Possible Chevy LS4 (5.3 FWD LS) swap?
- Thread starter Jackets64
- Start date
escapepilot
Goblin Guru
socaljeff3798
Well-Known Member
Just buy yourself a LS powered sandrail frame and convert for the street. There is no point to try and do it with a Goblin. Not to mention the Goblin already has a 64% rear weight bias. What do you think it goes to with a LS engine? They are too light on the front already. If you look closely they are NOT a mid engine car they are a REAR engine car and come with the handling issues of one.
95Blitz
Well-Known Member
jirwin
Goblin Guru
Reviving an old thread, but it seems like it would be possible, but the fuel tank might be in the way. I was thinking that the rear head would hit the crossbar, but I think it clears fine. The intake would have to be low profile, but it looks like everything would clear. The below pictures are @Sebnuts 3D scan in Blender with an LS3 put in roughly the right spot. (LS3 lost one of its heads when converting from a STEP to STL for Blender)
Fuel tank in this picture is the flat plane on the bottom left of the screen. I doubt the headers would clear
Fuel tank in this picture is the flat plane on the bottom left of the screen. I doubt the headers would clear
Fuel tank should be the easiest thing to fix on this swap.
I'm not sure this will good for much more than straight line speed/drag racing though. How much of the additional weight will be behind the wheels? Even without additional weight behind the wheels, the balance F/R has got to be getting way off. Additional weight behind the wheels, taking weight off the front, might make steering almost impossible.
I'm not sure this will good for much more than straight line speed/drag racing though. How much of the additional weight will be behind the wheels? Even without additional weight behind the wheels, the balance F/R has got to be getting way off. Additional weight behind the wheels, taking weight off the front, might make steering almost impossible.
Especially if you have one of the aluminum tanks - just a little work with an 8lb enforcer and you'd be good to go
Dale E
Well-Known Member
If anyone has a wrecked Goblin V1 chassis with the rear engine bay section intact (roll bar to rear down tubes for cradle mounting), send it to me and I will mock up an LS4. I have a 5 speed Getrag Fiero box I can use (that would be the same size as the F23 box). There is an after market part available to mount the starter and a flywheel - since the crankshaft is shorter on the LS4.
Looking back in the other build forum pictures - the basic set is shown with the 3800 V6 SC and auto trans. The 3800 and LS4 are both 90 degree engines. The pictures should show that the weight is not behind the wheels t all, but even moved forward a bit, so the weight distribution and placement mentioned earlier may be off a bit. More forward weight would possibly help in balancing. The height of the V8 and V6 (without SC) is equal too or lower that the Cobalt engine. The V6 center bolt on harmonic balancer is +/- 8 inches to center of axle. The edge of the rear lower head is near the center of the axle line. The gas can in the picture is to represent the Goblin gas tank, which is clearly in front of the cradle to roll bar space. There is plenty of room for headers on the engine down behind the cradle frame. For engine height, the 3800 SC would not fit, nor the higher NA intake manifold, but that could be worked around, with a modified intake runner or going turbo. The LS4 swaps usually get an LS2 intake manifold, simply because they look better (cosmetics). Note the pictures referenced, that the 3800 V6 has really long front pulley protrusion, which the LS4 would not have.
I left a lot out!! I need to go back to researching more!!
Referencing: https://dfkitcar.com/forum/index.php?threads/mid-engine-cobalt.2044/page-3
LS4 would loose accessories, so this will not be correct dimensionally:
Looking back in the other build forum pictures - the basic set is shown with the 3800 V6 SC and auto trans. The 3800 and LS4 are both 90 degree engines. The pictures should show that the weight is not behind the wheels t all, but even moved forward a bit, so the weight distribution and placement mentioned earlier may be off a bit. More forward weight would possibly help in balancing. The height of the V8 and V6 (without SC) is equal too or lower that the Cobalt engine. The V6 center bolt on harmonic balancer is +/- 8 inches to center of axle. The edge of the rear lower head is near the center of the axle line. The gas can in the picture is to represent the Goblin gas tank, which is clearly in front of the cradle to roll bar space. There is plenty of room for headers on the engine down behind the cradle frame. For engine height, the 3800 SC would not fit, nor the higher NA intake manifold, but that could be worked around, with a modified intake runner or going turbo. The LS4 swaps usually get an LS2 intake manifold, simply because they look better (cosmetics). Note the pictures referenced, that the 3800 V6 has really long front pulley protrusion, which the LS4 would not have.
I left a lot out!! I need to go back to researching more!!
Referencing: https://dfkitcar.com/forum/index.php?threads/mid-engine-cobalt.2044/page-3
LS4 would loose accessories, so this will not be correct dimensionally:
ah.b.normal
Goblin Guru
LS designs are symmetrical so the intake is reversable, F to R or say R to L depending upon your perspective. I believe LS engines are also used in Isuzu tilt cab trucks so there may be some different one off pieces from those? Another user that may yield differing components are Mercury Marine I/O applications.