re_jones

Hello all! This is my first post and just a hearty thanks for the good info. My son and I are just starting the rebuild of his 78 Monte. We have installed an LM7 with a 4l65E. we are using the entire Hooker mounts but were having an issue installing the Trans mount due the instructions for the Z-mount not being clear enough and with no pictures provided showing the installation on a car w/o the 200R4 frame portion. Thanks Todd for your picture/post on 01-08-2015 as we are now once again in the install mode. Thanks again for all of the great information flow.

re_jones

[QUOTE=Toddoky;18609289]You're actually more astute then you give yourself credit for; the installation is exactly as you describe it to be. Here's a photo of a pre-production crossmember configured as it would need to be for installation in a car without the factory 2004R frame extension. If you were going to install the crossmember into a car with the frame extension, then picture this assembly without the Z bracket attached to the bottom of the left foot and that's what the assembly would look like for that application. The angle bracket is used in both cases to tie the crossmember into the forward mounting point of the frame as the stock frame extension is very thin gage metal and was not designed to support the extra load that a 4L80 trans, or aggressive driving will impose on it. The factory frame extensions are typically also severely bent, damaged or haphazardly installed from the factory, so we wanted an assembly that would install easily even in those such cases.


So Todd, what is the correct installation of the Z Bracket? I have looked at the assembly picture you provided and still unsure if the Z bracket is installed on the top of the frame or on the bottom. I would assume on the bottom as it would be difficult to scribe and then drill the mounting holes. I currently have the angle bracket tied into the top of the Frame as indicated in Figure 2 of the instructions and Para 4B and have straightened my bent frame section to fairly straight again. Thanks again for all of the information you have provided in this Preview Segment.I located and started at the beginning and read through completely. I really like the way the engine sets with the Hooker Engine mounts and really happy to get rid of the V6. Rick

Toddoky

The Z-bracket for the non-2004R frame will rest on top of the frame rail when properly installed. You can pick a edge or point on the crossmember to use as a measuring reference point to determine how far out the holes in the Z-bar are from it and repeat the measurement on the underside of the frame rail with the crossmember back in the car. That will make the locating the holes easier. Once you have the holes drilled, the Z-bar goes on the frame first then the long angle bracket rests on top of it followed by the crossmember being placed on top of the angle bracket.

re_jones

Thanks Todd! That's where I have it positioned, but started second guessing myself. Now to measure, drill and finish up.

upflying

You may have to use one of the Lokar column shift kits to make that work.

upflying

Toddoky, what radiator are you using in the swap?

GbodyJino

yeah i kind of figured that. Anyone use this lokar? And which one?

Toddoky

upflying

Yes, I looked at the Holley Frostbite radiators but it seems as if they have no provisions for a transmission cooler.

Toddoky

Some do, some don't. I have one in my GM squarebody truck and it has a trans cooler in it. I'll find out what is in the Holley MCSS and let you know.

GbodyJino

you are correct. You have to add an external cooler. Also the frostbite radiators you have to buy all the adapters such as radi. Hose inlet and outlet size separately. I used Champion MC162. They even have a steam port bung. You'll have to get fitting for the cooler i used -6AN x 1/2"-20 Inverted Flare. Altough I am running a -6an line.

Toddoky

I just checked and the the Holley MCSS is equipped with a C&R Racing radiator ($$$).

JmBurk

Toddoky,

I recently picked up a project 88 MCSS. This is my 4th Monte that I have owned an my first LS swap. I am doing an LQ4 with LQ9 piston swap, upgraded cam, and 4l80e. I Just purchased the complete swap kit from you guys, love it when it can be just a drop in. Great write up thank you for the info. Everything is straight forward, but was wondering were did you get your air intake tube on your white 86 in the pictures?

Thanks

Toddoky

The air intake tube and many other small bits and pieces were fabricated here in the Holley engineering lab by the technician that did the final assembly of the car.

Sterling Charles

Toddoky

I would need to know what engine and transmission combination you have and what actual car you're swapping in order to help you with details.

Sterling Charles

Toddoky

I've not yet developed any LS swap components for B-bodies yet, so I have no first-hand experience with those cars from which to provide you with information specific to that platform. However, I can give you some general information that is useful in any LS swap. Your car, like just about any other popular car that LS swaps are carried out in these days, was not specifically designed to accommodate the bulkiness of the bolt-on bellhousing that the 4L60-4L70 transmissions have, or the length of a 4L80 transmission case/extension housing.

Clearance issues resulting from this fact usually become apparent when it's attempted to place the LS engine/transmission mating plane in the stock SB engine location (especially when the engine brackets used place the engine high in the chassis) and can usually be alleviated by moving the engine/transmission mating plane location forward (like GM did when they started putting LS1's in 4th-gen F-bodies), which draws the transmission, and it's bulkiness forward. This also allows the rear of the transmission to be tilted up higher to assist in obtaining optimized U-joint working angles.

The LS engine block is about 1-1/4" shorter than a SB Chevy and that length is all missing off of the back side of the engine, so you can move the engine/transmission mating plane forward by up to 1-1/4" without the cylinder heads or front machined surface of the LS block moving any further forward in the car than they were with the factory SB Chevy installation.

If you specifically want to install the engine with the engine/transmission mating plane in the stock SB location, then you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of that in order to obtain desirable U-joint working angles, which can mean cutting out the transmission tunnel and rebuilding it over your transmission once you get your engine and transmission mounted in the position required to achieve U-joint working angles you're happy with. I can't give you any guidance on the transmission crossmember due to my pre-stated ignorance of the specific design geometry used in the B-body cars.

2Aspire

iTrader: (4)

Please be advised that if you are running over 450HP that you may have issues with the baffling disintegrating as I have now TWICE. This will cause your sweet ride to sound like a rattling piece of trash!!

1. When I purchased this set-up there was NO advice regarding HP limitations on the web page advertising them but now there is, probably due to realizing issues like mine.

2 Now with my 2nd set installed and less than a 1000 miles on them, they have blown apart inside again and are rattling which is DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!

3. Upon calling Holley back they asked me: How Much HP are you running? Answer: Around 700..........Response? They are not made to handle that much HP and that is your problem. and to that I said WTF??? I mean Really??? An LS Swap Muffler that can only handle 450HP? I think at first they had updated their info to say 400 but recently updated to 450 but still that's very weak!!

4. Other than the late HP threshold notification, Holly has tried to work things out by offering me their Areochamber as a replacement. However, its a little bit wider which for my application that I already have clearance issues, and is NOT stainless so I am very disappointed.

Hoping we will see something better in terms of stainless quality for higher HP applications in the short term because come next season I'm ditching these as they SUCK!!!

Sorry Holley..I really liked these because they sound and look great (as you can see the polished stainless from the rear) but in the end they just were not thought through enough for the swap community in my opinion that more than likely has many at a baseline of 400HP Very Weak...

Toddoky