When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Great build, your build is why I started to attempt this myself. I'm just starting my build on a 71 Cutlass. I'm going back a forth with which trans to go with for my GEN IV, 4l80e or 6l80e. How much cutting did you have to do to get the 6l80e to fit?
Thank you much, glad my neverending build could help in getting the ball rolling on yours. Be sure to post your progress! If I had to do it all over again I'd probably go with a 4L80 since its cheaper and easier to build up if you're going to push big power. I went with the 6L80 kinda for the wow factor of a 6 speed. I'll be leaning on my tuner to make the trans live in stock form since I'd like to have someone upwards of 700 rwhp when I'm done. It's safer to build the trans to reliably hold that kinda power but that costs a small fortune. The entire case is bigger/taller so the entire tunnel was raised about 2". Another thing is the pan for the trans, it sits rather low. The truck pan is out of the question, the G8 pan is the shallowest but is the most prone to pickup issues. I'm using a 5th Gen pan but since the car wont be super low I'm hoping it wont be an issue.
Last edited by Chocolate Apocalypse; 10-09-2017 at 12:29 PM.
Trying to fit a couple 4" coaxials for a center channel. They are a bit weighty and of course I didn't do any measuring beforehand so this should be fun lol Arts and crafts weekend has started:
Motor info is pretty much all in the first post but quick and dirty is 370" LS2, stock crank, Manly rods, Wiseco pistons, 9:1 comp, ported LS3 heads, stock 6l80e w/Circle D triple disk billet tc, 12 bolt w/Richmond 3.73 gears and Auburn posi. VA AC, Dakota Digital VHX gauges. Old Baer Track C4 rear brakes, KORE C6 z51 fronts. Edelbrock adj UCAs, UMI adj LCAs, Moog springs, Hellwig adj sway bar, Koni shocks in the rear. Speedtech UCAs/LCAs, AFX spindles, Hotchkis springs, DSE sway bar and Konis in the front. I'm redoing my cooling system with a C&R rad w/built in EOC and PSC, replacing the Tru-cool 40k trans cooler with a Mocal 25 row that I've had forever and will finally use. Reusing my DCC fan controller and 4th gen fans as they seem to be doing the trick so far. I'll get more pics up this weekend, will hopefully be running after the LSA swap.
Last edited by Chocolate Apocalypse; 10-05-2021 at 03:12 PM.
Looks great! The LSA club is a fun club to be in haha. What are you planning for your accessories, fueling, and etc.?
She was a handful NA so we'll see how it goes now lol I get accessories from Lance Dreager (sp?) from the LSA Swap group on FB, also bought my lid from him. It's a Holley C6 hybrid, similar to the "modified" LSA FEAD Gm sells that is on backorder til the end of time. Also running the Dirty Dingo low pass AC mount, looks like it will work just fine without any clearancing but we'll see. C&R 1st Gen HE that bolts right to my VA condenser. Will be using a BMW branded Pierburg CWA50 pump for coolant. Running stock boost for now so have stock LSA injectors. Sent my Vaporworx controller to Carl so he could convert it to manifold reference. Still have to run my new fuel, TOC, PSC and EOC lines, run my HE lines, wire up MAP, TB and coolant pump. Was hoping to get her running/driving this weekend but now that I think about it maybe not
Thanks Andrew, that's the plan now that I actually have everything I need. Between the 10 week lead time for my rad and a nearly 6 months for a lid most of this year was spent in a holding pattern.
Great parts list for sure! Nice to see you are running the CWA50. That's the same one I run, and keeps my IAT's right in check. What coolant fan are you running now? I ask, because mine wasn't enough to keep my Heat exchanger and engine cool, so I upgraded to a C7 Spal fan. Now I'm running around 15* over ambient for my IAT's and ECT is whatever I set it to.
I had been scouring eBay for about a month before coming across this CWA50. $65 for the pump, harness and mount so I jumped on it.
For fans I'm running a 4th gen Camaro LS unit. They seemed to do the trick prior to this swap though the radiator I was using wasn't up to the task so I knew I needed to upgrade that. I bought a Mark VIII fan but it ended up not fitting so if it turns out my current fans aren't up to the task it looks like the Volt fans Andrew is using are the perfect size. If I go that route I'll need to see if the Lingenfelter brushless fan controller will work. There is also that tiny-something or other controller that seems big with the import crowd. I doubt there will be a temp issue (if there is going to be one) until next summer....hopefully lol
Originally Posted by ryeguy2006a
Great parts list for sure! Nice to see you are running the CWA50. That's the same one I run, and keeps my IAT's right in check. What coolant fan are you running now? I ask, because mine wasn't enough to keep my Heat exchanger and engine cool, so I upgraded to a C7 Spal fan. Now I'm running around 15* over ambient for my IAT's and ECT is whatever I set it to.
What ECU are you running now? I know it would add a good bit to the cost of the swap, but if you don't have it already I'd highly recommend going with the Holley Terminator X Max. It has the ability to control the PWM fans so you won't need an additional module. It also made getting my LSA up and running pretty straight forward. It's running great now, and I had an issue with a failing fuel pump recently and because it has the ability to add up to 50% fueling through the learn capabilities I was able to limp home on 20psi fuel pressure. The key to that was it was keeping my target AFR very closely.
If the Terminator X Max controlled the 6L80E I'd be running it, it's a great piece but I'm using an E38. If I ever decide to do a manual swap I'll also swap to the Terminator at the same time, that will be a pricey endeavor though.
With the exception of plumbing the engine oil cooler and running wiring from my MAP sensor to VaporWorx controller (at least inside the car ) underhood is done:
Still need to cleanup the wiring at the back of the car...slowly but surely lol
Okay, time for a quick update. After a whopping 200 miles on the odo since getting back on the road I'm on my second cam and soon my second torque converter. My Circle D triple disk whiz bang convertor is getting pulled out for a factory CTS-V/ZL1 unit. Even though it's just a 2700-2900 stall it's bit much for me. When my Cutlass was NA and had an LS9 cam the tc felt great, but since I can't leave well enough alone and I was going turbo at the time I reached out to PatG who spec'd a cam for me. It's very similar to his LS3 stage 2 turbo cam so still idles well and wasn't hard to tune. After the cam swap I could feel the converter loosen a bit but still good. Went from a cam which had a 122.5 degree lsa and .560 lift to 114 degree lsa and .620 lift so not only did power go up a good amount but it really got a bump down low. Then I decide to throw an LSA blower on the car and now low end power is crazy lol Those who are familiar with torque converter stall speeds know that it can increase with low end torque and boy howdy, what a difference. It now felt like I was driving around a stick car with a slipping clutch, at least at lower RPM. It's not terrible but too much for me and it's my own fault for specing out a converter long before the Cutlass was put back together. So this weekend I'll be swapping convertors (if can get the car high enough and get to all the trans bolts lol), finding a spot for my e-stopp parking brake and whatever little odds and ends I feel like squeezing in. Oh, be sure to pull off your cardboard protectors from whatever heat exchanger you're installing before hitting the road. I spaced it on my trans cooler and didn't notice until I got her up in the air. Drove about 100 miles with the trans cooler blocked off Just glad it's nice and cool and not the middle of summer lol
10-08-2017, 01:42 PM
) underhood is done:
My Circle D triple disk whiz bang convertor is getting pulled out for a factory CTS-V/ZL1 unit. Even though it's just a 2700-2900 stall it's bit much for me. When my Cutlass was NA and had an LS9 cam the tc felt great, but since I can't leave well enough alone and I was going turbo at the time I reached out to PatG who spec'd a cam for me. It's very similar to his LS3 stage 2 turbo cam so still idles well and wasn't hard to tune. After the cam swap I could feel the converter loosen a bit but still good. Went from a cam which had a 122.5 degree lsa and .560 lift to 114 degree lsa and .620 lift so not only did power go up a good amount but it really got a bump down low. Then I decide to throw an LSA blower on the car and now low end power is crazy lol Those who are familiar with torque converter stall speeds know that it can increase with low end torque and boy howdy, what a difference. It now felt like I was driving around a stick car with a slipping clutch, at least at lower RPM. It's not terrible but too much for me and it's my own fault for specing out a converter long before the Cutlass was put back together. So this weekend I'll be swapping convertors (if can get the car high enough and get to all the trans bolts lol), finding a spot for my e-stopp parking brake and whatever little odds and ends I feel like squeezing in. Oh, be sure to pull off your cardboard protectors from whatever heat exchanger you're installing before hitting the road. I spaced it on my trans cooler and didn't notice until I got her up in the air. Drove about 100 miles with the trans cooler blocked off 
Just glad it's nice and cool and not the middle of summer lol
