Higher horses, higher revs & even higher torque, a streetable LJ engine swap

I'm a fan of the Winters shifter. There are a lot of kits for mounting it with. I'm sure with the detailed work you do you'll figure out a why to mount it.
 
I looked at that area today and I feel like I can make something work depending on how far up I need to clearance for the transmission. Genright's console is also an option like @Garza did: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/genrights-new-aluminum-center-console.22118/page-3#post-502600

Yes I have the GenRight center console that I am going to use. The only thing I don't like about them is that I lose my arm rest. Between the Winters transmission shifter and the NWF cable shifter for my STaK's I knew I needed something that would hold both.

Without having to go back and read your other thread what center console do you have right now? Do you have the stock one? Or something else?
 
Shopping list updated for this week:

  1. Water pump + tensioner: I will buy OEM (must fit above radiator and be truck or f-body offset) also need a thermostat?
  2. Harmonic Balancer with correct offset: F-Body offset: ACDelco (OEM) 12553118, Truck offset: ACDelco (OEM) 19300488. Replace TTY bolt with ARP.
  3. AC bracket: Holley low-profile or Dave's Customs high mount. I'll get the engine in before deciding which will fit.
  4. Engine oil pan: Kevko or Tilden/Pacific.
  5. Oil filter relocation kit: Wait on pan.
  6. Dash gauges: Maybe Autometer for essentials + Torque app for other stuff? I don't love how Autometer gauges look.
  7. Engine oil: 5w30 synthetic Amsoil (leftover from the Jeep 4.0). Driven Racing 5w30 Break in oil first (optional, but not a bad idea).
  8. Air filter: I'm waiting to see what space I have left to fit it in.
  9. Starter + heat shield
  10. 6L80e shallow pan
  11. Zero Gravity Performance 6L80e

On order:
  1. Transfer case: Atlas 2 speed 3:1
  2. Transfer case fluid: Comes with Atlas.
  3. Chevy Performance LS3 430 engine (19370416)
  4. Radiator fan: Spal 16" brushless PWM
  5. Kartek LS universal motor mount plates
  6. Custom harness and PCM from RPM Extreme
  7. Radiator coolant: Dexcool
  8. Transmission shifter: Winters with RadDesigns tap shift kit.

Have:
  1. Radiator: Superior Radiator - I've heard this one lasts longer than others do. (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=164219718305)
  2. Accessory brackets: I'll be going with GoatBuilt's driver's side brackets for the alternator and PSC CBR pump (truck or f-body offset)
  3. Power steering pump: I'll be reusing my CBR pump off the TJ 4.0 and bought a 6" pulley offset for the LS.
  4. Alternator: Mechman high output alternator (probably overkill but 180a at idle will be awesome for heavy winching).
  5. Spark plug boot pliers
  6. Ignition switch: Retain the stock keyed ignition on the steering column.
  7. Engine mounts: There's no mounting kits that will work for me so I'll use universal style brackets and make my own.
  8. Trans/TC mounts: AutoFab bushings
  9. 4 corner steam vent kit
  10. Exhaust headers: OEM CTS-V + heat shields
  11. A ton of bolts for attaching enginey parts to the engine.
  12. Transmission fluid: Dexron VI

The parts pile is starting to take form:

20200717_swap-parts-pile.jpg
 
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My next step for the wiring harness is figuring out my dash cluster.

I want gauges for:
  • RPM (From ECU)
  • MPH (From TCM)
  • Voltage
  • Fuel level (From TJ fuel pump)
  • Oil pressure (From ECU)
  • Engine temp (From ECU)
  • Trans temp
  • Current gear # (ie PRND654321).
  • Odometer

If I add a supercharger I will want:
  • AFR
  • Vac/Boost

I want indicator lights for:
  • Brake (hand brake and shuttle valve) (TJ harness)
  • Headlights bright (TJ harness)
  • Turn Left (TJ harness)
  • Turn Right (TJ harness)
  • Check Engine (from ECU)

I'm currently considering:
  • AiM Digital Dash
  • Autometer
  • SpeedHut
  • Torque App
  • Dakota Digital

My first choice right now is the AiM Digital Dash. It allows for as simple or complex of a view as you want and allows warnings to pop up over top. This could be nice for offroad when I only want a tach (RPMs) to be displayed. And then on the street I could have the tach and speedo. In cars gauges, the needles always point straight up when in the "okay" zone, but this still requires the driver to periodically check those gauges. With a warning message the driver can stay focused and be alerted to an issue. Basically giving you everything you need and nothing you don't.

I reached out to AiM and there are some limitations to the AiM integration where using OBD2 only gives access to limited data. They don't have a CANBUS integration for the E38 GM ECU. So I'm working through this with my harness builder. I may have to look into other gauges.
 
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For the wiring harness I had to decide how I want to do tap shifting and thus what shifter assembly I want.

Gear position I plan to display on the dash so it that wasn't a factor for me when choosing a shifter.

I had narrowed it down to 3 different options:

GM car style shifter
https://paceperformance.com/i-23836...-shifter-assembly-with-tap-shift-control.html

I think this shifter looks super clean in the TJ console as seen in this thread: https://www.cj-8.com/threads/projec...th-linked-suspension.45890/page-6#post-375452

View attachment 177754

(Source: mysunnshine)

Lokar Sport Shifter

This one would be easy to install no matter what I have to do to the transmission tunnel since it can be surface mounted and covered up with a boot.

View attachment 177755

Winters/Art Carr

This is the tried and true shifter of buggies everywhere. And I can cut the gate to allow a quick shift from drive (or tap shift) into reverse for those "Oops" moments. The down side is that it's got a lot to the assembly that needs to be hidden requiring a deep mount.

RadDesigns makes a tap shift switches for this shifter:


http://www.radesignsproducts.com/winters-elec.-control-kits.html

Although it'll be a pain to find a place to mount it, I decided on the Winters shifter for my build because I can modify the gate how I need.
WOW that console and dash is exactly what I would want also! So clean. Good choice on the winters. Had a couple times already I've wanted D-to-R direct.
 
Wow! I would like to see this when you are done. I went with a Speedhut setup and the Autometer dash. Main reason is the Speedhut had GPS speedometer, as I lost my speed output when I changed my xfer case. I thought the Autometer is way too expensive and the top right and left gauges are blocked off by steering wheel, so I cannot see them. I have to look over the wheel to see them.

I like the 12V one, it has all the dummy lights, and can fit 6 gauges. I would not go with the Autometer if I were to do it again. I thought the Speedhut stuff is good, and happy with it.

IMG_20200721_103945.jpg


IMG_20200416_074411.jpg


IMG_20200416_074424.jpg
 
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If anyone is looking to buy an engine, I just wanted to mention that Karls Kustoms not only had unbeatable pricing on the engine at $700 off competitors pricing and no delivery or liftgate fees, they were super easy to work with when I wanted to change my order. After that, they shipped it out the next day (I received it within 3 days of finalizing my order). I hadn't seen many reviews for them so I just wanted to throw it out there. I was going to mention it with my last post but I got kinda excited uncrating it and forgot...

(And no, I did not get any incentive to mention this.)
 
I've had LS engines in a Z28 and a Corvette. They are magnificent powerplants. Can't imagine one in an LJ.
Looking forward to seeing you do this.
 
Jim Miller at Zero Gravity will be shipping my 6L80e with the shallow pan. Seeing that he has a lot of experience building transmissions for the top Ultra4 teams, that I literally told him how I plan to treat the transmission offroad, and he is warrantying my transmission for 2 years, I'm going to trust him that there's no cons to running a shallow pan offroad. The benefit is that it won't hang down so far with my build.

Why GM uses a deeper pan is for the ability to have more fluid in the system which allows for longer service intervals, which is probably why we see trucks that are designed to haul having deeper pans so they don't have to change the tranny fluid like they do oil. The other benefit is that it acts as a temperature buffer so extreme temperature spikes (note: not sustained temp increases) will go more unnoticed since the overall capacity of fluid is less affected when you have more fluid. All this means is that I'll need to change my fluid more often then is spec for a production application — something I do anyway.

The only other choice I had to make on the transmission was to go with the 4wd version which means there's less work for me to bolt the Atlas behind it.
 
Jim Miller at Zero Gravity will be shipping my 6L80e with the shallow pan. Seeing that he has a lot of experience building transmissions for the top Ultra4 teams, that I literally told him how I plan to treat the transmission offroad, and he is warrantying my transmission for 2 years, I'm going to trust him that there's no cons to running a shallow pan offroad. The benefit is that it won't hang down so far with my build.

Why GM uses a deeper pan is for the ability to have more fluid in the system which allows for longer service intervals, which is probably why we see trucks that are designed to haul having deeper pans so they don't have to change the tranny fluid like they do oil. The other benefit is that it acts as a temperature buffer so extreme temperature spikes (note: not sustained temp increases) will go more unnoticed since the overall capacity of fluid is less affected when you have more fluid. All this means is that I'll need to change my fluid more often then is spec for a production application — something I do anyway.

The only other choice I had to make on the transmission was to go with the 4wd version which means there's less work for me to bolt the Atlas behind it.
Will you run a tranny cooler?