darkblue

I have a Red 1993 with a body in good condition with 150km, that is my dd.

I'm looking to convert it to a stock 4.8l with t56 over the next 18month, ideal would be for my 60th bd in 2018.

there is a T56 on it's way to my door, and should be here by July 4/5.

I bought a lr4 from a 2000 Silverado(supposedly 15km, but it looked like it was the original oil). The engine has just returned from the machine shop and is now 20 over. The refresh parts are all stock. I've put together most of the short block.

I have a Holley 302-2 oil pan.

I'm looking at all things clutches now, i am leaning towards the stage 1 monster clutch package with the light flywheel.

Once i get the engine together i will be shopping for stuff until the fall when the plan is to sell the 1.8l engine in the car and start to take it apart.

stng_96

Cool man, welcome to the forum!

darkblue

got the heads on and test fit the ls1 intake. I found out that the steam vent tube from the truck intake dont work with the ls1 intake. after much reading it looks like the simplest and cheapest is to purchase a kit. I was hoping the truck lines could be cut up and be reconnected with tubing, but the lines are a couple of odd sizes and i dont see any one suggesting how to do it. I suspect it could be done, but would probably cost more than the kit.

I have come to the same conclusion wrt to the truck fuel rails. They could be modified but the cost would probably be > cost of a simple rail. Can anyone explain what the difference is between a cheap rail and an expensive one?

which brings up another plumbing issue. I am planning on using the miata fuel pump which has the regulator at the rail. it looks like the ls1 is expecting only one fuel line. So i need to put a regulator in and i guess close to the tank would make most sense, and strip out the extra fuel line.

SupaDupaSteve

Use a 99ish corvette fuel filter, it has a built in regulator (that regulates to the LS 58PSI) and can be mounted near the fuel tank to easy installation.

stng_96

Unless you are REALLY pinching pennies, do not leave that factory fuel pump in there.

Look at Post 10 on my build thread linked here--> https://www.v8miata.net/general-moto...10ae-ls1-2392/

You can see a list of all the fuel parts thats I used, which still only totaled to less than 300 bucks. I'm sure you could still cut out some of that cost as well if you are budget building. There are also pictures of my system further down.

darkblue

thanks for the advise. i'll check it out. It'll be a while before i get that far.

I ordered a monster clutch today. pretty good deal at Maryland speed. also a few bits and pieces from summit.

I put on the harmonic balancer today. That was a bit of a bear. i ended up renting a 4foot long torque wrench to try to get to 240ftbls I never got i to click. i'm not sure it's possible to do it by yourself. I was lifting the engine and engine stand up on one side. then i thought i was going to break my breaker bar backing it out again. the book said the crank had to be within .175 of the lip of the balancer, mine is at .135 so i'm calling it good.

crispy

If you are using a factory intake and want a 4-corner steam vent, then you will have to buy a used one(no longer made) from the original LS1s, and sellers seem to be getting about $100 for them. The aftermarket kits that I know of are not going to fit under the intake manifold.

I was in the same bind. I ended up building mine out of the truck vent blocks and some brake line tubing. I taught myself how to bronze braze with acetylene in the process. My intake(LS2) required a little clearancing at the ribs on the underside, but it works well.

darkblue

very cool. looks really good. i'll give it a try.

darkblue

bad news in the tranny dep. the guy i was buying from backed out. now i'm hunting for the elusive t56 transmission. I have a line on a car with a dodgy t56, it pops out of 2nd. Is it any harder to rebuild a transmission than an engine. It looks like basically the same skill set.
The transmission is in an rx7 with an equally dodgy lt engine. but the car body looks pretty good.

Any thoughts.

Flavaquero

I bought a t56 for 400. Then purchased a mid plate input shaft and bell housing. I'm waiting to take it apart as I'm going to go through the whole thing. It just takes time and patience. And a press. Lol. It looks like the trickiest part is getting the shims right for the end play.

SupaDupaSteve

Lt t56 is different and will not work as is with an ls1.

Flavaquero

The lt version has different clutch engagement scheme. The input shaft is different as are the bell housing and mid plate.

darkblue

T56's of any kind are kind of rare, esp in Canada. So rebuilding and converting one looks like a good option. of course then i need to find the conversion pieces. There seem to be a couple of threads on conversion around.

darkblue

The guy with the rx7 sold me just the t56, i'm taking it apart now to make if fit the ls. The po said it popped out of 2nd. I took it to the machine shop to have the shift lever bolts removed after i broke 4 torx bits on it. I also received my Monster Clutch.

I'm planning to start selling the engine in the car mid Aug.

darkblue

I'm trying to decide between sheet insulation and lizardskin. How many square feet need to be covered? I would guess about 6x6 underneath and 8x8 inside?

darkblue

sold everything from the rad to the diff and removed it over the weekend. Had a ton of calls, could have sold twenty engines.

parts for the transmission showed up, so that's next weekend task.

I'm curious just how loud the fm exhaust is. the description from them was 'solid'. My wife would like this car to be quieter than my last. i think a good measure is can you continue a conversation while mildly accelerating.

darkblue

Finally got the v8r and fm stuff. now i can start putting things together

Ford5.0

I'd be nervous with those jack stands.

pj_mcgarvey

They look more like steel wheels to me.

As you progress with the build and start dropping large heavy things into the engine bay, please consider something different.

Flavaquero

The trick to the shift rail bolts is too heat them with a torch first. This boils off the Loctite that is supposed to be used on them.

SupaDupaSteve

If he has got the wheels welded, then there's definitely nothing to worry about. Millions of cars across the country are sitting on wheels just like that at junkyards

Flavaquero

doesn't it make a funny feeling when driving?

darkblue

a bit bumpy

darkblue

I used supadupasteve's cart idea for fitting the engine and his process for mounting the engine on the v8r subframe. Both worked very well. My engine ends up a bit further back than others. i had to get rid of the bump behind the right head. all the subframe bolts line up ok.

https://www.v8miata.net/attachment.p...1&d=1480307693

SupaDupaSteve

Glad to see it helped someone! I feel that once the engine has a transmission on it, it will change the angle so it's not so close to the firewall.