Build Diaries > Diablo

My new Drivetrain... Kinda

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tonypaul:
I have made a change for my drivetrain plans. I have been working on this reverse rotation twin turbo ls1/th425 setup for too long. One day I said "F-it", there is just too much fab work, too many custom pieces to make. And there is no guarantee its even going to work like I want it to.

So next day I got on the phone and made some calls to some contacts I know. I found a complete LS4/4t65ehd from a 2007 Monte Carlo SS with 37,000 miles about an hour away from my house. That afternoon it was in my shop, the harness was hacked pretty bad and it was missing the waterpump (not the housing-just the pump itself) and the starter.

So now Im going with the LS4, I had to do a little soul searching about the drivetrain. I wanted a 600-700hp monster crammed in the back, but in reality I dont need 600-700hp. What I need is A/C, decent gas mileage, something dependabe that I can drive anywhere. And the main thing for me- an automatic trans. I drive in alot of traffic, and the constant shifting of that POS fiero 5 speed was getting old.

 Im keeping the sbc/5speed in the Diablo until everything is finished on the LS4 so I can still drive it. I have made alot of progress on the LS4 so far, but still alot to go.... I swapped the intake/injectors/(throttle body is bored/new)  on the LS4 for one off a LQ4 truck engine.
Fits great, no modding nessary like the LS6 intake. Relocated the alternator to the cabin side of the car, and made a shifter bracket/thingy so a Fiero auto-shifter will work.

Im using Microsquirt for the engine mangement and Magnashift TCM806 for the trans. Im setting it up for Paddle shift, I got a pretty cool set off ebay coming. Im done with the Microsquirt harness, as far as I can tell Im the first person to use the Microsquirt on a LS4. I have had some really good help developing a tune for the 58x crank, I couldnt have done it without the help of these guys. I have a test tune ready to load but I have still have a little more work to do on it.

For now Im just going to run the LS4 stock, leaving in the DOD for now. I want to get it installed and running, then perhaps in the fall remove all the DOD stuff, change the cam/lifters, head studs, ect.
I still gotta get and wire the trans controller- If anyone is needing a trans controller- check out these guys- http://www.magnashift.com/magnashift_controllers.html they are good peoples~ I still got a long list of stuff I need to get but should have everything within 2-3 weeks. I planning doing the swap in the first week of march so I will update when more progress is made.
The first pic is where I left off with the ls1/th425, I may finish it some day.

rodrieguz:
That black fiero in the pic is what inspired me years ago, I did end up switching out that drivetrain for the reason stated above.  Too much weight behind the rear wheels. 

Tony have you given any thought to a v12 backwards with a  v-drive set-up? 

tonypaul:
The problem with that setup is its in a standard rotation, it has alot of weight behind the rear wheels. I will have all the weight in front of the rear tires.

 I have done a reverse rotation th425 with a sbc in a Fiero drag car about 7 years ago but I used the factory differential. I did a couple different designs on that one also, 1st was making a gear drive to replace the chain drive but it was really noisey. I then had a standard cut custom ring / pinion made to replace the factory revese cut ring pinion. That worked well, rolled it off the trailer and it went 10.98 on the 3rd shake down run though a full exhaust.
 
As far as my research, no one has done what Im doing as far as using a completly different differential to reverse the rotation for better weight distrubition. It hasnt be easy but Im making alot more progress now that I have a solid excution plan.

01Lambiero:
TP, Check out Rod's Roadster on KC.  You might gain a few pointers from him as he has been down your road already it seems.  Jim

http://www.kitcentral.com/index.php?set_albumName=Rod-s-roadster-build&id=ebay_pics_405&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php

01Lambiero:
This concept is not new but if it works...it will work.  Cadillac has the similar setup in their AWD car.  (I can't keep up on the srx, cts, ctx whatever)  All that would be required is to cover the output shaft that goes to the rear end and, of course, recode the ECM.  Hope that your setup clicks. ::thumbup

Jim

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