Can some of you more experienced guys give me the down and dirty, quick and easy, ABC version of what is involved with an egine swap ?
Thanks in advance !!
Thanks in advance !!
Engine Swap for Dummies ... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Beams37
- Start date
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Step 1: Decide what engine you want to swap in.
Step 2: Decide whether or not to keep the stock trans.
Step 3: If not keeping the stock trans, decide what trans to swap in.
Step 4: Acquire conversion components such as bell housings, transfer case adapters, motor mounts, wiring harness, etc.
Step 5: Pull out whatever isn't staying in the truck.
Step 6: Install new motor (and trans if not keeping stock).
Step 7 through 123: Work out small kinks that drive you crazy.
Step 124: Enjoy truck.
step 6 should really be broke out a little... 6a,b,c... could read install drivetrain measure, remove drivetrain, measure some more, repeat until drivetrain only takes minutes to remove install because you have lots of practice. 
swapping the motor/tranny is easy, the details can be a pain. i.e. steps 7 to 123.
swapping the motor/tranny is easy, the details can be a pain. i.e. steps 7 to 123.
It ranges depending on what you want: carb'ed SBC & your 4-speed, not so bad. Everything else more to much more difficult, depending on the engine, trans, tcase, & what you want.
ntsqd is making a career out of his https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/336261-my-84-60-build-wallace.html, but then he's an iconoclast perfectionist (you're welcome, Thom).
ntsqd is making a career out of his https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/336261-my-84-60-build-wallace.html, but then he's an iconoclast perfectionist (you're welcome, Thom).
well on the premise that you are talking about a different engine than stock.
(1) try to figure out what you want to do with the truck (trail ride, pavement queen, some mix in between).
(2) figure out what kind of budget you have.
(3) determine your skill mix (what can you do and what will you have to pay for).
(4) determine if you have teh skills to work on the truck later, because engine swap hybrids can be hard to have someone fix.
(5) So given the above..pick your engine & drive train. (what engine & transmission combination work with what you have and what if any modificaitons will be required and or adapters).
(6) will you need new driveshafts, new crossmembers, bellhousing adapter, transfer case adapter, will you need to have welding and fabrication done, will the stock axles work, will you need to cut the floorboard.
(7) what kind of electrical support is needed, do you understand how to wire the alternator to mate with your truck, will the new engine and transmission require a computer (if so will it need to be reprgrammed) and if so, to what degree.
(8) what wiring harness do you need to support engine operation, do they exist, whats the cost?
(9) do you have the skills to mount and install the engine, transmission , transfercase...and get everything running.
(10) what mounts are need to mount the engine in teh truck (should have this up near the top).
(11) do you have the skill necessary to troubleshoot and get the engine running right.
(12) What exhaust system to use.
(13) what driveshaft shop to use if required.
(14) What do you need for the cooling system to work right.
(15) Any local people in the area that you can talk with prior to getting started and that could potentially help you.
Assume you want you accessories to work...like A/C, power steering, other misc stuff.
Best advice is .... don't re-invent the wheel. Most likely its a good idea to execute a swap that there exists some support for and where things have been proven out, rather than trying to explore new ground.
Read all the engine swap threads on this board, get the swap "manual" from advance adapters.
Talk to some of the shops who do this work to find out what they reccomend, regarding engines, transmissions, and drivetrain.
** Understand what emissions laws apply where you live and or enforcement, prior to making any deciisons, because if you approach the setup wrong, you end up with a vehicle that cannot get tags and cannot pass inspection. **
(1) try to figure out what you want to do with the truck (trail ride, pavement queen, some mix in between).
(2) figure out what kind of budget you have.
(3) determine your skill mix (what can you do and what will you have to pay for).
(4) determine if you have teh skills to work on the truck later, because engine swap hybrids can be hard to have someone fix.
(5) So given the above..pick your engine & drive train. (what engine & transmission combination work with what you have and what if any modificaitons will be required and or adapters).
(6) will you need new driveshafts, new crossmembers, bellhousing adapter, transfer case adapter, will you need to have welding and fabrication done, will the stock axles work, will you need to cut the floorboard.
(7) what kind of electrical support is needed, do you understand how to wire the alternator to mate with your truck, will the new engine and transmission require a computer (if so will it need to be reprgrammed) and if so, to what degree.
(8) what wiring harness do you need to support engine operation, do they exist, whats the cost?
(9) do you have the skills to mount and install the engine, transmission , transfercase...and get everything running.
(10) what mounts are need to mount the engine in teh truck (should have this up near the top).
(11) do you have the skill necessary to troubleshoot and get the engine running right.
(12) What exhaust system to use.
(13) what driveshaft shop to use if required.
(14) What do you need for the cooling system to work right.
(15) Any local people in the area that you can talk with prior to getting started and that could potentially help you.
Assume you want you accessories to work...like A/C, power steering, other misc stuff.
Best advice is .... don't re-invent the wheel. Most likely its a good idea to execute a swap that there exists some support for and where things have been proven out, rather than trying to explore new ground.
Read all the engine swap threads on this board, get the swap "manual" from advance adapters.
Talk to some of the shops who do this work to find out what they reccomend, regarding engines, transmissions, and drivetrain.
** Understand what emissions laws apply where you live and or enforcement, prior to making any deciisons, because if you approach the setup wrong, you end up with a vehicle that cannot get tags and cannot pass inspection. **
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for all the input guys. I'm not in a hurry to swap the engine, but I may llok at that in the future.
Bret ... Awesome looking truck !!
All ... Thanks for the advice. Sometime these threads make it out to seem like a simple thing. But in the end, I could be up $*%T Creek !!
Bret ... Awesome looking truck !!
All ... Thanks for the advice. Sometime these threads make it out to seem like a simple thing. But in the end, I could be up $*%T Creek !!
ntsqd
technerd
Yes it is the in-between stuff that kills you...like in my 78 2F I spent more time getting one bolt out of the exhaust triangle than I did pulling the front clip off.
Earlier, I was going to say something like there is no such thing as an engine swap for dummies--especially a different engine, but didn't want to come across as a smartypants. Even swapping the same engine is not a trivial undertaking. It sounds easy enough until you do something simple like replace all the heater hoses and it takes all day, and then you realize what a big job it would really be to swap out the engine. I'm all for being my own mechanic on this rig, but I also know my limitations.
