LS2 swap by KAB Customs with Pure Automotive Motec
 

After modding my BRZ and being on the verge of selling it, I've decided to take on a bigger project, LS2-BRZ.

My journal http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31625 provides details on my current setup. In summary, I run a boosted BRZ that put down 552 WHP and 471 WTQ.

Before asking WHY? Read the second post.

The plan is to have an N/A build, with the added security of having an engine/transmission combo more than capable of handling the power with additional supporting mods already installed in the car.

The major components of the Build will be:

2007 Corvette LS2 Engine
TSP Heads and Cam N/A package (around 500 WHP/ 500 WTQ)
2011 Camaro SS TR-6060 Transmission
LS7 Stock Clutch
CX Racing Motor Mounts
Custom transmission mount and fabrication done locally by KAB Customs
Motec M130 plug and play package from Pure Automotive
Driveshaft Shop Custom Driveshaft
Sikky Front Sump Oil Pan
Hooker Shorty Headers

More to come as the project gets underway.

Motor Arrived! 12/06/16

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First question is, WHY? BRO, you can get a Camaro and be done.

Second question is But you’ll spend so much money!?!?!?

I hope to answer both here.

First is first, this is the best bang for buck when I weighed up all options and my goals with the car.

My main concern has always been the FA20 at that power level. The only way I would consider the FA20 reliable at those power levels, is getting an engine built by FullBlown or MAP performance or any of these shops, which hover around $6K price tag + shipping, + swapping cost + giving up your engine as a core. This total adds up to close to $10k. Finally, after you get your amazing built motor, you’re still left to deal with the glass transmission (glass at least at those power levels). Additionally, there are no easy fixes for the transmission. Everything to make it stronger starts at around $6K, plus labor costs and some of the offerings do to rate it past 350 TQ. Several years ago I went through the forged motor path and know firsthand it can be a rocky one. A number of people don’t realize that building a motor does not mean it will be forever bulletproof, that even at a lower than rated power they can blow by a number of factors. I’ve had to work blood, sweat and tears for a motor and see it blow just a few hours after it got done.
I had been on the brink of doing a swap before but was turned off by the astronomical costs of swapping an engine and especially with the fact of dealing with the CANBUS system in the car.

Crunching out numbers, selling my FA20, glassbox, turbo kit, and added the above value $$, it makes for a reasonable budget to allow for the motor swap. This of course is also made possible because I have a good trustworthy shop, with tons of experience swapping engines and doing custom fab work in KAB Customs.

The only two options on my mind were 2JZ and LS. Bang for buck wise and with my intended N/A build, the LS made more sense to me.

Now, a lot of people will think BRO, you swapped a V8 in there, you need to shoot for 1K+ HP.

While I understand the thinking, I am not shooting for numbers even near that. I’m old enough to know, the chase for fastest car is an unwinnable one. I know those power figures are basically impossible to drive around on this light car. What I do want is something similar to what I have, with the N/A feel and above all, reliably. I am not gonna lie, I really want that V8 sound and torque. I will also be real and accept part of the want to do the swap is the fact of completing something “hard” to accomplish, it’s a mini challenge.

LS2 swap by KAB Customs with Pure Automotive Motec
 

A couple of important points as I've already driven the car a few months, on what to expect with the swap and to whomever asks what roadblocks can I expect:



I think the most important part of the swap is to educate yourself a whole lot before diving into it. Unless you have an open checkbook, then I would say ship it to Pure Automotive, they've done plenty of swaps and have nailed down both the hardware and the software.



I lost a lot of time and wasted some money because there was some stuff I needed to figure out as I went, I did not have everything readily available and some things you just learn as you go. I thought the slim fans and shroud everyone sells are enough, but in my particular case, when it's 99 degrees outside with AC on, the slim fans could not keep up, thus I needed to upgrade to 1300 cfm fans. That is just an example of "wasted money" because I didn't have the knowledge. If anyone asked me today, I'd say go with the bigger fans from the get-go. I also learned this 40ish% more powerful fans work with the stock wiring, the fuse just needs to be changed from 25A to 30A. I also went with a lover temperature thermostat, which has helped tremendously and the car runs a lot better with it, temps. stay in check.



I've learned that there is no bolt on and go and no plug and play package will be absolutely plug and play with zero issues, although some will have vey minor stuff to do custom (Motec), while others will involve a lot of custom wiring and some others advertised as plug and play are really a shithole garbage...



I bought some unnecesary fittings here and there, because I didn't know which ones worked at the end. I learned that choosing an ECU option is only half the battle, as finding a tuner for it might be more challenging. I learned that the 4.10 stock final drive is too much, and you are way better served with the 3.73 from the IS300.



Those are all just examples. Once the car is back together and all the little issues are sorted out, the car is a lot of fun. easy to drive, sounds sick, the torque is intoxicating. but the road to get there will have some frustrating spots for sure (again unless we're talking about an open checkbook, send the car to Pure and forget about anything else). Anyone local to South FL I would recommend the shop I used KAB customs as they've also already done more than one and have some intricate details of the swap already figured out.

RESERVED #2

Did you get a good deal on the LS2?

Yes, I searched a few places, and got it for less than $4k shipped.

For ECU, you considere MEGA-SQUIRT?

Have you looked at the Vorshlag Thread?

MRS Electronics is currently working on a can translator. For full working system, you will need to keep the factory FRS ECU, but small beans for Full Can integration with a non-factory engine. Just another option to think about. MRS Can Integration

Excited to see the progress.

^ I'll save you that Motec money :)

I haven't will look into it.

I've been following MRS posts and would LOVE to use it, but I need to make a decision on it real soon and don't know if it will be available when the time comes.

With the Haltech, the plan is to use the BRZ ECU to keep some of the systems happy, but definitely it's not 1000% integration like the Motec.

But again, I am not dead set on getting the Haltech. If it can be done simpler, I'm more than up for it. This is a simple N/A build, not a full retard twin charged monster.

I'm in :thumbup:, hopefully the timeframe works.

Thanks Dustin :thumbup::thumbup:

remember its not only about factory can integration when it comes to an ecu. we have done things with motec that we couldn't do with aem v2 in the green shop car, and ecutek with direct support from the engineers in my car when it had the fa20. but with that said, the can module, stock frs/brz ecu and a GM ecu with hptuners could be all that you need for a simple NA setup and a basic street car. would be the most cost effective way to do the swap and still give you enough control to make a functioning car

That's very true. I've seen the things you have done with the Motec (like launching the car and it dead hooking nasty). It just seems for my specific application it might be out of reach. :respekt: