Johnny's Two Tone LS3 240SX

[drfftn]

Yo yo everyone decided I would go ahead a create a build thread. I'm wishing I had a go pro right now so I could record all the stuff I'm doing with the car. Forget to take the photo out take take photos.

Bought a 89 240sx Two tone from a guy down in Fresno. Picked up the car for $1,000 and used my AAA membership to tow it back to SJ. The car is was missing its transmission, driveshaft, and misc other parts. Car does have some quarter panel damage that doesn't seem too bad. I'll be purchasing over fenders anyways so it wouldn't be seen anyways. Once all the the rain passed I decided to yank the motor out and get rid of it. I sold the motor and wiring harness for 350.

As for the swap I have a LS3 w/ TR6060 that I plan on swapping in. I know I will have plenty of work to bash the trans tunnel in and to make the friggin shifter work. I've read that some have purchased the Gen 5 Camaro MGW shifter to modified it to make it work. I've seen other people using a resto mod and customer shifters.The motor was pulled out of a wrecked SS that had only 10k miles on it. My homie owns a salvage and set me up with the motor due to some work we did with one another earlier in the year. I'm going to be picking up the complete intake manifold along with the valley cover.

For wiring harness I will be going with Speartech ATM. I've contacted them and they told me they'll create a new harness for me application that will mount the pcm behind the dash or stock location. I was also checking out tweaked performance but one there site it states they require that I send in a core harness. Well I sold my stock harness along with the motor so I'm SOL or buy one for them.

Fueled Racing will be taking care of the motor mounts for me. There the only company on the market that makes bolt in mounts as far as I know of. I'm not trying to modify the mounts to make them work (holly and sikky.




LS3 W/ TR6060




Pic of the motor about to come out. Just had disconnected all the grounds, electrical, etc.... My pops in the photo btw.


Motors Out


KA24DE sitting next the the TR6060 MH3 ZR1 Euro Transmission I have also (2k picked up or 200 shipped if anyone wants it.



Started scrubbing the engine bay getting it ready for paint!!




Anyone know wtf these cut wires were/are exposed to go to?




Started to pull out all the damn wires the previous owner ran. All sorts of alarm equipment and stereo junk ran everywhere!!!



Started with this...


Ended with this....

[Future240]

how far into the build does it go?

[drfftn]

Originally Posted by Future240

how far into the build does it go?

I just started the build last month, I'll update the thread as I go. Car is currently drying from paint. I'll be picking the car up tomorrow.

Picked up a body harness, lower harness, and engine harness for 100$ I needed the lower and engine harness to send to tweaked peformance to have the do the wiring harness for me.

Btw: the tr6060 mh3 that's in the photo I had it listed on a Corvette forum and a shop named RKT Performance hit me up asking to purchase it. We worked out a deal so I'm trading the tr6060 for a fully built T56 gto transmission!! He helped me with a sikky kit too. So I purchased a fully sikky swap kit, headers, intake, clutch kit, fuel kit blah blah blah. A lot of damn money!

[rawgarage]

Damn Dizzariot gonna hate you got a 2 tone

[Rovch]

Originally Posted by drfftn

Btw: the tr6060 mh3 that's in the photo I had it listed on a Corvette forum and a shop named RKT Performance hit me up asking to purchase it. We worked out a deal so I'm trading the tr6060 for a fully built T56 gto transmission!! He helped me with a sikky kit too. So I purchased a fully sikky swap kit, headers, intake, clutch kit, fuel kit blah blah blah. A lot of damn money!

I dislike the feel of T56 GTO transmission. That's exactly what I have in my S14 and so does my good friend in his RX7. Feels bulky. Was hoping that mine will be different since it was rebuilt, but I guess it's just the design or something.

With that said, this is not to discourage you and I wish you better luck with your transmission choice.

[drfftn]

Been a minute since I've updated the thread. I forgot to take pics all the time so its hard for me to have updates in the first place. I get busy working and don't bother messing with my phone.

Engine bay painted...



Looks like Xmas arrived early! I'm missing a driveshaft still which Sikky should be 2nd day airing me once they have more in stock. Recevied my fully built T56 from RKT Performance! Thanks a million Rick if you ever see this. Anyone tell what kind of car is to the right? I own one of those too but I never talk about her too much.. Its an R32..



My dog looking handsome as furak!



T56 is out of the box. You can see the Camaro Tr6060 in the background which I just sold to a fellow Zilvia member. My father was doing me a favor a meeting the member at Lost Hills, CA to drop off the transmission when there car broke down at exit 379 on Hwy 5. So I'll be delivery the tranny myself come thursday...




I also shipped off my rack and pinion to be rebuilt. Hopefully it will be here sooner than later... In the mean time I have the crossmember out to scrub and paint.

Dirty....


Clean.. Pic of the member not yet painted though. Its been painted already so I need to get an update pic! Looks like its brand new!

[rawgarage]

I need that stock DOHC harness

Text me 9792366891

[2muchboost]

Love the build but I agree.....would have the TR6060 any day over a t56 unless it's an all out track car. T56 seem to be a bit more forgiving on missed high rpm shifts but that's about it. I did not like the T56 at all even when upgraded. 6060 is a much more pleasant setup for daily.
Subbed for the build.

[drfftn]

Little Update:

Sikky driveshaft that was back ordered came in finally too! Order a T56 bellhousing which should be here after memorial day.

Rebuild steering rack came finally made it back to me and recevied so ISR Pro Tension Rods. I originally had order just the basic ISR tension rods but they were sold out so Enjuku upgraded me to the pros for no free.







DEI Gold tape applied to the firewall. More heat protection will be added underneath and in the trans tunnel. With the crossmember painted, new energy rack bushings, and rebuilt rack it looks pretty damn good.





Biggest news I ordered a custom cam from RKT performance . 224/228 .581/.588 112 LSA. Dual valve springs with TI retainers, C5R Timing Chain, Melling Oil pump. Rick from RKT told me a customer with the same Cam, headers, exhaust, and CAI made 512hp after tune.

[drfftn]

Haven't posted for some time now as I never take the time out the photograph what I'm doing. Figured ya'll don't want to see a bunch of photos of packages I'm getting.


I picked up a brand new mishimoto KA radiator and fan off a fellow zilvia member which is in the largest box. Also received my cam upgrade, harmonic balancer, fuel pieces, and bellhousing.


Replaced the summit snap on fuel fittings with Russell screw on pieces.


Bellhousing! You can see the R32 in the photos too.



Drained the gas tank of the old fuel that was still in the tank and replaced the fuel pump with a Walbro.



Received the JOOG on a LS3 speartech wiring harness, gas pedal, maf, and flashed PCM for 700$ brand new!!! Guy had it listed for sale for $1000 for a week and he lowered the price to 800 and told him I'd give him 700 cash. Picked it up the following Monday once he was back in his shop!



Replaced the valve cover gasket and halfmoons on the R32 as they were leaking.



R32 sitting in the front yard :]

[drfftn]

Been MIA for a while. Not too much to update as I've been traveling. Returned from EDC LV not too long ago. After I got back I decided I should bolt the flywheel back on the engine so that I could remove the harmonic balancer. Turning the last pass of the final TQ specs on the first bolt I didn't pay attention that I had set the TQ to 94ft and not 74. I snapped the bolt head off....

Its out though! Thanks to the Irwin Master Screw Extractor kit!!!




Purchased some ARP FW bolts now to replace the bran new OEM ones I was using.

[BoostyMcZface]

in for progress, looks good so far man. what are you doing for rear end setup and gearing? and who did your rack refurb?

[supersayianjim]

you lucky bastard!!(owner of the r32)/

so what prompted you to go chevy in this build being a skyline owner?

[drfftn]

Originally Posted by supersayianjim

you lucky bastard!!(owner of the r32)/

so what prompted you to go chevy in this build being a skyline owner?

I wanted reliable power with the ls3 that is no problem. Not having to order parts for japan or hunt or discontinued shit makes me a happy camper.

I haven't done an update in a very long time. The car has made a lot of progress, but only a few minor things to get her running. I had to retap the transmission cross member holes as the previous owner fucked them up! I've had a couple hiccups along the way. The issues I've run into so far are the parts I've ordered are either:

1.) not the right damn part
2.) not giving all the parts required
3.) company didn't assemble their product correctly


Laundry list to have her running:

1. Run fuel lines to tank (literally just need to be mounted to the rails)
2. Wire power to starter and alternator
3. Wire power, ignition, fuel etc....
4. Get fluids in the girl (trans,oil, and clutch)




Installing the transmission this way was hard was fuck. Was way easier jus stabbing the trans to the engine with the bellhousing on the trans, not the motor.




Instead of using the engine hoist to drop the motor in, we just lowered the body of the car onto the subframe. As you can see my dumbass didn't place the headers on before installing the motor. Had to pull the engine back out to get the drivers side in.... Should have checked the directions first






How it currently sits in the garage. I'll be finishing everything up probably Thursday this week.

[rawgarage]

Sell me ur old parts....

--Deleted--

[drfftn]

Haven't posted any updates because of this.... The piston decided it didn't want to stay in the block any longer (see pics of carnage). I have no idea how this even happened. The first time engine started no problem ran roughly for 45 secs (have a video) with no issues.

[BryanS14]

Looks like no oil in the motor to me.

Everything looks way too clean.

Did that once to a 5hp water pump engine.

[Jtuned_andy]

Your motor committed suicide because it didnt want to be put into a nissan, it made a good choice

[drfftn]

Originally Posted by BryanS14

Looks like no oil in the motor to me.

Everything looks way too clean.

Did that once to a 5hp water pump engine.

Def oil in the motor, it wasn't due to lack of oil pressure. The engine had no issues with fuel pressure. I will be testing out the harness and injectors to see if one was stuck open or leaking fuel.

Dropped the motor out from the bottom again. I just placed my motorcycle jack underneath the oil pan/subframe and unbolted the subframe while it was laying on the jack. Let the engine down and boom your out!



Engine bay looks empty again.




Motor is on the stand once again! Ready for tear down!



Head still looks fine...



Made good numbers with no piston on cylinder 4. Thinking this time if I ran all 8 pistons it might run a little better..




New motor on the way! Anyone guess what the replacement will be?

[BryanS14]

Originally Posted by drfftn

Head still looks fine...



Made good numbers with no piston on cylinder 4. Thinking this time if I ran all 8 pistons it might run a little better..

[greenwood]

vg30dett is your next engine to put in or a 4g63

[shaggyjake]

Please say LS7

[drfftn]

Originally Posted by greenwood

vg30dett is your next engine to put in or a 4g63

Close! I was planning to with a BPY motor out of MK5 GTi!

Originally Posted by shaggyjake

Please say LS7

Fuuuccckkk I wish I had the funds for one! New motor is a forged LS3!!! Took me forever to get around to getting more funds to throw away! Had a engine builder in Sacramento that specializes in LS motors build the motor.

Had to purchase another block, which would be using the stock LS3 crank and all the after market goodies from TSP.





Motor fully assmebled



Got the clutch installed and transmission




To install the motor I used a transmission jack and floor jack to slowly let the car down ontop the crossmember. No need for a hoist at all!



Motor is in now with the accesories all hooked up. I had to order a new intake manifold since there is so many tiny pieces of piston in it. I cannot let a $200 part destroy everything I've built... Injectors have been sent off to HP Injectors in illinois to be cleaned and etc....

Once the parts are in I will install everything else!