Adapting a Toyota 5spd (R150f) to an LSx engine

I have been passively searching for a t100 for the past few months. A '94 V6 5spd 4wd T100 popped up recently for a good price, so I started emailing back and forth with the owner. If it's in good enough shape I'll likely pick it up next week.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/5303692072.html

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who plans builds before even owning a car. Naturally I started researching ways to make this truck better. It seems that the most agreed upon drawback of the T100 is it's lack of power. Every review I read suggested that the T100 really needed a v8 to be a great truck.

That lead me to do some Googling and I immediately became interested in the 1uzfe swap from the SC/GS/LS400's. However, after some additional research I found that Advance Adapters makes a bellhousing adapter that mates the Toyota 5spd in "my" truck to a Small Block Chevy. The SBC bellhousing adapter kit costs about half what the 1uzfe adapter costs, and looks like a better design.

Here is a link to the SBC kit

http://www.advanceadapters.com/products/712561v--toyota-truck-r150--r151f-v6-manual-transmission-to-gm-43-v6--350-adapter-bell-housing-kit/

For obvious reasons I would want to use a LSx motor over an older SBC. However the Advance Adapters site states "this kit is not intended for use with LS engines" I know people use older auto and 5spd chevy transmissions with LSx motors, so the bellhousing will bolt up. From what I can gather from my research the gen I SBC's crankshaft extends 0.40" further aft than the Gen III/IV LSX. When mating an older Chevy 5-spd to an LSX a flywheel with a 0.40" offset solves this problem.

That leads me to believe that to mate a LSX to a r150f all I will need is the Adv Adapters kit and an offset flywheel (possible needing some work to make the pressure plate bolt to said flywheel)

I'm just trying to find some insight. I was kinda thrown off by the AA site saying that the kit wouldn't work with an LSx motor. Do any of you know if it could be made to work without a huge investment?

http://www.marks4wd.com/mfk650g3.html

look for stuff on ls1 to jeep ax-15 as well since it is almost exactly the same as the r150f.

also why not a 1uz? http://www.1uzfeswapkit.com/1UZ-FE-Bellhousing-to-toyota-R150-R150F-and-R151F-Transmissions-0000-0030.htm

It's to my understanding all you need is a Sachs NFW1050 flywheel. This is a factory truck part. LSx crank pattern on one end, Chevy clutch on the other, it's got the extra thickness needed. Order flywheel bolts for whatever 2000s 6.0 2500 Chevy truck the NFW1050 flyhweel fits.

heres another option for 1uz bell housings, It's expensive but by far the best looking option IMO

http://www.akinamotorsportz.com/1jz-2jz-w58-bell-housing/1uz-r154-bell-housing

If it uses a GM flywheel and not an adapter flywheel... no I don't see why you couldn't do it. As long as the flywheel you use will work with their pressure plate.

Bear in mind that you may not have any easy way of bolting the oil pan to the bellhousing and that nice dust cover they give you will go right to the trash because the oil pan is the same plane as the bellhousing face.

In reply to MrChaos:

Wow, that LSx kit is expensive. Thanks for linking it tho, I didn't know it existed. It will definitely be good to reference.

I also hadn't found the r150f to 1uz adapter bellhousing, I like the looks of that much better than the other company which just looks like several stacked adapter plates.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

Excellent, this is what I needed to know. Seems like I could use the AA SBC kit, thicker 6.0/2500 flywheel, then use the AA suggested clutch, and pressure plate. I'm still not sure about the throwout bearing, slave cylinder and clutch fork, although maybe all of the AA SBC stuff would work?

In reply to Knurled:

I hadn't even considered the oil pan. Does this mean I would have problems sealing the oil pan?

The oil pan is technically a structural component and is the bottom 1/3rd of the bellhousing pattern. You're supposed to snug up the oil pan bolts, then tighten the oil pan to trans bolts, then torque the oil pan bolts. (I have never seen what you're supposed to do when assembling the engine on a stand besides "eyeball it" )

In practice, it's not super critical, as proven by all the people who use the engines with old style transmissions, but it'd be nice to take advantage of if possible. Certainly though there won't be any room to use that sheetmetal cover.

That in itself may be the only reason why they say you can't use it with an LS engine or equivalent, given that on Toyotas you're technically supposed to silicone-seal the trans to the engine to make the bellhousing watertight.

Throwout slave and fork should work fine, that's the whole point of the thick flywheel. Pilot bearing is the only thing I'd wonder about, I think you might need something special there.

That's a good point, but given that GM made a special flywheel so they wouldn't have to change the transmissions, they may have already solved that problem. I have never seen one of these OE adapter flywheels, but I wonder if they don't just put the pilot in the flywheel instead of the crank. If they were going to make an extended input shaft just for that engine, they wouldn't have needed to make the special flywheel in the first place.

True, you probably just use the Chevy truck pilot.

BoostedBrandon wrote: I'll be glad when this "let's put an LSx into everything!" fad passes.

Well, judging by the fact that ls motors are cheap, compact, light, plentiful, reliable, factory available with multiple good transimmions, boostable, have a huge aftermarket, and come stock with 300-400 hp, I don't think the swaps are going anywhere.

BoostedBrandon wrote: I'll be glad when this "let's put an LSx into everything!" fad passes.

Like the SBC, or the Flathead Ford, right?

I wonder if someone will flood the market with a bargain-basement cheap EV that is based so thoroughly on a gasoline platform and has generic non-integrated controls that electric swaps get popular. Kinda like the electric P/S pumps that just need power in and ignition on feed.

In reply to BoostedBrandon:

Some things are popular for a reason. There's nothing a SBC does that the crappiest LSx (early 4.8) won't do better, usually for less money.

I'd say the SBC makes a better boat anchor, but the iron truck engines are heavier and have more places to bolt a chain up to, so they're better that way too.

So, it looks like there is an extended OEM pilot bearing option for the Gen1 Chevy to LSx conversion. Of course that doesn't it would work for my application. Maybe the supplied pilot bushing will work with the 6.0/2500 flywheel. If not it wouldn't be a major thing to have one made.

I suspect the biggest issue with the advance adapters kit is the starter. All the lsx motors, except the ls4, use the bigger gm flywheel and that bell housing specifically says it requires some special starter for the bigger flywheel and sbc that probably won't work with the lsx motors.

I have their sbc to 4-cylinder toyota trans adapter bell housing in the barn. I could see what it looks like bolted to a 5.3l if that's helpful.

In reply to oldopelguy:

I don't know how similar the v6 and 4cyl Toyota transmissions are. I'm still in the research stages, so it's really not a pressing issue. That said, if you have time and it's not too much trouble it would be good to document it. Knowledge is power.

In reply to Trackmouse:

Careful, your bias is showing. Say what you want about GM, but denying the facts about LS variant size to weight, power to weight, availability, reliability etc etc is just not facing facts. It's fine to prefer a 1uz, but what value does "power to displacement" have in the real world?

1uz is cheaper than an LS, and that's about the only reason to choose one over an LS

In reply to Trackmouse:

Personally, I've killed an equal number of GM and Toyota engines.

Hmmm... Bring this thread from the dead.

We have a 15 Tacoma w/ a 2.7L & a R155 trans / 5 speed manual.
From what I understand it's the same as an R150 just different gear ratios. I want to pull the 2.7L w/ a POS URD supercharger system & install an LS 5.3 Alloy block. 
So from the little research I've done the trans & the rear diff should be able to handle the HP of an small LS if I don't drive it like I'm in High School again. I found a plug & play radiator made by CFS I think. Can anyone confirm that the above engine adapter fits an LS?

Thanks in advance for helping a dummy!

Hayrider said:

Hmmm... Bring this thread from the dead.

We have a 15 Tacoma w/ a 2.7L & a R155 trans / 5 speed manual.
From what I understand it's the same as an R150 just different gear ratios. I want to pull the 2.7L w/ a POS URD supercharger system & install an LS 5.3 Alloy block. 
So from the little research I've done the trans & the rear diff should be able to handle the HP of an small LS if I don't drive it like I'm in High School again. I found a plug & play radiator made by CFS I think. Can anyone confirm that the above engine adapter fits an LS?

Thanks in advance for helping a dummy!

 

I think the front driveshaft drops on a different side depending on the r series trans so be careful. 
 

I have my second hand r series (ax) to ls adapter kit in the garage awaiting my r series trans for my ls turbo 89 hilux project so this thread is well timed. 

" I think the front driveshaft drops on a different side depending on the r series trans so be careful. "

Sorry but I'm a bit confused / lost by the above statement! I thought the transmission cases would be the same? I have a 4x2 five lug Tacoma. Plus this type install is above my skill level I know better and I hate wiring with a passion...