bobcratch

This thread will document the swap of an LS1/4l60e from a 1999 camaro into a 1998 volvo v90. Progress thus far:

-both vehicles procured
-original drivetrain removed from volvo
-ls1/trans removed from camaro
-ls1 ecu reflashed to remove VATS (this was done by brendan at lt1swap)
-ls1 started on test stand - it works!! And sounds awesome with no exhaust

This will use the sts machine motor mounts. I will not be using the stock volvo engine mount pedestals because they put the engine way too high.

More info to follow!!

Now on to the first big questions:

1) There is not room to get the transmission angle parallel to the rear pinion angle. The transmission points about 3 degrees down relative to the pinion. Is this solvable in the driveline? The volvo does have a 2 piece driveshaft which does give more flexibility. Also has IRS which makes it difficult to adjust the rear pinion angle.
2) What options exist for the shift linkage on the 4l60e? The stock shift linkage from the camaro will not fit without removing/hammering material in an area that I do not want to remove anything from.

Thanks all and pictures to follow soon!

Part 1: Initial Build - Stock LS1, 4L60e
Part 2: LS1 spins a rod bearing https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...l#post20350179
Part 3: The rainy day engine goes in https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...l#post20422914
Part 4: Lets get serious - 383 LS1 build up, 4L80e https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...l#post20488796

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

We have some great Volvo swaps here. I would suggest reading them and I am sure MY will chime in shortly.

Andrew

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Can’t help with automatic - no experience.

With IRS and 2 piece drive shaft, pinion angle match isn’t as important as you don’t have the rear of the drive shaft moving up/down with the rearend. I’d try and place the new tranny output shaft very close to the same height/angle that the Volvo unit was (you did measure before removing, right?) and you should be good. Xtra check - measure your ujoint angles and be sure you haven’t exceeded their operating range.

aknovaman

iTrader: (7)

bobcratch

Michael - thanks for replying. I've had a chance to go through your build thread and it definitely sets a high standard.

I did measure the trans angle before removing the volvo drivetrain and the flange on the trans was parallel to the flange on the rear diff. Didn't measure the height or driveshaft angles though. I plan on dropping that drivetrain back in to take those measurements and will add them to the thread for reference.

In your build, were you able to match the stock driveline angle?

Thanks!

bobcratch

aknovaman - thanks for linking to those videos - i had not seen those before. Will definitely watch to get some ideas!

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

This is the second V8 in mine -- the last time mine had a stock driveline angle in it was 1995....LOL. I have no idea what that angle was.

On the 242 with live axle, adjustable upper torque arms make adjust the pinion angle a piece of cake. So I set the new LS with the front pulley in the same side-to-side (offset 1/2" to passenger side) and height configuration as the 5.0L in there before. Then set the tranny so the combo was 3 degrees down. Then put the pinion at 3 degrees up. Then measured my ujoint angles (I have a one-piece driveshaft) -- 1.8 degrees - equal and opposite front and rear. Done. Smooth as silk, provided the driveshaft is balanced and you have enough slip yoke engagement.

Is slip accounted for in the front to rear connection of your 2-piece?

bobcratch

hmm, tried to post some pictures last night but it said something about moderator approval? Maybe there is a minimum post count required to post pictures.

@Michael Yount in the stock volvo driveshaft the slip is indeed accounted for at the front to rear connection. Since the camaro 4l60e allows for slip, there will be two places where the new driveshaft can slip. Not sure how that will play out yet.

bobcratch

For some reason i'm having a hard time getting pictures to post. Sorry about that, this thread is worthless without pics.

For anyone else who might be doing a similar swap:

exhaust - block hugger headers similar to Hooker Super Competition Block Hugger Headers 2313HKR
oil pan - knockoff holley 302-2, from tsp https://www.poormanmotorsports.com/p...uminum-natural

Thus far, electrical plan is to use the underhood fuse/relay box from the camaro, modified camaro engine harness, camaro ECU, etc, for all the under hood stuff. I'm going to attempt to use the stock gauges in the volvo. The 960/v90 has a speed sensor in the rear diff or some such thing so that should still work. For tachometer, i'll use the dakota digital unit to convert the ls1 tach signal to a volvo tach signal. For coolant temp, plan is to use the volvo engine controller and temp sensor. Possibly using the coolant temp port on the passenger side head of the LS1.

For cooling, i'll be using the stock v90 radiator, v90 2-speed efan, and surge tank. I'll likely have to flush out the system with water as i think the volvo uses different coolant than the LS1.

For a fuel system, i haven't solved that yet.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

You'll wanna flush system in any event - no telling what morphodite mix of coolants have been used in Volvo/LS over the decades.

If you transfer over your various senders from the Volvo to the LS motor gauges should work -- unless they had already switched to a canbus system on the Volvo by that point in time. I got my tach to work pretty easily -- the LS outputs a 5V/4 cylinder signal. My tach was expecting a 12V/4 cyl signal. Just use a "jump up" 12V connection to the ecu's tach signal with a 1000 ohm resistor in it. Again, if Volvo tach on Volvo canbus -- different solution needed.

The system will let you post pics after you've made a certain number of posts -- can't remember how many that is -- 10 maybe.

I used a Mast Motorsports pan as it let me mount the engine lower than the Holley option (at the time) did. Speedway Motors makes a cast stainless steel manifold that has bigger ports/collector than the Holley units and exits straight down keeping the exhaust a bit further away from the firewall - but it's a subjective choice.

You've seen the vid up above that says the STS mounts work fine in 700/900 -- but put the engine too high in the V90, right?

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Manifolds as a reference....

Attachment 713690

This may help with your accessories....Alan Groves low mount for A/C, ICT Billet low mount for alt, and imagine a GM CTS-V PS mount just above the alt.

Attachment 713137

bobcratch

roger that on the video. My plan for mounts is to put the rubber bushings onto a piece of 1/4" steel which will sit directly on the crossmember. This puts the motor about as low as it can go with the holley oil pan. About 1/2" clearance between the oil pan and front crossmember.

There are 3 big constraints on the 960/v90 - crossmember, another crossmember, and the firewall. It'll be easier to show when i can post pictures. Wish i had known about the mast motorsports pan as it may have worked better. However the sump is about 2" longer than the holley pan and that 2" may make it not fit the crossmember on the v90. Generally you'd be able to move the engine backwards to fix this but there is a second crossmember on the v90 that may interfere with the trans in this case. Pics incoming soon!!

Knowing about the mast pan though, i'm gonna take some measurements and see if it would fit. It would allow me to put the front of the engine about 1" lower which would certainly help with the driveline angle issue.

As for the exhaust, the manifolds you posted would work better than the block huggers for sure. Knockoff block huggers were $61 on ebay though..... Forgot to mention, i am on a pretty tight budget with this build and i would sure like to get it driving in the next couple of months. That said, i'm not opposed to stalling a bit here and there to buy stuff that will work better.

As far as accessories/intake ....the fbody stuff works perfectly out of the box! AC compressor clears the crossmember and frame rails, alternator works as it, pulley spacing provides just enough clearance for the cooling system, and the PS pump ends up in just about the stock location. Best of all, the PS hoses from the volvo will bolt right up to the fbody ps pump. Actually the volvo ps pump will bolt right up to the ls1, although i doubt the pulley spacing is correct (haven't tried though!! )

Gauges.....the v90 motor is a 6cyl so the tach may be expecting a 6cyl tach signal? My plan was to just buy the dakota digital conversion unit and play around with the settings until i got the correct answer!! youve definitely given me a good place to start.

Thanks again for all the helpful tips! Can't wait until i can post pics, then you guys can really point out what i'm doing wrong. Currently the drivetrain is sitting in the car so you can see the clearances real well.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Because of our different chassis -- firewall and crossmember clearance will be different; you'll figure yours out as you already know. I found the Mast pan let me set it as low as possible so that's why I went that way. I actually slotted the rack mounting holes in the crossmember and lowered the rack a bit too, allowing for an even lower engine mounting -- food for thought.

Tach - my car uses a 6 cylinder tach out of a Bertone PRV6. When I had the 5.0L Ford in mine, it pulled the tach signal off the coil old-school style - but a V8 12V signal. My tach wanted a 6 cylinder signal. However, there is a potentiometer on the VDO tachs that allows adjustment. I found the 6 cylinder tach had enough range on one end to accommodate the V8 signal, and on the other end to accommodate the LS's 4 cylinder signal. So you might pull your tach out of the cluster and see if has a potentiometer for adjustments - that and a 1000 ohm resistor might let you do away with a DD box.

I bought a new crate engine and had to source accessories from scratch. I went Corvette spacing as I needed all the clearance I could get at the front of the motor.

As for budget, timing, etc -- understand all too well. Happy to be retired and financially stable enough to throw the checkbook at it if I want to. AND, learned over the years that taking a bit more time/saving and doing it the way I wanted the first time is almost always cheaper than having to re-do it a second or third time later.

Tach circuit below to get from 5V to 12V....

Attachment 713350

bobcratch

that crossmember trick in your build is superb - it's a supreme pain in the rear to install/remove the LS1 drivetrain. Could not do it without a load leveler on the engine hoist as a drastic tilt must be applied to get the engine/trans into the engine bay, then removed to get past the cross member.

Lowering the crossmember would help a ton. or, possibly modifying it to be able to use the mast pan as I could lower the front of the engine about 1". In my case, the hood closes just fine, but i can't get the back of the trans high enough to match the stock driveline angle. As it sits right now, everything but the driveline angle is perfect. The hood closes, the cooling system fits, the intake will fit, the exhaust fits, etc. But, all of that stuff would still fit if the engine were 1" lower in the front. Definitely food for though. You also lengthed the steering shaft if i'm not mistaken. Definitely wish i were more comfortable with the mechanical/fabrication aspect of this build.

Thanks for the suggestions on the tach! Way better than spending 90-100 for a DD box.

bobcratch

OK, just looked at the mast pan again. The sump is actually only about 1.5:" longer than the holley 302-1 (i had mistakenly typed 302-2 last time. The pan i have is definitely the 302-1). It might fit i, will have to check the clearance. My main concern at this point would be the transmission hitting the second crossmember if the engine were any lower. Pics incoming soon!!

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

I was pretty pleased with my crossmember solution. The pan will actually barely fit in mine without the notch -- but there's no way to get the engine with that pan in/out from the top without the notch. I actually measured deflection on the crossmember before I modded it and afterwards with the removable cross piece. Before, it would deflect about .08"-.1" when the weight of the engine/tranny was lowered onto it. After -- about .02". So it's actually stiffer than it was before the mod.

"lengthen the steering shaft" -- well, not really. Just extended it straight out of the firewall 3"-4" BEFORE it makes its right turn down to the pinion shaft. So the lower shaft is shorter than OEM; the steering shaft (straight bit attached to the steering wheel) is longer. Overall length I'd guess is a wash, more or less.

bobcratch

just spitballing, but thinking about switching to the mast pan and trimming the corners if it doesn't clear the crossmember. Once i post pics the clearance issues will all make sense.

Still thinking about the driveline angle issue. It's probably a non issue but it's bothering me. It's 45" from the engine mounts to the rear of the trans. The angle is about 3 degrees off. Given that, i'd have to move the back of the trans 2.35" up to get parallel to pinion. No way that's happening but with the mast pan and a different set of bushings for the engine mounts i could move the front of the motor down about an inch which is something.

bobcratch

been doing lots of research on oil pans. Leaning heavily towards the moroso 7qt option. It's a performance oil pan and it's steel which means it can be welded on much more easily than aluminum. Additionally, the front section is the thinest of any of the oil pans i could find. Lastly, the drain plug is closer to the rear which will make it significantly easier to change the oil. I believe it will need modifications to fit the volvo application, but i do think it will be a reasonably close fit. https://www.moroso.com/catalog/produ...category/2712/

Does anybody have experience using this pan in a daily driver? I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work, probably just overkill for a daily. At 1.813" thick it will allow me to move the front of the engine down a whole inch which is highly desirable.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Check out the pickup baffle situation closely....

bobcratch

before using or before modifying?

on the surface, it looks like the front corners of the sump could be slightly trimmed if necessary without affecting the baffling situation as the baffles are close to the middle. Could be wrong though.