M54 Madness, the remix

[Chase Bays]

I pulled all your info from the original swap thread and read it 10 times over. I am currently doing the M54B30 swap and I couldn't be more excited. So much weight saved and fantastic modernized power. Glad to see Arc Asylums M54 work here, I just sent off my oil pan, pump, windage tray, and pickup + crossmember. I got their headers too.

So thank you for posting so much info, its help our process a lot.

- Chase

[mike25]

Its all gone very quiet over there.....................?
Any news?

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Bueller?

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

[mike25]

Its all gone very quiet over there.....................?
Any news?

Bump

[hoveringuy]

Yeah, yeah....
My goal is to finish the engine harness before the end of the year, I'm currently trying to find a Toyota Supra igniter box with the wiring plug and pigtail. I have injectors and injector plugs.

Other than that its time and money to get it installed and running...

[hoveringuy]

I ordered my Supra igniter box a few weeks ago and finally had the chance to test it. Was only about $25 off ebay with the wiring pigtail. It's for a 94-98 Supra Turbo, part number 89621-22030. It has 6 channels, is small, proven and rugged. Perfect!

I made a quick youtube video to show it working... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbsiS1RhLpU

With a logic level input I verified that it makes a nice spark! This igniter also apparently has some dwell control features. Not sure what it does...

[2mAn]

updates???

[hoveringuy]

Motor is 99% wired. I have a few small details, like adding some pins to the C101 because it came from an older car.


Re-creating the entire engine harness in megasquirt is kinda time consuming. I'll need to power the engine and "run" it on the stand to test that the main relay and and all of the connections are doing what they should be. I should be able to turn it by hand and see the crank signal, etc.

I'm really hoping to install it in the next 3 months.

[hoveringuy]

I'm down to final details before starting the swap. I connected the MS3 yesterday and the nice thing about it is that I can test almost all of my sensors and systems before actually installing the motor. Fuel injectors fire appropriately, the coils spark (which is a big win, because with the Toyota igniter box was kinda complicated..). Fuel pump gets power on command. The only thing I couldn't test is my crank signal because the MS3 is still configured for the VR sensor in the old motor, and this one has Hall which will require some hardware configuration.

I also need to clean the wiring now that everything is verified working.

Swap in a few weeks??

[2mAn]

very exciting! I love seeing updates on this!!

[hoveringuy]

Ok, question:

I've always pulled my motors with a crane and lifted forward and up. In this case, I'll also need to change my subframe for the ArcAsylum rear oil pan modification.

Is it still better to lift the motor or should I think about removing with the subframe? I've just never done it that way.

[ForcedFirebird]

I prefer to pull them out the bottom. Get everything disconnected except the sub frame bolts. Support from the bottom and remove the last 4. Then you can use an engine hoist with a strap on the bumper to lift the car off the drive train. Usually I do it on a floor lift, but have used an engine hoist many times at home, and once at the shop when the lifts were full.

[2mAn]

I would assemble the motor, trans, subframe and everything all together and install it all from the bottom if you have the means to do it this way. Im quoting the post that Jordan did showing how his all went it in

My neighbor wandered on over this evening to help me lower the engine off the stand onto the furniture dolly. Between the two of use we just managed.

With some scrap seat belt between the lifting loops, and a 6ft 2x4 through the center we easily shouldered the load and lowered it to the dolly. Easy peasy.

6spd specific flywheel and new clutch kit installed.



Transmission and starter installed, so much easier to slide together here than try to bench press under the car.





Rolled under the vehicle.



Then it was as easy as lowering the car slowly and controlled with my jack down over the powertrain package. No removing the hood, no paint damage, and no hoist required!

Engine installed with subframe bolted up to the body.






Some might chuckle at the furniture dolly method, but I'll be damned if it didn't work slick as hell.

[ForcedFirebird]

I would assemble the motor, trans, subframe and everything all together and install it all from the bottom if you have the means to do it this way. Im quoting the post that Jordan did showing how his all went it in

Furniture dollies are awesome. I have about 10 or 15 of them around the shop. Even made a giant one that a suspension-less car can go on, and one that's 3'x6' that works great for sliding drive trains in.

[hoveringuy]

That's kinda how I imagined it. Jordan's post is good and to his point, I've always removed the hood and wouldn't need to like this. He said "no hoist required..." and if I can avoid that it resolves a lot of logistics, except how to move motor from engine stand to furniture dolly and vice-versa?

Would I be able to raise car body with a jack and progressively get it higher with wood blocks until I can pull the motor clear?

Would I lower the motor onto the furniture dolly after disconnecting drive line, exhaust, etc by just lowering the body off the jackstands with the dolly under the motor?

I like the concept, just need to work details.