I want this truck to have all of the creature comforts that it came with in its prior life as a 4-cylinder runabout, so it’s time to sort out our engine accessories. The great thing about the LS engine family is the huge selection of accessory drive options. This can be a little overwhelming at first, but thanks to helpful tech articles like the ones found here (Read: How to Select the Right Accessory Drive Brackets for a GM LS V8 Swap), it’s easy to figure out what you need and get it all shipped to your door quickly!

After that job was complete, we unboxed our beast of a transmission, the B&M Street & Strip 4L80E 4 speed automatic! After installing our flexplate, torque converter, and mating the transmission to our 5.3, it was time for a big, important test fit: the one where we find out if the engine AND transmission will both fit in here!

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Need to catch up? See the first five parts of the Project Firebolt series here:

We needed to make a quick modification to our oil pan before installing it for good. This involved fire and sparks. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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Next, the windage tray and oil pickup were installed, followed by the oil pan. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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The B&M 4L80E transmission is a complete ready to run unit and is designed for high performance street and mild strip use, which will be perfect for our needs. It is loaded with stout parts and is rated to 800 horsepower and 650 foot-pounds of torque. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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Here’s the stock Toyota 2.4 liter 4-cylinder drivetrain next to our 5.3/4L80E combo. Show this to anyone who wonders why the LS engine family are such a popular choice for engine swaps. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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Here’s another comparison with all the accessories in place. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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This is the FTI Performance SRL Series Billet Lockup Torque Converter. These converters offer excellent features, are super strong and FTI stands behind them with a three-year warranty. (Image/Tom Tharp)

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The real moment of truth, test fitting the complete engine and transmission combo! (Image/Tom Tharp)
Keywords
LS swaps, Project Firebolt, Toyota Tacoma, Turbo Tom, Video
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Author: Tom Tharp