57k Mile LX9 Alero [[swap]]

[slowalero]

Thanks for those who shared their knowledge. It's been a little while again but parts are on their way and soon wrenches will be turning again on Project Slow Alero.

Currently, a tuned PCM, a/c compressor adapter, ignition coil adapter bracket, TCE external trigger, and 65mm TCE TB adapter are on their way from MMS as well as my 28# Delphi injectors from WOT-tech.

More posts with detailed pics to come!

[slowalero]

Ok, most of us have seen a three-five. This one doesn't look too different from the rest, especially without it's shinny CNC aluminum parts yet. It's hard to capture the true color of the aluminum parts but they're not new metal pieces. Everything's been painted either gloss black or Toyota Almond Beige Pearl. Matches the interior's tan/biege colors and flows with the Ruby Red Metallic paint.

Picked up some end-of-the-list stuff today like the new (reman) alternator, Mobil 1, PF47, Dex Cool, and Bosch wires. I'd really love some Packard wires but there are budget contraints.

Still waiting for my PCM from MMS as well as the trigger, tb, icm, and a/c adapters. Injectors on their way, ordered my 65mm tb and sent out the core today, and tomorrow comes the over $200 GM parts order of mostly engine sensors.

Can't wait till the photos of new parts get posted, it's like Christmas.

[slowalero]

I know, I'm beating a dead horse here but, here's some more. Had to tape all the idividual cooling holes on the alternator to make it look llike it was disassembled for paint. Took a little while but well worth the "professional" results. Delphi 28# injectors came from WOT-tech yesterday, they look lonely next to the Fel-Pro gaskets on the shelf of LX9 parts.

[bszopi]

Looking good!

[Starglow]

Wow....that looks great. I've been wanting to paint mine too and you've given me some ideas there, but I'd probably go with black on the oil pan.

I do have some questions for you since I'm doing the 3500 swap also:

1) How did you mount your oil filter like that which is more like stock location for the 3400?

2) What are you going to do for a PCV valve since you're using the stock 3500 valve covers with no PCV valve hole?

3) What are you doing for the EGR valve tube differences?

4) What are you using for exhaust manifolds? The stock 3400 exhaust manifold ports are smaller than the stock 3500 exhaust manifold ports.

5) If you're running 28# fuel injectors, how are you adapting the stock wiring harness connectors which are different?

Sorry for all the questions... just curious.

Thanks....!

[Starglow]

FYI...you might regret not masking off the manifold bolt holes on the heads. I'd make sure to clean any paint out of there with a thread tap otherwise you might potentially run the risk of stripping the threads when you bolt the exhaust manifolds on.... just a suggestion.

[jmgtp]

To the OP, just out of curiosity, can you let me know what the stock LX9 that you have has for a PCV setup? Or do you have a pic?

Mine was a plastic tube from the front rocker cover to the intake manifold without any PCV valve - just full manifold vacuum 100% of the time. There is baffling in the front cover but no valve of any sort. It sucked oil like crazy through that tube and I'd burn blue out the back. I ended up putting a PCV valve inline and no more burning blue. Just wondering what other LX9s look like. Mine must have been missing something because GM wouldn't design a system that consumes that much oil, since it was a junkyard motor and I never saw the car it came out of I don't have a good point of reference for "stock."

[Starglow]

To the OP, just out of curiosity, can you let me know what the stock LX9 that you have has for a PCV setup? Or do you have a pic?

Mine was a plastic tube from the front rocker cover to the intake manifold without any PCV valve - just full manifold vacuum 100% of the time. There is baffling in the front cover but no valve of any sort. It sucked oil like crazy through that tube and I'd burn blue out the back. I ended up putting a PCV valve inline and no more burning blue. Just wondering what other LX9s look like. Mine must have been missing something because GM wouldn't design a system that consumes that much oil, since it was a junkyard motor and I never saw the car it came out of I don't have a good point of reference for "stock."

You can just use the front valve cover from the 3400 engine that supports the PCV valve which is what I'm doing for my 3500 swap.

[jmgtp]

I just put a PCV valve inline and it seems ok. Just wondering how the stock LX9 as it came in the Malibu got away without the valve since I tried that setup unmodified and it ate oil.

[Starglow]

I just found this reference thread:

http://60degreev6.com/forum/showthread.php/48091-3500-(LX9)-PCV-System

Apparently the 3500 has the PCV valve either built in or permanently riveted to the valve cover. I still plan to use my 3400 valve cover so the PCV valve can be serviced if necessary and also to avoid any oil related issues with the TB.

Here is a picture of my LX9 stock setup:

[IMG][/IMG]

[slowalero]

It's cool to see I have some followers on this build. Sorry for the lack of real pics, I desire to take more but get too excited to work on it that I progress before I photograph. But more soon, I promise. Big box of shit from Milzy came the other day with things I've been waiting for. Got my tuned PCM back with EGR and post-cat H20S delete, raised TQ MGMT, shift firmness, etc, etc, etc. Other items were the crank trigger, 65mm throttle body, and throttle adapter from TCE, EGR delete kit, A/C compressor adapter, oil level sensor bypass, ECT and MAP harness adapters (I don't need), and 180 thermostat but no ignition coil bracket. Have to straighten that out but in the mean time, I'll answer fan mail.

To jmgtp,

I can reconstruct the original LX9 PCV setup in a photo if you'd like. My engine had the plastic tube from front rocker cover to plenum and another from rear cover to intake tube. I planned to run this original setup but it seems some members don't have the best of luck with that. For now it's going to be fired up stock, unmodified. If issues arise, ultimately I'll purchase a new 3400 front rocker cover since mine had 1/2" sludge and I scrapped them. They would've never gotten close to my three-five.

To Starglow,

Re: Oil filter adapter
1) The three-bolt adapter on your 3500 can be removed and a filter can be fitted directly to the block, like the 3400. First remove the spindle (filter threads) from the adapter with a 10mm allen wrench/socket. Next you can remove the three 10mm bolts from the perimeter of the adapter. This will allow you to remove the adapter and the aluminum/silicone gasket behind it. Rethread the spindle into the block and spin on filter for original 3400 performance.

Re: PCV operation
2) This was more or less answered above to jgmp. Something just doesn't seem right about this. The stock 3500 PCV setup shouldn't consume oil at that level. I really want this engine to look good, and I never was a fan of that nasty dashboard grain of the 3500 front rocker cover anyway. Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

Re: EGR hook up
3) I touched on this in the opening, but Milzy Motorsports performed an EGR delete on my PCM. I simply do not like EGR systems. Only implemented to satisfy politicians. Additives in our fuels are just a cheap way to meet emissions laws, and they destroy engines. But that's for another day. I'm not sure exactly what happened but if it's anything like the post-cat H02S, the command to illuminate the MIL, or even report the fault code for that matter, is disabled. The PCM can recognize the problem exists, just doesn't do anything about it. Milzy offers an EGR delete kit that's complete with a stainless block off plate, GM gasket, hardware, and threaded stainless manifold plug. Really wanted to band saw the mount right off and have the plenum welded.

Re: Exhaust performance
4) For the time being the car will be run on ported 3400 exhaust manifolds. I know the 3500 manifolds were much larger and that engine requires more flow capability than what the 3400 pieces offer. Tax season will probably buy Pace Setter headers. I've seen them for less than $400, but others for around $500. Would obviously love thousand dollar stainless tubes but this is a budget build. Mike @ Milzy gave me some good advice here. The OE down pipe for an N-body is double-walled. 2.5" OD, 2" ID, and crimps over the steering rack. He (MMS) offers a full 2.5" stainless down pipe, with or with out catalyst. $275 w/o catalyst for me, please.

Thanks for the questions, always happy to share information! Now I'm awaiting a box of GM parts. New crank sensors (7x & 24x), (200MY+) 3400 cam sensor, 3400 knock sensor, 3400 oil pressure switch, 3500 EVAP purge valve, 3400 coolant temp sensor, 3500 iridium spark plugs, radio vol. knob, coolant pipe seals, thermostat seal, 3500 timing cover seal, heater inlet hose and two clamps (robbed for the DD), and finally new 3500 rocker cover bolts/seals.

[Starglow]

NC has annual state emissions inspections so the EGR & Cat on mine must stay in order to be street legal. FYI.... the Milzy headers are made of mild steel and not stainless, however they are coated which I guess looks like stainless.

I'm looking into adapting the G6 OBX LX9 header kit to the GA for my 3500 swap. The crossover pipe runs under the front of the engine instead of behind it like the stock 3400. The crossover pipe will need some modification and a new custom pipe piece is needed to go over the steering rack but I think it's doable. I haven't ordered the OBX header kit yet because I'm doing some test pipe fitting to make sure I have enough clearance to make it all work with some modifications. It's hard because I only have pictures of the headers with no dimensional measurements to work from. I'm doing a slow build and taking lots of pictures to post later with a write-up.

After reading your post I assume you are also running 28# Multec 2 fuel injectors?

Thanks for the feedback...!

[slowalero]

After reading your post I assume you are also running 28# Multec 2 fuel injectors?

Yes, sir. Seemed to be the simplest way to go. I dont need high flow capabilities for boost or anything, at least right now, that I would get from the L67 nozzles. And besides, these 28 pounders look like the stock 3400 pieces so it's just another subtle part that looks boring!

[slowalero]

Time to touch on the LX9 PCV operating issue. I snapped some pics of the components and how the system is constructed for those that asked.

Photo #1 & 2 show the inside of 3500 "front" rocker cover, both with it's baffle installed and then removed to show the orifice to the valve itself. GM did something similar to this on it's LS series engines. Early Vortec engines consumed too much oil so an updated PCV valve with a 1/16" orifice was implemented and reduced oil consumption.

Photo #3 & 4 are of the 3500's original PCV components and routing. Like everyone else, there was a short line from the PCV valve to the intake plenum, just like the 3400. The "rear" rocker cover had only this nipple installed upon pickup. My assumption is the remainder went with the crashed car and therefore I cannot show you exactly what it looked like originally.

Photo #5 shows the original 3400 PCV line with the provision for the remote mount EVAP purge valve. If you're reusing the 3400 EVAP purge, you'll benefit from using this line.

Photo #6, 7, 8 show my future PCV routing. I decided to use the original 3500 "front" rocker cover PCV line to the orifice behind the throttle and the original 3400 "rear" rocker cover vent line to the original 3400 intake assembly. Some modification was necessary to the fitting that inserts in the plenum so it would clear the throttle cable bracket enough and allow it to do it's job and retain the PCV line at the same time.

BTW, previously I read somewhere that it was IMPOSSIBLE to reuse the stock intake assembly on the aftermarket throttle body because of it's inlet shape change. My only resolution was to use aftermaket silicone or I had thought of using the LX9 rubber but it's just that, rubber. It will go whatever shape I want it. And it's not that much of a delfection in the rubber and clamp where the clamp can still work as designed.

More photos of parts and details to post later, hope this helps if anyone had questions!

[jmgtp]

Yah, thats the exact PCV setup mine came with. Dunno why mine sucked oil. Dunno if the fact that it was running on 5 cylinder due to a pushrod that was installed incorrectly somehow caused it. Now that the pushrod issue is corrected I may try taking the pcv valve I installed and see what happens.

Side note, I used a bone stock 3100 air box and intake tube. I threw the intake tube in the oven for about 15 minutes at ~200 degrees. It softened it enough that I was able to massage it onto the 65mm LX5 throttlebody.