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Looks like I am pulling the trigger and will be swapping a LQ4 into my Javelin. I will try to document my swap here. I have been thinking about this swap for years now. I half built a 383 SBC that I am now abandoning to pursue this swap. I will be running an old Richmond 4+1 for a trans. I am thinking of selling the shortblock and spending that cash on a turbo. My goal is approximately 500hp. I will be running E85 on this combo. I currently have a plastic RCI fuel cell with 1/2" fuel line to the front. I will be adding a return line with the install. I have some questions and ideas to present to the LS1 crowd. I am planning to run this engine with a single turbo. I will need suggestions for turbo size, cam, fuel pump, regulator, injector size (brand and what will work with the truck harness?).
Who can flash the stock computer to get it running out of the gate? Speed Density or MAF? Thanks for any and all suggestions.
When I get the engine I will take some pictures of the car and the engine.
This is what I am working with as far as the vehicle. The engine is a low mileage LQ4 out of a 2003 2500HD. I have some work to do but luckily it feels like an open canvass. This forum has a wealth of knowledge I am sure I will have questions that this community can answer. Thanks
I'll have to keep an eye on this. My elderly neighbor has a '69 AMX that he wants me to help him drop in a stroked & bored LQ4 into.
This is going to be SWEET!
Picked up the engine yesterday. I forgot the mass air flow sensor and intake tubing. How critical are those items? I can make the trip to go grab them but I would rather avoid it if possible. Anything that I should be doing to this engine while it is out of the car?
Has anyone run a centerforce clutch on the McCleod flywheel designed for this? I will be putting a Richmond 4+1 behind this engine. I may move this question over to the drivetrain section.
The harness looks intimidating but I am looking forward to starting to pull it apart. Are there any other cost effective options if I have a hard time getting it sorted out?
I would certainly make the effort to get the MAF & the intake plumbing, you may not need it depending what you do. None less it would be nice to have the option of running the motor as it is or should you decide a simple bolt or a HCI the combinations all work well with the MAF. Should decide to venture into tuning on your own, MAF only is easier to get started.
I've a friend who has just recently completed his Nova LS conversion with a turbo that runs very nice & fast. He would be a wealth of info to you, I will send him this link & I'm sure he would be pleased to offer some advice.
Some decades back I was a Rambler guy 401 AMX & "The Machine" to new a few. I've subscribed to your thread, very cool!
If I am seeing it correctly. Looks like a drive by wire throttle body. You will need the throttle pedal and TAC module. Try to get the harness between the pedal and TAC too. If it's too much of a PITA to get it out at least get yourself a pigtail.
I grabbed the pedal, TAC and associated harness. I will take the ride out and grab the maf and intake plumbing. I can always toss it if need be. Thanks for the advice so far.
Started pulling off the wiring harness for modification. I have some questions and concerns. If you guys could confirm that this is an oil cooler line as I suspect that would be great. Can I block it off or should I run it?
Second: Should I be concerned about the amount of rust on the block? I dont think it is an issue but there is more rust than I expected. Dipstick rusted in half and the block is scaling everywhere.
The engine looks pretty scuzzy. I'd clean it good with rust remover. Then I'd pull the valley cover, heads and pan and see what it looks like inside. If going turbo, you don't want any surprises.
If you can follow wiring diagrams, you can do the harness. Guys will say it's simple. I've years of electronics experience and I found it challenging. I wanted it to lay out nice and not have any spare wires in it.
Yes those are the oil cooling lines. You do not have to run them. i do not know if the factory blockoff plate has a bypass or if its solid.
As stated by RonSSNova, if you can read a wiring diagram you can do your own harness. I did my own for my Nova. It took me all day long. Now that I have done one I think I could do one in a few hours.
Mine looked similar. Time, elbow grease, wire brushes, oven cleaner, wire wheel cleaner, time, wire brush, repeat. Till it cam out looking useable. I ended up beadblasting as many of the removable castings as I could and painted them. I did the valve covers and supercharger in wrinkle black, and most of the rest in cast blast aluminum.
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1968 Javelin LS Swap Commencing 
