Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
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Lexus LS400 build

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Old Jul 2, 2020 | 10:55 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by cdk4219
That’s nonsense, if the engine in any of these cars you mentioned hadn’t expired, the need for the swap wouldn’t exist.
While I agree that the Lexus v8 is pretty robust, I would take a 4.8 any day over it. As for the Porsche, that’s nonsense as well. Swapping two 996 cars was the best thing for them. I sold my euro 928s and I regret not doing a swap with it.

Have fun with your Lexus, the best times are had with a cheap car and a good powerplant.
Think you missed something but not gonna argue on this man's thread..
Ls480 that cam is perfect for a 4.8! It'll make well into 400hp. My mustang is a cam only 4.8 but I just haven't built the turbo setup yet. I think keeping the duration in the 220-230 range and the lift just under 600 seems to be the recipe for these little engines. It might need a little stall to get it going but it'll run hard.
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Old Jul 2, 2020 | 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by headsup9550
Think you missed something but not gonna argue on this man's thread..
Ls480 that cam is perfect for a 4.8! It'll make well into 400hp. My mustang is a cam only 4.8 but I just haven't built the turbo setup yet. I think keeping the duration in the 220-230 range and the lift just under 600 seems to be the recipe for these little engines. It might need a little stall to get it going but it'll run hard.
I was looking at stall that was 2800-3200 I'm new to the automatic transmission world. I have a good bit of parts coming from orgeron performance transmission and ck performance for the 4l80e rebuild. Might mess around with engine this weekend and try some more test fitting.
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Old Jul 2, 2020 | 07:18 PM
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Ahhh yes..... the ls motor fits in damn near anything, but the mighty 4l80 is no comprende......
there are low profile banjo fittings you can use for the cooler lines to save some space(if you dont already know)
I need to update my thread, I finally cut my floor up put the trans where it should have been from the beginning. The round main plug took up alot of real estate for me, I ended up making a bolt in fiberglass cover so I could access plugs and lines from inside the car. Not sure it was worth the aggravation but it turned out pretty good.

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Old Jul 3, 2020 | 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by slocaddy
Ahhh yes..... the ls motor fits in damn near anything, but the mighty 4l80 is no comprende......
there are low profile banjo fittings you can use for the cooler lines to save some space(if you dont already know)
I need to update my thread, I finally cut my floor up put the trans where it should have been from the beginning. The round main plug took up alot of real estate for me, I ended up making a bolt in fiberglass cover so I could access plugs and lines from inside the car. Not sure it was worth the aggravation but it turned out pretty good.
Yeah Im so tempted to cut it also, literally sat there staring at the car with an air saw for about 30mins haha. I do have some banjo fittings coming from ict billet with many other items they offer lol. The 4l80e looked the same dimensions as the ls400 trans but It was a tad wider. Think in close on just using the mini sledge/air hammer method.
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Old Jul 3, 2020 | 09:44 AM
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From: Little Austin
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Making a removable fiberglass tunnel cover is very clever! I wonder why more people don't do that?

Andrew
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Old Jul 5, 2020 | 12:38 PM
  #26  
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I want an ls400 so bad I’m jealous! Hope you plan to slam that thing on some nice wheels
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Old Jul 5, 2020 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Slow boi
I want an ls400 so bad I’m jealous! Hope you plan to slam that thing on some nice wheels
that's what I plan on doing it's going to be a nice daily/weekend warrior car.
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Old Jul 7, 2020 | 06:47 AM
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Teach'em while they are still you right? Lol got the timing chain and heads on not much progress.

Rollmaster single roller set

Fitech throttle body and the tbss manifold. I need to respray the block and covers.

This is how far off i am, i have the oem Lexus mounts coming from rockauto to go with the slider mounts i had a guy at work make up for me.

Tunnel clearance photos still needs some work 🔨⚒


Last edited by LS480; Jun 1, 2021 at 03:52 PM.
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Old Jul 11, 2020 | 08:43 PM
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B.F.H. for the win!!!
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 04:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
Making a removable fiberglass tunnel cover is very clever! I wonder why more people don't do that?

Andrew
On a car/truck with a frame -- a great idea. On a unibody car....well, I wouldn't go that way.
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Michael Yount
On a car/truck with a frame -- a great idea. On a unibody car....well, I wouldn't go that way.
I think in the general sense you are right. It would largely depend on how big a hole gets cut out, of course. Go too big, you might be going home...
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 01:26 PM
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Cutting a small port into the flat part of a floor pan isn’t that big a deal. But the tranny hump and driveshaft (or exhaust on fwd) tunnel add a good amount of bending and torsional resistance. So cutting a piece of that out - a bit like cutting the top off a cardboard box. And, of course, a turbo LS capable of putting roughly twice the torque into the unibody.

Don’t get me wrong - this’ll probably be just fine. But I wouldn’t do it.
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 01:56 PM
  #33  
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Yeah im trying to avoid cutting any of the frame out since it is a unibody. I'll waiting for this heat to go down so I can work on it some today. I don't have any ac in my shop yet but I see it coming in the near future, this southern heat doesn't play.
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 02:20 PM
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I added a portable L/G 12,000 BTU unit to mine a few years back. Now I don’t know why I waited so long!
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Old Jul 12, 2020 | 02:30 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Michael Yount
I added a portable L/G 12,000 BTU unit to mine a few years back. Now I don’t know why I waited so long!
yeah have a portable one that will work but I don't think my breaker box will. I've been planning to upgrade the power going out to the shop for awhile now guess it's time to take action.
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Old Jul 18, 2020 | 12:52 PM
  #36  
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Got some work done today, had my buddy that does all my fab work come over and help with the mounts. During the process we tossed out some ideas for the build since space might be an issue for the headers.

Here goes the mount template just needs to be fabbed and tacked.

Well i jave two options spend $400 so some headers that might work with my clearance (patriot tight tuck ls headers) or like my buddy mentioned go ahead and start looking into to turbo stuff...

A top down veiw of the steering that i would have to clear.
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Old Jul 18, 2020 | 01:14 PM
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From: Little Austin
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Looking at the pictures, I am pretty sure that the Holley/Hooker cast single turbo log kit will clear the driver's side and should clear the passenger side as well.

Andrew
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Old Jul 18, 2020 | 02:52 PM
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Thanks Andrew my buddy has a set of truck manifolds we might mess around with to get some ideas. I was actually looking at the Holley manifolds to I should have enough room on the passenger side for a down pipe.
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Old Jul 18, 2020 | 03:03 PM
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If you want to do duals, you might look at the Speedway stainless manifolds. You probably have enough room to flip them around and upside down, cut the flange and weld on a turbo mount and have room for two down pipes.

Andrew
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Old Jul 18, 2020 | 08:03 PM
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Think I'm going to stick with a single turbo not really looking to make a ton of power haha it's going to be my daily.
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