LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Miata Parts, Intakes, Superchargers, Headers, Exhausts, Shocks, Springs, Sway Bars, Brake Kits, Autocross and track mods.
ronbauer
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 9:56 am
Location: Issaquah, WA
Contact:

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by ronbauer »

Nice work Ryan!
Verwah
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:18 am

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Verwah »

Neat video, and excellent work on the mechanical design. 8)
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

After shooting the quick vid of the nose removal I was ready to put things together for good. Got fluids in it and everything ready to rock, time for a test start. Moment of truth for the wiring. Flipped the main battery switch on and cranked the motor to verify oil pressure... cranked great but no pressure. (side-note, we use a direct mechanical gauge for initial verification so no question of electrical gauge accuracy). It's conceivable that the pump just doesn't generate enough pressure at cranking rpms, so we did a start up. Ignition on, fuel on, and she fired right up (yeah baby). Promptly shut it down just a couple seconds later because still no pressure.

The troubleshooting began. I won't bore you with all the things we checked that weren't it, here are the important things we did learn:

First, the adapter plate from Keisler:
the ports I had previously marked IN and OUT are in fact the other way around. I can't recall what we based the original assumption for which was which on, possibly the sensor port location, but one way or another once I had the oil pump out of the motor and blew air through the pump outlet hole in the block it was pretty clear. This wasn't the oil pressure issue, it just meant the flow through the filter and cooler would be opposite from what I intended, for anyone else who may use this adapter plate here's the confirmed flow direction:
LFX Keisler OilPlate.jpg
Now on to things that likely did have something to do with the issue...

Getting to the pump means removing the front engine cover and timing chains. Removing the pan means separating the engine from the subframe. Optimistically, we started with getting to the pump.

Side note about the timing chain: the GM FSM leaves some confusion about the right process to secure the cams, remove the chains and align everything for reinstallation. The process is actually much better covered by this video from Cloyes, and yes you actually lock bank 2 and then rotate the crank almost 90° before locking bank 1... which feels very "wrong" knowing it's an interference engine :shock:
GM Timing Replacement, HFV6 2007-2015
The one detail they leave out in that vid is locking the cams in place before removing the chain. Use camshaft retaining tools pn EN-48383 available on amazon.

The pump turned out to be dry. Presumably turning the motor upside down on the stand to swap the oil pan drained everything from the pump and now it couldn't build any suction. However, filling the pump with assembly lube to prime it still didn't do the trick. So then I replaced the pump with a new Melling unit:
78A22373-BF9F-464D-B0E1-746059B750E1_zpsiuj9eqb3.JPG
Primed this one with assembly lube as well, still no dice. On to the pan.

Suspended the engine from the top and dropped the subframe and pan:
41CE3C83-5299-4F79-9BB2-EA47BC1FB3B8_zps00lgvzeh.JPG
We even pulled the main caps to check the bearings, which turned out to have an interesting coating here but everything checked out OK:
20F29792-52E1-4E14-8B73-89FF8657379A_zpszpsgbowy.JPG
With no glaring issues with the pan or pickup I squirted as much assembly lube as possible up into the passage in the block that leads from the pickup to the pump, oiled both sides of the o-ring that seals that pickup to the block, and reinstalled the pan. Cranked the engine and voila, oil flow!

It's likely that the issue was caused by compounding things: the pump being drained dry and needing to be primed, perhaps too large of an air pocket in the pickup tube, and perhaps also the o-ring being dry and not sealing fully. For others to have the best shot at avoiding this, I'd recommend that when you flip the motor to swap pans, fill the passage in the block with assembly lube that's thick enough to not drain down the pickup when you flip the motor back over, and also lube that o-ring up. With that you'll probably be good to go. If not, the pump may need to be primed.

Everything's back together now and the engine fires up and has full oil pressure. Working through many other little things that come with a brand new build right now, will continue to update as I go.
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

As sometimes happens with long term projects, personal life stuff has kept me from the car for a little while. Getting back into it now, but there were still a few updates from the past few weeks:

Got a fresh windshield! Should be able to see things again which will be a nice change.
BD714732-C05D-4CC4-B566-0B830E1DAB9B_zpsqzkus1uu.JPG
Made some shock reservoir brackets and had those powdercoated:
FB43378F-EFA4-46E2-9B16-CC7B7060D0CC_zps1mdi1d3k.JPG
Front reservoirs are now cozy:
6EA93604-5E52-4FBD-BE83-8B1EBD9B3C15_zpsad8btdah.JPG
Also treated the car to a new seat! The Cobra Evolution is probably my all-time favorite seat, been wanting one for a long time:
A84315D3-A742-4722-8FBF-D69590BE25A4_zpscsu9is0c.JPG
Every time I put a seat in a Miata I am reminded just how much work it is to get a seat fitting just right. This seat is replacing an old Sparco Circuit and just because every seat has its own dimensions, layback, etc. fitting the Cobra took some cutting and welding to tweak things for this new setup. Finally happy with it after three days of after-work time spent, it's super low, reclined a bit more than the old seat, and pushed as far back up against the cage as possible - you can barely slide a piece of paper between the seat and main hoop. I'll be adding a steering wheel spacer to adjust for this seat being further back than the one it replaced:
9FA404DB-D2E4-4885-83D2-1CD150FB99DB_zpsdi3zaymd.JPG
With the engine running now I get to find all the little details that need to be sorted out.

One of the things I was spinning my wheels on for a while was a power steering leak. Turned out it was the pump itself leaking. Got a new pump, tapped for fittings, ready to go back in:
C183D10F-A25A-4A3B-95B3-2EB0162F300C_zpso6aobizb.JPG
The next thing I'm working on solving is with the Racepack. Currently not getting any PIDs through the OBDII plug, not sure if it's stuck looking for the other rental Camaro I tested this dash on or what, but right now it tries to pull the PIDs and says there are none. We can plug in a scan tool and communicate just fine, so not sure what the issue is yet. Also currently trying to figure out what the voltage scaling is for this factory GM oil pressure sensor, so far the scaling info I've found for it does not appear correct.
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

With the bulk of the swap done and the thing even running (!!) it can be frustrating at times to still have many little details that come with a fresh build that need going through. Half of them don't even have to do with the LFX swap itself. Tonight I'm making the rear brake/turn/marker lights sub harness. In the mean time, reposting this pic because it just gets me so excited for what this car is becoming :D
DF4C3BEB-4268-47D0-953B-BED03C77318C_zpshkx3rbxd.JPG
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Another item not directly related to the swap but equally important. This was also one of the final things left before this thing is rolling :)

V8R/Stoptech STR21 rear brake kit. This is a race only kit with no e-brake. 6 lbs lighter per side than my old rear brake setup.

Pads are Performance Friction 11's to match the front.
CE835FF0-D1D7-4F01-92E9-7AEFB1786C81_zps0prchuwq.JPG
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Got some work done yesterday after work. After test-running the engine we found the coolant expansion tank that I had been using with the 1.6L was too small for the LFX. So I picked up a Moroso tank with just about double the capacity:
IMG_6795-XL.jpg
The larger tank needed a new home, so tank position is moving to go up against the right side firewall. Because the lines to/from this tank need to be easily accessible to disconnect if I'm pulling the front nose off, I broke the lines up into two lines each, joined by bulkhead fittings on a little plate I made:
IMG_6797-L.jpg
Tank and lines installed:
IMG_6800-XL.jpg
The tank takes up the location on the firewall where the relays and fuses were living. Because those items stay attached to the engine if the engine is pulled, and the tank stays with the chassis, I move that stuff forwards of the tank via another bracket so that it's still just one M6 bolt to remove to release that from the car. All this stuff is waterproof, but there's a splash shield integrated into the bracket, just in case:
IMG_6802-L.jpg
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Juuust about to go for the first test spin... turns out the clutch isn't disengaging. Wonderful. Hydraulics checked out, so there was nothing left but to drop the transmission. Hey, on the bright side this was an opportunity to go through the whole engine removal process and take notes for next time ;)

Cooling assembly off:
IMG_6942-XL.jpg
Whole assembly out as a unit:
IMG_6945-XL.jpg
A view we don't usually get of things:
IMG_6946-XL.jpg
Turns out.... the clutch disc was in backwards! The doofus who installed it (yes me) missed the small mark for which side was supposed to point to the flywheel.
IMG_6950-XL.jpg
Going back in today.
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

Time to get a hood on this thing!

The project began with a donor hood from a scrapped car. Bolted it to the hinges and set the hood down on the engine... and this is where it stopped. We're going to need to get out the grinder!
IMG_6976-X2.jpg
Cut a big ol' hole and now it closes.
IMG_6977-X2.jpg
That's it! Hood's done.







Ok, perhaps not quite. With the hood cut to clear we can see how much of the engine sits proud of the NA hood line:
IMG_6979-X2.jpg
Made a template for the contour needed in the hood:
IMG_6983-X2.jpg
Time to get the actual hood. I've had this one sitting in my garage waiting for this project. It's a dry carbon piece with integrated headlight lids. Not the prettiest finish on it since it was a function-only part and I got it second-hand but it's going to be covered in matching livery with the rest of the car when all is done. Transferred the template over to the carbon hood:
IMG_6984-X2.jpg
The "cut once, measure twice" point... or was it the other way around?
IMG_6988-X2.jpg
After many, many times of cutting, test fitting, cutting a bit more, etc. (also cut a slot for the tow hook):
IMG_6991-X2.jpg
Then installed the Aerocatch latches:
IMG_6994-X2.jpg
And it's done! I'll be adding louvers and a radiator exit duct later, but this gets the hood fitting the car and suitable for driving:
LFX_Hood_Cut.jpg
Ryan @ GWR
Posts: 497
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:37 pm

Re: LFX Engine Swap (GM V6) at GWR

Post by Ryan @ GWR »

The engine's out again. I'll get to that update when I have it concluded.

While it was out of the way, I added heat shielding on the firewall behind where the engine resides:
IMG_7016-XL.jpg
I also added a new shield for the transmission tunnel. This is a modern-style thin aluminum layer with an air gap between it and the tunnel. This began life as a tunnel shield from an ND Miata which I then trimmed/hammered into shape to fit the NA tunnel. Extremely light weight:
IMG_7040-XL.jpg
IMG_7041-XL.jpg
Post Reply