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I bought a 2007 chevy uplander about a month ago with the intentions to swap the LZ9 into my 1987 Fiero GT. I'm going to run it off of a MegaSquirt 3 pro mini. I am doing a VVT delete by using a 2007 equinox LNJ camshaft, and I'll use the old 2.8 timing cover. So far I have taken the LZ9 out of the Uplander and tore it down to the short block. I put the LNJ camshaft in and got the engine timed. I put the heads on, but flipped the sides from what they were as well as flip the head gaskets. I did this so that the coolant passages coming out of the heads are pointing the correct way. Some of the brackets I plan to use would also block the passages if I would have left them. I made some coolant port blocks for the heads that adapt them to a -12 AN fitting. For the exhaust I plan on using the majority of the factory one after the cat. I modified the right side manifold so that it might flow better and I will do a factory style Y pipe crossover. This will be my first engine swap so any tips or advice would be appreciated.
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Nice, thats basically how the fwd race car setup is, with the heads swapped around and AN fittings out the side. It works
Are you going to use SFI and LS coils? Personally, I can't imagine doing this swap and using a stock cam. Going boost later?
Ben
60DegreeV6.com
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I do plan on doing SFI. I was planning on using the factory coils and just doing the wasted spark, unless there is a big benefit to LS coils? I don't think the MegaSquirt I have will run anything but wasted spark anyway. No plans for boost, the 100 HP gain will be fine for now. I do think i'll do a cam later down the line.Comment
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I got the oil pan, valvetrain and Fiero timing cover and water pump put on today. Also showing what I did for the intake. I'm going to use a LZ4 intake manifold, and I bought a LS4 to 3 bolt throttle body adapter for it. The adapter didn't exactly line up so a few modifications to the bolt holes and inlet hole were needed for it to line up better. the throttle cam wasn't in the right spot so I twisted it around and welded it 90° from where it was.
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Is there a reason people delete the VVT? I would assume you could get a much wider power band with it, and Megasquirt can control it... though I don't know anything about the Pro Mini, I built an MS3 w/MS3X from kit form. It will do up to 8 cylinders fully sequential, spark & fuel.
I always assumed VVT was a good way to use a wilder cam without losing all of your low end torque, lower idle speed and get rid of the lope.
Anyway, cool project. I'll be following if I can remember to check on this forum, lol.Comment
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There are no cam options if you keep it VVT, so you are basically taking a stock 3400 cam spec and moving the centerline. Not much of a power advantage compared to a performance cam.Ben
60DegreeV6.com
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I may be able to get a wider powerband with VVT, but I have also heard its mostly for emissions. I don't know which one on those to believe, but either way the main reason I did it is for simplicity. I'm pretty sure my MS3Pro mini can run VVT, I don't think it can't do more than 4 cylinders sequential spark, but 8 fuel. since this is my first time doing a swap or tuning, I figured it would be best to keep things simple.Originally posted by manbearpig View PostLast edited by TheMoist1; 12-28-2024, 03:13 PM.Comment
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I got the LIM and valve covers on today. I also primed the oil system. There is a little 8mm hex on the end of the oil pump that you can drive through the distributer hole.
Here is the modification to the TB I mentioned earlier.
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What is the purpose in sticking with the original style water pump and timing cover? Why not run a more compact serpentine setup?Comment
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Mostly because I already had it and it was a better fit than the uplander timing cover and water pump. It also makes the coolant hose routing on the inlet the same as before.Originally posted by 86euro View PostComment
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The other day I got the engine bolted to the trans and sort of sitting in the cradle. I need to make an engine mount for it still, the 2.8's mount almost fits, but it would have only one bolt to the engine. I plan on modifying it to connect to the oil pan and possibly another bolt on the side of the engine. I also caught the lz9 style timing cover gasket that I used had a slight problem with the Fiero timing cover. the gasket spaced out the cover and water pump enough that the pulleys didn't lune up anymore. So I made a spacer for the crank pully the same thickness as the gasket to line them up again.
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I got an engine mount that will hopefully work now. it's modified from the original 2.8 mount, and ties in to the oil pan as well as the one bolt that lined up to the block before. the oil pan had to be clearance so that the front stud on the engine mount didn't interfere.
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Where are you putting the thermostat on that thing? I ask because I have an L82 out of a Grand Am that I am contemplating making RWD. The original timing cover doesn't work with the intake manifold flipped around. I know I can use Camaro stuff but am always exploring my options...Comment
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I plan to run the 2 lines from the head into a "manifold" for the coolant and thermostat, and then running one hose out to the radiator.Originally posted by manbearpig View PostComment
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