Just curious if ANYONE has heard, seen, or thought of doing an LS1 or any LS swap to there TL? Im thinking about doing it to my TL or getting a cheap s2k swapping one in there. I know it will be a big pain in the ass either way but I'm ready for it lol. And if I did LS swap my TL I'd j-swap my dads fit :-D.. Anyways any help or talk would be nice!

 

you making it RWD while your at it?


WAY to much work

 

If it's possible I may, I was thinking of using the exhaust tunnel for the driveshaft.. Worst comes to worst I could do the impala ss LS swap with FWD Lol

Right now I'm just in the "thinking" stage, Im also pondering a custom cam and built head for the TL but that's still just thoughts

 

If it'll fit, which I doubt, I suppose you could swap an Impala SS 5.3liter engine and trans but it would be a colossal undertaking for not much extra hp. The mid-range torque would be nice though. Performance upgrades are limited for the 5.3 and the FWD trans isn't likely to be able to handle big upgrades on the engine. For far less than the cost of a donor engine and trans you could have a supercharger that would give you better horsepower and about the same torque. Not a very practical idea but it sure would be unique. Good luck!

 

pretty ambitious but I guarantee you that after months and months of work, a few thousand dollars spent, and little to no progress done you'll regret the whole thing.

don't waste your time and especially money.

 

Just do a supercharger.

 

x2

 

I have this large, inkling feeling that the LS isn't even technically possible to fit our engine bay!

S2K swap would be interesting though. Although you are losing all that power from the 6 to the 4....

 

Yeah, I don't get the point of that either. The S2K engine is meant for a much lighter car with perfect 50/50 weight balance.

 

agree.

SMFH

you are loosing even more power because its meant for a 2700lbs car not a 3700 lbs one.

 

Make a tube frame, use the V-8, trans/rear/suspension of choice and drop the TL body on.

 

Waste of time and money given what it would take to do it right. Plus...I honestly dont think there is room in the TL engine bay for that swap...FWD or RWD.

 

Like I said it's just a thought, I've seen LS swapped s2k's but if the LS would fit in the TL I'd lean more towards the TL than s2k but idk I was just seeing what people think

 

Outside of being unique....putting a LS1 in the TL as opposed to a S2000 is no comparison. ie...light car vs heavy car.

 

supercharge it and call it a day

 

thats about as crazy of an idea as the SH-AWD 3G that someone was thinking of doing a while back.

 

S2k LS swap is much easier, relatively speaking, because the engine is longituinally mounted and it's RWD anyways.

In the TL you'd basically have to turn the engine 90 degrees, and relocate everything in the engine bay. All the pumps, wiring, motors, everything, and of course you'd have to modify the rest of those systems to accomodate the relocating.

And then you have to figure out how to mount the engine longitudinally. If you can do that, now you have to find a place to put the transmission, and then get your own driveshaft, which if you're lucky will fit in the exhaust tunnel, but now there's nowhere for the exhaust to go. And then you've got to get a differential, and axles, and that's not even scraping the surface.

 

Nothing more than dreams & that's all it'll ever be. This will require so much custom work & modifications for a car that has an incredibly tiny aftermarket.

You want a LS engine? Just buy a GM product, then.

 

Put a turbo kit on your TL and call it a day. Some folk are getting upwards of 400 HP!

 

It is def. possible to put an LS engine in our cars according to Jotech and Underground Racing, both nationally renowned.

Problem is, just like anything else, do you have enough money to fork out for this? You would need an upgraded transmission and other things.

 

just get the turbo kit, will make far more power per dollar

 

Sure...anything is possible with enough money. You had to actually check on that with somebody? lol

 

No I actually called in before the Turbo was ever made if it was possible to put the LS8 from the CTS-V into our TL. I was quoted 21 - 23k from Jotech Racing not including a upgrade transmission or anything else (which would cost me another 10k)

 

Do you mean LSA? Don't think an LS8 exists, I could be wrong though.

 

Best advice of this thread and probably the cheapest.

I would do a supercharger/turbo and call it a day. It can be done with a donor C5 IRS/LS2/transaxle but it's not going to be cheap. It would have to be one of those projects that you do just because you like to do it because it defies logic lol. With that said, it would be neat to see it done as long as I was not the one coming out of pocket for it.

 

Even though the turbo would be way more cost effective in terms of final hp/dollar, it would be so sick to hear a TL idling with a cammed LS, and then going down the road in full song.

 

i heard it will work. get to work right now and let us know how it goes.

 

Agreed. The TL already "looks" RWD to me. Many people that don't know it that well think it's RWD already. A cammed small block would be neat.

 

It'd be pretty awesome but it'd require quite a bit of work putting on a rear differential and swapping in a small bock or something into our cars.

 

I'm really thinking about doing this but I need to do A LOT. Of measuring and research and tearing shit apart... If I do it, it'll be in the fall or winter... But idk... I really want to do some crazy unique and definitely defy logic lol but I'm gonna need to do a lot of thinking... 2jz swap LS swap sh-awd sounds tempting.. Idk lol all these are just THOUGHTS

 

people have been saying all kinds of things identical to what you are saying now. No one has ever done anything about it (besides the turbo). You could be the first but until there is a build thread, I won't believe it haha

 

You're 21 and probably still in school like I am. I don't think you have enough time or money to do this. Unless of course you're a rich kid. :X

 

lol x2

im in the same boat. went broke spending about 4-5k in the parts, and 2k per semester at school and i dont qualify for financial aid

 

I still live at home and I'm going to
School for diesel technology when car is paid off at the end off the year... I pay 600$ a month for my TL.. I'm not rich lol I blow most my money on food n beer and car parts, but if I decide to do this, I'll still be living at home considering all my monies will go into the swap.. Or have my girlfriend pay for it all when she becomes a doctor in 5 years

 

Dude dont throw your money away on this. Ether buy a car with an LS in it already or just SC your TL. This would be like throwing 5-10k easy out the door, you will still be FWD which sucks! Sorry to be so down about it but its not worth it.

 

this should be fun

 

I hate to say it but in 5 years you probably won't care anymore. I know when I was young and wanted to take on projects like this I didn't have the money. Now I have the money but not the time or energy.

 

Bingo! I think everyone goes through this "ideas" phase when they're in their early twenties. You see posts like this ALL over the car forums. Nothing ever comes of them. People typically realize that it's just too big of a commitment for a vehicle at that age. And rightly so.

My advice to the OP... set yourself a realistic budget for the project. By current estimates, you're probably talking $25k+. Plan out your total income over the next 2-3 years and if you're over 30% of your total income just to keep this project alive, give it up. There are more important things in life than just modding your car. Stash that money away in investments or something. You'll be way ahead of the game. (Trust me. This is coming from someone who has spent an arm and a leg on his TL.)

 

^^ good advise. believe me bro i've spent alot as well. upwards of 30k so far just on engine and i am 21 and made all that money myself, think about if u even really want to keep ur tl for a long time. turbo is the way to go!!!

 

@tenzingsherpa

How's your car coming along? Any updates?