Z33Art V3.0-LS1/TH400 Swap
10-16-2010, 04:12 PM
#82
Video as promised!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKH-OgzLGQM
Very happy with my results as this is a stock internal LS1 through a power robbing Th400!
Made 322whp & 333 lb-ft!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKH-OgzLGQM
Very happy with my results as this is a stock internal LS1 through a power robbing Th400!
Made 322whp & 333 lb-ft!
10-17-2010, 05:29 AM
#87
Some F'ing sick Quamen!! I know you're super stoked!! The power delivery looks awesome on the graph. Enjoy your 8 cylinders mang!! Make sure you give us a report on her driving characteristics now...
I would really like to know how she handles now. You did a superb job keeping the motor low and towards the firewall. Congrats again on a job well done.
I would really like to know how she handles now. You did a superb job keeping the motor low and towards the firewall. Congrats again on a job well done.
10-17-2010, 06:01 AM
#89
Some F'ing sick Quamen!! I know you're super stoked!! The power delivery looks awesome on the graph. Enjoy your 8 cylinders mang!! Make sure you give us a report on her driving characteristics now... I would really like to know how she handles now. You did a superb job keeping the motor low and towards the firewall. Congrats again on a job well done.
I would really like to know how she handles now. You did a superb job keeping the motor low and towards the firewall. Congrats again on a job well done.So far it still seems to handle great. However, my motor is a bit lower and significantly further back than the swap kits out there so I don't really know how it would compare to a Hinson or Sikky kit.
10-17-2010, 08:10 AM
#92
First page pictures updated with all the main pictures and the video. Also added this photo:
I did want to share some pointers for anyone that is considering this swap or in the process of swapping an LS motor in their Z.
First, be realistic with your budget and goals. As far as budget goes, expect to spend more than anticipated. However there are some things you can do to really bring the price down if you are realistic with your goals. This first is outline the power you really want. There is always talk about what LS motor to swap into the car and which is better. Obviously more displacement is better. However, if you are aiming for something modest like 500whp, even 5.7L can make that power with ease, especially when boosted. I saved enough money purchasing the LS1 instead of an LS2 that I could easily build the motor with the money I saved. This can be a huge deal on meeting you budget and planning for future improvements.
Second, Don't ever sand down the ignition mounting bosses on the valve covers if you don't use the stock GM ignition coils... They are crappy castings full of porosity
. If you grind out the porosity and weld it up, more just comes through.
Third, the switch to cable throttle is easy to do as long as you have a cutoff wheel and a small welder. I will try to post some pictures but it was quite straight forward. On the accelerator pedal you can simply remove the pedal position sensor unit and bracket. I just welded a simple piece of u-channel steel to the upper portion of the rod to attach my throttle cable to. Works awesome! The stock Z pedal has between 1/2" and 5/8" to little travel for the LS throttle cam so you won't be able to get 100% throttle. On the back side of the pedal there is a bump stock that hits the floor limiting travel. There is actually two ways to take car of this. One way is that you can get a smaller radius throttle cam. The second way, which is how I did, is to cut a 1/2" out of the bump stop so the pedal travels further. This does mean the throttle goes further than normal. If you don't like this and would like it to be closer to the stock pedal height at 100%, you can get about a 1/4" of travel by putting spacers between the firewall and the pedal mount. Unfortunately, the the studs on the firewall will not allow for 1/2" spacers. This would be a compromise as you would still have to cut a 1/4" from the stop. Using a smaller radius throttle cam will maintain the stock pedal height at 100% throttle. If you use an electronic throttle body for the LS motor, you should just swap out the pedal assembly from one of the cars that the motor came in.
Forth, be prepared for you car to handle different. My car seems to be almost normal, but my motor is lower and further back than most of the kits out there. You are putting a heavier motor in the car so be prepared.
Lastly, try to retrofit sensors from the stock Z to the LS1 motor rather than trying to make the two ECU's communicate together. I have heard horror stories about the companies that try to flash everything and make the stock guages work. The stock Z coolant sensor is the same size as the LS one. You do need both though as the stock Z sensor is only for the gauge while the Gm one will be for engine control. Both are important. The oil pressure sensor from the Z can be easily retrofitted to the LS motors. Any hydraulic fitting company will have a port plug of the correct size which can be drilled out and tapped with the 1/8 BSP that the stock sensor requires. For tachometer, you are best off buying a speedhut tach and installing it in your cluster. It will look near stock and work great! Both the needle and digital speedometers will work. The odometer and trip meter will also work.
I did want to share some pointers for anyone that is considering this swap or in the process of swapping an LS motor in their Z.
First, be realistic with your budget and goals. As far as budget goes, expect to spend more than anticipated. However there are some things you can do to really bring the price down if you are realistic with your goals. This first is outline the power you really want. There is always talk about what LS motor to swap into the car and which is better. Obviously more displacement is better. However, if you are aiming for something modest like 500whp, even 5.7L can make that power with ease, especially when boosted. I saved enough money purchasing the LS1 instead of an LS2 that I could easily build the motor with the money I saved. This can be a huge deal on meeting you budget and planning for future improvements.
Second, Don't ever sand down the ignition mounting bosses on the valve covers if you don't use the stock GM ignition coils... They are crappy castings full of porosity
. If you grind out the porosity and weld it up, more just comes through.Third, the switch to cable throttle is easy to do as long as you have a cutoff wheel and a small welder. I will try to post some pictures but it was quite straight forward. On the accelerator pedal you can simply remove the pedal position sensor unit and bracket. I just welded a simple piece of u-channel steel to the upper portion of the rod to attach my throttle cable to. Works awesome! The stock Z pedal has between 1/2" and 5/8" to little travel for the LS throttle cam so you won't be able to get 100% throttle. On the back side of the pedal there is a bump stock that hits the floor limiting travel. There is actually two ways to take car of this. One way is that you can get a smaller radius throttle cam. The second way, which is how I did, is to cut a 1/2" out of the bump stop so the pedal travels further. This does mean the throttle goes further than normal. If you don't like this and would like it to be closer to the stock pedal height at 100%, you can get about a 1/4" of travel by putting spacers between the firewall and the pedal mount. Unfortunately, the the studs on the firewall will not allow for 1/2" spacers. This would be a compromise as you would still have to cut a 1/4" from the stop. Using a smaller radius throttle cam will maintain the stock pedal height at 100% throttle. If you use an electronic throttle body for the LS motor, you should just swap out the pedal assembly from one of the cars that the motor came in.
Forth, be prepared for you car to handle different. My car seems to be almost normal, but my motor is lower and further back than most of the kits out there. You are putting a heavier motor in the car so be prepared.
Lastly, try to retrofit sensors from the stock Z to the LS1 motor rather than trying to make the two ECU's communicate together. I have heard horror stories about the companies that try to flash everything and make the stock guages work. The stock Z coolant sensor is the same size as the LS one. You do need both though as the stock Z sensor is only for the gauge while the Gm one will be for engine control. Both are important. The oil pressure sensor from the Z can be easily retrofitted to the LS motors. Any hydraulic fitting company will have a port plug of the correct size which can be drilled out and tapped with the 1/8 BSP that the stock sensor requires. For tachometer, you are best off buying a speedhut tach and installing it in your cluster. It will look near stock and work great! Both the needle and digital speedometers will work. The odometer and trip meter will also work.
10-17-2010, 12:18 PM
#93
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Are you recommending not getting all of the electronic things that Hinson sells for their kit to suppossedly make the swap work? Kind of confused on that part. Everything else seems to be brackets, mounting and beefing up drive components. Correct me if I am wrong?
-Chance
-Chance
10-17-2010, 01:37 PM
#95
Are you recommending not getting all of the electronic things that Hinson sells for their kit to suppossedly make the swap work? Kind of confused on that part. Everything else seems to be brackets, mounting and beefing up drive components. Correct me if I am wrong?
-Chance
-Chance
10-17-2010, 03:07 PM
#98
VDC will not work as it is actually one step above TCS. TCS uses throttle control while VDC uses A combination of throttle control and independent braking to control yaw and pitch. I guess you could get it to work if you let the Z ecru control the LS electronic throttle body. What a PITA though.
10-17-2010, 03:26 PM
#99
VDC will not work as it is actually one step above TCS. TCS uses throttle control while VDC uses A combination of throttle control and independent braking to control yaw and pitch. I guess you could get it to work if you let the Z ecru control the LS electronic throttle body. What a PITA though.
I would want to keep the VDC on my car. If it can be done then I will attempt to make it work. I DD my car and would need the VDC..mostly for winter applications. If I can fee the right signals to the right components I'm sure it would work. Just need to make sure the protocol of the signals matches up. Once I start my swap I will be making a signal diagram of how to connect things up. I think it will be vital information that is needed in the community so that future DIY swappers won't go through the pains. Like I said before I'm going to approach this as an engineering project like at work. Complete with milestones on microsoft project...lol.
10-17-2010, 06:20 PM
#100
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Hope I'm not coming across too nosy....just doing as much research as possible before I decide what route to go with my Z.
