88 Fiero Formula LS4/F40 6 speed swap
09-23-2016, 09:21 AM
#241
09-25-2016, 09:58 AM
#242
Thanks! This swap was a labor of love... Machining, fabrication, and automotive upgrades are my hobbies as well as my creative/engineering outlet so it was a lot of fun.
I Long hauled the car on the HRPT this summer w/o any significant issues and continue to drive it most days. Since I have been back, I have been focused on the 2nd LS4/F40 swap. The primary purpose is to develop the needed parts for others to complete the swap.
I also picked up an 07 Colorado to replace my 97 truck.
With two spare LS4s sitting in the garage, I have already started to think about upgrading the 3.7 to a 5.3... but probably won't happen for several years.
I Long hauled the car on the HRPT this summer w/o any significant issues and continue to drive it most days. Since I have been back, I have been focused on the 2nd LS4/F40 swap. The primary purpose is to develop the needed parts for others to complete the swap.
I also picked up an 07 Colorado to replace my 97 truck.
With two spare LS4s sitting in the garage, I have already started to think about upgrading the 3.7 to a 5.3... but probably won't happen for several years.
09-26-2016, 03:52 PM
#244
Teching In
Not to Hijack but you started it. The 6.0 Turbo I am building uses the roadmap from this Truck. Chevy Colorado Junkyard LQ4 putting down 800hp to the rear tires. (probably 950-1000 crank horsepower.) http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...60&FORM=VRDGAR
11-30-2016, 08:20 PM
#247
Starting to collect the needed parts for some winter upgrades...
This was inside...
Borg Warner S369sx-e supercore. It supports 950+ hp without the excessive size of the 400 series turbos, which will make it easier (but probably not "easy" to fit in my engine bay). For phase one, I am "only" looking for 600 whp on E85, but wanted a good reliable turbo with room to grow.
Here are the specs
S300SX-E SuperCore Assembly 9180
69.00mm / 2.72'' Compressor Inducer Dia.
91.44mm / 3.60'' Compressor Wheel O.D.
73.37mm / 2.89'' Turbine Exducer Dia.
79.75mm / 3.14'' Turbine Wheel O.D.
Straight Compressor Outlet
Here is the compressor map:
The exhaust housing is a T4 80 mm twin volute with 1.0 AR, but it hasn't arrived yet...
This was inside...
Borg Warner S369sx-e supercore. It supports 950+ hp without the excessive size of the 400 series turbos, which will make it easier (but probably not "easy" to fit in my engine bay). For phase one, I am "only" looking for 600 whp on E85, but wanted a good reliable turbo with room to grow.
Here are the specs
S300SX-E SuperCore Assembly 9180
69.00mm / 2.72'' Compressor Inducer Dia.
91.44mm / 3.60'' Compressor Wheel O.D.
73.37mm / 2.89'' Turbine Exducer Dia.
79.75mm / 3.14'' Turbine Wheel O.D.
Straight Compressor Outlet
Here is the compressor map:
The exhaust housing is a T4 80 mm twin volute with 1.0 AR, but it hasn't arrived yet...
12-01-2016, 09:40 AM
#248
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (27)
Borg Warner S369sx-e supercore. It supports 950+ hp without the excessive size of the 400 series turbos, which will make it easier (but probably not "easy" to fit in my engine bay). For phase one, I am "only" looking for 600 whp on E85, but wanted a good reliable turbo with room to grow.
What schedule pipe did you use for your truck manifold extension?
12-01-2016, 07:59 PM
#250
2" schedule 40. I got a 6" length from McMaster: http://www.mcmaster.com/#1120t74/=15ab7d3
The wall thickness is about 0.154" and pretty close to the thickness of the truck manifold.
The wall thickness is about 0.154" and pretty close to the thickness of the truck manifold.
12-07-2016, 09:56 AM
#254
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Looking forward to updates. I have been eyeballing the new S300SX-E turbos. I was playing around with the BW Matchbot and thought that particular turbo would be perfect for a 5.3L!
Andrew
Andrew
12-07-2016, 10:30 AM
#255
Very handy tool. I have a similar one, but it does not have removable fingers. There have been a few times I wish it did! You might want to make an insert for the bottom with a narrower "V" for when you're doing lighter gauge or smaller stuff and you want a sharper corner; that opening is really wide.
Also I use a mag base long-stroke dial indicator on mine to get repeat bends.
Also I use a mag base long-stroke dial indicator on mine to get repeat bends.
Last edited by -TheBandit-; 12-07-2016 at 10:37 AM.
08-08-2017, 08:34 PM
#258
It has been a busy summer with lots of driving and very little work on the LS4/F40 Fiero...
With a 3.55 final drive and a 3.77 1st gear (and 0.62 6th) the ratios of the F40 are not ideally suited for a 400+ hp V8 (especially with a future turbo upgrade). 1st gear * final drive is 13.38!
I have said for years that if the F40 came with a 3.0 final drive it would be much, much better. I stumbled across some info that the F40 did come with a 3.091 final drive in Europe in a diesel application. I did some looking and purchased one from the UK and had it shipped to the states.
In the next few weeks I will disassemble this trans and my spare G6 F40 and work to use the best parts from both. The pictures of the clean transmission is my zero mile spare G6 F40. The dirty one is the Europe F40.
The gear side of the Europe case looks much stronger than the G6 one, but using it will require reworking my rear transmission mount, the shifter bracket, and some other smaller issues.
With a 3.55 final drive and a 3.77 1st gear (and 0.62 6th) the ratios of the F40 are not ideally suited for a 400+ hp V8 (especially with a future turbo upgrade). 1st gear * final drive is 13.38!
I have said for years that if the F40 came with a 3.0 final drive it would be much, much better. I stumbled across some info that the F40 did come with a 3.091 final drive in Europe in a diesel application. I did some looking and purchased one from the UK and had it shipped to the states.
In the next few weeks I will disassemble this trans and my spare G6 F40 and work to use the best parts from both. The pictures of the clean transmission is my zero mile spare G6 F40. The dirty one is the Europe F40.
The gear side of the Europe case looks much stronger than the G6 one, but using it will require reworking my rear transmission mount, the shifter bracket, and some other smaller issues.
08-09-2017, 11:12 AM
#259
Teching In
Holy Crap, if you pull this off you might just start a new Era in Grabbing gears in the Fiero. With the deeper bell housing of the 6spd's, there has to be a way to fit a twin disc clutch in their too. The big reason I have steered away from the 6spd is the ratios are frankly too close for daily driving. I drove a local Fiero with a GM Performance Parts ZZ383 450hp motor and 6spd from Archie. It was near pointless, Normal day to day driving, you ran 2nd 4th and 6th. As 1st was too low, and 3rd and 5th were to close to even bother with. In the end you got a 3spd standard with a "Heavenly" 6th gear, man I loved it on the highway. I had a Test Pattern I would run cars on, that left my place, went down a big hill, up a big hill through some tight corners, then onto a high speed corner as I got onto the freeway, 2 miles down took the exit at speed then quickly tested the brakes as I came to a stop off the exit. Then cruised slowly to my place. I loved the 1800rpm cruise on the highway, but that was it.
NOW, if you get that improved ratio working, I can see a lot of people trying it.
NOW, if you get that improved ratio working, I can see a lot of people trying it.
08-09-2017, 09:45 PM
#260
After 4 1/2 years and 42K+ miles, I have gotten pretty used to the F40 ratios. First gear normally is just to get the car rolling, then on to 2nd. I normally don't skip gears, just row through them in sequential order. I find myself in 6th all the time, even in town. I can cruise at 40 6th...
I am hopeful that everything will interchange, as I think the longer gears will be a much better match for the V8 crowd, but I don't think many will do the same due to cost and complexity.
Mwhite finished his LS4/F40 swap a couple months before I did and he used a twin disk clutch with off the shelf parts. The only custom work he had to do was adapting a different HTOB - but you probably could do it with the stock one and a stepped nose spacer.
I am hopeful that everything will interchange, as I think the longer gears will be a much better match for the V8 crowd, but I don't think many will do the same due to cost and complexity.
Mwhite finished his LS4/F40 swap a couple months before I did and he used a twin disk clutch with off the shelf parts. The only custom work he had to do was adapting a different HTOB - but you probably could do it with the stock one and a stepped nose spacer.