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I will start by quoting one of my favorite writers, Thomas Sowell - “There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.”
I have a 2013 Camaro LS3/TR6060 en-route and will be making the center frame cross-member removable in the next few days. I plan on using the multi-position motor mounts and I am wondering what considerations are to be made when figuring out how to position the engine front-to-back. I plan on using the Camaro accessories, will not be using the AC, and would not mind keeping the alternator low. If there is some range in where the engine can be placed, is it better to have it farther forward or back, and why? I know if it is back to far there may not be clearance to the firewall, if it is too far forward the accessories may not fit.
I've got a LS3/T56-Magnum (TR6060 w/ a bell housing and slip yoke) myself. FBody accessory spacing and no AC. For the information below, I used ICT billet multi-position/adjustable engine mounts, depending on what you go with your results may vary.
Engine further back pros:
Better weight distribution
More clearance in front of the engine for things like water pump to passenger A-Arm, accessories and air intake plenum.
Engine further back cons:
Firewall clearance. I ended up being ok, but I am VERY close. I have poly mounts so I don't end up with an issue, but if I had rubber engine mounts I'd be worried of hitting the heater core housing. Also, one of my bell housing bolts requires me to lift/lower the engine off the mounts to get the bolt out all the way.
Trans tunnel clearance. This ended up being a bigger problem for me. The trans tunnel narrows as it goes back. I had to cut a decent amount of fiber glass out to clear the top of the transmission.
Shifter placement ends up further back.
For the engine further forward pros just inverse the above. Notable items are that you may hit the A-Arm with the water pump heater hose attachments. A quick forum search can find you multiple solutions for this. Also, hood clearance with the engine forward may be an issue depending on your air plenum solution. I don't see any other accessories being a problem though to be honest, assuming you're running an electric fan.
For me, the benefits of being further back (weight distribution, my car is exactly 50/50, 3,020 lbs full tank, full stock interior) was the biggest thing. If you don't care about that, I would maybe move the engine one spot forward.
I don't have the best photos to describe the above. If there's something specifically you'd like let me know, happy to help!
Your body is currently off the frame correct? How much trouble is it to set the body back on the frame? Or is the body off at the body shop getting done something like that? cuz all the measurements in the world aren't going to tell you what the Mark 1 mod 0 eyeballs going to tell you when you have the back of that engine and that firewall wondering whether or not they're going to work together.I don't think any intratuin either direction are going to seriously negatively or positively affect your weight distribution. It's pretty close to 50-50 on these cars.
The body is off the frame and with the push of a button I can lower it on again, so that will make the final adjustments easier, just trying to figure out the best initial location.
interms of engine position, too be honest there aint much choice in it, i think there pretty much only one postion
iam also using the ict plate and iam using the most forward holes, which will put engine in its factory postion, which will work well for the fbody accessorys - if you try to go back with engine, that alternator will hit the chassis engine mount, my alternator is already very close to chassis engine mount, so sorry only is one postion
Last edited by corvettedave383; Nov 14, 2018 at 05:06 PM.
I've got a LS3/T56-Magnum (TR6060 w/ a bell housing and slip yoke) myself. FBody accessory spacing and no AC. For the information below, I used ICT billet multi-position/adjustable engine mounts, depending on what you go with your results may vary.
Engine further back pros:
Better weight distribution
More clearance in front of the engine for things like water pump to passenger A-Arm, accessories and air intake plenum.
Engine further back cons:
Firewall clearance. I ended up being ok, but I am VERY close. I have poly mounts so I don't end up with an issue, but if I had rubber engine mounts I'd be worried of hitting the heater core housing. Also, one of my bell housing bolts requires me to lift/lower the engine off the mounts to get the bolt out all the way.
Trans tunnel clearance. This ended up being a bigger problem for me. The trans tunnel narrows as it goes back. I had to cut a decent amount of fiber glass out to clear the top of the transmission.
Shifter placement ends up further back.
For the engine further forward pros just inverse the above. Notable items are that you may hit the A-Arm with the water pump heater hose attachments. A quick forum search can find you multiple solutions for this. Also, hood clearance with the engine forward may be an issue depending on your air plenum solution. I don't see any other accessories being a problem though to be honest, assuming you're running an electric fan.
For me, the benefits of being further back (weight distribution, my car is exactly 50/50, 3,020 lbs full tank, full stock interior) was the biggest thing. If you don't care about that, I would maybe move the engine one spot forward.
I don't have the best photos to describe the above. If there's something specifically you'd like let me know, happy to help!
Thanks for the feedback, that is exactly what I was looking for!
interms of engine position, too be honest there aint much choice in it, i think there pretty much only one postion
iam also using the ict plate and iam using the most forward holes, which will put engine in its factory postion, which will work well for the fbody accessorys - if you try to go back with engine, that alternator will hit the chassis engine mount, my alternator is already very close to chassis engine mount, so sorry only is one postion
So you have the mounts in the most forward holes, which puts the engine in the most rearward position, correct? What transmission are you running? This is why I was looking for brackets that would put the alternator at the upper left position, to free up some space so the engine can go farther forward.
So you have the mounts in the most forward holes, which puts the engine in the most rearward position, correct? What transmission are you running? This is why I was looking for brackets that would put the alternator at the upper left position, to free up some space so the engine can go farther forward.
the most forward holes puts engine in the most forward postion, ie closer to the front of the car - ie the factory postion
iam running with tremec t56 magnum
as discussed by me and another member on this thread, the front drive accessorys using the alt in upper left and power steering in mid/bottom left, it will hit the top bar of your a arm - is that upper left when looking at front of car or when your sitting in the drivers seat??
so your pretty much stuck with the fbody/cts-v accessorys system, which means you have own one postion of engine placement, becuase of the alternator been in that lower postion
your best option is get engine mounted up and try the differnt holes and you will then see what we are talking about alot easier
Last edited by corvettedave383; Nov 15, 2018 at 07:08 PM.
My LSX Innovation adjustable bracket location. In its furthest position forward so engine sits closest to the back of firewall. This is what how much space the alternator has with this position. This is the section of the alternator thats close to frame gives you an idea on how close I cut the tab to give more clearance Water pump mod ill take better pic but it easily clears the stock upper A arm. The original ports were blocked off. And i made a mistake with the hole in the front. Dont put one there. Put both underneath.
Last edited by R6n350GT; Dec 11, 2018 at 07:18 AM.
My LSX Innovation adjustable bracket location. In its furthest position forward so engine sits closest to the back of firewall. This is what how much space the alternator has with this position. This is the section of the alternator thats close to frame gives you an idea on how close I cut the tab to give more clearance Water pump mod ill take better pic but it easily clears the stock upper A arm. The original ports were blocked off. And i made a mistake with the hole in the front. Dont put one there. Put both underneath.
Thanks for this and for your long detailed post, I have studied it in great detail! How far forward do you think you could position the engine before the alternator interfered with the front cross member?
Good pic on the water pump mod, I was thinking of doing it that way.
Interesting, whats it for? by raising the tail end of gearbox by 30 mm in my case, thats enough to get me at a 2 degree angle, which is plenty enough for a good gearbox/diff angle
Good pic on the water pump mod, I was thinking of doing it that way.
Yeah, that driveshaft won't work, should have done more homework. Wasn't that familiar with cardan joints, the flange plate at the end can't be simply replaced with the flange yoke that I bought.
But..it looks like this one is a better alternative;
Interesting, whats it for? by raising the tail end of gearbox by 30 mm in my case, thats enough to get me at a 2 degree angle, which is plenty enough for a good gearbox/diff angle
Interesting, whats it for? by raising the tail end of gearbox by 30 mm in my case, thats enough to get me at a 2 degree angle, which is plenty enough for a good gearbox/diff angle
If you can have 0 degree is that better? What is the ideal angle from gearbox to DS and then diff to DS. And + or - degrees for each ?
LS conversion engine position tradeoffs
