90-96 300-ZX LSx conversion

[BRAAP]

The time has come. My ’93 N/A Z-32 is due for transplant. Been a Chevy engine guy for ever, machinist engine builder, built many SBC, a few BBC, have owned a few V-8 Datsun 280-Z cars, its time to bring my current daily driver Z car to V-8 power. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/victory.gif

I am having dilemma. I have 3 different engine available currently in the shop.

1) Complete gen I SBC, Trick flow heads, scat rotating assy, KB dish pistons for 8.5:1 C/R, Eaton M112 Super charger off a Jag, matching T-56 for this engine etc. This set up was destined for my ’75 280-Z.

2) VH45DE out of ’96 Infiniti Q-45. The Q ship was totaled in Jan 07 when a Dodge Dakota rear ended me in down town Portland. Bought the car back from insurance for song for it silky smooth, high revving 4 cam, 32 valve all aluminum V-8. Bone stock, on the Torque Freaks Dyno it laid down 240 HP to the wheels through OE auto trans. Was destined for this 300-ZX

3) I have an LM7 out of my wifes ’01 Burb that I removed a couple weeks ago. #4 intake lifter seized the roller. Just happen to have a 2000 Vette LS-1 short block in the barn, (cylinders are rusted), with a nice Comp cams that produced 370 to the wheels in that Vette with some minor porting in the heads and an LS6 intake. Not sure if the cam is till any good though judging by the cylinders. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/shrug.gif


The more and more I look into the LSx engines, especially after pulling the LM7, I am leaning more and more toward an LSx T-56 conversion. The LS2, or similar, looks like my ideal starting point. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/wink.gif I found KraZeeZX thread, but the last post was 04… He also cut the firewall, something I wish to avid at all cost.

I have a Z-32 parts car I am using for my V-8 mock up. Stabbed a Gen I in the engine bay, not pretty. The crossmember sits for far rearward, cutting the firewall with a normal SBC rear sump pan is pretty much inevitable. But learning that the GTO came front sump may be the ticket to fitting it without cutting the firewall!... http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/please.gif

Now to find a busted GTO front sump pan on the cheap, or someone who loan my one for a quick weekend mock up.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/Z-32/Face2Medium.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/Z-32/VivianMedium.jpg

[BRAAP]

Stabbed the 5.3 LM7 into the engine bay of the Z-32 V-8 mock up mule.
Short story is that it fits just a terribly as a traditional SBC! http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/wall.gif Even tried it with a T-56 bell housing on the block, couldn't even get it in the car! http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/caffeine.gif

1) 5.3 motor mounts lined perfectly up with the Z-32 mount pads on the cross member, puts the bell housing approx 1” off the firewall. :2thumbs:

2) Engine is sitting the oil pan, on the rack and pinion.

3) Engine needs to drop down approx 2-3” from this elevation, meaning a cut out in the mid section of the pan to drop the engine. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/workinprogress.gif

4) Sump is currently 2” below the cross member, which means the sump would need to be shortened approx 4”! :shock: http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/workinprogress.gif

5) The F-body sump runs too far forward and would need to be cut way back, ending up like the truck pan once it was modified, shallow and not much sump left. 6 one, half dozen the other I guess. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/workinprogress.gif

6) The GTO front sump pan might work, again after being modified to allow the engine to sit lower, and if the cross member was left alone, would move the engine forward approx 6-7 inches! If the cross member was modified such as another member did for his Z-32, the engine would only need to be moved forward approx 4-5 inches, (I think he did it to clear the front sump of the SR20, but ended up going Turbo LT1 instead and kept the modified cross member). At any rate, The damper would be close to flush with the front core support. Radiator mounting location will take some savvy strategery, and then having the engine that far forward?... http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/nono.gif

7) With the bell housing mating surface flush with the firewall, the T-56 shifter will need a 2” dog leg to come out in the OE location. In its current position as pictured, it will need approx a 3” dog leg. In using the front sump pan, it will need?... and end up with more of an up and down motion rather than fore and aft. Unless some form of extended remote shifter can be fabricated like the Z-32 uses currently?

8) Dropping the cross member to gain some clearance and set the engine at the correct elevation looks ideal on the surface, but doing so also affects the front suspension geometry, especially when wanting to drop the cross member 2”! Would stir up all kinds of geometry issues… http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/iospalo.gif


Friggin rack and pinion is too darn high and too far rearward in the engine bay making the Z-32 not so Hybrid friendly… ARRGHHH… http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/shrug.gif Having now stabbed an L-26, a traditional SBC, and now a Gen III 5.3 in the engine bay of a Z-32, for those willing to gut out under the dash, possibly loosing some of the OE climate control ducting, etc, cutting the firewall is hands down the best alternative from many perspectives. This stubborn Zed Head is dead set on NOT cutting the firewall, even if that means not installing the bride, but the installing the brides maid instead!....

Up next, the VH45DE, and will revisit the traditional SBC mock up, weather permitting. We are supposed be getting a big storm over the next few days... http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/brrr.gif

Top view;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/Topvw.jpg

DEEP sump of the truck pan;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/Sumpdrop.jpg

Driver side pan perspective;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/DrvPan.jpg

Passenger side pan perspective;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/PssPan2.jpg

Again;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/PssPan1.jpg

Trans perspective;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/TransPersp2.jpg

Bell housing wont fit at this elevation!;
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/TransPersp1.jpg

[HSV-GTS-300]

LS6 dimensions
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/ls6_dim_side.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/ls6_dim_frt.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/ls1measurementsqo5.jpg




GTO front sump dimensions
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/dim_oil_pan_gto-869x946.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/GTOside.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/GTObottom.jpg



Corvette LS2 Pan dimensions
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/dim_oil_pan_c6-866x741.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/ls2oilpan.jpg



Various Pan dimensions
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/oil_pans.jpg


Compact, low accessory drive.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/PerthPurplePenguin/car%20parts/L76/09L76.jpg

[BRAAP]

Excellent info, thank you very much. http://mescal.pixelized.ch/smilies/bgiorno.gif

I spent a few more minutes studying this truck oil pan and what regions of the pan I need to modify for this fit.
Here is what I came up with. Area in green needs to be removed, Magenta is just reference boundary points.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/BRAAPZ/V-8%20Z-32/LSx/Z-32pan.jpg

[HSV-GTS-300]

So its going to look more like an LS2 Corvette pan than anything else by the time you finish.
That height below the front 2 magenta blocks....remember you have to get the oil pump pickup tube running in there.