Starter mount for LS4 with FWD F40 6 speed manual transmission

[fieroguru]

One step closer to running a manual transmission with the LS4... Here is my bolt on starter mount that retains the stock LS4 starter in the stock location... just need to cut up the F40 case to make it fit.

[texasGXP08]

You are my hero. Seriously. That is awesome!

[07MCSS]

That is flippin' awesome man!

[AlabamaGuy]

Touche.

Guess I'm eating crow tonight.

[07MCSS]

Originally Posted by AlabamaGuy

Touche.

Guess I'm eating crow tonight.

You had doubts?

[StealthV8]

very nice.

[AlabamaGuy]

Originally Posted by 07MCSS

You had doubts?

Actually I think I said it would be useless because of torque steer and traction problems...but my mind could be changed.

[fieroguru]

Originally Posted by AlabamaGuy

Actually I think I said it would be useless because of torque steer and traction problems...but my mind could be changed.

My application will have this drivetrain mounted in the rear with a roughly 52-55% rear weight bias and a 2850 lb curb weight, so torque steer is a non-issue and traction will be much better... It should be more fun than the previous SBC/Getrag 5 speed.

[AlabamaGuy]

Originally Posted by fieroguru

My application will have this drivetrain mounted in the rear with a roughly 52-55% rear weight bias and a 2850 lb curb weight, so torque steer is a non-issue and traction will be much better... It should be more fun than the previous SBC/Getrag 5 speed.

I don't doubt that at all. Most Fiero's I've seen don't have terrible traction problems at all.

[CalamitySS]

Impressive to say the least.

[Hawkins04]

looks good glad to see it coming along

[GXP25]

Originally Posted by AlabamaGuy

Actually I think I said it would be useless because of torque steer and traction problems...but my mind could be changed.

This is a different transmission (F40 - 6 speed manual). 1st gear ratio is 3.77.

The 6T75 (6 speed automatic) has a 1st gear radio of 4.484. That was the transmission you have/had doubts about. A module already exists for this conversion. There are just a few bugs that need to be ironed out.

Stock (4T65E-HD), we're at 2.92.

Nice work fieroguru! Any chance of looking at the 6T75 for a stock starter location?

[LS1 Racing]

This seems to have been the biggest hurdle...Great innovation on your part!

As for those of us who would consider doing this swap in an LS4 W-body, I assume we'd have to go junkyard shopping for clutch linkage and pedals from the late 80's-early 90's GM-10 cars, correct?

[fieroguru]

Thanks for the compliments.

I do not really have the time or access to the 6 speed auto to work on a starter solution for it. Really all you need is a LS4 4T65 tranny to make the mockup fixture... then cut away enough material on the new tranny to build the new starter base.

Next thing I am working on is the flywheel. The F40 is 1" deeper than all previous FWD manual transmissions to accomodate a thick dual mass flywheel... so it needs a thicker than normal flywheel. Add to this that all the RWD LS(x) based engine use a 168 tooth ring gear that will not fit inside the tranny and their flywheels are much too thin... and its time to get creative. I think I have something that will work when I get all the modifications done...

[OrlandoMachine]

We're working on the 6 speed auto solution as we speak. Definitely a task.

[LS4 swap]

Originally Posted by OrlandoMachine

We're working on the 6 speed auto solution as we speak. Definitely a task.

I have an F40 6 speed for my LS4 Fiero, but I have to admit that the 6 speed auto sounds good too.
What exactly are the technical issues that need to be worked out as of this time?
Do you have one running yet?
How do you run the tranny and how does that controler affect the engine management system?

[vroom_vroom]

i know i would love to put any six speed in(auto or not) in the gxp but i still think you will have to have money to burn when you can get a tep trans for 1600 it will be over double that for the six speed

[fieroguru]

Originally Posted by vroom_vroom

i know i would love to put any six speed in(auto or not) in the gxp but i still think you will have to have money to burn when you can get a tep trans for 1600 it will be over double that for the six speed

Anyone with an automotive hobby must have $$ to burn...

One of the rules I live by is if it isn't what I want, it doesn't really matter how much it costs. I am one of those guys who will pay more for a manual transmission, so I really do not care if the the automatic would be cheaper... I just do not want one.

But since I have the equipment/skills to make/modify all the needed parts to finish this swap (LS4 install + the F40 6 speed conversion), my total cash outlay will be much, much lower than what you are assuming.

[LS4 swap]

Originally Posted by fieroguru

Anyone with an automotive hobby must have $$ to burn...

One of the rules I live by is if it isn't what I want, it doesn't really matter how much it costs. I am one of those guys who will pay more for a manual transmission, so I really do not care if the the automatic would be cheaper... I just do not want one.

But since I have the equipment/skills to make/modify all the needed parts to finish this swap (LS4 install + the F40 6 speed conversion), my total cash outlay will be much, much lower than what you are assuming.

Very interested in your project.
How do you plan to alter the ECM for a manual?

[fieroguru]

Originally Posted by LS4 swap

Very interested in your project.
How do you plan to alter the ECM for a manual?

I am planning to use a stock 2007 E67 ecm with the stock LS4 calibration to start. Within the stock LS4 calibration is a Manual Transmission flag, so the first step will to set it to a manual transmission and see what happens.

If the Manual Transmission flag doesn't work, then I will need to turn off all the automatic transmission codes. Once it runs without any codes, then I will need to do quite a bit of tuning for all the upgrades and drivability during the transitionary states. Once I get it tuned and running well, then I will turn on DoD and see what it takes to make it work.

DoD requires 3 transmission based inputs (as well as 20ish others), so if the manual transmission flag doesn't remove them, then I will need to figure out a way to mimick them.

If I can not get the LS4 calibration to work, then I will switch over to the LS2 6 speed manual calibration (need to swap timing covers). This calibration has also has a DoD flag and I am curious what turning it on would do.