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That's fair, and not out of line with a C3 vette. But I wouldn't let a bad experience dictate your plans. Past failure doesn't mean future failure, just things you need to consider to avoid future failure. But its your call, of course. Most of the time, for a mild engine, it should be pretty simple to put in a tune and be fine for years. I fought my 'stock' ECU for 2 years, and then installed a Holley Terminator X in the first week they hit the market. Tuned it myself over a couple weeks, and haven't touched it since. Running the same setup in my LS swapped C4 vette.
No worries. The orange car had a MS3x controlling a VVTI 2jzgte. After getting the engine in, it wouldn’t start for a freakin month. After trying a dozen different things, It took a tiny added resistor on the cam sensor wire to finally get it to start. The engine ran great, and made great power, but at 23psi, everything hinges on the tune and that required someone other than me to be able to do that. But once it was done and close enough, I never had to touch it.
That was a good thing because I was completely terrified of phucking something up by messing with it.
This time around, it’s a set of jets, or an adjustment to the idle mixture screw, maybe a different secondary spring, or a different pump squirter. Stuff so stupidly basic the only thing easier to do would be twisting the air cleaner wingnut to get the air cleaner off to work on the carb.
The dry run mock up test with the crank mounted, the starter mounted to the plate, and the bellhousing bolted to the block worked. In the end, using a starter that I already had, I have a grand total of 225.00 in parts, and a days labor to make it work.
Despite that, I’m sure that anybody that reads that is saying to himself “ Big deal, why not just use the right engine in the first place?”
And to which I’d reply, Had I known what I know now, I would’ve.
I made a mistake. I didn’t know that a freakin LS4 was a fwd only engine. After getting it back home, I just tore into the thing, and started removing “ LS4 specific stuff” like the goofy assed water pump menagerie on the front of the engine, and the backwards pointing intake manifold, like there was no tomorrow, all with no regard to giving one minutes thought to…..”Wait just a damn minute here”…..
This **** don’t look right.
The “all aluminum” thing seemed to be the only thing I could see. After tearing off all of the stuff that was bolted on, I ended my ability of returning a complete engine for a refund, I stuck myself with this engine. I had to make it work.
Fortunately for me. I was able to do that, W/O it costing too much.
Now that it’s done,…I could’ve bought an LM7 for 1850-2000.00. ( which would be almost double what the LS4 cost) Added about 100 pounds to the front of my car via the cast iron block, traded away the measly 18 hp advantage the LS4 has over it, and probably would’ve preferred the 9.5:1 cr over the 10:1 when it comes to putting gas in the thing. But all of that is too late….Lesson learned. The hard way.
I’ve done 20 or more swaps with stock harnesses and ecu’s never had an issue. Timing tables right on, fuel tables right on, start right up, never an issue. Converting to a carburetor seems to be more costly than keeping the efi.
I’ve done 20 or more swaps with stock harnesses and ecu’s never had an issue. Timing tables right on, fuel tables right on, start right up, never an issue. Converting to a carburetor seems to be more costly than keeping the efi.
Dude. Give me the benefit of the doubt. It’s an LS 4. It didn’t have an intake I could use, and didn’t come with an ecu. Even if it did, I don’t want DOD, The car is a 1980, and came with a crap 305 with a carb, and a pump attached to the engine driven off the cam. There is no existing fuel system capable of fueling an injected engine. Tell me how keeping the efi would be cheaper. look back at the pics of the 2jz at the start of the thread, notice the lack of visible wires excepting the coil packs ( which was done on purpose). I don’t want to have to cover up my engine with a big piece of plastic to hide an ugly *** plastic manifold, and the menagerie of wires that come with a computer controlled engine. When the hood is open in this car it’ll look just like an old school engine except it won’t be.
This was the 4.6 I had in my last fox mustang before the fairmont with the 2jz. This is how the LS will look.
Hello, Any updates? Like you, I have an LS4 and so many possibilities in mind for it. I'm really glad you posted this, looks very well thought out and exactly what I was looking for. You have it running yet?
Bravo! In my opinion, this is what Hot Rodding is about. Making things work together that shouldn't. I like reading the threads with the oddball swaps. I can't even remember the last time I opened and read a thread on an LS swapped Camaro. I hope your starter mount works correctly!!
Posting pics of your previous probably stopped more people from trying to talk you out of this.!! LOL
I like the visible intake manifold on the Ford 6......Why no intercooler?
04-01-2022 | 04:34 PM
