Conversion to Turbo LS6 powa.... Part deux, or is it trois ?

[Tydriver]

Hey guys, made alot of progress in the "visual progress" department this weekend. Also got to roll down to Jeff's place to see the birth of a CNC Plasma cutter thats no doubt going to reap many a SyTy project in its lifetime.. (I am awaiting project #1 to complete my LS1 Front Disc brake conversion 8) )

Anyhow, heres where I am now :

People with the keen eyeball will notice that the LS1 calipers are NOT shown, as well as the CV shafts. They are both awaiting the bracketry to allow the larger brakes to be installed. This thing is gonna corner as good as it looks (I hope), and hopefully stop really well too !!!

A keen eye will also notice the Edelbrock Tie rod connectors. I haven't had a chance to turn the wheel yet.. But I think that this maybe a MUST for those with coil overs concerned about contacting the springs, it seems to provide more clearance IMO. Time will tell..

I'm hoping that next weekend, will lead to the placement of the motor bolted to both the converted LS1 motor mounts and the transmission. The altered oil pan will also be in place. Its going to be a very big day for me any my project. Its going to throw some items up I am sure I havent dealt with yet.. As well as get me just that much closer.. I can hardly wait !! As always, alot more pictures are posted on my site, and will be updated with stuff that doesnt make it to the forums..

 

[Jimmy]

Damn Todd,your stuff is looking killer. :rock:

 

[Tydriver]

Damn Todd,your stuff is looking killer. :rock:

Thanks man, hopefully in the end it will be as quick as your truck is :tup:


Hard to believe this is what I started with :

No turning back now !!!!

 

[TurboManiacal]

:tup:

 

[93ty475]

looks new!! you'll be driving it before you know it... :tup:

 

[SY2932]

OMFG, KRAZY PROGRESS !!! DANG your shizzle is looking OFF DA HOOK TD ! Keep on keeping on...

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

i am glad to see that you didn't give up on your ty. I figure i am going to let you do all the fabrication and then build the same thing.

Nice Work

 

[Ian Turgeon]

Looks good, theres gonna be so much different when you get it back together you wont know whats goin on. Couple of bad things with that is its hard to really feel the difference, and theres a lot that may have to be shaken out.

Looks really nice though, and I know you'll like the suspension. I've got about 2k street and highway miles already (even with my concernes about them) and they have been great. (you'll start thinking about the rear suspension soon)


Those tie rod clamps look very nice, but I think properly adjusted stock style ones are actually smaller (assuming you make sure the bolts arent on the rearward side) So depending on your clearance, the stock style ones may be the difference between occasionally knicking the spring perch and not hitting it at all.

However at the very least they wont get installed wrong by the alignment guy, and there arent too many sharp edges to do too much damage.

 

[Tydriver]

Alright !!! Not to waste any more time, I had some friends over yesterday for some Final MOCK purposes.

The the JURY is in ...........

wOOt wOOt.. Its gonna fit !! ( I always knew it would, but this is gonna be TIGHT). Going to need alot of help in the exhaust area, but the LS1 will indeed fit in the frame rails.

Here is a pic of my mock LS1 block (No rods, pistons etc, light weight mode).. Sitting on the custom motor mounts, against the transmission bellhousing with the front differential AND the modified 6.0L Oil Pan.

The following pictures show the extremely TIGHT clearances down under ;-) Dayamn.. This is gonna rock !!

Special thanks goes out to (no particular order) for lending a helping hand and giving me ideas how to conquer the issues confronting me on this conversion.

Mike D (2kwik4u, die hard enthusiast who drove up here 140mi to help yesterday)
Gary R and JJ (both Local SyTy'ers here in Indy)
Mark S. (Maxtor, and 2 Syclone owner <--- Mark is a glutton for punishment for owning two of these things !!)


The pictures tell ALOT of the story, but not the whole story.. its going to be a nite mare for the exhaust. I am currently "toy"-ing the idea of running it OUTSIDE the frame rails and running individual true dual exhaust. The worst issue is nearest the steering shaft. I currently have my 6.0L heads on loan to a friend in NC so I wasn't able to place them on the block for a better idea of the interference there but its GOING to be the most challenging part of this conversion..

I always knew it would be the hardest part, its getting time to address it now. Next days off I have I will be looking at brake lines and trying to address that issue. The stockers probably are NOT going back on.. Its time for some new brake lines.

An interesting little tidbit.. Thanks to JJ having the only other Typhoon at my house yesterday we were able to compare locations of the engine vs overall lenghth. At best an 'educated' guess/measurement the LS1/6 motor is only going to be 3.5" longer than the 4.3L it replaced and its VERY VERY close to the same weight as the fully loaded 4.3L as well... I may just be able to pull this off :wink:

 

[BigBadSmoosh]

love the project, and i can't believe you trust 2qwik4u working on your truck!?!?


the numbers on the firewall, no one seems to know what they mean, I have found them on every truck I have looked at, sy and ty.. 92 and 93..
most of the time they are on the drivers side of the firewall and can actually be seen when everything is installed, its just a pain in the ass..

 

[2kwik4u]

love the project, and i can't believe you trust 2qwik4u working on your truck!?!?.......

Yea yea....I can turn a wrench, just keep me away from flame sources and things typically work out OK

I do have to say though Todd is either a genius or an idiot......They say the line is thin, and he is walking it everytime he continues on this charade of making the truck run on aluminum V8 Powa.......

 

[odium]

Looking good!

My truck has a number that's visible on the firewall also.

 

[Jimmy]

If you look very closely,there are 3 numbers on the firewall,one above the tranny ,one on the upper corner of the driverside,and the number "2" which is under the power distribution block.No idea what they mean...

 

[Tydriver]

If you look very closely,there are 3 numbers on the firewall,one above the tranny ,one on the upper corner of the driverside,and the number "2" which is under the power distribution block.No idea what they mean...

There wont be after I repaint the firewall before I poke the Alum V8 in the hole ! Dunno.. Maybe Merk has a better idea what all the #'s mean ??

Anyone asked him ?????

 

[DanenGraham]

Those tie rod clamps look very nice, but I think properly adjusted stock style ones are actually smaller (assuming you make sure the bolts arent on the rearward side) So depending on your clearance, the stock style ones may be the difference between occasionally knicking the spring perch and not hitting it at all.

A keen eye will also notice the Edelbrock Tie rod connectors. I haven't had a chance to turn the wheel yet.. But I think that this maybe a MUST for those with coil overs concerned about contacting the springs, it seems to provide more clearance IMO. Time will tell..

Ok, can you do a measure of the edelbrock vs stock ones to see if they are smaller, have more clearance. If they do provide more clearance then looks like im going to ad this to my list as well. Im glad your doing this at the same time im doing it. At least i know how it sould all look. :wink:

 

[GM TURBO]

Todd,

I know you've cought a bunch of crap for this build - but it is bad ass!!! Have you decided if you're going TT right off - or NA for awhile? (I may have missed this in some other discussion).

 

[sparkwire]

Todd,looks like your engine is a little closer to driver's side than mine,oil filter looks closer,looks real good making good progress,might be running before mine!!

 

[Tydriver]

Ok, can you do a measure of the edelbrock vs stock ones to see if they are smaller, have more clearance. If they do provide more clearance then looks like im going to ad this to my list as well. Im glad your doing this at the same time im doing it. At least i know how it sould all look. :wink:

What dimensions do you want specifically ? I'll be happy to comply with what I can.. I think possibly a pic of them side by side ? Also keep in mind, they are not adjusted correctly at the moment, I'm sure the TOE is waaay off. Also I need to put some additional preload against the springs to lift up the front.. Even though its currently sitting on the dollies in the garage (which adds like 3-4" if height) its still alot lower than I remember that truck sitting so when its properly adjusted it ~~may~~ have a slightly different appearance to it.

 

[Tydriver]

Todd,

I know you've cought a bunch of crap for this build - but it is bad ass!!! Have you decided if you're going TT right off - or NA for awhile? (I may have missed this in some other discussion).

Initial plan was to run it TT'd or a single BFT... That changed based on my wallet issues (or lack thereof).. Current plans are to go in with a N/A motor and work on the turbocharging when the budget allows. Right now, that maybe changing again. The exhaust is going to be a headache from the pics soo far, I dont want to get into a situation where I am doing this :banghead: twice.

It looks like preliminary ideas of running the exhaust UNDER the truck may be nixed in favor of running true duals OUTSIDE the frame rails with a side exhaust on each side. If thats the case, I may elect to forgo the NA motor and just go TT so I only have to do it once. Unfortunately, this will delay the truck running initially.

I figuired that I'd have enough to sort out with the LS1 in place with that ECM and the tuning issues related to it, I dont really want to have to tackle tuning a turbo'd motor right away either as I am really UNFAMILIAR with tuning philosophies and the LS1 tuning software in general....

Time will tell I guess.

 

[Tydriver]

Todd,looks like your engine is a little closer to driver's side than mine,oil filter looks closer,looks real good making good progress,might be running before mine!!

I've been pondering this for a while.. Wondering if you have the motor OFFSET a bit to allow additional clearance between the DIFF and the oil pan ?

I tried to center the motor up between the frame rails (Left and Right)

I can see how it would fit lower in the frame rails if you offset to one side but I was concerned about driveline issues related to doing that..

Go ahead and send any pics if you have them of it from HEAD ON. You have my email address..