite 3.08 gears and it is still running a mostly stock tune.

After finding the right pinouts and getting the signal voltages right the Dodge pedal works.

[notime2d8]

Really wish i could see these pictures. I have a 02 Denali with a LQ4 and 4l60e sitting until i figure out what to do with it. Think the handling and center of gravity is too terrible for it in my lifted Blazer. And i just got my 7427 TBI Maf setup running perfect following your old stuff. Did the new engine mount in the same spot as the 305? Which brackets did you use?

[Fast355]

Really wish i could see these pictures. I have a 02 Denali with a LQ4 and 4l60e sitting until i figure out what to do with it. Think the handling and center of gravity is too terrible for it in my lifted Blazer. And i just got my 7427 TBI Maf setup running perfect following your old stuff. Did the new engine mount in the same spot as the 305? Which brackets did you use?

I used Transdapt mounts that moved the engine forward around 1" so that the front of the engine was in stock location. This allowed a 4L80E to bolt right into the Th375 aka 3L80 stock crossmember.

[Fast355]

G-vans are easy to get the engine out of compared to the Express vans.

[Fast355]

Ended up taking this on a 1,200 mile road trip this past week. Averaged just over 19 mpg running 75-85 mph most of the trip with the cruise set on open road. If you do not watch your right foot it wants to keep on pulling at light throttle and peg the 85 mph speedo. 70 mph is 1,900 rpm and 85 mph is only ~2,300 rpm. I ended up using a lextech bracket and an OEM 5.7 Vortec compressor on the passenger side. Updated the condenser with a modern replacement and kept the a/c front only. A/C works suprisingly well. I did run into an small issue on the trip but it was easily resolved. Headers sit a little close to one of the plug wire boots and burned through causing a misfire. 30 minutes in an autozone parking lot, a set of Delco plug wires and heat insulating boots later and I was on my way again. Hopefully the boots will allow the new wire set to have a good long service life. I sat in the passenger seat for a good 400 miles and dialed in the fuel tables and tweaked on the timing. All those that claim the LS6 cam is a DOG honestly must have not done proper tuning. I was able to bring in the lower rpm, high load timing advance much more agressively than a stock LQ4 or LQ9 and restore almost all the low-end torque of a factory 6.0L. The 2.5 to single 3.5" exhaust this is now running is drone free at highway speed and barely noticeable but has a great tone under acceleration. On the open road the IATs stabilized out at about 100-105°F on a 95°F day. Engine runs about 190°F and the trans about 165°F with only the in-radiator cooler. The only time I even heard the cooling fans kick on to high speed was with a hot interior idling at a traffic light when the a/c head pressure kicked up the fans. I used a GMT400 truck a/c manifold with the provision for the a/c switch and the later pressure transducer threads right onto it. A/C blows 38°F on the road on high fan speed. With a new evaporator, new blower motor and resealed duct work the unit works very nicely. Overall for the ~$2,500 we have in the whole van it drives, rides and runs amazingly. Would not hesitate to drive it wherever I wanted to go. I believe my brothers next trip will be to Alaska in it. The one thing it needs changed is it needs a locking rear differential. It will lay one tire mark clear to 60 mph as it sits.