1991 740 pickup LR4 V8/4L60e Swap

[lookforjoe]

Page Summary:

Page 1 - Nov. 2022 - drivetrain arrives, V70 front brake install, V8 related parts collecting, modding JTR bracket mount plates, removing ancillaries & intake from LR4, modding fuel rail, adding vac port for rear cover vent to LS6 manifold

Page 2 - Nov. 2022 - Manifolds, TB, Water pump/heater outlet mods, Ancillary layout, EVAP hoses, tranny cooler lines, modding JTR motor mount brackets, LS6 intake, Lokar dipstick, test fit EMS harness, more tranny cooler line stuff, Volvo coolant temp sender in r/s head.

Page 3 - Dec 2022 - Adapter for Volvo OPS, dismantle factory harness, wiring routing, more tranny stuff, modding AFM engine harness, cut & re-pin for bulkhead connectors, repair HVAC fan speed resistor terminals, Heater hose bulkhead ideas, double din head unit install,

Page 4 - Jan 2023 - Wiring/terminals, custom coilovers, trans shifter wiring, repl. steering rack, YT slideshow video for pickup, BTR cam kit ordered,

Page 5 - Jan 2024- Cam kit arrives, later valley cover w/pcv arrives, garage addition, engine harness connector summary, spare subframe & rear torque
subframe, LR4 rear cover & alignment tool, torque arm subframe mods

Page 6 - Jan 2025 - torque arm subframe mods, front subframe reinforcements, Lostar 302 oil pan install, switch to 3/4" -16 filter adaptor (Volvo), Power steering rack/pump hose routing, subframe / motor fit, clearance adjustments to mount bracket and subframe, head rear steam tubing, figuring out shifter selector wiring schematic, welding mods front subframe, motor mount spacers (JTR), move to Ithaca is real!,

Page 7 - Jan 2025 - packing for move, BeCool rad bung for BMW fan speed switch, wheel spacers for FWD 18" wheels, PODS & garage packing, Chicken Transport

Page 8 - Apr 2025 - PODS unpacking, Ithaca stuff, fix exhaust (again), buy Ruby (93 245), setting up garage, Ithaca Volvo Ballet, Speedo replacement, rear U-Joint replacement, modded Torque arm subframe install, fabricate 2.5" SS exhaust w/ Solo Performance Stealth muffler & resonator (rear half)

Page 9 - Jan 2026 - Exhaust & Volvo Trailer hitch install, weld V-bands, dual tip exhaust, fabricate 9/16" hitch pin, cut rear valance, fabricate temporary exhaust section to mate with/ 4cyl forward section, final wiring schematic for shifter/range switch interface,

Page 10 - Mar 2026 worked on 93 940, bed liner for pickup. Prep work on LS drivetrain, Cam install, 4L60E internal harness replace.



This thread will be to document my V8 swap thread. Pickup conversion thread
I like to review everything I do, so this will be a lengthy thread with much fitment & revision minutia.
I will update this post with page summaries as time goes by

Gathering parts at this stage. Bought a 2004 Gen 3 LR4 4.8 4l60E transmission (10/24/22 A1 Auto Salvage LLC off eBay)

Areas to cover:
Physical Drivetrain fit (modded) - JTRmount kit
BTR Torque cam
Oil Pan - Lostar 302-1 LS Swap pan
Accessory Drive
Exhaust - LS generic manifolds,
2.5" SS exhaust layout?
Flexible trans dipstick to reduce bulkhead mods?
Intake manifold (cathedral port, 3 bolt TB) compatible with LS1,2,LS6
Stock 25lb@58psi injectors 25317628 or 280 155 832 (960, pinks) (Camaro intake had 0 280 155 890 Bosch).
Corvette 58psi FPR & filter
EMS (standalone harness relocate)

Cooling System (rad (Be Cool 35223 28.25" W x 17"H) / hoses, heater hoses, surge tank)
Front Suspension/Brakes (DIY coilovers, 302 brakes)
Fuel supply (6AN lines, regulator, adaptor fittings)
HVAC - adapt lines (#8 to condenser, #10 to Accumulator)
Power Steering - adapt lines (-6AN, banjo?)
Driveshaft (hybrid w/ Chevy forward section?)
Rear Axle (how to address pulse wheel?) Mount ear kit Ford 8.8 5x114.3 bolt pattern (1.25" 5x114.3 to 5x108 spacers)
Chassis/body mods
Other stuff I haven't thought about yet...

Tach mod?

Solution

Reference threads -
What current V8's...
Rear Axle Choices
Another Axle Thread

Corivus's 740SE V8

Driveshaft modding thread

 

[doucheNozzle]

What made you pick the JTR kit?

 

[lookforjoe]

What made you pick the JTR kit?

STS never replied to my emails about the mount brackets they made (out of stock).

JTR came up looking at other swaps. They also don't stock the kits anymore, but... he answered the phone, and had one partial set he said he would finish up for me. He said he is weighing whether or not to make more. Spoke with him again this morning, actually.

 

[cosbySweater]

STS never replied to my emails about the mount brackets they made (out of stock).

JTR came up looking at other swaps. They also don't stock the kits anymore, but... he answered the phone, and had one partial set he said he would finish up for me. He said he is weighing whether or not to make more. Spoke with him again this morning, actually.

did he talk to you about how pacific bell was spying on him?

 

[lookforjoe]

did he talk to you about how pacific bell was spying on him?

Is that a thing? I don't know the guy. He seemed 'normal' during our conversations.

So, Drivetrain arrived: 2004 LR4 4.8 4l60E transmission

Jeesh this thing is heavy. I have zero experience with American automotive hardware. What is the best way (lift points?) to lift the drivetrain? There are no hooks supplied, as with any European or Japanese motors...

not much space left

EMS stuff - hopefully not trashed - this was all stuffed under the pan

 

[doucheNozzle]

did he talk to you about how pacific bell was spying on him?

what's this story?

 

[lookforjoe]

Coilover (Bicknell) sleeves (2.080" bore), seats & jam nuts & (BNE) strut plates, weld rings. 12" 250lb Eibach XT springs coming.

302mm brakes. I modified the caliper casting so I can still use my 15" (new) snows

hanger bracket corners cut back

hanger bracket is spaced 1/4" outward - others have noted the bracket then contacts the ABS tooth wheel. Mine clear

grinding back the caliper in stages

clears the outer step of the 15"wheel now. Took about 4mm off the outer lip, to a depth of about 32mm, then tapered into the rear area

2nd caliper went much quicker

self etching primer

silver enamel

 

[white855T]

STS never replied to my emails about the mount brackets they made (out of stock).

JTR came up looking at other swaps. They also don't stock the kits anymore, but... he answered the phone, and had one partial set he said he would finish up for me. He said he is weighing whether or not to make more. Spoke with him again this morning, actually.

There is also the giffin motor mounts which are the cheapest out of all the available mounts.

EMS stuff - hopefully not trashed - this was all stuffed under the pan

Unless you want to keep the pcm in the engine bay, you won't be using any of it. Aftermarket harnesses are cheap(amazon or ebay) and they relocate the pcm to the inside of cabin(just makes for a much cleaner setup).

 

[lookforjoe]

There is also the giffin motor mounts which are the cheapest out of all the available mounts.

Unless you want to keep the pcm in the engine bay, you won't be using any of it. Aftermarket harnesses are cheap(amazon or ebay) and they relocate the pcm to the inside of cabin(just makes for a much cleaner setup).

Giffin also never responded when. I enquired about the mount brackets.

- Yes, I bought the DBW relocation harness based in your recommendation - it is the modules I'm concerned about, but they don't seem too have suffered any physical damage.

 

[lookforjoe]

Took a couple hours to rearrange the garage & move the drivetrain to a sturdier cart. This sucker is HEAVY. Going to be fun moving this thing around & test fitting

also purchased an LS6 intake with injectors & fuel rails. This is adding up quickly. I'll need a larger rad, and a number of other $$$ items

Mount kit arrived

 

[lookforjoe]

Collecting parts...

LS6 mainfold & rails

new gaskets Felpro MS 96718 (edit - these are wrong for the LS6 intake, correct set ordered (Felpro MS 92438)

exhaust - 2 cats

"flex" couplers - it's annoying that they expanded the outlet side - makes no sense, since inserted exhaust junctions should always be following the exhaust flow. I'll probably just cut it off since I'm going to butt-seam the welds anyway

misc exhaust sections, mandrel bends

28" Be Cool 35223 rad - 24" Volvo efan shroud will work

Made the missing V8 mount adaptor plate - using 3/4"x4"x6" flat stock - retapped the provided one from 3/8" & 5/16" to metric - M10x1.5, M8x1.25

Started stripping stuff off the drivetrain. Have to order the tensioners, idlers, water pump, etc.

Wiring & truck intake. I have NEVER worked on an American V8 product , so this is all new to me

No idea what the two plugs/caps are for in the valley, have to research that (EDIT - knock sensors)

Have to remove the coils & brackets & clean all that up.

Several variants of coils apparently - I ordered new coil wires & plugs appropriate for the 19005218 (D585) coils.

 

[lookforjoe]

Started a reference thread to discuss accessory drive & other issues related to using the LS6 intake manifold (12573572) on the truck 4.8L

Back & forth with a number of things. Trying to determine the best way to deal with the heater line fittings at the pump. I need them to make a 90º right off the pump. I wanted to use quick connect fittings, as those allow much vibration resistance & can rotate if needed. But... I can't find a source for 3/8" & 1/2" NPT male fittings with 5/8" & 3/4" male quick connects, to match the available Dorman heater elbows (800-416 & 800-418).

So, I'm just going to go with the readily available Male NPT-to-Male AN fittings, with AN to barb 90º fittings.

The other thing is the 90º fuel feed at the rail, which interferes with one of the coils. No way to readily reposition the one coil, and the various coil pack brackets are not meant for the D585 coils, and/or won't necessarily move it where I need it to be, whilst still using stock coil/plug wires.

So, I decided to cut the fuel feed & silver solder a new straight feed that runs parallel to the rail. This makes more sense anyway, as it keeps the fuel lines away from the exhaust manifold

removed the pressure damper for the job - just need to add a support brace to the rail for it

 

[Broke4speed]

That's the fuel pressure regulator . On a returnless system, it's at the rail.

Those two plugs are the knock sensor covers.

 

[lookforjoe]

That's the fuel pressure regulator . On a returnless system, it's at the rail.

Those two plugs are the knock sensor covers.

Aha - when I looked up 2002 Camaro fuel system it showed a pulse damper in the rail, so that was the basis for my assumption. I'll replace it with a pulse damper, since I'm going to be using a remote filter/regulator with -6 fittings.

 

[JohnMc]

I just got some cheap eBay fuel rails, didn't worry about the car rail not fitting with the truck coils on mine.

 

[cosbySweater]

That's the fuel pressure regulator . On a returnless system, it's at the rail.

Those two plugs are the knock sensor covers.

thats a fuel damper to keep noise down at the rail. the regulator is in the filter on corvette returnless systems

 

[Broke4speed]

My mistake...I confused the end of the rail for a return. Pulse damper it is!

 

[Broke4speed]

Aha - when I looked up 2002 Camaro fuel system it showed a pulse damper in the rail, so that was the basis for my assumption. I'll replace it with a pulse damper, since I'm going to be using a remote filter/regulator with -6 fittings.

I was wrong...it is a pulse damper. I made a mistake, sorry.

 

[lookforjoe]

I was wrong...it is a pulse damper. I made a mistake, sorry.

No worries!

Moving forward with small things whilst I'm waiting on parts.

Drilled & tapped (1/8" NPT) the back of the intake for the left valve cover breather - found the only place where there is meat, and not open to mount flange area

Used the stock 10mm nitrile line, cut & set into the elbow

Removed the exhaust manifolds - first I had to heat the block to get the dipstick tube out of the way
one broken stud on the right - going to be a PITA to get the remnants out - I snapped off an easy-out in here

two broken studs on the right - first & last, but those I got out without any damage

Stock injectors 25317628 (25lb@58psi) . For some reason the LS intake had 16lb(@43psi) (EDIT - these should be 24lb@58psi) 0 280 155 890 Bosch. I'm going to use 0 280 155 832 (from Volvo 960), since I have a refurbished set, and they will also run 25lb@58psi.

 

[corivus]

hey just wanted to also say I ended up using the LS3 exhaust manifolds, even the vette c4 manifolds put the exhaust into the steering joint. you can modify that but I prefered to just modify the manifold to get it to fit better. I'll update my thread later next week when i'm back at work and can get it up on the racks to take a proper photo.