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Another LS Swap on a 1990 240

I ordered a set of the "tuff240" LSx mounts from STSMachining. I guess the truck intake will work after all.

I'm planning to get the motor and trans and rear bolted up at the shop and then bring it home to sort out the wiring and the accessories.

I'm going to keep the Dana 30 for now and I am trying to figure out how to maximize its chance for success. I've read a bunch of threads about what it can and can't handle but obviously that is an impossible question to answer. I will need to have a custom driveshaft made to mate the 4l60 to the Dana 30.

What might be able to be answered however is this:

What can or should I do to the stock Dana 30 to strengthen it? Do I put in a LSD?

The car will put about 230 horse to the rear tires with the stock LS motor.
 
Ttownthomas said:
I'm going to keep the Dana 30 for now and I am trying to figure out how to maximize its chance for success.

The car will put about 230 horse to the rear tires with the stock LS motor.
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I think the best thing to do is leave the diff alone. That way the easier tire will always spin. I have been running mine for about a year and have been pretty hard on it with zero problems.
 
vwtechnician said:
Do the after market harness. Makes it almost idiot proof to wire the car, the harness is high quality and already has all the unnecessary emissions stuff removed. Are you using the truck intake and accessories? These are the guys I got my harness from, highly recommend them. http://psiconversion.com/
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Why? I used the stock harness with my LM4. It's cheap, and it's there. Yes, takes a little time to pull it apart and remove the stuff you don't need, but who cares?
 
Ttownthomas said:
I ordered a set of the "tuff240" LSx mounts from STSMachining. I guess the truck intake will work after all.

I'm planning to get the motor and trans and rear bolted up at the shop and then bring it home to sort out the wiring and the accessories.

I'm going to keep the Dana 30 for now and I am trying to figure out how to maximize its chance for success. I've read a bunch of threads about what it can and can't handle but obviously that is an impossible question to answer. I will need to have a custom driveshaft made to mate the 4l60 to the Dana 30.

What might be able to be answered however is this:

What can or should I do to the stock Dana 30 to strengthen it? Do I put in a LSD?

The car will put about 230 horse to the rear tires with the stock LS motor.
Click to expand...

More than that. The ONLY things I did were a used LS6 cam ($120), new LS6 valve springs ($60) and blockhugger headers to get past the framerails, and mine made 300/311 at the wheels on 87. Stock stock it'll put down at least 250/250.
 
kendogg said:
More than that. The ONLY things I did were a used LS6 cam ($120), new LS6 valve springs ($60) and blockhugger headers to get past the framerails, and mine made 300/311 at the wheels on 87. Stock stock it'll put down at least 250/250.
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What motor did you start with?
 
Ttownthomas said:
What can or should I do to the stock Dana 30 to strengthen it? Do I put in a LSD?
Click to expand...

EZ locker and Redline Heavy Shockproof. If you had some sweet suspension and slicks you might have to worry about twisting the splines off the axles. But something to get rid of the spider gears (weak link) and some proper fluid you should be good.
 
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UhAudoe said:
EZ locker and Redline Heavy Shockproof. If you had some sweet suspension and slicks you might have to worry about twisting the splines off the axles. But something to get rid of the spider gears (weak link) and some proper fluid you should be good.
Click to expand...

It'll be somthing like ipd stage 3 and 245/45 summer only street tires
 
I bought a set of the LSX Mounts commonly known as tuff240 mounts. They are beautiful. I originally ignored the advice of STSMachining (they made the mounts) and tried to install the GM performance pan. It was almost a good fit but at the end of the day there was not enough clearance at the back of the pan. The Holley 302-1 Pan is a super tight fit. I bet there's is not even 1/4 of an inch between the pan and the k member.

Lm4 is in. Kinda by ttownthomas, on Flickr

We had to drop the cross member in order to squeeze the trans and the engine past it. The trans is a tight fit but does not touch the tunnel anywhere but where this bracket resides. I guess I will need to remove this bracket because I cannot fully bolt the trans to the bushing without sliding it over about another 1/4 inch.

Lm4 is in. Kinda by ttownthomas, on Flickr

There are still 3 concerns about the fitment. The Steering shaft rubs the header and the Holley oil pan rests on the power steering rack and interferes with the sway bar (which is now disconnected). Maybe I can remove the rack and shave an 1/8 th off the mounting points. Not sure how to tackle that part. I think there were some spacers originally planned by tuff240. I will email STSMachining and ask.

Lm4 is in. Kinda by ttownthomas, on Flickr

Lm4 is in. Kinda by ttownthomas, on Flickr

Lm4 is in. Kinda by ttownthomas, on Flickr

Overall I am feeling like:

1. I overestimated our fab skills. This would have been very hard to get right without very precise measurements. I'm glad we bought the mounts

2. This engine almost looks like it was made for this car. Tight but fits.

3. Thank you to my Friend Thor (that's really his name) because I would be in WAY over my head without his help.
 
kendogg said:
LM4.
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I'm not ready to tackle the harness yet. I'm trying to get all the stuff that seriously benefits from a lift first. That way I can bring the car home and do the rest. The wife gets a little worn out if I leave her with 3 kids for half days while at the shop.
 
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I see you are using a lift. If the front wheels are off the ground the sway bar rotates up and will hit the oil pan. When the car is on the ground it should rotate away from the pan. Those mounts were made to mimic the ones I made for my lsx swap and my bar would hit on the lift but not on the ground.
 
I talk to him on pm and he was missing the cross member spacers on the trans cross member. It will help the angle of the motor up away from the power steering rack when installed.
 
I had to drill new mounting holes for the steering rack and move it over. I had to make sway bar spacers and trans mount spacers along with notching out some trans tunnel metal to make room for the shifter mechanism plug.
 
Texas240 said:
I had to drill new mounting holes for the steering rack and move it over. I had to make sway bar spacers and trans mount spacers along with notching out some trans tunnel metal to make room for the shifter mechanism plug.
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The only thing that's worth saving on that plug is the backup lights, why even try and use it? Way easier to just take it off. The PCM doesn't care if it's there or not. When you have your tuner turn off VATS just have them set the switch to none fitted and it's done.


And to the OP, that bracket that hits in the back is only for the shifter cable, you can take it off if you're using the lokar shifter that 77volvo245 says to use.
 
volvo? said:
The only thing that's worth saving on that plug is the backup lights, why even try and use it? Way easier to just take it off. The PCM doesn't care if it's there or not. When you have your tuner turn off VATS just have them set the switch to none fitted and it's done.


And to the OP, that bracket that hits in the back is only for the shifter cable, you can take it off if you're using the lokar shifter that 77volvo245 says to use.
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Forgot to have them turn off the plug so its staying. Locker shifter with cable and all is installed. Just need to build exhaust and put the engine bay back together and its ready to go.
 
As Sts suggested I'm making spacers for the trans mount and I think with his and virtuosity's help I have 2 solutions for the colUmn. That should shore up the figment issues.

I am moving on to planning the fuel system and the trams cooling lines. Here is what I think I know about the fuel system:

Low pressure pump in the tank sends fuel to the high pressure pump under the drivers side through flexible fuel hose.

High pressure pump supplys 43 or so pounds of pressure to the Bosch jettronic rails. I assume these are high pressure hoses but I forgot to look today.

I think I can keep the in tank pump and replace the hoses from the tank to the high pressure location. Then use a 60 pound pump with new style fuel lines to the ls fuel system. Then return the fuel to the pickup with new hose.

Does this theory hold water?

As for the trans cooling. I don't know how I'm going to get hard lines in there. The fit is very tight. Are there flexible trans lines?
 
Email sts if you have not already. He has a complete parts list of everything that you need to complete the swap. And 43lbs of fuel pressure isn't enough for a ls engine. 58 lbs is needed.
 
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