LFX Engine Questions
 

Haven't been able to find this info and didn't want to clutter up any of the build threads.

When purchasing an LFX motor for an engine swap...

1) Does it matter if the donor engine is auto or manual if I plan on putting on a new clutch and flywheel? Any other differences between the two motors that would make it preferential to get a manual motor?

2) Are all model years of the Camaro LFX engine the same (2012-2015)?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Engines are the same but you'll need to do more modification to the engine harness from an auto to make it work for manual. V8R can do the harness modification for you if you're not sure what to do on that.

Yeap, what they said. Ours was an Auto and I made all the changes to the harness. The hardest part was snagging the correct bolts for the flywheel (I thought I had the right PN written down in my thread but they were incorrect).

Okay, thanks for all the info guys! The auto engines are just way easier to find, but I'll keep my eyes out for a manual and get the clutch, flywheel and harness with it.

Found this the other day and thought it was pretty cool. Complete assembly of a LFX on How It's Made.

My LFX motor was out of an automatic transmission car. If you go this route you will need a custom harness as well as an extra specifically out of a manual trans Camaro. Also will need a pack of the flywheel to crank bolts for a manual trans car as the ones from the flex plate won't fit.

Has anyone seen a build thread for an LFX swap in an NB, or one where ABS was retained?

The only NB LFX I've seen is the V8R MSM and it seems they pulled the ABS.

I work for a GMC/Buick dealership. PM me with any questions you may have. I have access to connector diagrams as well as many other things. I also pay 10 percent above cost on O.E. parts.

The LFX engine can be had from many other vehicles not just a Camaro. Acadia, Enclave, Lacrosse, Traverse, Terrain all have V6 options with displacement ranging from 3.0 to 3.6. The Camaro makes the easiest swap as it is already configured from RWD. If getting a FWD motor you'd need to swap the intake manifold and probably the TStat housing out. Harness isnt hard to modify, you'd need to swap some pins and get a manual trans ECU. I dont think an Auto Ecu can be reprogrammed for manual configuration but if you go standalone or use HP Tuners I think you'll be alright.

You rock, thanks for the info!

ABS is whole separate system, should not be an issue

I was thinking from a clearance point of view. The V8R MSM had a bunch of stuff right where the ABS module would have been.

Schmoo, you can always extend brake hard lines and ABS module wires to relocate the ABS module wherever you need. But I wouldn't make it stray too far from the MC. Hell if there was clearance in the cowl area or under the dash it would work. Only downside to having it inside the car would be pump noise whenever the ABS kicked on.

Definitely.
I'm considering this swap so I'm trying to understand as many of the implications as possible for my car, an MSM.

I thought the idea was to have the coolant reservoir at the highest point of the engine which makes your choice limited. It's going to either be on the back of engine bay on the right or left. I have mine on the right side where everybody put theirs just because the bottom of the reservoir goes to the coolant return line which happens to be on the right side as well. I suppose you could figure out a way to get it in the windshield wiper area. I have an auto ECU in my car, but haven't driven the car yet. It did start at least once upon a time.

Highest point aids in bleeding bubbles from the system, but the bottom of the reservoir doesn't need to be higher than the highest point in the system - just the cap.

I've been thinking about moving mine to the windshield wiper area, especially since I don't have wipers in the way. Probably need to make a custom reservoir to fit there though.

Starting my LFX swap and glad that you guys have done such a good job of sharing info like this.
thanks

From my experience a manual PCM is required. My first PCM was a E39 out of an Auto trans car and even after changing every possible parameter in HPtuners, it still wouldn't rev over 4,000. Its like it was still looking for data from an auto trans, even though the harness and settings were all selected as manual trans.

I don't have the PCM yet but knew about getting the correct one from reading the build threads. I don't stand a chance of tweeking one with HPtuners so will buy one complete and done from someone who knows what they are doing.