My motor is awaiting its new home. I just bought a mighty max ('95) base model, short bed (is there a long bed?) and once the body work gets complete (dings / dents), the swap starts!
I am trying to employ some good project management techniques so I can minimize downtime and maximize drivetime. I 'believe' I have the knowledge to do the swap but 'you don't know what you don't know.' So I'd like to hear from others about what they would do over again if they could so I don't go down the wrong road. I know about the thermostat interference issues and other small details but if there is any guidance to give then I' like to hear it. If you got swap advice, throw it out there!
Just to share where I am at in my project....
Engine is freshly rebuilt.
JM fab's RWD manifold installed
Jay's racing alt. relocation kit installed
Wiring harness is out (uncut)
Spare narrowblock tranny (just in case).
1g black leather seats re-upolstered (damn good lookin).
I plan to run my old setup from my DSM for now...
stock ECU
GM-maft
750cc injectors
2g ported exhaust mani
3" exhaust (needs fabed still) with cutout?
Turbo (something small who's powerband will get along with the tranny). 16G?
So thats where I am at.
1...2...3...go!
If you had to do it over again...
Moderators: DJpowerHaus, mattmartindrift
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jeffball610
- Too Much Time on His Hands
- Posts: 619
- Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:29 am
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
To minimize downtime, you could prep the wiring harness and go ahead and bolt up that extra tranny to your block. Basically just get everything ready and drop it in.
Of course it's not that easy, but the more prepared you are before you pull the working parts, the less down time (theoretically) you will have. You might also start with non-engine related swap parts. Getting those seats in before you try to swap the motor, clean up the engine bay some, mock the intercooler etc.
You will no doubt run into your own set of problems since this is not straight forward or a direct swap in any way. Just clear your schedule for a couple days and get some friends, pizza and cold drinks of your choice. It should be running in no time.
Of course it's not that easy, but the more prepared you are before you pull the working parts, the less down time (theoretically) you will have. You might also start with non-engine related swap parts. Getting those seats in before you try to swap the motor, clean up the engine bay some, mock the intercooler etc.
You will no doubt run into your own set of problems since this is not straight forward or a direct swap in any way. Just clear your schedule for a couple days and get some friends, pizza and cold drinks of your choice. It should be running in no time.
Do it in a Datsun!
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons and rods, Garrett GT3076R, "flipped" stock intake, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons and rods, Garrett GT3076R, "flipped" stock intake, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
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4g63mightymax
- Addict
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 8:43 am
- Location: MA
- Contact:
I have done the swap twice in mightymax's and I feel like I got it right the second time. I almost never have any problems with mine and I drive it basically everyday in the summer and have for the last 3 years.
My biggest recommendation is: Don't cut a hole in the firewall, or smash it with a hammer. Just make some simple motor mounts that move the engine and transmission forward 3 inches. That way your nice truck doesn't look like the scene of an accident.
My second biggest recommendation is to be honest with yourself. Are you going to drive it everyday? Because if you are, you probably don't want to make a million hp. It will break and you will just end up pissed that you exploded another xxblahxx part that you spent a fortune on. The 250ish hp that I probably have is insanely fun for this truck, and at this level, it is reliable and user friendly.
My 3rd recommendation is to make everything pretty before you install it, because once it is in and working, you won't want to pull it out to paint it. This is the one thing I didn't do and I regret it every time I open my hood. The good thing is that my 4G63 looks like it belongs there
My 4th recommendation is to get a Limited Slip Differential. Without it, the engine swap is lame. With it, you won't be able to wipe the smile from your face.
My final recommendation is to finish the project, because it seems like nobody ever does. I have probably seen 50 people start these swaps and less than 10 (maybe even less than 5) actually finish them.
Good Luck, I'm Rooooting for you! Let's see those pictures!
-Jeremy
p.s. Post number 69 for me, wooo!
My biggest recommendation is: Don't cut a hole in the firewall, or smash it with a hammer. Just make some simple motor mounts that move the engine and transmission forward 3 inches. That way your nice truck doesn't look like the scene of an accident.
My second biggest recommendation is to be honest with yourself. Are you going to drive it everyday? Because if you are, you probably don't want to make a million hp. It will break and you will just end up pissed that you exploded another xxblahxx part that you spent a fortune on. The 250ish hp that I probably have is insanely fun for this truck, and at this level, it is reliable and user friendly.
My 3rd recommendation is to make everything pretty before you install it, because once it is in and working, you won't want to pull it out to paint it. This is the one thing I didn't do and I regret it every time I open my hood. The good thing is that my 4G63 looks like it belongs there
My 4th recommendation is to get a Limited Slip Differential. Without it, the engine swap is lame. With it, you won't be able to wipe the smile from your face.
My final recommendation is to finish the project, because it seems like nobody ever does. I have probably seen 50 people start these swaps and less than 10 (maybe even less than 5) actually finish them.
Good Luck, I'm Rooooting for you! Let's see those pictures!
-Jeremy
p.s. Post number 69 for me, wooo!
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screemin eagle
- Too Much Time on His Hands
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:50 am
^Right and that is why I got two trannies.
Yup. I plan of driving it everyday, rain or shine so I plan on doing it right and not taking any shortcuts. My old 90 talon (the doner beast) was my daily driver and I just got tired of the thing. I had the car for about 8 years and just got tired of the chasis more than the motor. I love the 4g but the car just felt like a highschool car if that makes any sense. My talon was decently quick and I believe was one of the most reliable DSM's around my area even though it was held together with zip ties and duct tape. I think it was mainly because I wasn't obsessed with squeezing every last little bit of boost out of the thing. I was content with just 15-22 psi and not doing 4 wheel launches at every light.
In the mightmax I don't plan on running anything bigger than the 16G at moderate boost levels. Maybe I'm wrong but with mightymax tranny and inherent traction problem it doesn't make sense to me to have a huge turbo. Nothing...nothing...tire spin! I also thought that the input bearing doesn't take well to excessively high rpms.
My goal is to have a light little truck with a very large fat powerband. My talon was a bit faster than my Z if you drive the piss out of it, but the Z feels sooooo much faster around town. It made me a fan of power delievery more than ultimate power. So that is what I'm hoping for the truck.
As for the firewall-> I'm still torn between cutting the hole and welding new mounts. I'll probably just move the engine forward and do it right as you suggest. It would make the cas easier to adjust.
As for making stuff pretty-> My engine has never looked better. I'll post a pic later but I did find that a high speed wire wheel can really clean up parts nicely! Even the old trannies have a nice clean look now.
Limited slip-> How does one go about this? I've heard about using the montero diff. Does the whole diff need to be replaced? Something I will research later...
I have been working on cleaning up the wiring harness, cleaning up oily wires, soldering bad ends, splicing new wires into old cracked ones etc...
I've also got to do some body work on the thing. It was hit in the back and has some dents and dings. My plan is to paint it a satin black which is not shiny at all but not quite like BBQ either. My intercooler and oil cooler will also be black. I'm taking my inspriation for the color scheme from a GMC cyclone truck that I used to see.
Yup. I plan of driving it everyday, rain or shine so I plan on doing it right and not taking any shortcuts. My old 90 talon (the doner beast) was my daily driver and I just got tired of the thing. I had the car for about 8 years and just got tired of the chasis more than the motor. I love the 4g but the car just felt like a highschool car if that makes any sense. My talon was decently quick and I believe was one of the most reliable DSM's around my area even though it was held together with zip ties and duct tape. I think it was mainly because I wasn't obsessed with squeezing every last little bit of boost out of the thing. I was content with just 15-22 psi and not doing 4 wheel launches at every light.
In the mightmax I don't plan on running anything bigger than the 16G at moderate boost levels. Maybe I'm wrong but with mightymax tranny and inherent traction problem it doesn't make sense to me to have a huge turbo. Nothing...nothing...tire spin! I also thought that the input bearing doesn't take well to excessively high rpms.
My goal is to have a light little truck with a very large fat powerband. My talon was a bit faster than my Z if you drive the piss out of it, but the Z feels sooooo much faster around town. It made me a fan of power delievery more than ultimate power. So that is what I'm hoping for the truck.
As for the firewall-> I'm still torn between cutting the hole and welding new mounts. I'll probably just move the engine forward and do it right as you suggest. It would make the cas easier to adjust.
As for making stuff pretty-> My engine has never looked better. I'll post a pic later but I did find that a high speed wire wheel can really clean up parts nicely! Even the old trannies have a nice clean look now.
Limited slip-> How does one go about this? I've heard about using the montero diff. Does the whole diff need to be replaced? Something I will research later...
I have been working on cleaning up the wiring harness, cleaning up oily wires, soldering bad ends, splicing new wires into old cracked ones etc...
I've also got to do some body work on the thing. It was hit in the back and has some dents and dings. My plan is to paint it a satin black which is not shiny at all but not quite like BBQ either. My intercooler and oil cooler will also be black. I'm taking my inspriation for the color scheme from a GMC cyclone truck that I used to see.