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GM Gen 4 conversion including LS

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963K views 3K replies 280 participants last post by  LandDefender 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
O.k. I got permission from the forum member to post a few pics.

This is a GM Gen 4 mated to a 6 speed and then to the LT230. Guess what...no change needed in your drive lines as this mates up to your LT 230.

Imaging all the HP and gas mileage you could want. WOW. More to come from the forum member.
 

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#2,984 ·
Hello, finally ( one year after !! ) I solved the matter of engine importation and logistics, so during the summer I will buy all the parts at RW Eng, I have seen other options in the market but no other is so reliable and well designed as RW is, the key is not to move the LT230 from its original location, no one has reached yet the RW level in my opinion.

I have read all the posts again and I didin't found info about oil cooler in vortec or LS gen IV. I think most of you are not installing it, but as far as I understood genIV engines have connections for oil cooler, right?
thank's
 
#2,985 ·
I've been running a heavy Jeep JK for about 8 years without one and that's towing three motorbikes through the mountains quite often. There are adapters that fit on the oil filter location that can be run to a cooler if needed. Here's a bunch of ideas:


Sean
 
#2,987 ·
Actually, extra cooling is a bad thing. You never want oil temp to be less that 195°f or water from atmosphere humidity will destroy the oil. A thermostatic oil cooler manifold will solve this. Also, this is one of the dangers of using a colder thermostat as it will over cool oil splashing on water jacketed cylinders as oil has less heat capacity than water.

Oil temp should be safe upto 260°f.

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#2,988 ·
Agree. Should have clarified that it’s based on geography. I’m in the Southwest US. With the cooler and a cool 78 Fahrenheit I never get below 195. Usually maintain 200 consistent. Running too cool is not likely ever going to happen. Thermostats will manage that. It’s when you need more cooling and your thermostats are fully open and still not getting relief when you have a problem. You can almost always manage staying warm enough with your thermostats functional but cooling down when you need it is a factor that you can’t add when your underway. Basically call it an oh s**t measure. Again in warmer climates I’ve never had a too cool issue. I ran my hummer h1 without thermostats for ten years (prior to fixing a radiator stack issue) but never had an oil issue or too cool issue.

I do understand that thermostats are water cooling and we’re talking oil butmy the water will warm the engine. else we would have an issue running any truck in the northeast under freezing temps. Had my truck (gmc) withan external oil cooler still no issues but not a veteran of cold weather trucking. Leave that too those who deal with it all the time.
 
#2,993 ·
Agree. Should have clarified that it’s based on geography. I’m in the Southwest US. With the cooler and a cool 78 Fahrenheit I never get below 195. Usually maintain 200 consistent. Running too cool is not likely ever going to happen. Thermostats will manage that. It’s when you need more cooling and your thermostats are fully open and still not getting relief when you have a problem. You can almost always manage staying warm enough with your thermostats functional but cooling down when you need it is a factor that you can’t add when your underway. Basically call it an oh s**t measure. Again in warmer climates I’ve never had a too cool issue. I ran my hummer h1 without thermostats for ten years (prior to fixing a radiator stack issue) but never had an oil issue or too cool issue.

I do understand that thermostats are water cooling and we’re talking oil butmy the water will warm the engine. else we would have an issue running any truck in the northeast under freezing temps. Had my truck (gmc) withan external oil cooler still no issues but not a veteran of cold weather trucking. Leave that too those who deal with it all the time.
Here in Spain we have a lot of sun and high temperatures in summer, from next month to late august we are between 95 and 105 F. In the south we can reach easy 115F. It's also a very mountainous country, with long climbs in the highways.
An oil cooler with termostat I think it is not superfluous. Also a good radiator for the autobox.

In the Defender I have a cooling system for the gearbox oil, it's a R380. In summer in long trips this gearbox tends to overheat. This accesory is LR original equipment I think for ROW or Gulf specs or Africa, I pulled out from RR V8 with LT77 gearbox, key part is FTC1404 or FTC2687 I believe same part with different threads.


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#2,991 ·
There’s a lot of debate on this but I personally prefer an aluminum radiator over brass (think series 2 disco). I feel like the heat dispelling properties are better.
I also prefer a dual fan set up with a built in shroud like the Maradyne MK22KT. The fan setups out there with no shroud is like trying to use a straw with a hole in it.
 
#2,992 ·
There’s a lot of debate on this but I personally prefer an aluminum radiator over brass (think series 2 disco). I feel like the heat dispelling properties are better.
I also prefer a dual fan set up with a built in shroud like the Maradyne MK22KT. The fan setups out there with no shroud is like trying to use a straw with a hole in it.
And in adittion is almost half price and other point than is same metal than engine, wich is important thing in order to choose coolant specs. I agree with you about performance is better in alu radiator but I'm not so confident about plastic sides and the stress coming from homemade hoses installation, but is only an opinion.

About fans, I will use this revotec kit DA8966 - Revotec Electronic Fan Conversion Kit 90/110 V8 2 X12" High Power Suction Fans and I will use the temperature switch pipe to coonnect the two-sections of top radiator hose. We are using this revotecs in some Sahara trips and raids and have given good result.

Thanks for your help [emoji1360]




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#2,995 ·
The thing I don’t like about this set up is that it has no fan shroud and they don’t tell you the CFM or how many amps it draws. Maradyne gives you all the specs on every fan they sell. You don’t really know what you’re getting with that one.
Also, The ECM should be deciding when the primary and secondary fan come on not some aftermarket “temperature switch pipe.”
 
#2,996 · (Edited)
Sam..(y) your set up. Just did 4 hours today of solid hill drives.. weather was 91 degrees slow and steady and some pedal to the metal uphill passing slow vehicles which is a nice experience. Your set up kept her cool with temps never crossing 200 degrees. Could see the temp gaugedrop when the fans kicked in. Trans temp never crossed 191. Checked under the truck and that oil radiator and cooling fan were fully kicked in like a champ! 2000 miles on this set up and solid.
 
#2,998 ·
Hi, I have been reading about oil pans and it's unclear point for me. I would ike to know than if, using RW adaptor and engine mounts, truck oil pan do not interfere with front axle? My suspension is raised 2" but I would like to come back to factory suspension height. I mean, will the suspension run it's normal travel from top to bottom?
Thank's a lot for your patience. :)
 
#3,011 · (Edited)
I used mainly off the shelf items to build my fuel system. I have previously described it here:


And after 3 years of overlanding, I decided to build another one and replace it just for my peace of mind. So, I made a story videos of the build. Although in Arabic I'm sure you can get the point. You can click on the screen to skip.

The stream is in 2 parts. Watch the first link, then when "Baja Designs" pops up, exit and watch the second link.



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#3,012 ·
It's funny you mention fuel hoses, I just had my LS JK blow out my stainless braided line huge. I guess the ethanol eats the rubber now, I think I'll use the vapor guard now for it as it's the easiest, probably use braided PTFE on my Defender but it's expensive.

Sean
 
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