DGR Fabrication LSX Motor Mount Kits Now Available!!!
10-19-09, 08:21 AM
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Comfort features
Hey guys, Dan at DGR Fab here. I understand how daunting a task this can seem, with roughly 20 ECUs of various types in the GS. Jays car was taken down to a bare shell, caged, painted, drivetrain installed and back on the road in roughly 6 weeks. The great thing about modern automotive systems is that all systems are largely independent of each other. ABS, Airbags, column memory, etc all have their own sub systems. The main items that will prove themselves a chore are Tach and speedometer. Speedometers can be wired in and recalibrated by a speedometer shop. The LSx platform uses a tachometer signal which is most like a 4 cylinder signal. Once our SC is running and driving, we will tackle the tach signal. Everything is doable, just a matter of making the time to get it going. If anyone has questions about any more specific concerns, post them and I'll get into more specifics one by one...
Dan Gallmeister
DGR Fab
Dan Gallmeister
DGR Fab
10-20-09, 12:02 PM
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Dan
10-20-09, 12:11 PM
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Air Conditioning is a question of having lines made. Jays car is largely a track car, and the AC is not hooked up yet. I have contacted a local hydraulic line shop who can make the necessary lines, so soon we'll be able to supply them. After that the A/C signal just needs signals from the pressure switch, and the console switch.
Cruise can be hooked up and is controlled through the LSx ECU. Make sure to get the cruise actuators with your LSx if you want cruise to work
Dan
10-20-09, 03:06 PM
#22
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Thank you Dan or DGR Fab, for making this possible, as I was a big "nay-sayer" in believing that there would never be a bowtie in a Lexus. A side from the above questions I would very much love to get some more information from you...
1. Did you replace the Lexus drive by wire setup for the LS1 set up or did you use a cable? The LS motor is a drive by wire, with its own pedal or throttle position sensor correct?
2. Might you possibly have pictures of the oil pan?
3. Did the GS sheet metal need any "massaging" to fit the motor?
4. With the eng/tran mounts, does the T-56 shifter come right up through the existing shifter hole with no persuasion? Supra Master cyl with Camaro slave cyl?
5. IIRC you started out with a GS300, since the GS400 has a V8, couldn't you use the 400 tach?
6. How much was the drive shaft?
7. Any unforeseen issues like oil filter access, exhaust manifold clearance, hood to intake manifold clearance?
8. Did you have happen to discuss fuel and I miss it? Pump, return line, FPR?
Well I think I am pretty much out of the easy ones... If you would prefer to do this over email, I can PM you with my address, I am very interested in the little details too! Thanks for your time, as it is more than appreciated.
1. Did you replace the Lexus drive by wire setup for the LS1 set up or did you use a cable? The LS motor is a drive by wire, with its own pedal or throttle position sensor correct?
2. Might you possibly have pictures of the oil pan?
3. Did the GS sheet metal need any "massaging" to fit the motor?
4. With the eng/tran mounts, does the T-56 shifter come right up through the existing shifter hole with no persuasion? Supra Master cyl with Camaro slave cyl?
5. IIRC you started out with a GS300, since the GS400 has a V8, couldn't you use the 400 tach?
6. How much was the drive shaft?
7. Any unforeseen issues like oil filter access, exhaust manifold clearance, hood to intake manifold clearance?
8. Did you have happen to discuss fuel and I miss it? Pump, return line, FPR?
Well I think I am pretty much out of the easy ones... If you would prefer to do this over email, I can PM you with my address, I am very interested in the little details too! Thanks for your time, as it is more than appreciated.
Last edited by 3UZFTE; 10-20-09 at 03:43 PM.
10-20-09, 09:53 PM
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Thank you Dan or DGR Fab, for making this possible,
Dan, DGR Fab...We're the same guy
as I was a big "nay-sayer" in believing that there would never be a bowtie in a Lexus. A side from the above questions I would very much love to get some more information from you...
1. Did you replace the Lexus drive by wire setup for the LS1 set up or did you use a cable? The LS motor is a drive by wire, with its own pedal or throttle position sensor correct?
---One of the true beauties of the LSx platform is the portability of parts from one to another. Our '04 GTO LS1 came with the cable throttle body, and we used that. Another project in the shop was an LS6 that came with the drive by wire, which we swiched to a cable throttle body. Either can be used and configured, the drive by wire requiring the GM pedal assembly to be used. In either case the key is to program your ECU to work with the set of parameters you have.
2. Might you possibly have pictures of the oil pan?
---See below
3. Did the GS sheet metal need any "massaging" to fit the motor?
---No sheetmetal was massaged to get the LS in the engine compartment. Nor the crossmember.
4. With the eng/tran mounts, does the T-56 shifter come right up through the existing shifter hole with no persuasion? Supra Master cyl with Camaro slave cyl?
---The only sheetmetal changes were made in the trans tunnel due to the use of the short shifter which locates the shifter pivot forward ~4 inches. The stock shifter stubs up through the existing hole with no trimming. I recommend opening the shifter hole somewhat to allow for some drivetrain movement. With the urethane mounts that come with the kit, the drivetrain really does not move much, but the opening for the automatic shifter is much smaller than the typical manual shifter opening in any car.
The master has to be a minimum of 3/4". We achieved this with a modified Supra pedal and Wilwood master cylinder.
5. IIRC you started out with a GS300, since the GS400 has a V8, couldn't you use the 400 tach?
---Left to be seen. The LSx gives a 4 cylinder typical pulse signal. IF the 400 Tach uses the same signal type, yes. We will be finding this out on out LS1 SC300 project which is coming along nicely...
6. How much was the drive shaft?
---As part of the basic kit, the customers pinion shaft is modified to accept a standard U joint. We can either have a shaft made for you, or provide you with the measurements to have one made locally to avoid oversized shipping charges. Driveshaft with all new parts was right around $400.
7. Any unforeseen issues like oil filter access, exhaust manifold clearance, hood to intake manifold clearance?
---Oil filter is right up front and vary easy to access from under the car. We used "block hugger" headers and modified the collector outlets with a bend towards the trans tunnel with v band clamps. There are so incredibly many headers available for these engines, I'm sure there are some off the shelf headers that fit. I may do a run of GS specific headers if there is enough interest in them. The stock manifolds will not fit. We have no clearance issues at all between manifold and hood.
8. Did you have happen to discuss fuel and I miss it? Pump, return line, FPR?
---Jays car uses a Sard Jet pump killer in the tank along with any Walbro style pump, a -6 line added to the fuel pump flange for return (bulkhead fitting), a 2001 corvette fuel filter which has the regulator built in, with a single feed to the engine. (feed and return simply run to the filter)
Well I think I am pretty much out of the easy ones... If you would prefer to do this over email, I can PM you with my address, I am very interested in the little details too! Thanks for your time, as it is more than appreciated.
Dan, DGR Fab...We're the same guy
as I was a big "nay-sayer" in believing that there would never be a bowtie in a Lexus. A side from the above questions I would very much love to get some more information from you...
1. Did you replace the Lexus drive by wire setup for the LS1 set up or did you use a cable? The LS motor is a drive by wire, with its own pedal or throttle position sensor correct?
---One of the true beauties of the LSx platform is the portability of parts from one to another. Our '04 GTO LS1 came with the cable throttle body, and we used that. Another project in the shop was an LS6 that came with the drive by wire, which we swiched to a cable throttle body. Either can be used and configured, the drive by wire requiring the GM pedal assembly to be used. In either case the key is to program your ECU to work with the set of parameters you have.
2. Might you possibly have pictures of the oil pan?
---See below
3. Did the GS sheet metal need any "massaging" to fit the motor?
---No sheetmetal was massaged to get the LS in the engine compartment. Nor the crossmember.
4. With the eng/tran mounts, does the T-56 shifter come right up through the existing shifter hole with no persuasion? Supra Master cyl with Camaro slave cyl?
---The only sheetmetal changes were made in the trans tunnel due to the use of the short shifter which locates the shifter pivot forward ~4 inches. The stock shifter stubs up through the existing hole with no trimming. I recommend opening the shifter hole somewhat to allow for some drivetrain movement. With the urethane mounts that come with the kit, the drivetrain really does not move much, but the opening for the automatic shifter is much smaller than the typical manual shifter opening in any car.
The master has to be a minimum of 3/4". We achieved this with a modified Supra pedal and Wilwood master cylinder.
5. IIRC you started out with a GS300, since the GS400 has a V8, couldn't you use the 400 tach?
---Left to be seen. The LSx gives a 4 cylinder typical pulse signal. IF the 400 Tach uses the same signal type, yes. We will be finding this out on out LS1 SC300 project which is coming along nicely...
6. How much was the drive shaft?
---As part of the basic kit, the customers pinion shaft is modified to accept a standard U joint. We can either have a shaft made for you, or provide you with the measurements to have one made locally to avoid oversized shipping charges. Driveshaft with all new parts was right around $400.
7. Any unforeseen issues like oil filter access, exhaust manifold clearance, hood to intake manifold clearance?
---Oil filter is right up front and vary easy to access from under the car. We used "block hugger" headers and modified the collector outlets with a bend towards the trans tunnel with v band clamps. There are so incredibly many headers available for these engines, I'm sure there are some off the shelf headers that fit. I may do a run of GS specific headers if there is enough interest in them. The stock manifolds will not fit. We have no clearance issues at all between manifold and hood.
8. Did you have happen to discuss fuel and I miss it? Pump, return line, FPR?
---Jays car uses a Sard Jet pump killer in the tank along with any Walbro style pump, a -6 line added to the fuel pump flange for return (bulkhead fitting), a 2001 corvette fuel filter which has the regulator built in, with a single feed to the engine. (feed and return simply run to the filter)
Well I think I am pretty much out of the easy ones... If you would prefer to do this over email, I can PM you with my address, I am very interested in the little details too! Thanks for your time, as it is more than appreciated.
Email is certainly an option:
dan@dgrfabrication.com
10-20-09, 10:02 PM
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10-21-09, 01:14 PM
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Congrats on pulling this off DGR!!! I have plans on doing a GTE swap in my SC300 and going all the way with the GTE swap in my GS300 (I already have the GTE short block with the GE head installed), but I may be contacting you about doing the LS swap instead, since I had fantasies of doing this before, but now it's a reality!!
10-22-09, 08:00 AM
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Too bad you're in GA... if you drive the car it will change your mind about the GTE plans. Seriously I have no complaints about the LS motor choice at all and I have driven GTE swaps previously on the track. I can't wait to put a KB blower on it or something
10-22-09, 09:27 AM
#29
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10-22-09, 09:30 AM
#30
I was visiting a buddy's shop yesterday that only does LSX stuff. His extra cab truck runs high 10's on a cam and 200 shot of nitrous. I was having him weld some aluminum for my GS' radiator setup. I told him about this kit, he says I should do it. Looks like we're building a 6.0 LS2 stroking it to a 408 for my STS turbo silverado, but now maybe for the GS?