FJ60 LS Swap - From Oil Burner to Gas V8 - Stoffregen Motorsports

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Metric HDW - that is a level of detail that isn't hard to achieve. Sourcing quality metric fasteners that don't look like you raided the local Ace hardware is time consuming. Really it's the hardest part.

I actually do purchase a lot of OEM metric fasteners for these trucks I work on, at least when it's available, and over the years, I have accumulated enough of a stash of NOS hardware to use, but that supply is dwindling and I tend to reserve it for the special jobs. I have been honing my hardware restoration skills to put life back into used hardware and that has lessened the strain, but it's time consuming. When using old HDW, I start with a solvent bath, then a wash in degreaser followed by some time in a bucket of paint stripper. The parts then get washed and scrubbed with a brass wire brush and in some cases, spend some time in the vibratory parts cleaner. A vehicle's worth of HDW can take hours to clean to the point of being reusable.

But to your point... Sometimes it's not the right fastener for the job. Think of the end user and where they will be when (if, hopefully) a fastener will fail. If they're on the road, SAE HDW is going to be easier to replace than the metric stuff.

So I've come to the conclusion that where its primary function is to look good, OEM metric HDW is used. When it's under the vehicle and it's job is to work, SAE HDW is the right answer.

 

[Metcalf]

I hear ya for sure, Metric is a pain in the rear for the most part...

I swear I rebuilt most of my old flat fender with 3/8-16 hardware. You could take like 90% of that thing apart with a 9/16 end wrench.
If I was designing a vehicle from scratch that would be an interesting thing to keep in mind.

I wonder if it would be worth keeping a log of sorts of what was used where?
I think that would have a lot of value for the customer.
Something that could be printed out, laminated, and thrown in the glove box....

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I do have a build sheet that I use. It doesn't include things like wrench size, but it does have replacement part numbers, important measurements, teardown notes, etc. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to include disassembly/assembly instructions. For instance, the air intake tube. It's possible, better even, to remove the whole tube from the throttle body in one shot, but most mechanics would probably disassemble it to remove it.

Making a book out of it has been an idea of mine for a while. Something they could have in their glovebox, like an owners manual.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Now you're splitting hairs.

The difference between the chassis/body JIS and the engine's ISO/DIN fasteners is enough to throw the whole consistent metric thing out the window. One of the benefits of buying a takeout engine is that it came with most of the brackets and fasteners. Try finding those fasteners at your local hardware store.

How about the Toyota driveshaft bolts? I once made a call to a specialty fastener company, in an effort to try and come up with a cheaper alternative to OEM Toyota driveshaft bolts. Turns out, the OEM bolts/nuts are waaaaaay cheaper.

But at least we agree on torx...

 

[Metcalf]

Now you're splitting hairs.

The difference between the chassis/body JIS and the engine's ISO/DIN fasteners is enough to throw the whole consistent metric thing out the window. One of the benefits of buying a takeout engine is that it came with most of the brackets and fasteners. Try finding those fasteners at your local hardware store.

How about the Toyota driveshaft bolts? I once made a call to a specialty fastener company, in an effort to try and come up with a cheaper alternative to OEM Toyota driveshaft bolts. Turns out, the OEM bolts/nuts are waaaaaay cheaper.

But at least we agree on torx...

I'm still looking for the JIS wrenches and sockets in my box?

For me, it is about trying to make the vehicle as consistent as possible so that the tool kit can be trimmed down in weight and bulk.
It is also nice for whomever has to work on it in the future. Even if some of the hardware is a little odd it is generally going to swing the vehicle to using metric based tools, metric threads, metric fasteners, etc.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

That's part of my point. JIS 10mm bolt uses a 14mm head. DIN or ISO 10mm bolt uses a 15mm head.

So though they are both metric and both the same size, the heads are not the same. Consistency theory shot to hell.

 

[Metcalf]

That's part of my point. JIS 10mm bolt uses a 14mm head. DIN or ISO 10mm bolt uses a 15mm head.

So though they are both metric and both the same size, the heads are not the same. Consistency theory shot to hell.

You still wouldn't have to have an SAE wrench. I am just waiting for that.....crossover head/thread stuff.
Metric consistency is enough for me. I don't think I am going to trim the wrench/socket set down to only include sizes based on bolt heads.
I see that a lot on the new GM stuff also. Odd head sizes compared to what I would guess for the thread size.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I had a few Volkswagens growing up, of the water cooled variety. Talk about special tools...

 

[Adventurous]

You still wouldn't have to have an SAE wrench. I am just waiting for that.....crossover head/thread stuff.
Metric consistency is enough for me. I don't think I am going to trim the wrench/socket set down to only include sizes based on bolt heads.
I see that a lot on the new GM stuff also. Odd head sizes compared to what I would guess for the thread size.

Consistency and consolidation of the number of fasteners and the tools required for assembly/disassembly is a noble, overlooked goal. I'd have a hard time counting the number of products I've run into in the course of my occupation where no mind was paid to this and they subsequently have oodles of different sizes and mixed standards.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

On the home stretch now. Buttoning up the final details? Not quite, but getting close.

I made a couple errors in my design process.

One of them was the water line from the throttle body and the other was the throttle linkage. When I ordered the engine, I was under the impression that it was going to come equipped with a fly-by-wire throttle. It didn't. But when I was cleaning up the intake plenum, I cut the mounting bosses off for the throttle cable bracket. Oops! So now I had to make a new bracket to go along with the Lokar 36" LS throttle cable kit. Can't charge the customer for that time...

Here's the bracket I made.





The cable.



Someone else had made some changes to the original cable, probably when they installed the MBZ diesel. I had to work with what was there so that meant modifying the pedal and making a new receiver bracket for the firewall. I think it came out nicer than stock.

Pic of firewall receiver bracket isn't too good, but you get the idea.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

The water line from the throttle body is an extension of the steam port line from the cylinder heads. Can't delete that. Ideally it could have been plumbed into the upper coolant tube I made earlier, but that just came back from powder coating, so didn't want to mess with it. But there was an opportunity here to clean up something else in the process. The LS water pump has one 5/8" hose nipple and one 3/4" hose nipple. The LC heater hoses are both 5/8" so when making the adapter for the 5/8" to 3/4", I simply tapped off to the side an installed a 1/4 nipple to connect to the throttle body.

Caveat? I don't think there will be anything wrong with this setup.

Pic of aluminum in the lathe.



Finished piece.



Installed.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Before I could install the bellhousing cover, I had to adjust the clutch. The instructions are pretty vague on this, and I am using a self adjusting slave cylinder, though I'm not sure if this vehicle originally had one, so I had to use my brain. Ouch...

Anyway, here's the adjuster.



And final assembly with new cover installed.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

This pic shows the coated intake tube, air box, coolant tube, fan shroud, etc, but not much else. I'll get some better pics of the engine bay once it's all together. Oh, and I got the fuel tank yesterday (2 1/2 weeks later...!), so that will be up next, along with the VSS installation.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

There are a lot of things I don't know. You all heard me say it. Thank Stan from Hardline Fab for some unsolicited advice. He was kind enough to point out to me that my idea of plumbing the steam port into the heater hose was not a great idea. He also was kind enough to do it via private message. But I am transparent (unlike government) and not afraid to admit when I've made a mistake.

So I'll be welding a bung into the top radiator tank to plumb the steam port there.

Thanks Stan!

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Update pics coming later today.

The fuel system is done as well as the VSS install and T-case reseal. Working on re-drilling the T-case flanges for the new CV's today.

I can almost hear it run...!