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Made some aluminum brackets and spacers to place the oil cooler. This is the same one I ran on track with the stock engine, it's from an RX-7, fairly big dual pass and has a built in thermostat.
I needed to flip the mounting location so the connections were on the other side to match up with the LS.
My buddy has an 86 turbo 944 that I've been trying to talk into putting an aluminum 5.3 in since he got it. I'll have to show him this thread! Nice work.
If that turbo is in good shape and running he better leave it alone..turbos are climbing in price fast.
The turbo that was on it was puking oil in the intake, but the guy he bought it from gave him another motor with a fresh turbo. I think the turbo came from Lindsey performance or something like that.
Did a test fit with the radiator and custom lower bracket today. Wanted to be sure my oil cooler placement wouldn't interfere. Radiator is a tight fit! Now that I now fitment is OK I pulled the rad back out so I can start scrubbing the engine bay and touch up paint a few scraped areas.
Bracket... Fits! Top passenger side corner... Top passenger side corner looking from the front...
Well, update is sort of one step forward two steps back. Did some cleanup and paint touchup in the engine bay while it was empty. That went well. Then I went to test fit the custom motor mounts from Texas Performance Concepts and one side has a stud too short to reach through the cross member. So that error will have to be rectified* before I can test fit the engine.
*as an update, Kent at Texas Performance Concepts or me a replacement motor mount VERY quickly, great service!
Did a test fit of the clutch master cylinder, it's much larger than the stock one. Looks to just fit, so once I have the hydroboost for the brake master cylinder in hand I can test fit both together to figure out the orientation for the hose connections on the clutch master to avoid interference.
A little 944 Turbo detail, found a silicone cap to plug the extra port on the coolant expansion tank. The normally aspirated tank only has the one port, but I can save a few dollars by reusing my turbo version for now.
Mounted the starter.
Re-test fit of the clutch master! Some advice from the 944 swap crew that the hydroboost will fit better if the supply for the clutch master is on the far side.
Test mounted the coils where the intercooler used to live. The truck coils won't fit on the valve covers for this swap. This keeps them out of the heat and frees up a lot of space, although I'll have to buy or make custom long plug wires. Was as able to mount this way using existing holes in the car, nothing new was drilled, which is always my preference.
Not much to update, had some parts come in so I'm sorting and figuring out some things. Figured I'd install the water pump so I feel like I accomplished something.
Did some work on the engine, installed the bellhousing without the clutch, I need to be able to see the pilot bearing to confirm the drive shaft has proper insertion or if it needs adjusting before installing the clutch. Also installed the mounts and cross member and placed it on rollers to be ready to go under the car for install.
This little puzzle piece also arrived, M16 Male Metric Straight Thread x M18 Female Metric Straight Thread Adapter. This will let me run the stock 944 oil pressure guage off the opening behind the LS intake on the top rear part of the block.
Had a chance to test fit this adapter with the stock oil pressure sender from the 944. Fits well behind the LS1 intake, I just needed to shave the corner of the intake ever so slightly for clearance.
Bottom lip of sender needed some extra space. Very slight shaving of intake required. View from directly behind the intake.
01-08-2017, 07:33 PM
