Schantin

iTrader: (6)

I've been working with a shop in Las Vegas since the beginning of May to get this project from pipe-dream to reality. Today it was finished. These guys did a great job.... and even drove from Vegas to the Cali desert where I live to make delivery easier. The original powertrain consisted of a 3.8L V6 that had 83K miles + a 6-speed manual transmission. It wasn't burning oil, but had a nasty coolant leak that we learned was coming from the back on the intake manifold and was providing horrible power.

This conversion created a "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde." I now have a monster. The V6 was ditched for a 6.0L LY6 chevy LS V8 mated to a 6L80 auto trans (with tapshift). It's sporting a Flowmaster exhaust with Magnaflow bullet converters, a MoTech CAI, and everything else "stock" GM. It should be good for around 390HP/400TQ at the crank.

After a day of driving, I'm quite pleased with the performance. It was 104 today and we drove nearly 400 miles through the mountains with the AC blasting. No overheating issues. I took it 30 miles off-road on a combination of dry lake beds and wadis. I ran it on some very washboarded terrain to check for loose fasteners and leaks. After all this beating, I had to tighten the air filter clamp and had a seep from a trans cooler clamp. That's it. That's a testament to the initial build quality.

Of course, no thread like this would matter without pics... and video. Those are shown below. Enjoy :yup:


Removing the body from the frame


Old 3.8L V6 with a nasty coolant leak


Frame after engine and body removal


New LY6 Chevy V8 installed on frame


View of the new 6L80 trans mated to the LY6 V8


Completed engine bay

KY Nova

iTrader: (1)

Very nice. I have a friend with an 06 2dr. wanting to do this. Is there a kit or company that you used for the conversion? What SPECIAL parts did you have buy or build?

Thanks and very kool
Allen

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

sweet swap , but how are you passing emissions, here in ny that wouldnt fly , its not the stock engine or even from the same manufacturer.

SLCviaAK

Did you use MoTech as the shop?

Jimbo1367

Did you retain the VVT?

Schantin

iTrader: (6)

Yep.

In the case of my Jeep, it's going to be re-registered in Texas (I'm in the military and a Tx resident). However, if I changed the converters and CAI, it WOULD be Ca legal. The shop that did the install has an installer near San Diego. They do the requisite paperwork with the state, which views the completed vehicle as a 2009 or 2011 Silverado for emissions. There are a couple dozen running about the state that are straight up 50-state legal.

Schantin

iTrader: (6)

Yes, it is retained.

Briou

iTrader: (1)

Just saw this....wanting to do it to my 07 2 door rubi but with a M6 trans....how much did this swap run you?

LSX-Jeep

Love the swap. Thinking of doing the same to my 2015 jku

Punisher8738

iTrader: (1)

Pretty sure Motech only specializes in JKs.

I've got a bored heads/cam 6.2/4l80 in my 06 LJ Rubicon and used Novak for my swap components. They sell everything from complete ready to drop drivetrains or components.

But, if I had a JK I would go Motech all the way. They've got videos on YouTube that walk you thru a swap and all the small mods they figure out to make it clean.

Great looking swap, I've got some buddy's I'm trying to convince to go to Motech for their JKs.

JohnRodriguez

Motech does yj, tj, Jk, and Cherokees. I'll have 3 years on my LS next month with over 50,000 miles. hope you enjoy it.

LSX-Jeep

I have a ZL1 engine and 6L80e ready for mine. I dnt need all of Motech kit so it should come out way cheaper then that 5100 price tag they have.

Punisher8738

iTrader: (1)

That will be a bad *** conversion.

Punisher8738

iTrader: (1)

Wonder why they don't avertise this. Onky information I ever found was for JKs. Which is why I didn't even consider them although their work is impressive.

JohnRodriguez

they had a article in a off road magazine about putting a lc9 5.3 and a 6l80 in a yj a few years ago. if you look at the pictures of some of the projects, they have a xj in there too

LSX-Jeep

Do y'all know if any if the long tube headers out there will work on the jk with Motech Ls swap kit

JIMB

iTrader: (2)

I've had my 98 TJ with a LS6/4l60E for almost 10 years now. It's such a great swap. I plow snow with it in the winter. My run around vehicle in the summer.

Enjoy the new swap.

LSX-Jeep

Any ideas on the lt headers?