V8 street build. truck motor swap. LQ9 t56 pbm etc.

[Beas]

My Instagram, if u want more pics and vids between updates.

@chris_beas


Ok guys, going ahead and starting my build thread. Main point will be to get as much info as I can out there for others. I used this site a lot in my research, so ill keep the cycle going.

So, last year, I lucked out and came across a 1997 one owner that was completely stock. 5 speed, 5 lug, all the good stuff. the only thing I could even find wrong with it was that it had a broken sunroof, which I didn't really want a sunroof at all, but more on that later. the car was pretty much perfect for what I wanted.

here it is the day I picked it up.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo1_zps1a287496.jpg


first thing on the to do list was coilovers. researched around a bit and ended up going with some powered by max Pros. Parts shop max is only 10 minutes away so I stopped by and picked up the coils, rucas and toe rods.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo2_zps91282aaa.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo4_zps3ee1cf77.jpg


pretty straight forward install.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo5_zpsc0246416.jpg


how it looked with a light drop and oem lip.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo3_zps22bf67d2.jpg



Next up was replacing all the brakes. kept it simple. I wanted to save money for bigger and better things. got the q45 upgrade kit from frsport.com. replaced everything except the rear calipers. stops great now.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/brakes_zpsce6dd83f.jpg


Next up was wheels. This was a big decision. I love some big 3 piece wheels. my last 2 sets of wheels were CCW LM5s and LM20s.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/ccw_zps61095ff9.jpg

however, they are expensive and I was saving for a motor swap which is not cheap at all. I decided to go with RPF1s in 17 inch. I feel like 18s look great with aero, but since mine was going to stay stock body for a while, I played it a bit more conservative.

17x9.5 +18 with 235/40/17 all around.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0069_zps3b16a569.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/a3_zps546ae25d.jpg

I picked up a quick release and sparco wheel to make it tougher on the thieves, as well as a cheap bucket seat(which sucks and ill replace it down the road).
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/quickrelease_zps2de62e53.jpg


Another problem I had to address was head room. Those of u that have sat in an s14 with a sunroof know what I mean. I'm 5'11 and I like to sit fairly upright when I drive so I started researching some options. I picked up some sunroof delete brackets from a member on here. you can read more about it in the sunroof delete thread. gave me another 2-3 inches of headroom.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/sunroof_zps8b418210.jpg



with those mods complete I had a fun daily driver while I saved up for the engine. LQ9 details next post.

[Beas]

For the motor I went with a 2006 LQ9. that's the 6.0 out of several different GM trucks. Iron block, with aluminum heads.

HP:345
Tq:385

At the time I believed that I could save money over just buying a LS1/2 full swap. Turns out that swapping a truck motor over to car specs is fairly expensive and is a lot more involved than I expected. I will go into more detail on that later.

First thing I did was buy the motor. found a company in Colorado that had a motor for a decent price and 100k miles.

the day it arrived at Tom's shop.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/lq9_zpsefb768b1.jpeg

[turbo2nr]

Nice start! keep it up, Interested to see where this end up..

[ksuberk54]

100k miles? Yeesh. Hopefully it turns out okay

[TwelveAM]

Subscribed to this build, can't wait to see more on this.

[Beas]

100k miles? Yeesh. Hopefully it turns out okay

when I was shopping around i found a ton of LQ9s around 200k miles. 100k with great compression numbers seems fine to me.

[Mschiano.]

In, plan on starting a similar build soon, can't wait how this ends up

[psi999]

That S14a is mint.

dis is gunna be good...

[1Day]

What spring rates are you running? I'm running an LQ9/T56 combo also. Just a heads up, if you plan on running a Fast 102 and 102mm throttle body, the intake is a lot taller then a stock (like a 1.5"). I'm running Fueled mounts and the intake is mm's from my hood, its also a tight fit for a air intake in 4" diameter.

[smokescreen240]

normally i enjoy 18's on an s14, but you're making those 17's look really good. props to you good sir.

[Nissansota240]

Car looks awesome, looking forward to seeing the progress on it.

[2muchboost]

100k miles for this motor is nothing. As a matter of fact there is an entire 200k+ mile thread on another forum (I am sure you can guess which one) with lots of guys beating the balls off their high mileage setups with no issues.

As far as the intake goes, unless you are going boost I would stick with an OEM LS1.

You are absolutely right, these motors are usually cheaper than the LS1 or LS2 brethren and it doesnt take much to swap the parts over. Unless you are hell bent on saving every pound of weight the difference between the iron and aluminum block is approx 70-80 lbs from what everyone says.

Nice build man. I wish you good luck and if I can help in any way please feel free to shoot me a PM. I am currently trying to figure out the last bits of my LM7 (5.3 iron block) turbo setup into my S14. Unfortunately between work and work travel I have had almost no time to work on it but I have gathered lots of info regarding the swap. The LQ9 is a nice choice and if I am not mistaken it has the LS2 type rods and timing chain which allows you to really put a whoopin on those. My buddy just finished his S13 LQ4 swap and on 12 lbs of boost on a stupid conservative tune he cracked the 600rwhp and 600 lbs tq mark with no sweat. I will see if he posts some videos up here.

[Beas]

That S14a is mint.

dis is gunna be good...

yeah, I was really excited when I found this s14. couldn't believe stock 5 speed koukis still existed.

What spring rates are you running? .

10k and 8k. its a bit stiff for the streets. might get a 6 and pull the 10s out. not too bad though

normally i enjoy 18's on an s14, but you're making those 17's look really good. props to you good sir.

yeah, I think 17s are perfect fit for stock aero.

[Beas]

parts came in, so time to get started on the motor.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0001_zps78e38f8e.jpg



several changes had to be made to fit it to car specs.

the guy I bought the t56 from had a ls2 intake manifold sitting around so I bought that off him. which made things a bit more complicated because it fits a 4 bolt throttle body. also, running a cable throttle complicates this even more. I believe fast makes a 4 bolt throttle body that's cable and 90mm but they are about $500. instead, I picked up an ls1 TB for dirt cheap and bought an adapter plate to convert 4 hole IM to 3 hole LS1 TB. also the injectors are different (from LS1) and I ended up having to send my harness back to get the plugs changed out. I will also have to get a custom throttle cable bracket made since ls2 has none. If I had known all this a few months ago I would have just bought the LS1 intake mani from the beginning and saved some headaches.

the front accessories need to all be changed over to fit as well. I couldn't find any used here in san diego, so I ended up buying a CTS-V front accessory kit and crank pulley. there are a few issues with this.

first is the power steering. cts-v pressure line comes out the bottom, different from LS1. I had to get custom fittings for my sikky PS line.

the alternator will only be held on with 2 bolts since this is a truck motor. there is a spot to drill a 3rd hole if u need to.

also, the crank pulley was a pain in the ass to swap out.

here is everything assembled
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0003_zps264e6760.jpg


and the sikky oil pan and mounts bolted up.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0007_zps78a88cf6.jpg


I picked up a GTO t-56. a local shop had one they had just rebuilt. it was pricey but I liked the idea of having a fresh trans in the car, plus the GTO version is supposed to be the best. ordered a stock LS6 clutch and flywheel combo to go with it.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0005_zps92956c80.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0006_zps0fb461d4.jpg

more to come soon.

[Oakville]

This things sick! Just curious, how much did the motor alone set you back?

[d_nice]

looks good man keep it up

[BlewByYou]

I did the LS2 Corvette intake as well. 4 bolt Fast TB DBC, making a custom throttle cable bracket.

Harness was setup for Ls2 top end as well, Corvette belt setup with P/S delete as i went with an Electric p/s pump :)


https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10270310_10152180466158246_495823689304460871_n.jp g

[Beas]

nice throttle body. that's def going to be one of my upgrades down the road.

[Beas]

This things sick! Just curious, how much did the motor alone set you back?

$1400 for the motor, and they threw in an ECU. from my research I think I paid about average for one of these. saw a lot that were going for $2k, and im sure there are some steals out there for $1k or less.

[BlewByYou]

nice throttle body. that's def going to be one of my upgrades down the road.

Yea Bit pricey but a must lol.

Noticed you said Ls6 clutch? Looks like a Ls7.

Crazy you paid 1400 for the engine there $400-800 here in Texas. Mine had 77,000 miles pulled it myself.

IMO go with a Nick Wilson TB bc it has a hole in the back for a bracket. The bracket is $40 instead of having to go my route and have a custom bracket made from the 2 intake bolts thats $100-150
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQd8SRWWXi6X8Ax9AUWXm-It3tfirn_6kMJbQzcy9NffwchCJo9

[Beas]

well, the motor was delivered to me and had already been tested. I paid for convenience. several places I called wanted over 2k for these motors with low mileage.

im hoping to have the guy that makes my exhaust Y pipe also fab up a throttle cable bracket as well.

[niscur29]

You can make a throttle cable bracket for about 8 bucks with some 1/8 x 1" wide steel. Make a small 90 deg bend and a slot for a stock throttle cable and you are good to go. I used the OEM throttle cable in my S13 and its more than long enough to reach the NW 102 TB.

You make want to think about drilling the block for that third alternator bolt too its not too difficult and gets the bracket secured to the block in the front without going through the alternator like the lower bolt.

[CamberWear]

This thing is gonna be monsterous... Keep up the good work!

[SaVAgES14]

Whats the name of that shop and where is it located?

[Beas]

Whats the name of that shop and where is it located?

im doing all the work in my garage at my house. the motor was delivered to the shop pictured above, just to save on shipping cost.

[PureRush]

Can't wait to see where this goes

[Beas]

so, pulled the KA24 last weekend. took about 6 hours. lots of time crawling under the car and back out to get tools. got most of the stuff out I don't need. now its sprawled across my garage.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0011_zps2f64a0d2.jpg


got the engine bay cleaned up a little. I would love to take the time to paint the engine bay and really make it look good, but I need to get it back on the road.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0001_zpse5ef9808.jpg


spent all day Thursday dropping the motor in. bolted the trans up myself and dropped it in myself, which if u have ever lifted a t56 u probably know its not easy. it took so long because the trans tunnel wasn't beat back enough in certain places. I had to pull the motor out twice and hammer it back for clearance. spent all day with it on the hoist

wife came down to the garage to see how it was going before heading out.

"grab some gloves and push the hoist while I guide the motor in". she didn't go for it, oh well.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/photo1_zps2d402053.jpg


finally got it in and mounted up. without the headers and radiator theres so much room for activities.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0005_zps0896ceb9.jpg


header clearance on the drivers side.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0009_zpscf2e3713.jpg


shifter alignment. its fairly centered. the pic isn't straight on. one thing to mention about the GTO t-56 is I had to swap out the shifter for an F-body shifter. the metal shifter block that the bottom of the shifter sits in has to be changed and its $100 from chevy.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0008_zps56a9a0e4.jpg


I didn't mess with it much over the weekend. I installed the willwood clutch master and the starter. I also removed some more stock junk that I wont be needing anymore. feels good to strip out all the extra crap from the car.

over the next couple days ill need to install the power steering lines and oil filter lines. still need to mount the oil filter and fuel pressure reg. I should have the wiring harness and radiator within a few days.

[4-20sx]

Sweet build!

[ksuberk54]

Sweet build man. By the way, your wife is smoking.

[SaVAgES14]

im doing all the work in my garage at my house. the motor was delivered to the shop pictured above, just to save on shipping cost.
That's the shop I'm asking about, is that the pbm shop?

[Beas]

That's the shop I'm asking about, is that the pbm shop?

not part shop max. tom's old garage. its not really a business or anything.

[Mschiano.]

Awesome build, awesome wife. Doing it right my dude :rawk: making some quick progress!!

[Beas]

I want to talk for a bit about parts and vendors I used during the swap for people who may read this down the road before their own swaps. First off, using a common American motor has made it so easy to get small parts and fittings. so far I have picked up a coil pack, intake air temp sensor, MAP sensor, and other bits like hardware all from local shops like Oreillys. something to think about if you are debating v8 vs Japanese swap. Also, being able to order from giants in the industry like summit or jegs is very convenient.




Wiring Specialties

I got my harness from them and im really glad I did. I don't know shit about wiring and electrical systems, but with just one call to them with a few questions, ive wired up my whole car with ease. they make it so simple. its like setting up an x box.



Hinson Supercars

what a mess. I ordered a radiator and intake setup from them, and it took 4 months to arrive. No emails or order info. I was in the dark. countless phone calls and promises that it would ship next week, and next week, and next week. They seemed to have some legal issues and possible felony charges recently and I believe the company is under new ownership. Maybe the new guys can pull things around but ill never order from them again.



SIKKY

So far all of their parts have worked out great. high quality parts and they have been pretty helpful on the phone.



Swap is getting close to completion. just wrapping up some small stuff and it should be back on the streets.

[boost infested]

Do you have pictures of the passenger side header? Mine is touching the frame rail with the last runner. just touching.

I am waiting on approval to post my build thread. Here is mine with sikky's 1 7/8 headers.

<<<<<passenger side >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> driver side is about 15 away..
[/url]https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2939/14209274518_8ae0df0f80_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people//) (https://flic.kr/p/nDCfgG) https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3917/14433478035_88eb262ba3_b.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people//)[url=https://flic.kr/p/nZrmaz]

[2muchboost]

To piggyback Beas experience....being on a budget build I have been able to score numerous parts for relatively cheap due to the interchangeability of parts. Accessories, oil and water pumps, timing chains, sensors etc have all been picked up second hand for my build at probably 1/5 of what they cost at the dealers or new.

[Beas]

@boostinfested.

wow, im glad I went with the 1 3/4 primaries. I have a good amount more clearance. ill post up a pic of the engine bay and where everything is soon.



EDIT: both of mine have clearance similar to your driver side. not sure whats up with your pass. side

[Royal_T]

Looking good bro.. swap is moving right along.. Keep it up

[Beas]

ok, so been busy with the car all week. the radiator, fans, and intake finally came in from hinson motorsports after 4 months waiting. the radiator fits well, and came with a steam vent port already welded in, so I was happy with that. the intake and fans don't fit very well. long story short hinson motorsports wont get any more of my money.


anyway, radiator in. clearance from accessories. in the second pic u can see how I ran the steam line.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u2_zps8c289dcc.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u5_zpsc5e6eec0.jpg



here's the intake from Hinson. I still need to cut out some sheet metal. intake is barely long enough to make it past the frame rail. Not sure if the filter will fit on or not.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u3_zpsa122663f.jpg



FPR/filter. on the passenger side. not really happy with the placement but im still using the hardlines and they kinda limit my location.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u8_zps757e00d1.jpg



you can see how close the fuel lines are to the header. going to get some heat wrap /flameguard for it. hopefully that's enough.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u4_zpse18eea27.jpg



Oil filter mounted up on the driver side. would prefer to tuck this away somewhere, but with the lines provided I just kept it simple.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u7_zps6cbc2bbf.jpg



One thing that really impressed me about Wiring Specialties is they sent me 2 plugs likes this so I can wire up the fans, and ill be able to unplug them easy if I need to pull the radiator for any reason.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u1_zpsdad644d8.jpg




Going to get exhaust made soon. not sure what im going to go with yet. hopefully dual 3 inch all the way with a muffler in there. im a bit concerned with how low the header flange is on the driver side. this is now the lowest point on my car (besides lip). might have to raise the car a little so I don't damage it. its about 2 inches from the ground. maybe less.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u6_zpscd5d8014.jpg




so, came time to start it and I was getting a loud knock from the starter. it was slightly too close to the flywheel so I had to get some shims and space it out about 1/4 inch. with that done the motor was cranking but not firing up. I had power to the injectors, had spark, had fuel pressure going to the rail. couldn't figure it out for a while but eventually pulled off the fuel rail and found out the injectors were gunked up and not squirting any fuel. cleaned em up a bit and the car fired right up.

how it sits for now.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/u9_zps462e1347.jpg

[ksuberk54]

Nice progress man. I wish I had mechanical skills like you guys do!

[Beas]

Nice progress man. I wish I had mechanical skills like you guys do!

honestly man, the knowledge is out there. you can learn everything from the internet. Im no mechanic. I just have some sockets and wrenches and a breaker bar. when you take everything one step at a time it becomes much simpler. I made some mistakes, luckily they were cheap mistakes. I learned so much from doing the swap myself, and would strongly encourage anybody thinking of a swap to do it themselves. you learn so much about your car.

also, the drifting.com DVD was helpful.

[Sac14]

Nice build. I'll keep watching to see it finished.

[Beas]

So, took a week vacation, came home to a custom exhaust done being built. finished up a few minor things and the car is now roadworthy. seems to be running fine. I had some issues with the cooling at first. had the radiator hose pop off on the freeway. seems like I just didn't tighten down the hose enough on install. car continued to over heat quickly. I jacked the car up on the driver side and bleed the coolant system with the cap off, and was able to get a lot of air out. I also looped the water pump heater outlets rather than capping them off. I've hear 50/50 opinions on capping vs looping, so I played it safe with some hose. now the car stays nice and cool.


put some flameguard on the fuel lines. ill have to keep a close eye on it to see how it holds up.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0004_zps78e87455.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0001_zps99d9a24e.jpg




kept the interior fairly simple and comfortable for now. gutted behind the seats, but kept the radio and most of the dash stuff in.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0009_zps0e8fb890.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0015_zpse9580b26.jpg




had to raise the car up unfortunately. I still only have about 1 1/4 inches of ground clearance from the header flange. im probably going to raise the rear up even more to get some more clearance under the car. cant afford to damage the headers.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0019_zpsc1da6714.jpg

[ksuberk54]

Get some bigger tires in the rear when you raise it up. Will have an awesome stance when you do that!

[4-20sx]

^^^^^agreed

What are you running now? Sorry if I missed that post before :P

[2muchboost]

Car stance looks mean...so clean

[GSXRJJordan]

First: Congrats on doing the swap yourself, that's rad. Glad you've found Zilvia helpful!

Second: Wife is bangin', good work with that.

Third: Hose clamping 3/8" (6an) hose onto the stock 8mm lines is no good, especially right next to the header, whether you put insulation over 'em or not. The not-quite-so-bad (but not quite perfect) solution is to cut the stock tube with a tubing cutter, run the Earl's 5/16" tube to 6an conversion fittings, and put 6an hose ends on the hose you've got.
http://www.anplumbing.com/images/products/7327/609_thumb.jpg

[nickmat619]

The car looks amazing man congrats on getting her running!

[PLAYERO_LOKO]

sweet ride, and the ol' lady looks just as good! 2 thumbs up brother!!!

[eastcoaststeeze]

I am extremely impressed with wiring specialties too, top notch stuff from those guys, cant wait to see this finished

[Beas]

Get some bigger tires in the rear when you raise it up. Will have an awesome stance when you do that!

^^^^^agreed

What are you running now? Sorry if I missed that post before :P


the pic actually makes it look like im tucking more than I really am out back. ground isn't level there.

running 235/40/17 all around right now. going to put wider and stickier azenis 615k out back once these tires wear out.

[Beas]

First: Congrats on doing the swap yourself, that's rad. Glad you've found Zilvia helpful!

Second: Wife is bangin', good work with that.

Third: Hose clamping 3/8" (6an) hose onto the stock 8mm lines is no good, especially right next to the header, whether you put insulation over 'em or not. The not-quite-so-bad (but not quite perfect) solution is to cut the stock tube with a tubing cutter, run the Earl's 5/16" tube to 6an conversion fittings, and put 6an hose ends on the hose you've got.
http://www.anplumbing.com/images/products/7327/609_thumb.jpg


thanks and thanks


yeah, I had been looking for a better way to run the fuel lines. I haven't been happy with the hose over hard line setup from the beginning. luckily there is a shop that stocks everything Earls right here in SD so im going to go see what I can find. wish I would have bought the full length lines that run from the fuel tank to the front when I got the stuff from sikky.

[4-20sx]

235?! Yea I would wait too til tires wear out. Tires aren't cheap :p

[Alan240sx]

Such a clean simple build. Good job man! You really got me thinking about my future swap.

[Beas]

so, small update. took it to the 1/8th mile drag strip last night. I wanted to push the car hard and see how everything held up. the car ran good. nothing broke and the engine stayed nice and cool most of the night. started to get a little warm at the end of the night, but on the drive home it cooled off right away, back to normal temps.

as for the runs, nothing special. I think 9.7 was my quickest. no grip in first gear, all my launches were really slow. I was running 235/40/17 at about 30psi falken azenis fk453. I would spin in 2nd and 3rd as well. once I hit 3rd though i was catching everbody. the car def feels fast once the grip is there.

i ran against a KA-T s14 with the much stickier azenis 615k, he got a big jump off the line, but i was gaining on him fast at the end. trapped about 8mph faster than he did. so the motor def runs strong.

cant wait to get some drifting in.

[vJilly]

holy wife.... and sick ass build too, why was she dressed up and you werent? racecar? lol love the stock body kouki on rpf1's super clean

[2muchboost]

Sorry to backtrack...have a question. Are you also using the CTS-V Crank Pulley? Reason I ask is because I have seen most people use the Vette Pulley with the rest of the CTS-V Accessory Drive.

Thanks in advance.

[GSXRJJordan]

Sorry to backtrack...have a question. Are you also using the CTS-V Crank Pulley? Reason I ask is because I have seen most people use the Vette Pulley with the rest of the CTS-V Accessory Drive.

Thanks in advance.

Corvette (Y-body) and CTS-V/G8 are the same accessory offset, F-body is further forward, truck is further forward than that.

[2muchboost]

^^^^much appreciated.

[Beas]

adding some pics soon. been really busy the last couple of months with moving to las vegas and work. for more pics and vids check out my instagram

@chris_beas


.

[Beas]

couple pics. first wash since moving to vegas. was long over due. paint doesn't look to bad for 17 years old. not much has changed on the car recently. saving for tires and a helmet to start beating on this thing.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/rear1_zps8b910b47.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/r2_zpsfcda085f.jpg



here's a shot of the header clearance from the ground. if u look closely you can see the V-band is just over and inch from the street.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/r3_zps2229ce17.jpg

[Beas]

one more from pacific beach.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/b34_zps2b2dd935.jpg

[4-20sx]

I love your setup. Clean.... Makes me wish I still had my s14. :***(

[808_s13]

What made you pick the LQ9 over other L engines?

and also, how much money has gone into the swap, and hours behind it?

seemed like you knocked it out of the park really quick for a one man job!

[808_s13]

so you're still using stock ka diff and axles?

[Royal_T]

So Clean love everything about this build

[Beas]

What made you pick the LQ9 over other L engines? and also, how much money has gone into the swap, and hours behind it?

seemed like you knocked it out of the park really quick for a one man job!

well, I thought the LQ9 would be a cheaper route than an ls1 or ls2. and the power is similar to the ls1. cost is actually about the same. i already had started down the path of collecting parts so i continued on with the lq9. I ended up having to buy all new accessories due to lack of used ones available.

somewhere around $10k i didn't keep track.

took about 3 months waiting on parts, (harness and radiator took a while)

took about 1 month to install. i had a lot of work to do just assembling the motor since i had to swap the crank pulley and make all the accessories match up and run together, which i had never done any of. i was learning as i went.

so you're still using stock ka diff and axles?

yes. i was told the diff will last a long time. i have a spare if not. i don't expect the axles to last for ever, but they aren't too expensive from what i remember. i don't have much grip right now, so i guess that makes it easier on the rear end.

[2muchboost]

BEAS.....why did you have to swap the crank?

[Beas]

BEAS.....why did you have to swap the crank?

I meant crank pulley. from truck pulley to car, to run the accessories.

[2muchboost]

Gotcha.....thought I had missed something.

[808_s13]

i cant recall where i read it, but someone used q45 axles along with a q45 diff setup to solve the traction problem.

[laurentj23]

First of all, congrats on the built! And prop for doing it yourself!
I have a few questions and thank you thank you for your help!.
1.wiring specialities harness . Do you order them with ac and digital box conversion? They have the option on the website to get the t56 or 4l60e .does the transmission has a a plug that connects the harness in. I'm using a cd009 transmission and they don't have that option.

2.motor mounts. Can I used different brand motor mounts with different brand headers? Like using silky header and another brand header?
3.do you use the stock alternator bracket or you need to swap it to f body bracket?

[OkinawaFD3S]

I love V8 swaps. I don't get the hate. Sure there's no replacement for displacement, except boost+displacement :D

[Beas]

First of all, congrats on the built! And prop for doing it yourself!
I have a few questions and thank you thank you for your help!.
1.wiring specialities harness . Do you order them with ac and digital box conversion? They have the option on the website to get the t56 or 4l60e .does the transmission has a a plug that connects the harness in. I'm using a cd009 transmission and they don't have that option.

2.motor mounts. Can I used different brand motor mounts with different brand headers? Like using silky header and another brand header?
3.do you use the stock alternator bracket or you need to swap it to f body bracket?

1. just call up wiring specialties. im sure they can accommodate your setup.

2. I would recommend keeping with the same brand for mounts and headers. the clearance is tight. you might be fine, but u could also end up with a header against the frame rail.

3. my motor came with no alt bracket, but I would assume u would need to swap to car version. im using the cts-v bracket and alt.

[TwoForDeh]

In for more pics of the wife and car

[davirene]

In for more pics of the wife and car

LMAO.......

How about some video of the car???

[laurentj23]

1. just call up wiring specialties. im sure they can accommodate your setup.

2. I would recommend keeping with the same brand for mounts and headers. the clearance is tight. you might be fine, but u could also end up with a header against the frame rail.

3. my motor came with no alt bracket, but I would assume u would need to swap to car version. im using the cts-v bracket and alt.


Few more questions.
1. If you trying to get all the sensors,maf,coil pack sect from local parts store what vehicle application do you tell them?
2.areyou using aftermarket pushrods ? If you do, how do you know which length to get.
3.how do you modify the shit linkage thing in the t56 to make a good fiitment?

[2muchboost]

1: Depends on your choice. You can run almost any LS configuration as long as you have the right sensors connectors. Some truck motors have things such as CPS on the back of the block so depending on what cam you will use you may need to swap for a front cover/CPS setup (Ex. LM7 with LS9 cam requires the front cover and CPS conversions.

2: There are companies like COMP that make a pushrod check tool. You can youtube how to go about the process once you have the tool. Again, will depend on the cam characteristics and what valvetrain mods you have.

3: Sikky has a solution for whatever option. If you are using a GTO T56 you can swap out the Offshift Lever for the Fbody T56 and use an Fbody shifter to solve that issue. I did the lever swap for a grand total of $65 including Bronze Offshift Lever Bushing.

Make sure you do some reading on LS1 and SilviaV8 as well.

[laurentj23]

1: Depends on your choice. You can run almost any LS configuration as long as you have the right sensors connectors. Some truck motors have things such as CPS on the back of the block so depending on what cam you will use you may need to swap for a front cover/CPS setup (Ex. LM7 with LS9 cam requires the front cover and CPS conversions.

2: There are companies like COMP that make a pushrod check tool. You can youtube how to go about the process once you have the tool. Again, will depend on the cam characteristics and what valvetrain mods you have.

3: Sikky has a solution for whatever option. If you are using a GTO T56 you can swap out the Offshift Lever for the Fbody T56 and use an Fbody shifter to solve that issue. I did the lever swap for a grand total of $65 including Bronze Offshift Lever Bushing.

Make sure you do some reading on LS1 and SilviaV8 as well.

Thanks a bunch! and trust me, I've and still doing my research on here and ls1tech.
I just picked up and engine with 1999 ls1 short block that was rebuilt less then 2000 miles, has arp rod bolts, cleivite hp bearings, new rings, metal headgaskets, katech timing chain, stock cam, brian tooley slr lifters, PAC valve springs and lock, 243 heads, ls6 intake (12561182) Ls6 oil pump. My plan is to get a comp cam stage 2 with fast 102 intake and TB. Im thinking of mating it with my cd0009 transmission. This company make an adapter for ithttp://collinsadapters.com/index.php/adapter-plates/lsx-to-350z-370z-vq-transmission-adapter-plate.html

[Beas]

In for more pics of the wife and car

LMAO.......

How about some video of the car???


working on some of both. stay tuned.

[mothon]

Nice job on the car and wife.

[2muchboost]

BEAS is just all around winning :)....my vote for president.

[laurentj23]

1:

3: Sikky has a solution for whatever option. If you are using a GTO T56 you can swap out the Offshift Lever for the Fbody T56 and use an Fbody shifter to solve that issue. I did the lever swap for a grand total of $65 including Bronze Offshift Lever Bushing.

Make sure you do some reading on LS1 and SilviaV8 as well.

Is it almost the same position as the stock ka 5 speed. I know my cd009 move further back and it kinda block my hand when I have something on my cup holder.

Do you know the length of the driveshaft?

[Beas]

Is it almost the same position as the stock ka 5 speed. I know my cd009 move further back and it kinda block my hand when I have something on my cup holder.

Do you know the length of the driveshaft?

come on man, this isn't the ask questions about your swap thread.

[onehundredoctane]

Clean set up man! Flipping thru your build just reminded me I need to order some flame guard for my fuel lines. That passenger side exhaust manifold gets awful close to those lines :(

[Beas]

small update...


slowly working on getting this thing more track ready. I have been driving it every day for a few months now and its a blast (other than the starter not aligning properly half the time).



I went by get nuts and picked up some spare wheels forrest had collecting dust. for $100 I couldn't pass it up. 17x9 +20ish.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/2_zps66fe7e66.jpg



cleaned em up and painted. ill probably use these to roll through a bunch of used tires at the track.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0001_zps0b5bf80b.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0002_zps1cd33d94.jpg



Also, wife got me 4 NT05s for xmas. stoked to try these out.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0002_zps9cd68355.jpg


random garage shot.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0011_zps9a94449a.jpg



that's it for now. No big changes coming for a while. I'm focusing on getting good at driving this thing.

[nick Ritter]

sweet ! those lq9's can take a lot more milage than 100k….. i had a 5.3l all stock @ 8psi with 232k miles don't worry ! hope you get the trapped door baffle if you plan on going hard in this thing ….. might want to look into that !

[PLAYERO_LOKO]

@Beas

NT05 had very mild hook up for me and terrible handling in rain! like swaying all over the lane.

[Ramonesfreak2010]

working on some of both. stay tuned.
:drama:

msglnth

[2muchboost]

BEAS...how do you like the NT05's? I had the same experience as Playero when I had them on and had to drive like 30-40 mph in the rain or else she would fish tail like hell. Decided to pick up some MT ET Streets which are equally as bad in the rain but have a solid hook for a non bias-ply tire.

[Beas]

@ playero loko and 2muchboost

haven't mounted them up yet. burning through the falkens I have first. I very rarely drive in the rain, since vegas is a desert. ill be extra careful though. hopefully they grip better than what I have now.

[laurentj23]

hey man i have the same starting issues. Did you connect the maf sensor when you crank it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whws7JbFJlE&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share

[Beas]

hey man i have the same starting issues. Did you connect the maf sensor when you crank it?

that sounds different from mine. your car sounds like your not getting fuel or spark. is the engine turning over when u try to start it? on mine the starter wasn't even turning the flywheel at first. or it was hitting the flywheel and not turning it.

[laurentj23]

that sounds different from mine. your car sounds like your not getting fuel or spark. is the engine turning over when u try to start it? on mine the starter wasn't even turning the flywheel at first. or it was hitting the flywheel and not turning it.

I have the same issue like yours but we fixed it due to problem with ignition fuse. The engine is turning. Just not firing up. Spark is present
http://youtu.be/pcw52iIzW54

[Beas]

desert cruise last weekend. snapped a few pics.



http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/c9_zps3igdyihn.jpg


http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/c3_zpsc6fygplj.jpg

[Heywood Jablomie]

Love this car, Its like the oem+ version if it came with the v8, so clean.

[ksuberk54]

Sweet ride man

[Beas]

small update for you guys. Finally got around to replacing my old beat up tie rods. Picked up the Tien inners and outers. FRsport has the package that comes with the option for dust boots as well so I could replace my torn up ones. The tein package comes with a ~5mm tie rod spacer too for some extra steering angle.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0677_zps9dqm3nir.jpg

old vs new. you can see the tie rod spacer on there.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0680_zpszqquvgdq.jpg


rented this little guy from Oreillys. Made breaking the taper on the old tie rods really easy.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0679_zpslv9yo09n.jpg


I'll be taking the car to the track this weekend for the vegas drift practice session. Cant wait to see how the car drives with a little more angle. I'll try and get a few pics from the event.

[Beas]

So, last week we had a drift practice event at the track here in vegas. Overall it went pretty well. The car had no major issues. no problems with heat with the hood off. I did find a few minor things I needed to address on the car. the left bank of the v8 was building up crank case pressure. Quick fix I added a better vent to let things breathe. I also had an issue with the battery moving inside the battery box in the trunk. lost power after over rotating at about 50mph. had to get towed off. A bit of a scary moment not knowing why my car had no power at all. fortunately just a simple fix. wedged a block of wood in to keep the battery more stable. The extra angle from the tein tie rod setup was nice. in the long slides I never felt myself hitting full lock and wishing for a little more angle.

My skills didn't progress as much as I would have liked. My transitions are kinda sloppy. Having trouble slowing the car down while swinging from one side to the other. so some of the high speed transitions I'm still spinning, or losing drift and having to reinitiate. I'm driving the course without the hand brake still, due to the shifter being in the way. Hopefully ill have that resolved by Import face-off in December. Anyway, here are a few pics I snagged from a spectator.


http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_5908_zpsplml2g3d.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_5911_zpshpv3ymk3.jpg

[drewr4411]

For the motor I went with a 2006 LQ9. that's the 6.0 out of several different GM trucks. Iron block, with aluminum heads.

HP:345
Tq:385

At the time I believed that I could save money over just buying a LS1/2 full swap. Turns out that swapping a truck motor over to car specs is fairly expensive and is a lot more involved than I expected. I will go into more detail on that later.


After reading your post are you saying you wish you saved for a full LS1-LS2 motor and gone that route instead of truck motor? I have been looking at LQ9 and LQ4 motors for a while now because I boost in mind for my future build, so iron block may be best for me. Just interested in hearing your opinion. I think I know the answer but..

[Beas]

^ I went with LQ9 to save money, but after spending about 1400 to convert it over to car specs, I didn't really save much.

intake mani, throttle body, alternator, crank pulley, power steering pump all had to be sourced. several of them new pieces.

[drewr4411]

^ I went with LQ9 to save money, but after spending about 1400 to convert it over to car specs, I didn't really save much.

intake mani, throttle body, alternator, crank pulley, power steering pump all had to be sourced. several of them new pieces.

It sounds like you may have been able to save more if you could have found more used parts laying around.

It amazes me you couldn't but I don't know your area well at all. Thanks for the input. Look forward to seeing more updates on your build thread.

[Beas]

It sounds like you may have been able to save more if you could have found more used parts laying around.

It amazes me you couldn't but I don't know your area well at all. Thanks for the input. Look forward to seeing more updates on your build thread.

finding used parts is pretty much impossible at junk yards. LS1 stuff disappears immediately. maybe sourcing some from ls1 tech would be possible if u want to wait around for sales.

[drewr4411]

finding used parts is pretty much impossible at junk yards. LS1 stuff disappears immediately. maybe sourcing some from ls1 tech would be possible if u want to wait around for sales.

I don't own a LS motor at all but I am preparing to make that jump next year if I can.

Iv mostly found the used parts on FB group pages. Seems to be the best bet. CL, Ebay, Car-part are all over priced at this point but demand is always high so what can you do. Junk yards I don't really bother I agree with what you said above. Although I did find a LQ4 complete drop out for $900.00 the other day mileage was about 178k tho.

[Beas]

whenever my wife's friends come to town I try to take advantage. doing what I can to make my car look better. ha

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0730_zpsn2fsoalt.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0733_zpskkfj3ddt.jpg

[vJilly]

good god......

[scottie]

Oh laaaaawd Jesus! While I admire the view I instantly thought..."how does he afford it?" I kid. I've dated a few with similar appearance and my cash seem to disappear without notice. Thank you for the update 👍🏻

[qwikspool]

"Happy wife, happy life".
Good to see everything is doing great. Keep it up.

[w1zeman]

You win at life... hands down

[Beas]

some pics from import face off.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/a1_zpsf0bnkzdl.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0710_zpssly4jmej.jpg

[psi999]

Love this car, seriously makes me miss my old S14a

[Beas]

So, been a while without updates. I have mostly been driving every event I can here in vegas trying to learn as much as I can. I found myself really craving more steering angle so that became next on my to do list.

So I bought these.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/knuckles_zpsw3jycyh3.jpg


No pics of the install but in case it helps people down the road you will need...

-32mm socket (for s14)
-ball joint puller for LCA

other than that basic hand tools work. my 17x9.5 rpf1s work really well with just the knuckles. a lot more angle but still no rubbing.


I'll try and get some good pics at the next event.

[Beas]

so the only issue ive really ever had with the car has been cooling. to help out rob (chairslayer) made me a custom fan shroud to fit my current setup. also spaced my hood up a little bit for more flow. this setup has been keeping the car a lot cooler in traffic and at the track. putting an oil cooler on soon as well.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/IMG_5479_zpsfhue5ic6.jpg


getting a lot smoother with my driving. now working on driving with more angle. new pic from last weekends vegas drift.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/june_zpsku8ibzk1.jpg

[Beas]

Picked up a daily to allow me to spend more time working on the s14. 2001 740i. I put some BC racing coils on it and Msport wheels.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/a4_zpsrlmzvez7.jpg



Also, a shot from import face-off here in vegas.
.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/IMG_3491%20crop_zpsxooctf2w.jpg

[Koukiii]

Nice daily, nice race car, nice woman...

[SR20PWRALTY]

Did you solve your cooling issues? Do you have the rear steam vents blocked off? I had cooling problem until I opened those up and ran lines to them.

[CHiNo4ReaL]

Love your project! Oem look with a big engine, nice pics also =)

[Beas]

Did you solve your cooling issues? Do you have the rear steam vents blocked off? I had cooling problem until I opened those up and ran lines to them.

I don't know if I solved it, but I improved it a lot. with the oil cooler I was able to make several runs without it getting hot. ive yet to test it in the summer though. ive thought about opening up those rear ports. ill have to give it a try.

[tylerdurden]

Very nice build sir.

[Beas]

exterior overhaul coming soon...

2F aero
origin overs
Weds Kranze Cerberus II

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0001_zpssec6iuvy.jpg

[Malik]

should be pretty rad.

[Extreme Wheels]

i love 2f performance, that kit hangs really low just so you know.

[SR20PWRALTY]

What did you about the pressure buildup? Pictures of the vent please. What were the signs of pressure build up? Blow by?

[Deepsouth]

Crankcase pressure by chance?

[Beas]

i love 2f performance, that kit hangs really low just so you know.

yeah, that's why I went with it. my car cant go super low due to headers. Also, picked it up right down the street from forrest wang. so no shipping

What did you about the pressure buildup? Pictures of the vent please. What were the signs of pressure build up? Blow by?

crank case pressure. my dipstick would always pop up at the track. Also, oil was leaking pretty bad from several places. ill snap a pic next time I work on the car.

[SR20PWRALTY]

No leaks for me but dipstick keeps on exploding oil out of it at the track as well. Thanks man!

[travon47]

No leaks for me but dipstick keeps on exploding oil out of it at the track as well. Thanks man!
Have you guys tried the ls6 valley cover??

[Beas]

Have you guys tried the ls6 valley cover??

just installed mine. testing this weekend at vegas drift.

[SR20PWRALTY]

Nice!!!! Should had opened up the vents since you were there already.

[Beas]

got a great deal on 2 sets of Weds Kranze Cerberus 2. So happy to be back on some 3 piece wheels.

first set I re-lipped and powder coated satin black faces with gloss lips. the original faces were an old faded grey.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/IMG_6449_zpsz7igjdrw.jpg


2nd set is just getting new polished lips. the chrome faces were in pretty good condition.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/IMG_6466_zpsdfkt81vi.jpg


more updates once I get my new front suspension in.

[Beas]

So, the suspension came in. Wisefab kit. ive been working on it bit by bit through the week when I had some free time. getting the old stuff off was a pain, but the new kit went on quick. Picked up some new oem hubs from FRSport as well.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0005_zps2ypvcd7k.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0007_zpsjkawz4xv.jpg


Also got a circuit sports catch can. cheap and looked like the easiest to mount up.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0002_zpspwseg32h.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/DSC_0008_zpsevhebl5a.jpg


today I'm going to try and get the front all adjusted to where its fairly drivable and doesn't rub. Then ill probably get started on the rear overfenders. more soon.

[Beas]

so, overhauled the exterior finally.

-2fperformance doof kit
-Origin lab type 3 front and rear. (fit like shit)
-Weds Kranze Cerberus 2. Black and Chrome full sets.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/b2_zpsfh5tci46.jpg

[midnightreaction]

looks good

[Beas]

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/b2%20x_zpsfcaqhihy.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/b3_zpshctbh3pe.jpg
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/B3AS/c2%20x_zpsbztfmp2d.jpg