The LSx Powered Kia Sorento...

[LSxPoweredSorento]

Hey everyone... Just joined to look for some parts to complete my swap. Ive been searching high and low for a front sump Ls2 GTO pan, or something similar for my swap... Also on the look out for a replacement for the transfer case I am missing from my swap. I am on a few forums... Like to see what goes on, who has what info, and so on. Not all forums are created the same...

So, as its pretty obvious I have a Kia Sorento... Its undergoing a LSx swap...

The History;

We bought our Sorento in 08' with 7k on it. I wanted something else, anything else... I was rather un-enthused when the dealer at the Mitsu dealership mentioned a "Kia SUV"... I scoffed that I was looking for something with power and that could tow and get out of its own way. He re-assured me and told me to drive it. MAN was I stunned. This little Korean thing had balls... and not just "oh its quick" balls... It had "rice boy eating" brass balls (proven literally multiple times).
If thats not enough she went through 3 accidents and came out the victor by a landslide!

Fast Forward;

So first off Mentor Kia's service department in Mentor Ohio can go pound salt... They suck, well, at least the douchebags I dealt with before they changed their dealership around. These worthless halfwits were as useless as a poopie flavored lollypop. We had the car there after one accident that messed up the seat latches and triggered the active head rests. The moron came out and looked at my headrests that were at a 45* angle forward. He told us nothing was wrong with the seats OR the headrests... All I wanted was them to fix it and be PAID by the lady that hit us' insurance company!! We also asked about the sound the engine makes after startup for a while and were pointed to a TSB about chain noise (its normal he said). Another time we needed the door handle (that fell apart) to be fixed under warranty... My wife called constantly and the guy kept blowing her off, telling her it was on order, or it was going for paint, or this or that, or that, or whatever. When she took it to them to look at it that time she also mentioned the engine noise, blown off again. Yet again (actually 3 times) we had to take the car to have some switch or WTF ever replaced because the dome light would stop working. They also did the stop switch recall. Mentioned the engine sounds.... Just the TSB again.

Let me tell you this much IF YOU HAVE A 3.8L ENGINE... in your Kia and it makes ANY NOISE that can be fluffed off as some HORSE-POCKY TSB then you need to INSIST that they do something about it. This sound is your timing chain beating the living HELL out of its guides. I have pictures AND video of the horror inside the timing system that that causes when ass-hat dealerships ignore your persistent concern. My guides were shaved down through the "plastic" slides and into/through the aluminum guide holders. Hell the TOP guide was SAWN OFF by the chain! It even wrecked the front cover, destroying the seal oil catch around the front main.

After buying new everything from chains and tensioners, to the front cover itself (stealership) I re-assembled the engine.

It ran like a top...

...for 2 days...

My wife called and said it started running bad like before (skipped a tooth on the cam gear finally after all the wearing). She said as she was pulling over the oil light came on and then she shut it off...

...My wife now holds the record for the amount of various sized pieces a single piston can be converted into...

After tearing off the intake (to see if something went catastrophic with the cam timing) I heard a rattle... Not any sort of good one... Like filling the tin-man with hex-nuts and pushing him down a flight of stairs...

What was in there? Piston... Yeah... In my intake manifold. Pieces of piston and even a section of oil wiper ring.

Here is what i shook out...


Well... I knew what that was right off the bat. So I knew I had to make a move. I wanted to see what the damage really was, and size up my contribution to the scrap yard also so I pulled the engine and found this...















Now what?

So now what? The local yards have 3.8L ALL with 80k or around that (same mileage that mine went BOOM at) for like 3,000 or more. A rebuilt one is almost 5,000.. Yeah... um... go take a long jog off a short pier! I need another option!

The Engine

So I was looking at what to do... This engine, that engine, what, who, where, size, shape, so on. Ive done 3800 SuperCharged Series II (OBDI and OBDII) Pontiac Fieros and a V8 or two also.
I put a bunch of thought into an LT1 because they are cheap-ish and easy to find. I decided that for the power output it was kind of a wash with the stock 3.8L. Lame. So I looked up the LS blocks. Cheap-ish and good power. A LOT of aftermarket.
I did a lot of researching! Hell you can get turn key harnesses for a couple hundred bucks online!
I was talking to a buddy of mine, he mentioned the Vortec blocks. They arent MUCH heavier then the aluminum LS blocks. You can get MORE engine for the money. They make a HOLY HELL ton of power.
After some looking I made the choice...

The GM Ly6 engine.
(This info "borrowed" from the GM Powertrain site)
Specifications
2009
© 2008 General Motors Corporation
PRINTED IN U.S.A. 01/31/08
Powertrain Overview
GM Powertrain
Type: 6.0L V8 (LY6)
Displacement: 364 cid (5967 cc)
Engine Orientation: Longitudinal
Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
Valve Configuration: Overhead Valves
(2 valves per cylinder)
Assembly Site: Romulus, Michigan
Valve Lifters: Hydraulic Roller
Firing Order: 1 - 8 - 7 - 2 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3
Bore x Stroke: 101.6 X 92 mm
Bore Center: 111.76 mm
Bore Area: 648.59 cm2
Fuel System: Port Fuel Injection
Fuel Type: Regular Unleaded
Horsepower:
385 hp (287 kW) @ 5600 rpm
Torque:
400 lb-ft (542 Nm) @ 4400 rpm

Fuel Shutoff: 5600 rpm
Engine Mass: 539 lb (245 kg)
Emissions Controls: Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV)
Materials:
Block: Cast Iron
Cylinder Head: Cast Aluminum
Intake Manifold: Composite
Main Bearing Caps: Powder Metal
Crankshaft: Cast Iron with Undercut and Rolled Fillets
Camshaft: Steel
Connecting Rods: Forged Powder Metal

¶Cast iron deep-skirt cylinder block with six-bolt
main bearing caps that limit crankshaft flex and
stiffen the engine’s structure
¶Cast aluminum structural oil pan for additional
rigidity
¶High flow aluminum cylinder head design
¶Variable valve timing using a hydraulic cam phaser
to retard cam timing for low end torque and
advance cam timing for high rpm horsepower
¶Steel camshaft, hydraulic roller lifters, and steel
roller rocker arms for reduced friction and excellent
durability
¶Returnless fuel injection with stainless steel fuel rail
¶Electronic Throttle Body fully compatible with
electronic throttle control software in the MEFI-5
engine control module
¶Coil-near-plug ignition system with 58X crankshaft
position encoder, 4X cam sensor, and dual flat
response knock sensors for precise control of
ignition timing under all operating conditions
¶Iridium tip long-life spark plugs with improved “selfcleaning”
properties which decrease the potential
for plug fouling
¶External water crossover integrated into the water
pump casting so that no coolant flows through the
composite intake manifold
¶Inconnel (high temperature) exhaust valves for
long-term durability
¶Revised cam phaser for improved idle quality
¶Shallow sump oil pan for marine applications
¶Floating pin pistons which reduce noise and
increase durability
¶Heavy-duty timing chain with a new leaf spring
dampener to ensure quiet operation and long-term
durability

[LSxPoweredSorento]

SO... why? Hell... Why not? There is a TON of room in the Sorento engine bay. The GM trucks have a monstrous obnoxious independent front 4wd suspension just like the Kia. Oh and if your a power hungry mad-man... you can swap out the VVT cam and put down 500hp! WTF!

So if you think its sweet... your comments are appreciated... if not thats cool... trolls can go back to World Of Warcraft in your moms basement. LOL!

Some things I still need

Transfer case to bolt to the 6L90 - i got hosed by the dirtbag junkyard, a front sump oil pan, misc this and that parts

Current engine and trans info, specs, yadda yadda...

The engine is a 09 Silverado Ly6. The intake it came with was ROCKED. The truck was in an accident with only 17k on the clock. The intake was broke and the throttle body was missing. I bought a brand new GMPP LS3 "car" intake manifold with 90mm throttle body, 39# injectors, and new rail. I also scavenged the engine brackets, alternator, and pump from a Savanna van. With the engine I got the 6L90 trans and torque converter (no damn xfer case tho). The transmission is a BEAST. After reading about the specs on this thing I was sure it would be over kill and over sized. However, after getting the trans next to the stock Kia trans I am surprised to say that the dang things are almost the same size, also, the Kia is not very much lighter...

Some pictures of the progress...

Here is the engine painted with the Corvette mounts... It has the LS3 pan on it which ended up NOT fitting.




Engine bay of the Kia all emptied of its failed contents.





The top right mount cut, bolted, and welded in



Here is the passenger side welded and bolted in. Dont worry, the supports were made from the template of how these fit.




Here are the finished mounts and braces with the vette mounts




Tranny clearance on the 6L90 in the tunnel




Another tunnel shot of the 6L90




Wiring spaghetti mess




Wires tucked




Wires tucked




- - - Updated - - -

Here are some hood test shots...













Where she is right now...

I am working on the wiring right now. The LSx is tucked but the alternator i skeeved from the Lq4 engine does not have the same plug that my harness does. However, as long as the mounting is the same I can find a replacement OR I can get a different harness connector. I have all the Kia wiring marked, labeled, and a diagram re-worked. I have already started soldering the GM harness to the Kia harness... Things such as fan relays, PCM power, ignition power etc.

[LSxPoweredSorento]

In the pictures you notice the water pump disappears.... Some of you swap guys already know the truck pump and the car manifold do NOT play nice together... I pulled the pump and took it back in order to swap it for a car pump. Now I need pump spacers. At least the throttle body clears now though.

I also have the alternator mounted now. I used the truck bracket that I got from the junk yard. This required some relieving on the mount. It worked out great.

Here is a video of the test fit of the hood with the alternator on.... its daaayum close!

[pajeff02]

Damn... that is quite a swap project. Not something I would have ever envisioned.

[az gt eater]

I am glad to see that you don't live in my town. I would prob jump off the nearest bridge after getting smoked by a KIA! What does that think weigh?

[LSxPoweredSorento]

Shes heavier then she looks.. Its fully boxed framed like a truck. It is just over 4,000 pounds.

[KahanaReef]

That is pretty freaking cool. Talk about your sleeper

[LSxPoweredSorento]

I still want to badge it with something related though. I was thinking "Z06" or "LSx" something to get people to be like... "look at this loser with the such m such badge on the KIA... watch how i make him look stupid" ...person gets embarrassed.... "what the hell was that"
LoL

[SMWS6TA]

Kinda like a TBSS. I foresee a lot of butthurt cars in your future.

[LSxPoweredSorento]

Kinda like a TBSS. I foresee a lot of butthurt cars in your future.

LoL. Yeah. I use the TBSS as a performance base line since the weights and such are the same. The big difference will be how my gear ratio behaves with the 6L90
My 3.333 axle ratio will put me at a 70mph cruising speed at only 1800rpm. 97 At 2500, and a mathematical 6000 rpm would deliver 233mph. No thank F that. I wouldn't even think of winding out 6th gear. No suicidal wish here. Like Stonehenge on a roller skate.
With the gear ratios in the 6L90 I'm curious of how that would effect the 1/4 mile over the TBSS trans.

[KahanaReef]

I still want to badge it with something related though. I was thinking "Z06" or "LSx" something to get people to be like... "look at this loser with the such m such badge on the KIA... watch how i make him look stupid" ...person gets embarrassed.... "what the hell was that"
LoL

All they will have to do is pull up next to you at a light to know that this is not your average KIA. Put electric cutouts on it too and blow some more minds

[LSxPoweredSorento]

I have dreams of a Ls9 supercharger.... I saw one for 2300$ OMG...

[az gt eater]

All you would have to do is put team stripes on the fenders of a Kia and I would be shaking my head.

[bigrondownhiller]

Awesome swap.

[LSxPoweredSorento]

I like the fender stripes idea... I think im going to go with that...
Maybe LSx cut out real small in the stripe bottom.

[az gt eater]

I am shaking my head just reading your post. I see little box econo SUV's with them and shake my head. The Dodge thing. Small, whatever it is called, with team stripes. Nitro I think it's called. I think that thing needs nitrous so that it can read the liscence plates of Honda Civics....

[freaky57fast]

I am shaking my head just reading your post. I see little box econo SUV's with them and shake my head. The Dodge thing. Small, whatever it is called, with team stripes. Nitro I think it's called. I think that thing needs nitrous so that it can read the liscence plates of Honda Civics....

+1 lol those nitros have too fast a name for what they are! dodge turtle didn't sounds as appealing to the public I guess.

[Firebirdjones]

LoL. Yeah. I use the TBSS as a performance base line since the weights and such are the same. The big difference will be how my gear ratio behaves with the 6L90
My 3.333 axle ratio will put me at a 70mph cruising speed at only 1800rpm. 97 At 2500, and a mathematical 6000 rpm would deliver 233mph. No thank F that. I wouldn't even think of winding out 6th gear. No suicidal wish here. Like Stonehenge on a roller skate.
With the gear ratios in the 6L90 I'm curious of how that would effect the 1/4 mile over the TBSS trans.

You'll likely be quite a bit quicker than a stock TBSS, I was. I did a 6.0 LQ4 swap in my 72 blazer 4x4 and put a 4L60 behind it. Engine was stock down to the truck exhaust manifolds, I ran 3.73 gears, custom SD tune by me, and that truck ran 14.30's at a 5,000 lbs. race weight and was surprising all kinds of vehicles including an unsuspecting 2010 SS camaro.

With your 6L90 that has a 4.03 first gear and that 3.33 rear gear, you have better gear multipication than I did by ALOT, (13 vs. my 11) so that thing is going to dig pretty good out of the hole and be a real terror at the stop lights. Should be fun. Interesting swap, I'd never think of a Kia anything having a swap like this.

[Conquest LR4]

Lol, LOL, and DOUBLE LOL!!!! Please, whatever you do post a video when completed. I have about laughed myself wet reading this. I think it's awesome!

[RONS98TA]

I (like many others) cant wait to see this project get done! I love when someone does the unexpected and surprises unknowing honda's!!