Currently doing a LM7 swap on my 1986 240 and I am doing the wiring and I was just wondering from those that have done it before what the preference/what has worked best for those that have done it.
I am just run the stock truck harness stripped down to the engine needs, using the stock ecm, and stock fuse block stripped down of the non- essentials.
The options I have seen is:
1. Run stock harness, stock ecm, stock fuse block
2. Make a stand alone harness from the stock harness and run the stock ecm.
3. Run an aftermarket harness and stock ecu
4, Run stand alone set up with custom harness
Yes I realize there are more options then this but these seem to be the most common. Just wondering who has had experience good or bad, what worked and what hasn't if you could do it again what would you change
The Plan:
Engine: Run the stock 2004 5.3l iron block with the stock 706 heads. Run that till it is up and running then upgrade from there
Trans: Run the 4l60e wired to shift manually
Driveshaft: Going to use the Volvo 240 2 piece driveshaft with a 4l60e slip yoke on the front
Wiring: Going to use the stock wiring harness strip out some of it, use the stock fuse box
ECU/ECM: Going to use the stock one and just reflash it
Cooling: Running a Nissan 240sx KA dual row radiator
Mounts: Making engine mounts and trans mount that bolt to existing subframes
Would love input from anyone who has done this swap or a swap similar of what the best things to do and avoid are
I haven't done the swap but I've been looking into a couple swaps (I have an lq4/4l80e and and audi v8/6mt waiting for homes) and I think I'm going to go microsquirt run batch fire ala sloppy mechanics. It's cheap, simplifies tuning, seems to work well and make good power, and you don't have to buy expensive software or credits or whatever to tune it. You can also use a microsquirt to run the 4l60e (though you might actually desire it to be full manual shift, idk). Since you have the harness it'll be easy to put connectors onto a harness for the ms. That's about all I have to offer I think.
In reply to TommyWants :
I would do megasquirt but I had issues with a previous megasquirt build so I am thinking the stock ecu will be easier even it is a little less open
The stock fuse block is huge and unnecessary, and you can easily pare it down to a 6 circuit bussman $12 fuse panel.
I approve of your project.
I've done a few low budget LS1 swaps. Last time I paid a guy $275 to make my harness standalone and flash my ECU to get rid of VATS and rear O2s. In the past, I've reworked my own harness and paid $100 to have the ECU flashed.
Making your own isn't that hard. Connect every black wire to ground, every pink to hot run and every red to hot, and it should start.
carwhisperer said:
I've done a few low budget LS1 swaps. Last time I paid a guy $275 to make my harness standalone and flash my ECU to get rid of VATS and rear O2s. In the past, I've reworked my own harness and paid $100 to have the ECU flashed.
Making your own isn't that hard. Connect every black wire to ground, every pink to hot run and every red to hot, and it should start.
Orange to battery, not red.
carwhisperer said:
........
Making your own isn't that hard. Connect every black wire to ground, every pink to hot run and every red to hot, and it should start.
GREAT SCOTT !
Could it really be that easy? I mean seriously? If so you have just leveled a HUGE mountain for me, and opened up possibilities.
Indy-Guy said:
carwhisperer said:
........
Making your own isn't that hard. Connect every black wire to ground, every pink to hot run and every red to hot, and it should start.
GREAT SCOTT !
Could it really be that easy? I mean seriously? If so you have just leveled a HUGE mountain for me, and opened up possibilities.
HA! The wiring *work* is always the easiest part. It's the research and studying to understand the wiring diagrams and needs that is tough. Carwhisperer made a broad generalization that isn't wrong...but as with most generalizations, there's a little more to it than that. 
Mezzanine said:
Indy-Guy said:
carwhisperer said:
........
Making your own isn't that hard. Connect every black wire to ground, every pink to hot run and every red to hot, and it should start.
GREAT SCOTT !
Could it really be that easy? I mean seriously? If so you have just leveled a HUGE mountain for me, and opened up possibilities.
HA! The wiring *work* is always the easiest part. It's the research and studying to understand the wiring diagrams and needs that is tough. Carwhisperer made a broad generalization that isn't wrong...but as with most generalizations, there's a little more to it than that.
All true and the good thing is you can do all the wiring harness set up off of the car pretty much and http://www.lt1swap.com/ is a huge help
In reply to Patrick :
Do you have any details on how you set it up like that? With the aftermarket fuse pannel
In reply to icdpride :
Nevermind I am an idiot I already know how to do this, sometimes I ask really dumb questions.
I bought this for the fuse and relay box
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075M4PRG2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My next question would be should I keep the drive by wire or should I convert to drive by cable?
icdpride said:
My next question would be should I keep the drive by wire or should I convert to drive by cable?
It kinda of depends on what work for you. With DBW you'll need the correct pedal (cant remember if it has to be matched to the ecm or TB, there's some goofy thing you have to match it to if i remember right) and then be able to mount the pedal in a decent location. For drive by cable it's usually easiest if you dont have to change the factory throttle cable, on my z31 the stock cable was able to reach the LS throttle body and had the correct end on it so it worked with no modifications.
If you get the pedal and TAC module with engine, you can run dbw. Otherwise dbc works fine except some computers can’t deal with the change. I’m running out the door but will see if i can dig up my thread about my harness. I have done several swaps and am in the middle of another with 2 more scheduled
Started to shove this thing in and damn auto trans are big lol
Going to try and make my own engine mounts lets see how it goes
bluej
UberDork
2/6/19 3:47 p.m.
wait, you're putting this into a beige volvo with a purple engine bay?
In California, Pre-95 diesels don't hafta get smogged so an old 240 DL can run an Allison Aircraft Engine and have no problems getting registered. Or an LS...
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/petaluma-volvo-240-dl-86/6810449066.html
Bummer about the E36 M3ty pitchers...
All true and the good thing is you can do all the wiring harness set up off of the car pretty much and http://www.lt1swap.com/ is a huge help
I just clicked over to that link, oh WOW! a lot of useful information there. Thanks for the tip.... and double WOW! the black background and color choice is super hard to read. He needs to update that.
In reply to Indy-Guy :
I just print out the lists from his site then the diagrams from the FsM to double check as i go.
In reply to bluej :
Sure am grandad outside hotboi inside lol
In reply to Indy-Guy :
Yeah its heinous to read on the site but the print outs make it a breeze, and if you need any mail in pcm tuning or unlocking the guy who runs it is awesome
Well the truck oil pan would not clear unless I really really really want to beat the trans tunnel so I had to order an oil pan everyone was saying to buy the Holley 302-1 but that thing is expensive, but luckly someone on turbobricks.com found a much cheaper clone so I bought that one https://www.poormanmotorsports.com/product/tsp-81074-retro-fit-lsx-aluminum-rear-sump-oil-pan-aluminum-natural
Finally started working on this piece again, its been in an out door tent in Syracuse Ny so made it really awful to work on.
Whats got done:
- Got the oil pan swapped out to the poor man motor sports holley 302-1 clones
- Got the engine mounts installed and engine mounted to it
- Spaced down the sway bar to clear the pan a little better
- Realized the car is too low in the front with the new weight
- Pulled it out in the sunshine for the transition to the garage
A lot to still figure out like:
- Trans mount, right now keeping the 4L60e
- Exhaust manifolds ( I don't want to but the holley ones)
- Wiring the stock harness to the body
- A shifter for the trans ( kinda want to do a manually shifted auto)
- DBW throttle pedal
- A cooling system
- Trans cooler lines
- A driveshaft
- Intake
More progress I got it in the garage got the intake mounted up and started to mock up the harness and get it ready to wire. I was a lot more confident in the wiring harness when it was out side the car lol. If anyone reads this and has tips let me know.
Looks like a mess right now a jumbled mess of electric spaghetti but it will get there ... probably
