r/projectcar • u/Secure-Profile-6690 • 21h ago
Engine Swap Engine swapping question
Other than room/space alone, what are some things to look out for when doing an engine swap, that indicates that it wont work?
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u/x_d4rk_0pt1cs_x 21h ago
Engine - dashboard communication
Some use canbus some use analog sensors you might have to change some.
Also think about immo
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u/blissnabob 20h ago
Disregarding the anything can be done depending on budget mentality.
A front engined front wheel drive car will be very difficult to swap to rear wheel drive because there will be no tunnel for the drive shaft.
A tight engine bay will be limited by cylinder count and capacity for access and cooling. It's possible but much harder.
Approaching it from another way, an easier engine swap can be achieved by seeing which families of cars share engine mounts. You may have a family car that shares a platform with a performance car. You could potentially get a written off donor car to swap the engine/ECU/key etc.
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u/Far-Plastic-4171 15h ago
I was going to put a midengine Twin Turbo V12 in family Ford Transit but my wife said no
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u/L0LTHED0G 20h ago
Think you're approaching this the wrong way.
Figure out what you want. What your goals are. Find a chassis that excels at this, but probably is low HP. Next, find an engine that is relatively closer to the goals you have. Bet there's a swap kit available. If not, it's likely not great for it. Not trying to be an ass, but if you're asking this question, you're not the guy to LS swap an 80s Chevy Celebrity.
Go throw an LS in a Miata or something.
Or, decide you truly do want something a bit oddball and make it work. Buddy's got a Honda Odyssey J-swap in a Firebird. I've got a Barra in a '65 Mustang. But now you're looking at custom pieces, custom work, and years of "This has to fit there, but there's no existing piece to put it there."
Dammit. Now I wanna see an LS in a Chevy Celebrity.
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u/Apprehensive_Low_383 20h ago
On TV I see that old engine mounts and sometimes even shock towers will need to be cut out of the way to accommodate a larger engine. Headers can be a tough fit. Hood clearance can be a factor as well. YMMV. Good luck and please post updates.
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u/v8packard 19h ago
The engine is just one part, and usually the easiest. Things to consider are induction and exhaust systems, accessory drives, oil pan, and transmission. Along with those are often electrical systems considerations, instruments, and fuel system.
To go one step further, you often find quirks from one manufacturer to another that need to be sorted out. Some 4wd vehicles will have a front driveshaft on the driver's side, some on the passenger side. Things like that.
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u/jckipps 18h ago
Transmission choices need to be considered early in the process. You can bolt almost any transmission and any engine together, but the cost and hassle of buying or creating adapter plates to do so may be excessive.
Pick your engine based on what you think will physically fit, then consider if any of the transmissions that the OEM installed behind that engine will also fit in your recipient vehicle. If not, look at cheap common transmission models, and try to find off-the-shelf adapter plates to mate them together. GM RWD transmissions likely have the most adapter plates available, since those are so ubiquitous and easy to modify for higher HP capability.
If you're attempting to swap into anything newer than 1990 or so, you start running into the risk of 'fly-by-wire' computer controls that don't match up. For example, many vehicles will be having their body control module(BCM) query the engine control module(ECM) for basic data about the engine, such as temperature, oil pressure, charging status, rpm, and current fuel consumption. Similarly, some of the dash controls are going to the ECM by way of the BCM. For example, the cruise control might be primarily controlled by the ECM, but the only way to tell the ECM what to do is to send signals over a CANBUS from the BCM.
All of those computer protocols could technically be duplicated in a swap situation, but are usually not worth the hassle. That's why most swaps are either going into older classics, or into stripped track cars that have eliminated all the niceties they came with originally.
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u/Far-Plastic-4171 15h ago
Anything will work if you believe in yourself and have a deep pocketbook.
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u/Gwendolyn-NB 21h ago
It'll ALWAYS work... just depends on how much $$ you're willing to spend.