LS Swapping the Mini Truck (LQ9)

[jps8460]

This has never been a problem for me. On mild builds. On high end stuff like SB2 stuff or usmts stuff I’ve always used carillo or crower or something nice that come with very nice hardware.

I will say that even with lower end hi-PO stuff I’ve always checked rod bolt stretch vs actual torque. I’ve been out of the game for a long time, so this may all be old news. I suspect a machinist would not stretch a rod bolt before finish honing to account for extra stress because this would potentially weaken the rod bolt if it yielded and was re-stretched. I guess what I’m saying Is that my guess is that as long as that thing was torqued to spec when finished honed, the additional deformation caused by a different rod bolt wouldn’t make much difference. If you were zinging this thing out to 8-9k I’d be a bit more particular, but you wouldn’t be running a reconditioned rod anyhow.

You’d shit your pants if you saw what remanufactures are doing lol

 

[DaveInDenver]

I guess what I’m saying Is that my guess is that as long as that thing was torqued to spec when finished honed, the additional deformation caused by a different rod bolt wouldn’t make much difference.

That's the part I'm wrapping my brain around. What difference would it make if you're using factory or ARP fasteners to the roundness of the rod ends? And if you're using ARP and torquing to a different spec than factory wouldn't you then risk other issues or introducing new stresses in the rod?

 

[dan1554]

Aside from installing the crank pulley and maybe a couple of sensors, its ready to be attached to the transmission and mocked up. Now I need to work up the nerve to tear apart a perfectly functional pickup and have it be down for a while. Life isn't getting any less busy.

 

[Oneops]

Nice, this thing is going to have power for days!
Need way more pics! Lol

 

[dan1554]

The old 4.3 is out! Was running this morning and out by dinner. I work slow so I think thats a record for me.

 

[Oneops]

Lol yeah I feel like it will be days pulling a motor for me. Hell it was a couple nights after work just getting the upper and lower pans off.

 

[dan1554]

Got the engine physically in the truck albiet without solid mounting. Still need to figure out the crossmember and weld the engine mounts. Social obligations and a head cold stopped progress. Still, pretty happy that its in the truck. Including some photos of my solo install work with 2x4's. Trying to get the lateral positioning juuuuust right. Too far back and the coil packs don't fit. Too far forward and I have to build a whole new front end for the radiator and electric fans.

 

[dan1554]

Time for a big photo dump. Got the mounts installed and I think (hope... hope hope hope) that the engine location will work. There are a few places where clearance is too close for comfort.

Below you can see that the power steering pulley is very close to contacting the low pressure side of the box. Not sure how much more it can be bent out of the way. New pulley is coming that will be slightly smaller. It wouldn't have been an issue if I hadn't had to relocate the PS box during my SAS. Alternator is close too, but nothing a BFH can't resolve.

Radiator will need some work to be pushed forward as much as possible. This means (more) hacking up of the front support and internal paneling. I also cut off the water pump outlet to the bead. Need to find a tight 90 for a radiator hose.

Here are some shots of the exhaust manifolds. They are the best I could find with my research. They will still need some creative exhaust routing to clear the frame.

Here's how the steering shaft clears.

Just now starting to figure out the harness. Tomorrow Im going to pull the bed and start work on the fuel system too. Need to run a return line since Im using the stock pressure regulator. I also need to modify the sending unit to fit a high pressure pump and the larger return.

Also, Im in the process of cleaning the intake. Finally found a use for my old brewing equipment.

So Im optimistic about the PS pulley clearance but if anything is causing me to lose sleep its that. I REALLY don't want to have to cut and relocate the engine mounts.

Oh and I also decided to go ahead with a FROR crossmember and ditch the stock one. I could have made it work, but this will be cleaner. That required 'completing' my SAS by chopping off the torsion bar mounts. This is good because I really wanted to get back in an uncomfortable position with a cutoff wheel over my face and dirt and hot metal raining down.

T-Case Crossmember, Gear Drive Toyota case, RF1A

Toyota offroad transfer case dual case marlin crawler mount crossmember FROR

frontrangeoffroadfab.com

I guess there's a lot thats been done. Still feel like Im halfway up the mountain.

 

[dan1554]

Took off the bed so I could get to the fuel sender and better route new fuel lines.

Here I duplicated the return line in 5/16. Waiting on 3/8 stuff for the supply. Everything will be done with AN fittings. A huge upgrade from the mess of random adapters and hose clamps.

And finally, I got the cross member sorted with the FROR setup. Did this because the case sits back a couple inches from stock. I also had to cut and weld the case selector to get it back to where it needs to be in the cab.

 

[dan1554]

Modified the fuel sender with larger diameter fuel line and AN fittings.

Plumbed it all up and verified the pump is working by emptying the rest of the tank of its low octane fuel.

And now the fun of figuring out wiring begins. Im going to add the bare minimum I need to make it run so I can go through the rest of the truck and rip wiring out. There's a few decades worth of shoddy circuits (Im partially to blame). Starting with getting the ECU running and getting obd2 readings.

Not pictured: Had the fuel injectors tested and rebuilt. They were just fine but the peace of mind was worth it.

 

[White Stripe]

How does the nini truck tcase handle bigger power numbers such as v8 power? Do you have to beef it up at all?

 

[dan1554]

My guess is I'll break something in an axle first. This is at best a foolhardy experiment.

 

[DaveInDenver]

How does the nini truck tcase handle bigger power numbers such as v8 power? Do you have to beef it up at all?

My guess is I'll break something in an axle first. This is at best a foolhardy experiment.

Are you running a standard 21-spline gear-driven t-case?

I bet the FROR cross member is a good move. This seems like something Marlin would know but I think he's got configurations that put an RF1A behind 2UZ. I think they get his 23-spline inputs, though, and a 2UZ is not a LQ9...

 

[dan1554]

@DaveInDenver yeah it's the vanilla t case. Next stage might be to upgrade to an atlas or similar.

 

[DaveInDenver]

@DaveInDenver yeah it's the vanilla t case. Next stage might be to upgrade to an atlas or similar.

Seems like better money spent than upgrading with Marlin parts.

 

[DouglasVB]

And in my experience, Atlas is much more likely to pick up the phone when you call them.

 

[dan1554]

IT LIVES!

 

[Doughboy]

IT LIVES!

You can't even tell it'd running, it's so quite.

 

[MDH33]

I won a "gift certificate" from marlin at CM this year. $50 off $500 purchase (I call that a crappy 10% off coupon) . yours if you want it Dan, I would love to contribute to this crazy build.

 

[dan1554]

@MDH33 I do need lockers! Im hoping it'll stack with the current sale. Thank you!