85.5 944 widebody 5.3 swap

So I've been rooting around here for a while and figured I should make an introduction since I'm getting closer to starting on this project. I bought this car a month ago with the intent of this swap, I like building toys and the lb/hp potential of these cars with an ls is impressive. A couple weeks ago I bought my 5.3 complete out of an 02 Tahoe. Verified it is a 5.3 and not a 4.8.

The plan is to make it nothing more than a fun street toy and maybe make a trip or two down the track. No a/c, no power steering, manual brakes. I already purchased TPCs "deluxe" kit and I'm currently working on the wiring harness. I'm trying to sell the running 2.5 out of the car before I pull it, figure it will be easier to sell that way. But if I don't get any hits soon it will sit in the shop floor.

Engine plans are:
ls6 intake
ls1 fuel rail/injectors
ls1 water pump (to clear the lower car intake)
224r cam 112 lsa
ls2 timing chain
supporting pushrods / springs / lifters / lifter trays

I'm going to try the n/a radiator and transcrossmember for the time being. The open rear bugs me, definitely will be looking for a limited slip turbo rear down the road.

No smog concerns, in Missouri pretty much if it rolls down the road it passes inspection. The car has a few other issues I need to address, like the speedo not working and the headlights not operating correctly. But I know it will be down for a while for this build, not worried about those problems just yet.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Welcome to the mad house

The open rear bugged me too, so much that I bit the bullet and said T56 or GTFO.

I did a bunch of research on other options though prior to the T56 decision. The best options I saw cost/reliability wise were... 944 LSD in a good Turbo or S2 trans etc or Audi LSD Conversion. 968 6SPD swap didnt seem worth it and IMO its WAYYYYYY too much money to buy a Guard LSD and the cheap LSD are just that... cheap.

If you do go with an LSD and do all the proper supporting mods to make sure its beefy... its not a bad deal from what I read and far cheaper/easier than going the route I went. For most people I think it will fit their needs... especially if they can be easy on it out of the hole. Some of the mods I would look into...

- Solid Shifter Linkage/Short Shifter
- Audi 5th Gear
- Trans Case Reinforcement Plate
- Solid Trans Mount


The main issue I had was I want to beat the crap out of this thing out of the hole all the time... and not have to worry about it (well T56 isnt indestructible but it gives me way more confidence). Having the ideal trans with the proper gear ratios for the v8 engine was also a motivator. Dont get me wrong though I am not suggesting everyone needs to do the T56... Ill tell you right now I would have been on the road long ago if I didnt start down this rabbit hole. I am willing to see it through though and wont be happy til its done.

Good luck with the build!

Thanks! I thought about a mated transmission swap but it sounded like a lot of extra work. Especially when supposedly the turbo trans will hold. And I'd like to kind of keep near that 50/50 weight distribution. It would be nice to not have to worry about it holding up. We shall see!

A little progress, found a buyer so I got the 2.5 pulled yesterday. It was actually very simple to bring it out the top, I don't understand everyone making such a big deal about it. Maybe it's just harder in the turbo models? I didn't have to take the crossmember loose, heck I didn't even have to pull the radiator. No more difficult than any other engine to pull out the top.

Now with the engine out I plan on cleaning up the engine bay by removing power steering and a/c components, converting the power steering steering rack, and removing the brake booster. And I need to pressure wash the bay. Then I'm back to parts waiting.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Looks like a good ol fashioned drivers car you're setting up there! 

My only watch out/suggestion would be to go ahead a pull the trigger on a new (not all gummed up) turbo radiator. I got mine for like $380 and I have zero overheating issues. I can't stress enough how much the "new" part of the radiator equation helped. I had a used turbo radiator before and it struggled. 

Anyway, good luck and have fun. 

JP

Thanks for the heads up! I'll try and find one, probably be better off sticking with the "better safe than sorry" tactic when it comes to keeping the engine cool.

You can buy a Griffin all aluminum radiator for cheaper. I always hated the 944 radiators with their plastic sides.

Went to the junkyard yesterday and found some goodies.  Bought two tail lights in great shape and some cool door molding trim pieces and a headlight motor with the pigtail (mine is broke) all for $40.  And I got an obd2 port with a good length of wires and a map sensor pigtail (broken on my harness) and starter bolts and other little things.

Unfortunately found today when I went to put the tail lights on that they cut the cab to fit the lights that are currently in it   so I'm stuck with what I got.  I know I can sell these at least and get my money back.

Ordering my cam kit next week.  Going with a 228r @ 110lsa.  Sounds big to me for a 5.3 but that's what texas speed recommended and they're the pros.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Figure I'd post an update. Have my longblock reassembled with a tsp 228r (.600/.600) @ 110 lsa. Also installed new valve springs, ls2 timing chain, ls7 lifters, and hardened pushrods. Big difference between the 5.3 and ls2 timing chain, new chain is a lot beefier. Had the heads decked .015 to help compression a little and had a valve job done.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Also converted to manual steering and cleaned up the engine bay.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Belt is on. If you arent running power steering or a/c this routing works out. Used camaro tensioner, water pump, and harmonic balancer, camaro alt bracket (mines aftermarket but same location) and replaced idler pulley with another ribbed pulley (same one that is on tensioner). Belt is 6 rib, 55.5"

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Most people have shifting problems in 1st and 2nd.  The previous pic shows your nub of the drive shaft, Ill assume you have your throw out bearing close. Could you measure the outer of your nub and inner of the throw out bearing?  I'm curious.

Not sure what measurement you're needing. Dont mind measuring, just not sure what youre after. I do have my throwout bearing

A=inside
b=outside

this clearance is lining up with possible shifting problems apparently too much causes vibration according to what I've read

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Ah, ok the pilot bearing. Yeah I have a micrometer, Ill check that out today and let you know. Hadn't heard of that issue before, makes sense though

I might have used the wrong name for the bearing but if you read " poor shifting " the clearance between those two parts are partly or completely being blamed for a little harder shifting in 1st or 2nd. now might be the time to look into that for you since all is out in open. Mr965 might have specs of before and after that could be used to salve a problem for all who do this swap.

I wonder if a sleeve could be made to press on the end of the shaft to make a tighter fit? Common on cranks, I don't see why one couldn't be used here. If a correct pilot bearing can't be sourced I mean. I'll get those numbers here in a bit

Well I dont think that is going to be an issue in my case. My pilot bearing and the shaft both measured out to precisely .588". It is a very tight fit. This is the pilot bearing TPC sells

I'm sure you slipped the pilot bearing on the shaft. All shaft ends are different. I replied to the "poor shifting" post to see what he had.  lets see what happens. I'm not trying to re-engineer anything. my car shifts a little stiff and I've learned to work around it but if I knew the solution to make it more user friendly id make it a winter project.

Yeah, it was snug on mine. Glad you mentioned it though, wouldve been bummed if it wasnt and I had everything together. Itd be cool if you could mic the snout of your driveshaft and your pilot bearing and have a sleeve made for it.

Just an update, I've verified my slave cylinder / pressure plate finger gap is right in the middle of where it should be at .177 for a stock pressure plate. So far everything from TPC has been top quality and a good fit.

Installed the bellhousing and torque tube adaptor, installed the VSS at the transaxle, and installed a walbro gsl-392 in place of the factory pump and eliminated the factory fuel filter. The 392 is a common one for ls swaps so it should hold up fine.

Also installed my brake booster delete.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Looking into wider tires for my fuchs that might hold the power a little better I've realized the choices are slim. Summitracing however does have several options that may work out for me. Figured I'd post em up in case anyone else is looking for tires for 15s

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

You know you have to check the drive shaft to pilot bearing insertion without the pressure plate installed or have you done that?

I havent yet, I will. Still waiting on my intake and manifolds before I test fit and put it in

lsporsche wrote:Looking into wider tires for my fuchs that might hold the power a little better I've realized the choices are slim.  Summitracing however does have several options that may work out for me.  Figured I'd post em up in case anyone else is looking for tires for 15s

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

the mickey thompson sportsman sr tires arent really that stickey. used them on a couple projects, they are ok, but not a real good handling tire or that stickey. id take the nittos before the sportsman sr

Ok, thanks for the heads up!