V8 240sx FAQ
 

Ok guys and gals. Post up any questions you have regarding a v8 motor swap into a 240sx,

Weights:
KA with Auto, Cat and accessories = 596 lbs.
LS1 w/ T56, headers, and accessories = 468 lbs

That's right folks. The iron block four cylinder is 128 pounds heavier than the aluminum LS1!

LT1: 300hp Iron block, aluminum head.

Ls1: 350hp/350tq All aluminum

Ls6: Corvette Zo6 engines. 2001 year ls6 385hp/tq

Ls6: Corvette Z06 engines. 2002 and up = 405hp/tq

Ls2: C6 corvette/Gto engine. 400hp/400tq Big difference in low end.

Ls7: C6 zo6 corvette engine. 500hp/tq dry sump oil system.

Trannys.

all L series motors can use the following.

T5 5 speed. (lighest of the bunch.) Only good to about 400hp.
T56 6 speed. Viper tranny. enough said. ls1, and lt1 t56 are different.
4l60e automatic. ehh.


ECU. All Lsx ecu modules are basically a stand alone, once you get the tuning software. ls1 edit, hp tuners, etc.

all this and it gets 30mpg on the fwy btw ftw imho lol


Anyways.
There is a ton of aftermarket parts for these motors, they are also easy to work on.
They also make a crap load of power. They are also really responsive to mods. Check it out.
a stock 2002 ls1 makes 350hp/350tq at the flywheel.
My motor only has:
Mild cam (thunder racing 224/224)
Comp cams dual valve springs. Required for any cam swap.
Comp racing titainium retainers. Recomended for high rpm shit.
Crom-moly pushrods. Recomended if using a big cam or high hp.
March underdrive (dampened) crank pulley
160 deg t stat (needed)
JTR Headers
Reflashed ecu
Aluminum belt tensioner
Aluminum ps pulley
Hinson cold air intake
Shock Drifting 3" exhaust

With only these minor mods the motor made.
444hp at the crank. and 444tq at the crank.

On the dyno i had over 320 rwtq at 2000rpm and that peaked to 388 rwtq around 6000rpm.
The power was also impressive. 212 rwhp at 1800 rpm. and 388 rwhp at 7200rpm.

Heres some pics.
Fresh off of craigs list.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-02.jpg
Thats a shitload of aluminum
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-03.jpg
The intake manifolds are plastic for smoother runners, and virtually no heat transfer and heat soaking.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-04.jpg
The cam is easy as hell to change.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-10.jpg
T56 is about the size of a z32 tranny. 6 speeds. Uses atf instead of gear oil. hmm.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-13.jpg
Headers.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-17.jpg
The ls1 oiling system isnt the greatest for oil pickup. i reccomend a accusump oil system.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-18.jpg
2 of the new valve springs, and ti retainers installed.
http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/2-20.jpg



LS1 Into S14. as you can see it sits lower then the ka, an just as far back.
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/DSC01950small.jpg
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/DSC02098small.jpg
Tranny has same location.
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/DSC02074small.jpg
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/DSC02150a.jpg
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/DSC02144a.jpg

hey Luke... I hope these questions can be answered? Thank you!

1. Is there a possibility to list out vendors who produce swap kits for the 240SX crowd? (Other than the sponsor you have for the 7)

2. Also, some estimated swap costs information and breakdown will be appreciated!

3. For the rusty 240SX, what types of chassis strengthening modifications need to be done in order to handle the new power (well, the torque especially)?

What does a drivetrain/wiring/ect setup cost?
How much did you spend after all the mods?
What did you do for oil pan and engine mounts?
Any modifications to the frame/firewall?

Basically the same questions. Price for EVERYTHING, and the price for people who will probably have to pay someone to do everything. And is this any different in a s13? (smaller engine bay room to work with?)

Did Hinson ever figure out a way to keep the swap CA legal so you can at least BAR it first?

What has been figured out as far as header clearence goes? Specifically can you fit long tubes?

Luke: How has your ls1 kit with the c6 iirc headers come along so far?
Because once I install and align my car I'm going to bug you so you can help me source and install everything.

S13 kit will be availible by the end of the week.
S14 is allready availible.

Headers: $985 for both Stainless 1 3/4" long tubes into 3" collectors.

S13/S14 complete mounting kit $1122.32 about a week turn around. Includes corvette engine mounts. Deduct $160 ifr they allready have vette mounts.

S13/S14 complete weld yourself kit is $80 less.

Steel drive shaft $275
Aluminum $420

This is for the Hinson supercars complete kit. Other then that there is no kit on the market for a lsx into a 240sx.


haveblue: You can find ls1/t56 complete engine packages on ebay, and craigslist for around 3000-4500

I can't believe that the LS1 is lighter than a KA! That's awesome, that alone is putting dollar-destroying thoughts in my head...

Can the R200 differential and stock S-chassis driveshafts hold up to the increased torque/power? I suppose the first thing to start screaming for help would be the rear tires, heh.

Hinson's website doesn't seem to be updated to include S-chassis swap kits. Do you have a link that we could follow.

cheers,

c

Can you comment on the wiring? Will the vendor be providing support to mate the engine to the chassis?

S13Charlie -- Luke already listed prices for driveshafts, that would lead one to believe that the stock driveshaft won't work. I highly doubt a LS1 and T-56 is the EXACT same length as a KA and stock transmission. As far as the differential goes. Luke has been running a stock RX-7 rear end with a Weld Locd diff. I'm pretty sure it'd be about the same as the stock 240 rear.

g6civcx -- It is my understanding that it should only take around 5 wires to get the LS1 running in an S-Chassis. Everything after that is just figuring out wiring up you gauges and such.

Luke, jump in here and fill in the details I've missed.

Thanks for the response.

I'm simplifying my body and engine harnesses as much as possible to prepare for this swap. Good that the S13's accessories are very loosely coupled from the ECU. I think the only thing that may not work is the instrument cluster, but that's no big deal.

It is nice to have simple wiring so you can spend your time on other stuff.

Questions:
Is there a "budget" engine that still weighs less than or equal to a KA?

-How about a ford 5.0 302 or a 4.6liter V8?

-How about a 5.7 Liter Chevy 350?

Thanks..

The LS1 is all aluminum, that's why it weighs less. Not sure if they have an aluminum 4.6, 302, or basic 350. Id also stay away from carbuerators, personally. I have tuned a few four barrels before, and it can be great when tuned properly, but Fuel Injection is MUCH EASIER. The only down side to EFI is usually the wiring, which isn't a problem here.

The wiring is easier than a sr swap.

The ecu even has a fan relay wire that you can connect your fan to, and it switches it on and off for you.

Other then that there is a rpm signal wire, speedo, temp, and even oil pressure leads coming out of the ecu. Super easy to hook up.


As for hinsons site. The site should be up later this week said brian hinson today.

I am looking into this option, but am wondering about details on the steering rack and what the $1200 kit will entail in its' entirety.

Let's keep this FAQ rolling!

So since they're custom headers, there's no way to have a CA street legal LS1?

Brian Hinson and i will be working on a street legal kit soon.

does the ls1 based iron block 5.3l truck motor have a regular chevy bell housing i never see them cause they are always on the shelf? the place i work at has viper tranneys laying around stacked like fire wood. and we have several 5.3l laying around too.

any one know the weight difference of the 5.3L iron vs 5.7L ls1?

weight difference is over 100lbs. and it puts out much less hp, weaker crank, compression, etc.

BTW the viper tranny i dont think will work with the 240 hinson driveshaft since the viper has a different diameter driveshaft recepticle thing.

Well the street legal version wont effect the current version. so feel free to get the current kit, then mod it later on.

What are the plans for making it CA legal? Any idea on how to keep the stock headers and clear the steering rack?

C5 headers, with rotated adapter plates for the o2 sensors. The rest is a secret.
lol

Any plans for a big block, or are we just limited to the LS-series?

i'd like to hear more about what kind of axles are being used... also.. can the rear end handle hard launches w/ all this torque (drag racing)

Not at the moment. you can get over 1000hp with a lsx motor if worst comes to worst

leftyteck: i would reccomend upgraded axles.

The diff should be able to hold just fine, but i would gusset the subframe, and do subframe solid bushings.

They do make aluminum 5.3's they were put in the older SSR's. The T56 will bolt up to 4.8's, 5.3's, and 6.0's from 01 and up. The 6.0 is the cheapest option as the LS1 style heads bolt pattern and you get the big displacement. The iron block isn't always a bad thing it can handle a bunch of boost. A lot of F-body guys are putting 6.0 blocks in their cars.

Total cost is around 10k if you D.I.Y. with all of hinsons provisions. Or so my estimates have came close too.

My question is how did you manage to set the motor in the engine bay with the oil pan being a rear sump and the rack belocated behind the cros member? is there enough clearence and do you think a 1st gen chevy would fit?

We use the Gto oil pan and pickup.

Clearance is fine. No issues.

And as you can see there is room for a magnacharger with the ls1 sitting so low in the 240 chassis.

Got an idea where to get some beefed up axles? I agree about the diff holding but I don't think the axles will.

Power steering lines?
Brake booster?
A/C?

I'm sure there are adapters, just wondering if they're included or if Hinson knows what's required.

Question Luke, why did you compare the LS1 with the 6 speed against a KA with an Auto tranny? Everyone knows the Auto tranny on the KA weighs more than the manual 5 speed, a lot more.

I'm guessing it was to illustrate that the swap is comperable in weight to a factory configuration, showing that it's not too much weight for the chassis to handle.

Is this V8 FAQ just going to cover LS1 swaps? I understand they have the best power for weight but I would like to here more about other V8's as well..

http://members.cox.net/walton90/aft.jpg
http://www.floridaracing.org/driftin...s/1%20(16).jpg

I helped put the ls1 in the fd car pictured above. He is sponsored by hinson, but the mounts are a joke design wise (very simple). The crossmember is slightly modified to accomodate the oil pan, the crossmember is spaced down from the frame rails, triangle brackets are used to attach the engine to the crossmember with corvette motor mount plates, and the transmission mount is anything you want to fab that runs from frame rail to frame rail. The transmission is very close to the tunnel, but if spaced properly it will clear (ie hinson mounts).

LS1 is completely easy, only issue is builidng or finding headers that fit. The hinson ones fit fine of course.

so the factory harness and ecu was used?
did you keep power steering?
did you keep AC?

didnt keep ac. dont need it.

I do have power steering on my FD. I even have an adjuster that i can turn the pressure up and down with.

Well I'm curious now, does the subframe on the 240sx have to run on spacers to get the tranny to clear? Or was he making stuff up to talk trash? Because that should affect a variety of things in the front end suspension department.

Yes crossmember does use spacers.

If you don't want to use some sort of spacer, be prepared to cut/hammer/rebuild the transmission tunnel.

Spacing it down really isn't affecting too much in the suspension, just the mounting point on the control arm which is attached with a balljoint to everything else.

yea it just acts as if the car is lowered 1/2" more then it really is. Not a big deal.

So does the 1200 dollar motor mounting kit include the stuff you need to space the sub frame and move the steering rack and everything, or is there still some custom fabbing to be done by the person doing the swap?


Edit:

Also, does the mounting kit allow for the stock oil pan to be used, or is it nessisary to use the GTO oil pan? Also, I assume because of the steering column it is not possilbe to run stock headers? Since this is probably the case, can you guys offer steel headers instead of stainless? It should cut the price of those headers in half. That's all the questions I have come up with so far...basically what I am trying to ask is if someone were to buy all of the stuff you guys sell to do this, is it just a bolt on and drop in procedure with only basic wiring that needs to be done.

+1 I'd like to verify this too.

Also will the stock 240 diff gearing work well with the T56 gearing? Not sure what the ratios are on it.

i voted for an informative v8 Faq, not advertising for a company. i followed the developement of hinson's kit for an s14 on two other forums and have been anxiously awaiting info on their s13 project. they do quality work, but this is a v8 Faq. look at our other faqs... those r informative, people have put out different approaches. both wut has worked and wut hasnt. as well as, maybe wut might work.

Luke started the thread off with facts and figures regarding the performance of various chevy small blocks. i think we should follow this lead and discuss different options for the install. people can have shops combine the back of the KA driveshaft w/ the front of the LS and then balance it. maybe someone can use block huggers and weld an LS exhaust flange??? also wut parts do u need for the swap, such as ecu and harness.

we need to discuss different rear ends, cams, etc in this fact. we need to find out wut works best for every persons goal. wut to do if ur building a street car, drag car, daily driver, etc.

10k for a complete turn key diy project? i have been researching a small block 240 swap and there r many different routes besides buying an all in one kit. there is even a kid who had a budget of $4000, bought an fc shell and swapped in an lt1+t56 without running out of money (i know, i know that swap is more documented and parts r cheaper and it might be a little bit easier, but i'm jus saying). alot of parts can be easily fabricated, while others ur better off buying. i can point people in the direction of better info regarding a diy swap, but i'm not sure of the policy here on posting links to other forums and such.

i wanted to post information regarding different chevy gen iii motors such as the LS truck motors(5.3l alum, 5.3l cast, and 6.0l cast), but i was afraid of giving false information people should avoid jus posting for the sake of posting and give correct information. people posting to up their count makes searches more difficult and thats y people repost, cus after an hour or so of looking through crap they decide to ask. and then all the big shots yell out search n00b.

heres some info i've pieced together regarding chevy small block v8s:

ls1/ls2/ls6 jus the motor weigh approximately 100lbs lighter than the ka (for all u ka-t people remember that turbo, i/c, etc add alot of weight).

aluminum 5.3 truck motor weighs about the same as the above, but ive recently seen the prices of this motor go up to the point where it is almost better to buy an ls1 (since u will want to change out the cam and doing so u will need to buy the cam, of course, and ls6 valvesprings). only advantage here is perhaps lower miles than a typical ls1.

lt1/lt4 weigh about the same as the ka and deliver almost as much performance (as u can see from luke's info on the first page). these would be the most bang for the buck. but many r high mileage and beat to hell.

cast 5.3/6.0 weigh about the same as the above lt series. u can find this in local boneyards and usually have less miles than any of the LS/LT motors

as far as transmissions go. if u have an ls motor u want a 6speed u have to get the t56 out of an ls series car. if have an lt motor u can use the t56 out of an lt series car. remember the t56 is really heavy so when u look at different weights of ka + trans vs chevy + trans.... remember that alot of that weight is in the transmission which will be low and in the center of the car.

for those genuinely interested in this swap please try researching the v8 rx7s. people have been doing this swap for a little bit longer and u can find alot of information (just weed out all the rotary vs piston arguing). like i said before i can point people in the right direction w/ links, but i dont know how the mods feel about that.

just like anyother used engine (sr20, ka24, rb, ca, etc) remember u r getting a used part and u have to be ready for any problems that might come with that.

this ended up being much longer than i had anticipated, sorry.

I am asking about the completeness of the kit because I have been reading write-ups on other forums about a 240 LS1 swap and their modifications are more laborious but a lot cheaper. I am asking because it is good for people to know - who may not have access to do some of the modifications necessary for a full DIY swap - whether or not you can spend 14-2400 dollars to get the motor to work in your car simply and safely. I think it is important to know information like that before committing to a project all the way.

so exactly what ballpark figure are we looking at here for that beast to be running? some people posted 10k for DIY? thats seems a little high? I mean bare bones swap would put you around 6-7k correct?

i understand that this is a community where we share information about personal experiences with certain products. i would love to see someone buy the kit and then post feedback. most of the questions that people have been asking can be answered by simply calling hinson.

i had a question about one of their kits. i emailed them and i received a response in under a week. they r in the business of making money when someone has a question regarding one of their products they r more than happy to answer it as promptly as possible.

most of the information regarding the kit is jus speculation and hearsay because no one has it yet (as far as i know). it is best to get information from the source. and then rely on peers for their opinions. does it come with this or does it come with that should not be answered by people who dont know.

in the interest of this faq i will not make another post like this one. if anyone has any questions for me, feel free to pm me. i will get back to u as soon as i can. thanks.

Oj: Some good points in your post. I do think you need to reread this though. I am not here to sell hinson kits. I have simply posted the pricing that was provided by hinson. All of my post besides that were either info on the swap/motors, or answering peoples questions. If you havent noticed i havent tried to sell anything here. If people would like to buy parts from me they pm me.

Other then that you have alot of good points.

There are many people who build a v8fc for under 4k including the car. Keep in mind a fc is basically made for a v8. a c4 corvette driveshaft fits a ls1/ lt1 fc with no mods, stock headers fit no problem, and the mounting kit is like $300. add that with a $50 mustang radiator, and a $79 clutch master cyl and your done. Not much involved in that swap.

Then there is also the option of using say a lt1/lt4/5.0/454/ blah blah blah.
That is allways an option, and still an area to look into. But there is no question about the fact that the best choice for a 240sx/v8 would be the lsx motors. Also keep in mind that the only american motors that would be street legal would be the:
LSX, Lt, and 1991+ mustang v8's. because they have to be the same year of the car or newer.

Yeayea. throw a northstar motor in there, or even nissan titan motor. Those would be cool, but we are trying to keep it on the topic of common motors.

This is what I found from my preliminary research. Please correct me if I have something wrong.

So far for me the best engine is the LS1 from the late model Camaro/Firebird Fbody. It will keep the car street legal and allow you to keep some of the emissions stuff. How much I don't know since I need to dig more into it.

You can get good, usable drivetrains for under $5k. What I was going to do is just get a shortblock and have a shop do a mild rebuild for reliability. From what I found, the bottom end is pretty solid if all you want is 300 bhp. Maybe get some goodies from ARP to reinforce it a little more, and definitely a better oil system (dry sump of some sort) for roadracing.

I figure mid teens for the Hinson kit. I'm going to go ahead and allow some more budget for some final installation and fabrication if necessary.

The only thing I don't know about is the driveshaft and rear end, but I'm sure I'll figure it out once I get in touch with the folks at Hinsons.

So right now I'm looking at a conservative estimate of about low teens for a turnkey setup. This will allow me to attend a full season of roadracing without a rebuild (I hope), and I'm hoping it will be easier to find parts to feed the motor.

At least I can sell my SR to help fund some of it. Bye bye turbo. Hello V8 :)

Ok guys let me break this down for yall.

Ls1/t56 Around $5000.00
Hinson Mounting kit
Headers: $985 for both Stainless 1 3/4" long tubes into 3" collectors.
Steel drive shaft $275
Aluminum $420
S13/S14 complete mounting kit $1122.32 about a week turn around. Includes corvette engine mounts. Deduct $160 ifr they allready have vette mounts.
Cooling system $450-$$$$$
Clutch line, and master cyl $150-????
odd and ends. $600

Now if i wanted to do the most basic swap. I would atleast do the following.

Cam $190-$300
Timing chain (zo6) $80.00
Cromoly pushrods $90.00
Valve springs (dual) $200.00
Titainium retainers $75.00
160 Deg T-stat $50.00
Underdrive pulley $140-280
Belt tensioner $150-200
Clutch $300-$$$$$
ECU tuning software. $500-1800

How do the exhaust collectors line up with the stock exhaust routing?

Thanks for your help.

Well after the tranny you can make it "Y" into a single 3.5" tube in the stock location.

Heres my FD exhaust.

http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/5-17.jpg

http://www.shockdrifting.com/articles/lukefd/5-21.jpg

Hi guys,

You all should really check out what's going on over at LS1tech.com. I go by GIGAPUNK over there if you ever have any questions. There's is more than one person over there who has finished this swap. I recently picked up a 98 SE and a 2003 vette LS1 and a camaro SS T56. I'm going to be hacking into the firewall this summer and doing things the hard way. Without dropping the crossmember I will be able to sit the engine substantially lower than is possible with the GTO pan.

You guys can all argue about engines until the cows come home. But you can't argue the fact that the LS1 is just about the most affordable, lightest, engine that reliably and EASILY will put out 400 hp. And the fact that it is domestic does matter. The availability and lack of shipping from Japan add up fast. And besides that, the engine discussion becomes a pointless conversation if you're looking into a kit for the 240, cuz there's only one, and it uses the LS1.

This is going to be fun...

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...ngfirewall.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...d/f2feb4b9.jpg

If you skim thrugh it and get past the old ass Ford Vs Chevy BS. you will find some usefull stuff.



here is ib's short hand of this topic

get a hensin kit,

if you go with an LSx motor and drive train
get a gto oil pain and pickup

if you use the kit to as a basis for a different V6/8/10 swap your on your own.

you can keep your AC luke didnt want to,
you can keep your PS luke has adjustable valve,
you can get beefier axles at LS auto or other places


This swap was created because the LS/LT motors are lighter and more powerfull out the box then KA/RB. And as an out of the box aplication is capeable to being smog legal for some states. They are working on a way to make it legal for Communistafornia and the only reason why it is a problem is because the posision of the steering colum/rack so custom headers are needed. I'm sure there are Carb Legal headers for that motor, not sure if they will work for this swap though.


Any motor can be made as fast as you can afford, not dream...


and No Cosworth is not Ford.

Ok, I've just gone thru and lowered the collective post count by 72.
Keep this thread ON-TOPIC, and post FACTS, not speculation.
I've had to delete shit posts and even some semi-informative, but irrelevant posts.
Irax's post above does a good job of summing some of that shit up.

When this thread reaches 5 pages again, I'll have a volunteer (Luke?) go thru and condense the whole damn thing into a single (if possible) post and we'll start over with v2.0

I deleted some shit about axles because I wanted to make an axle-specific thread that we could all contribute to (and link to from here if necessary).

I was wondering if anyone has looked into dry sump oil systems. That would allow you to position the engine as low as possible, but that will require custom engine mounts which does not help because I was planning on buying the Hinson kit.

In regards to the rear end gearing question. I'm pretty sure the manual camaros cam with 3.42 and the autos with 2.73. A common upgrade is 3.73s. But the consensus w/ the Camaro Drag racers seems to be that the 3.73s aren't worth the trouble, and most recommend going straight up to the 4.10. The 240s come stock with 4.08. So I figure we are pretty lucky. The only problem is that you are probably going to have to make an extra shift in the 1320 if you are planning on doing it over 115 mph. If serious MPH is on your agenda, you may want to look at something closer to the 3.73. Drag isn't my main concern, so I'm going to stick with my stock 4.08 s14 VLSD as long as possible

I looked into Dry sumping pretty seriously. ARE, Armstrong Race Engineering, out side Sacramento in Orangevale CA, makes more than one pan/kit to dry sump the LS1, beautiful stuff.

But you are really limited as to how low you can place the engine by the transmission. The t56 hangs almost 5 inches below the bottom of the block! The LS running Cadillac Race Cars machined an adapter to run the transmissions on their sides!

Plus there are serious problems with running a dry sump on the street. Cost was a big one for me. Minimum $700, and that would be cheap. Then there's the extra weight, between the extra fluid, lines and pump expect to add near50lbs. Oh and the fact that if a simple belt breaks or comes off you have no oil flow, followed shortly by no bearings. Plus with the cross member in the way you can't even lower the pan to the level of your ground clearance, only to the level of the rack!

For me it just wasn't worth the money, risk, and weight. Especially since you can't take advantage of being able to lower the engine to the degree that drysumps normally afford you.

I'm just going to port an LH6 pump and go.

Thats interesting information and like you I will not be using dry sump.

Also LS1TECH does have a lot of good information and here is a like for the DIY throttle body porting, very comprehensive.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showth...=139142&page=2

if u plan on doing a gm small block here is some info that is no longer listed after the clean up:

unless u plan on doing a rebuild, i would not suggest an LT1 motor due to the low quality of pullouts that i have seen. if u do find one in good shape u can use the money saved vs buying an LS1 for mods making it more powerful than a stock LS1. one main downfall is the gen ii intake is inferior to the intake on the Gen III/IV motors.

besides the LS1, LS6, and LS2... GM put an LS-style V8 in their trucks/suvs. they come in many different versions. these motors are often easier to find, have lower miles, and are cheaper. they r mostly cast iron block and aluminum heads weighing in at roughly 65lbs more than a standard LS1/6/2. u need to use the f-body accessories and intake for install.

4.8L (LR4) - found in large vans and smaller trucks. most people swap these out in favor of the 6.0. they have a shorter stroke than the motors i will later mention. the rods r longer (consensus: easier to break). factory ~ 270hp, 285 ft-lbs

5.3L (LM7)- the iron block version of this motor is easy to find and might be the ticket for a budget builder. only problem is the heads dont flow (same heads found on 4.8L) very well. also has the same block w/ the same bore as 4.8L, but w/ a longer stroke. when putting in a different cam u need to swap over most of the valvetrain from an LS6. i believe this motor is 9:5:1 compression w/ factory ~ 285 hp, 320 ft-lbs

5.3L (LM4) - this is the aluminum block version of the above mentioned motor. it can be pulled from '04 Trailblazer EXT, Envoy XL, and SSR (i think the '04 Rainier too). differences r the lighter block (equal in weight to LS1/6/2). also compression is bumped up (maybe 9:9:1) producing more power. factory ~ 295 hp, 330 ft-lbs

6.0L (LQ4) - bored version of cast iron 5.3L. big difference is obviously the displacement, but also has high flowing aluminum heads (beware of the pre-01 motors which have iron heads that u dont want for various reasons). the compression is back down to 9:5:1 on these motors. factory ~ 325 hp, 365 ft-lbs

6.0L (LQ9) - "performance" version of above motor found in Silverado SS and 02-05 Escalades. internals r slightly different beefier rods, coated piston skirts, flat top pistons, and higher compression (something like 10:1ish). power goes up too. factory ~ 345 hp, 380 ft-lbs

that is all i can spit off right now. feel free to correct any of my information. this was all pieced together from searching the web in my spare time.

my conclusion:

if ur looking for a budget build and r concerned about a little extra weight try to locate an LM4 (prices have skyrocketed on this as of late though... can almost find an LS1 in decent shape for same price)

if the extra 65lbs doesnt bother u, go big or go home. 6.0 motors r more bang for ur buck. the extra money is worth the increased displacement, higher flowing heads, and various cam options.

the cast iron motors r better for boost, of course. big boost F/I f-body guys use the cast blocks. the LQ4 is better for forced induction due to the lower compression, but if u want to run anything over 10psi (people go 14 w/ meth but who knows for how long), u better get some aftermarket pistons and rods.

LQ9 would be the best N/A motor, but only if u get a good deal over the price of an LS1/6/2.

P.S. thank u Mods for "taking out the garbage"

EDIT: i guess my post didnt get deleted. i jus assumed it did. so i guess this is halfway a repost. oh well, this post has more info than my previous one. hope u find it useful.

Here's a faq: What 1/4 times do you get with those v8's in your 240's?

I fully expect 11.5 @ 128 in the 1320.

Well a stock bodied FD with full interior and dot approved tires with a stock
ls1 that had only intake, headers, and exhaust has gone 11.80s

drag radial?

^^^^ street tires im guessin

Hey, I've seen your posts over on LS1 as well as Freshalloy. It looks like using the R33 x-member makes it much easier for headers to fit.

I'll be doing this swap in the future. Maybe after my kids are out of daycare.

:eek3:

Luke, ur the pimp. Im fully serious about doing an LS1 swap now. My redneck domestic friend used to always talk about LS1 motors in 240s but i never took it into serious consideration. I've already made arangements to sell my SR20 lol. 4 bangers suck.

So is the conversion kit ready to sell as of now? I dont really plan on doing the swap for another few months tho, but im pretty serious about doing it. All i need is the custom header, mounting kit, and drive shaft correct? Are you guys going ot have more detailed wiring info in the future?

Thanks,
John

So anyone have any info on Nissan V8 swaps such as the vh's or vk's? Been doing some research, but I'm curious to know if anyone on here has done these swaps.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~dcollin....au/silfiniti/


He makes it sound a little slow, but slicks and an intake sticking thru the hood always makes me smile

That dude is on an automatic and VH41 though.

Shop in florida is did a VH45 with a Z32 trans in their hatch, it sounds fucking sex.

I'm starting my project next Monday!!!
Just drove my '98 s14 se for the first time yesterday.
Now I know why 240s are the 'Masters of Dorifto' choice!
This thing is hell for fun. I'm going to take it down to Sacramento Drag Races tonight for some base runs before I yank out the KA next week. I also picked up a canton road race pan for my LS1. By my rough measurements it should help me out so that I only have to set the firewall back about 4" now. I'll take some pictures with some more serious measurements next week.
Anyone think I can break 15s tonight?!
Toss me a PM if you're going to be at Sac tonight.

Sounds great. Keep us updated.

has anybody done this swap in norcal??i would be really interested on checking it out if you do ;)

I have done it in an fd. I am located in san jose.

We are currently looking for a s13 coupe shell to do the conversion if anyone has one.

We are also for hire to do the swap for you. Pm us for details.

Luke

ahh nice!!ive seen another fd with an ls1 swap already down here and met the person but i forgot his name.but shoot me a pm about swap for hire ;)ill try to hit you up on aim later also if possible.

luke I'm unable to PM you, how ever how much would a typical swap cost, with radiator, fuel, clutch, and associated proper mods. for a basic LS1 with T5 tranny, also what is the top speed on them since the nissan's have different ratio ring and pinons??

For many of us putting a vette engine into our S13's is way out of price range. A ford 302 would be MUCH MUCH less expensive. Its reliable, parts are cheap, and theres probaly more aftermarket parts then any other engine. 302's can be had for anywere from free to a couple hundred dollers. It may screw up the handling, but it wouldnt be that bad with some suspension tuning. It takes 300hp to the wheels in a fox body mustang to drop into high 12's in the 1/4mile, and they are 500lbs heavier then S13. With traction, what is it going to take an S13 to hit high 12's? Intake manifold, exhaust, maybe a cam for mid 12's? Bang for your buck, I beleive the 302 is the way to go. I'd love to have that mustang sound and power, but at the same time, not actually have to own a mustang.

Any plans for a Ford V8 kit, for those of us that can afford to swap in a vette motor?

A Stock 302 barely makes 176hp to the wheels stock. 190hp with all the bolt ons. You need to add Heads, Intake Manifold and a Cam to get to 300hp. The that puts you into the price range of a LS1 that makes more HP than that stock and even more with bolt ons down the road. Sorry, I played the mustang game for many years before I got the 240. The returns aren't that great.

Junkyard 302 with a basic rebuild (done by yourself),Heads, cam and an intake manifold dont cost anywere near the amount the amount a stock LS1 would cost. It took me 800$ in new/used engine parts to run 12.8 in an 83 GLX, I did have to do alot of other things to the car but it was only around a grand for any engine work. It cost me 200$ for the motor so thats 1000$ total. Or even easier, buy a slightly used supercharger setup for a grand or so, I beleive my friend made over 250hp to the wheels on a vortec supercharger he bought off ebay for under a grand. Bang for your buck, LS1 cant touch the 302. Even if a stock 302 only makes 176hp to the wheels, its still got a shitload more torque and probaly 50hp more to the wheels then a stock KA. Most likely be more reliable then the KA as well. With another grand in modifications, easily low 12's minimum. The only kit I would buy, woould be for the ford 302

Are you talking Carbs? or EFI? Cause I'm sure I could whip together a 350 SBC from the junkyard that can put out more for the same $.

im talking about EFI. I'd have no problem using a 350 SBC but would they use the same mounts as a LT1 or LS1? I do like ford better then chevy, but whatevers cheap and easy i'll take it. I would most likely go carburated 350 if the LT1/LS1 mounts are the same as the older 350. I'd still be interested in finding out if there are any plans for mounts to use a Ford 302.

There are quite a few reasons for using a LS1.

-1hp & 1lb.-ft. of torque per cubic inch displacement.
-128lbs. lighter than the KA
-with a T56 you now have 6 gears.
-the LS1 is one of the best small block v8's (this is my opinion based on what I have read, seen, and heard about), you got the refinement, technology that is reliable, durability, fuel efficent, good emissions, capable of making high hp with minimal modifications, or running low 12's in the 1/4 mile completly stock.

I believe it has a lot to do with preference and what you want to work on or what you want from the car. There are so many options for the 240SX which is why I love this car. Everything from NA KA power, KA-T, SR, RB, Nissan V6's, Nissan V8's, Toyota V8's, LS1's, Ford 302's. I have decided to use the LS1 because of its performance and basically bang for the buck after looking into half of those options.

my point was, alot of us cant afford ls1 engines, thats why most of us here drive stock S13s with stock KAs the 302 is a cheap easy way to gaining over 100ft lbs of torque. That much torque in a 2700lbs car is going to be alot of fun. Basicly the mount kit plus 300$ for the engine is what the swap would cost and extra for whatever else u want to do. For the LS1 its going to cost the mount kit plus around 4000$ for the engine. Not many of us can afford that. It would absolutly be worth it tho. But if the LS1 uses the same mounts as a old 350 SBC, i would quit bitching about a cheaper alternative to the LS1, because that would be that cheaper alternative.

what has to be done to the chassis to make it so it does not bend or flex under torque loads?...im considering doing this after i get outta tech school just seeing what has to be done to the body and frame structure as that is where i will be starting

Ah, the wonders of IRS...

Questions about smog legality in CA. Will you (Luke) be able to modify/update/retrofit the LSx's evap equipment allowing it to properly pass state ref?

How about the new GTO ls2 can that be put in just as easy as the ls1 from a z28 etc.?? I have a great hook up on a GTO ls2 set up, thats the route im going if it will work with the hinson kit, headers and DS..

Very good info here....

Josh

Yes the LS2 will fit. It has the same external dimensions as the LS1, as does the LS6 and LS7. The difference is in the internals. The LS2 s typically more expensive than the LS1 just because it is a newer and more powerful engine. But since you say you have a hook-up, it shouldn't be a problem.

...


sorry buddy they make like 190hp give or take a few.... they were rated 225hp from factory with 300tq..... 175hp ..... must have been one wore out 302...... just exhust mods and intake on a 302 can put it into 220 to the rear wheels( i know i dynoed that on my 91 mustang)... the only reson they dyno low for a V8 is due to shitty heads and intake... change those out your good to go.

i would like to know when they will have a 302 kit for the s13 i think it would be a great swap and want to see a kit for it soon....

im not sure if someone posted this already but what if u put a 4.6 mustang motor in an s13 how would i go about this...or has anyone done this b4??