I am swapping an ls1 into a honda fit
07-02-2021, 02:52 AM
#1
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I am swapping an ls1 into a honda fit So I'm going to shove a Frankenstein ls into my 2008 honda fit. I'm not going for big power at this moment in time so I'm going to use the rear end and transmission out of an old s10, I already know that I'm going to be doing a metric butt ton of fab work for it and was looking for any advice on swapping small cars.
thanks in advance J.
thanks in advance J.
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07-02-2021, 09:49 AM
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because I don't plan for this to be a daily and who else can say that they were dumb enough to ls swap a one of the smallest sub-compacts produced in the last decade? also because I want to do something different.
07-02-2021, 09:56 AM
#6
K swap's been done -- solid idea. But not exactly apples to apples. First, you still end up front wheel drive -- which is fine if that's what you want. Second, naturally aspirated K's can hit 260-280 whp, but they have an ENTIRELY different torque curve. The motors built to do that are making that peak power up in the 8000-9000 rpm range and have virtually no torque below 3000 compared to even a 4.8LS. With a thoughtfully sized turbo on the 2.4L K, you could end up with something that makes respectable power/torque although it'll be higher in the rev band. Local guy has a 2.4K in his first gen MR2. Big turbo - 485 rwhp @ 8700 rpm. To be reliable, the internals and valve train need massaging.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
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DualQuadDave (12-26-2023)
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07-02-2021, 10:04 AM
#8
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K swap's been done -- solid idea. But not exactly apples to apples. First, you still end up front wheel drive -- which is fine if that's what you want. Second, naturally aspirated K's can hit 260-280 whp, but they have an ENTIRELY different torque curve. The motors built to do that are making that peak power up in the 8000-9000 rpm range and have virtually no torque below 3000 compared to even a 4.8LS. With a thoughtfully sized turbo on the 2.4L K, you could end up with something that makes respectable power/torque although it'll be higher in the rev band. Local guy has a 2.4K in his first gen MR2. Big turbo - 485 rwhp @ 8700 rpm. To be reliable, the internals and valve train need massaging.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
07-02-2021, 10:05 AM
#9
K swap's been done -- solid idea. But not exactly apples to apples. First, you still end up front wheel drive -- which is fine if that's what you want. Second, naturally aspirated K's can hit 260-280 whp, but they have an ENTIRELY different torque curve. The motors built to do that are making that peak power up in the 8000-9000 rpm range and have virtually no torque below 3000 compared to even a 4.8LS. With a thoughtfully sized turbo on the 2.4L K, you could end up with something that makes respectable power/torque although it'll be higher in the rev band. Local guy has a 2.4K in his first gen MR2. Big turbo - 485 rwhp @ 8700 rpm. To be reliable, the internals and valve train need massaging.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
To the OP - I suspect you're going to have significant hood/height problems with the LS unless you cut the firewall and set the motor back in the chassis. You'll probably have to create a larger tranny/driveshaft tunnel anyway. If you've gotta do all that, might just as well mid-mount it using the Corvette trans/rear (kind of a transaxle) without the torque tube or an aftermarket transaxle. Metric ton of fab doesn't quite describe the work it'll be.
You weren't thinking of the transverse/fwd LS application were you? I like slowsedan's alternative. K-swap it.
I agree it will be a ton of fab work, I would plan for some sort of roll bar or chassis reinforcement while he's in there.
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Michael Yount (07-02-2021)
07-02-2021, 10:09 AM
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You can certainly do RWD with a K series and they can also make well over 300whp. Agree on the torque, but the car would also be much lighter with a 4 vs an 8. For sure MR2 is a cool swap, there is a k swapped MR2 running low/mid 8's.
I agree it will be a ton of fab work, I would plan for some sort of roll bar or chassis reinforcement while he's in there.
I agree it will be a ton of fab work, I would plan for some sort of roll bar or chassis reinforcement while he's in there.
07-02-2021, 10:15 AM
#13
slowsedan - I was thinking of this "why not K swap it? Would save you a ton of work...." when I made my comment about fwd. The reason I know a bit about rwd Kswaps is because I'm considering one for my rwd Corolla. However, if you turn the K longitudinal and make the Fit rwd, you're right back in the huge fab soup. You only save a ton of work IF you keep it fwd....hence my comment. Nonetheless, if I had a Fit (my wife had one, my daughter's had 3) I'd wanna K-swap it before I LS'd it. Just me though --- OP seems to have a clear vision for what's he's after. LOTS of cutting/welding.
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DualQuadDave (12-26-2023)
07-02-2021, 10:16 AM
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07-02-2021, 10:18 AM
#15
If you're installing the bar/cage for safety/track purposes, I'd urge you to buy a cage designed and built for that chassis; they're available as the cars are regularly raced. If it were me, I'd avoid cutting up one that doesn't "Fit". See what I did there?
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JoshHefnerX (07-02-2021)
07-02-2021, 10:27 AM
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I did catch that pun you "Fit" in there and you're absolutely right about that but having an option as a backup if I can't happen to find a cage for the Fit, but this is still very much in the planning phase cause I'm not going to redo work that can be done right in the first place.
07-02-2021, 11:00 AM
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theletterj (07-03-2021)