ryan88pathy Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Starting off I know some are going to be mad and some are going to kill over from a busted gutt. Now most of us all seffer from lack of power and that could be an understatment, we all try to find an easy fix but most of the time we still wont get what we want with the amount of effort we put into it. I was reading a thread about LS engines and ran across a few jeeps that had done the swap with good improvment to performance and dependability. So knowing what we all know, (that pathfinders are better than jeeps) why not do the swap. I have a donner 2002 chevy tahoe 4x4, 5.3, 4l60e, and I think a np tranfer not yet comfirmed. SO with 320hp with a lot more hp prospects with bolt on's, bullet proof auto trans in a light weight pathy im thinking this could be everything anyone could want in pathfinder, everyday driver, tow rig, prob a mpg buster and what we all want a great trail rig. IS THIS CRAZY? Now for the research! And your thoughts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 No, not crazy. A lot of work I'm sure you're aware. V8path (I think) on here shoehorned a tune-port 350 in his with a straight axle swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 4L60E is far from bullet proof. I'd much rather use a trans adapter and use a 3.5L transmission. Sent from my Moto X 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Aftermarket support for a GM Trans is basically bar-none. 6L80E is where it's at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 As for the trans, it was replaced with a moster transmission and is a beef in the tahoe. It pulls like a beast! Thanks kingman, I'll start looking for it. I just told my wife what I want to do and I think she said somthing about cold day in hell or something along those lines. I really wasn't listning! My big thing is trying not to do a sas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I think at 320hp (and using it) you are going to start putting a strain on the drive train, or certainly at least the front CVs. I thought the Chebby V6 was a popular swap and fits better? Will that bolt to your trans? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 It's already a super tight fit with the VG pan and diff. Go look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 So i did some generic measurements of length,width and height. The length only shows a slight problem but can made to fit with stub bolt ons such as electric water pump, electric fans, and some other odd and ends As for the width and height since both are effected at the same time and present a lot of the same problems A 3'' body lift will be needed for clearance of master cylinder transmission and for the added size of the intake. Another limiting factor for width are the inner fenders and will need to be cut or removed for header clearance. When measuring the oil pan I noticed similar design features for being a rear and shallow sump with an added benefit of oil filter location on the rear driverside of the pan. I can understand the concern for more hp putting more strain on the existing drive train but I don't intend on rock crawling or drag racing it but simply making the rig travel with less effort for the weight provided. ON a high note there are plenty of people on this forum who have done sas that don't seem to touch the sky so one might be in order down the road. Precis1- Yes the v6 will fit but it only pulls the 200hp range, i could get that with the vg and there for the swap wouldn't be a notable or well deserved swap for the pathy. I know I can get more out chebby v6 than 200hp but there is always one thing you can count on and thats displacement. Thats where I'm at now. More to come and keep the comment coming. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 It's nice that the IFS 4x4 rigs with those motors are well clearanced for the front diff. Hopefully they clear ours. As far as power is concerned, lay on it. Seriously. You're not going to hurt the rear end or our manual tranny with the Vortec. Front driveshafts, likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92Path_68CJ Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Sounds like a super tight fit. However, the HP is quite nice. Especially out of something that made 320~ from the start, versus built to make 300~. If it can fit, why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gv280z Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Isn't this Nismothunder's realm? is he still active? If you want to go big and put lots of work into high HP you can still do that with the VG30 block without going turbo. It's all about the cam / head work and bore out to make into a vg34. Even if you stayed with the original bore and stroke, just the head flow with 3rd angle to 5th angle valve job and big cams with port and polish, combined with the lower weight of the smaller mass engine, and throw in a lightweight flywheel, and then go with all the Jim Wolf ecu, pop charger etc...you could build a little screamer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Everything you said times 10 only amounted to 285 HP at the wheels in a full on race car. Making big power NA with these motors is not easy. What these motors do well is handle boost, and a while lot of it. That's when you start laying down some serious numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gv280z Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Research Nismothunder and see if he recorded his build because he did it and finished it, I just read his profile. He stuffed a 305 into his Pathy. He's the man you need for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Wow! So i took some leads from yall and started poking around and found the v8pathy and what a rig it is. It does look super tight but doable. If anyone has ever worked on a v8 ford exploder then this cant be to much worse when is comes to room under the hood, the only up side to this is its a chevy. A few things im thinking of that might be headaches, deal breakers and things i just dont know about. The 4l60e is a rugged transmission and has been built to handle 600 + hp from monster is about 2 years old now. All though its in great shape i worry about it being computer controlled and how easy it would be make the viable connections to the spedo, aftermarket shifters for the trans forward and revers, and also if i keep the transfer case it to is electronically controlled. The question, would it be better or easier to stay with the 4l60e or swap to the 700r thats not computer controlled and i will have to buy it, rebuild it, and find and buy a manual transfercase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I would not be surprised if you could run a 4L60E off the Nissan computer. I saw a guy on Youtube running a 4L60E with three light switches mounted to his dash, one for solenoid A, one for B, and one for converter lockup, and I'm pretty sure the Nissan slushbox has the same connections (though the sensors might require swapping over). If the throw of the Nissan shifter is different from the Chevy shifter, maybe the Chevy shifter could be modified to fit. The speedo on an 88 is cable, so that could be interesting depending on how the 4L60E's speed sensor is set up. The round dash Pathfinders use electronic speed sensors instead of cables, so if you did a dash swap, you could eliminate the cable entirely and just use a reed-switch speed sensor. If the ratio's not right, you can get speedo correction kits that'll take the wrong signal and convert it. The headache I've heard about with the GM transmissions is that they hang their transfer cases off the passenger's side. The Nissan case and diff are on the driver's side. IIRC there's an adaptor somewhere that allows you to use the Nissan case on a Chevy trans (someone was trying to sell one a while back?) but short of that you're looking at a solid axle swap if you want 4x4. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 SO this thang just gots to get nutts thrown in the mix. I started this morning off with a cup of coffee and did some work on the computer and had a little time left over so craigslist browsing was needed. On my search for all things i dont need so i ran accross a 96 pathy with 190k, 5 speed, and 4x4. The ad. said $1200 and looks clean on the inside but outside is strait with faided paint. For fun I sent the guy a txt wanting more info and just now heard back, HE said it has a bad shack in the front and has something to do with the cv axle and bearing. I know the KID doesnt know much about cars just from the way he talked and had little to no knowledge about the car having owned it for 2 years. After 20 questions he said the lowest he would go is $900 for it and what i think is a good deal. I know for $900 its still a good buy but does anybody have any extra things i should look at with these models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Take a look at the front strut mounts (they rot out on the R50s). Also see if he knows anything about when the timing belt was done last, sounds like a long shot though. So, VG33 in your 88 or LS in the 96? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 YA thats a good (?) I think the ls swap wont work in the 96 due to it not having a frame for the added space needed from the body lift. As for the 33 swap my wife tells me I only need one pathy and she voted for the 4door version. With a 4 year old and 10 month old the 4 door is more (fam friendly).Car seats can be a real b*tch but I do like the 1st gen, looks better. Looks like I'm about to sell the 88. Sad day But for $900 I cant pass up the deal. THanks for the advice on the strut mounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Yeah, the two doors look nicer IMO but climbing over the front seats must get old. There was a guy who crammed a VH45DE in his R50. Oh, and on the strut mounts, you might want to give this thread a read through for what to look for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12A Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 VH45DE was done down here (Australia) and came up for sale a while back in an R50. seemed a bit tight and old mate was after way too much for what it was. As for space, an LS is an easy doer. Marks 4x4 sell the adaptors for the transfer to the GM trans. Bellhousings are an easy swap to the LS from 304/308 if required. http://www.marks4wd.com/engine-conversions/transfer-case-adaptors/nissan/navara-pathfinder.html If you can shoehorn a 1UZFE in a hilux, and a VH45DE in a R50, you cannot tell me you will have space issues with a LS swap. Infact, if i could LS swap my FD3S RX7 with ample room, its an absolute no brainer for the D21/22/R50. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12A Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Should add, I worked in the industry and performed engine conversions for quite some time. I assessed my D21 for a LS2 swap before i decided on a KA24ET.. Reason for going KA24 in the end was because of cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Well the ka24et I think will be out of the question for me And the big thing i think will cause the problem is the size of the transmission on the r50. I picked up the r50 96, and as he stated that the right cv axle is a total goner and i just so happen to pop the tire when I loaded it on the trailer. After looking it over for about a hour there are only one or two things that need to be fixed such as axle and door handle but every thing from power windows, sunroof, power mirrors, a/c heat ,lights, and radio. The paint looks like utter @!*% but other than that i cant find anything wrong with it, but im sure in time there will be a gremlin or two pop up. Looks like i need to start a r50 page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azbuilt Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Why not do a GM 4.8 it's cheap, right under 300, a couple mods and bam 300+.. Light weight small but still a v8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan88pathy Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 The 4.8ls and the 5.3 ls are the same size engine. In fact they are the same engine just different stroke sizes. And on the plus side of the 5.3ls I have one that's parked in a 4x4 tahoe that I never drive. Now if only there was a bell house adapter I would be set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azbuilt Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Dang, thought it had some lighter heads and so on, size I mean more components for 5.3 maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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