FJ62 LS Swap - Lone Star Sleeper - Stoffregen Motorsports

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I try to stay ahead on parts, stock a wide assortment of common stuff. But there are always parts problems that slow your roll and turn your hair grey

Living out here in the country I have learned to have a lot on hand. I've also learned to get the major parts here before I start a project. I didn't realize I had the wrong trans until I tried to mock up the adapter, and then it too a month to get the replacement here. I got a few gray hairs just from that.

As someone who often has to troubleshoot large heavy industrial pumps your idea to plumb the return back to the reservoir is correct.

That's good to hear. I love it when guys like you, with actual knowledge and experience, chime in to help with ideas. Thanks.

You can also source the reservoir from an Astro van, they were hydro-boost and came with a remote reservoir as well.
Jack

Thanks Jack. I'll have a look at that if the Toyota one doesn't pan out. If I use the Toyota reservoir, I will have to replace the outlet nipple with a larger 3/4 nipple, but that won't be a problem.

Great stuff! Your build threads are always an education. You can also get reasonably priced brand new aftermarket dual diaphragm 80 series boosters off aussie ebay, seller bxbooster. Mine looked good & has performed well so far.
Clint

Thanks Clint. I try to show every step, mostly for future reference. I've even printed to PDF some of the build threads I've done in the past, just in case the forum they were on doesn't stand the test of time.

I had a bad experience with an aftermarket booster (Cardone brand) about a year ago. It was listed as a FJ80 replacement, and it did fit and perform well, but the booster did not start life as an FJ80 booster and they made some hack mods to it to get the bolt pattern right and to put the vacuum port in the correct place. I will never buy one from them again. I think I'd rather send out an OEM unit to get rebuilt.

 

[bkg]

any chance you're headed to BHCC? /curious.

 

[Loubaru]

That's good to hear. I love it when guys like you, with actual knowledge and experience, chime in to help with ideas. Thanks.

NP, glad to give back where I can....especially considering how many ideas I "borrow"/save in my head from the fabricators here. In all honesty there probably isn't enough energy in the pump to cause huge issues but short re-circ lines create excessive heat and turbulence, since you are modifying it already you might as well do it correctly and not have to worry about the seal in the pump failing in 10k miles. Now if anyone wants to talk mechanical seals I can go on forever... .

Dynomat on the tank is a good idea too. I remember the Walbro hum in my old Subaru, even with a plastic tank which I would assume has less resonance....at least it was easy to know the pump was working.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

any chance you're headed to BHCC? /curious.

I never get out anymore. With a back log of work almost a year long, a young family and property to take care of, I generally get out wheeling about three times a year. And I'm only 50 miles to Rubicon trailhead! I tend to get up there more just to hike and in the winter, we go up there to go sledding. I'm hoping that by the time the kids are old enough to be more self sufficient, I'll still have some energy left to be able to attend some of these trail runs.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

NP, glad to give back where I can....especially considering how many ideas I "borrow"/save in my head from the fabricators here. In all honesty there probably isn't enough energy in the pump to cause huge issues but short re-circ lines create excessive heat and turbulence, since you are modifying it already you might as well do it correctly and not have to worry about the seal in the pump failing in 10k miles. Now if anyone wants to talk mechanical seals I can go on forever... .

Dynomat on the tank is a good idea too. I remember the Walbro hum in my old Subaru, even with a plastic tank which I would assume has less resonance....at least it was easy to know the pump was working.

I'll let you know how it turns out. I wish I could find a large reservoir for this PS system, but all the ones I've found are either super fabricated looking (which we're trying to avoid) or they don't have a simple fill cap. I was looking at a reservoir from a Freightliner T800, but it looks massive. Probably too much for what we need. I think the original Toyota reservoir will work fine.

Thanks again.

 

[NCFJ]

I never get out anymore. With a back log of work almost a year long, a young family and property to take care of, I generally get out wheeling about three times a year. And I'm only 50 miles to Rubicon trailhead! I tend to get up there more just to hike and in the winter, we go up there to go sledding. I'm hoping that by the time the kids are old enough to be more self sufficient, I'll still have some energy left to be able to attend some of these trail runs.

Right there with you Matt, I am booked out a bit over a year myself. I am on the other end of the scale though, older family I am 57. My wife has horses, who knew that when we bought a small farm I got a second job in the process. I am big on "Make hay while the sun shines" so while I build trucks for customers I am slowly buying all the parts I need to build my own truck.

The theory is that most of us suffer from that mystical condition of when you have money you have no time, yet when you have time the money is gone. I figure when I have time, I'll have most if not all of the parts I need to build out my 80 with a 5.3/4L65E/split case (60 series). I already have all the big stuff, I am working on the thousand or two dollars worth of little stuff.

I got the LS3 crate motor up and running, that thing is scary fast! Test driving is a necessary part of any swap, unfortunately turning them over to the owner is as well

I am enjoying watching your build, I like seeing how others do basically the same thing. Ya can't help but learn! Keep up the good work.

 

[Metcalf]

I hope some day I will be able to do some fab on the side......a year backlog would be amazing!

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Here's a quick progress report. Pics mostly.

Air box and intake tube, almost compete.

Gotta clear the upper radiator hose.




The battery box strut gets ditched and the front of the air box becomes the new battery box strut.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

The last one I built, the AMF was it's own tubing connector, which made a nice fastening point for the air box. This new AFM is the plug in variety, so I had to make a ring to bolt the tube to the air box.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Built the upper coolant tube, finally. The tubing was backordered and there's only one place I know that makes this super tight radius bend, so I was at the mercy of parts...again. I order a couple extra this time.

Why not just move the upper radiator nipple? This radiator is a bolt in replacement. That logic factors heavily into all my build decisions. I like to keep the custom work to the hard parts that likely will never need replacing.







Step up to the radiator.


Brackets to hold it securely in place.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

On a side note, turns out that the tank of argon I had for my TIG was contaminated. I built the whole fan shroud with bad gas, and didn't stop to ponder why the welds looked ashy and grey. When I started building the intake tube is when the problem really showed up. I could not get even a small spot weld to work on the aluminum. After getting a new tank, everything is all better now, even the steel welding.

Can't trust anybody these days.

 

[quickfarms]

On a side note, turns out that the tank of argon I had for my TIG was contaminated. I built the whole fan shroud with bad gas, and didn't stop to ponder why the welds looked ashy and grey. When I started building the intake tube is when the problem really showed up. I could not get even a small spot weld to work on the aluminum. After getting a new tank, everything is all better now, even the steel welding.

Can't trust anybody these days.

Where did you get the bad gas

 

[Metcalf]

Looks great. Where did you end up mounting the MAF?

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Where did you get the bad gas

My local welding shop. It's a national brand, so I am not surprised. It it the first time it's ever happened to me and I was seriously doubting that the new bottle would be the fix, but it was. Thankfully too, because I hate the down time in repairing equipment.

Looks great. Where did you end up mounting the MAF?

I haven't mounted it yet. I was deliberating on machining my own mounting boss, but then I found one from ICT Billet for $29. I will try to mount it as close to the air filter as possible. It's cramped there, but I'll make it fit.

Thank you.

 

[Metcalf]

I haven't mounted it yet. I was deliberating on machining my own mounting boss, but then I found one from ICT Billet for $29. I will try to mount it as close to the air filter as possible. It's cramped there, but I'll make it fit.

Thank you.

GM performance make a weld in boss for like $15 or something for the Erod engine. GM 19166574

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...B_E_mOAKfcP9wgfhrg28eJ0R4CWqgtIhoCxrEQAvD_BwE