V8 swap Q's

[philos1]

As to costs, I will go out and say that the costs to do a swap are pretty close on injected versus carburetor. Manuchao got his 35 mile (IIRC, it was 35 miles) 5.3 Vortec for 2K with a bunch of stuff extra included. That's not a lot more than a new GM crate motor. Yes, the harness/programming/etc can add up, but so can the carb version extras. I would say at the very least to get a TBI unit from a wrecked vehicle and swap those components onto a crate long block, but I still believe you'll be ahead with something even newer.


BTW, I am a regular Baja junkie and my 60 was built with H-55, Vortec, and stock radiator with a mechanical fan clutch.


cheers.

 

[MANUCHAO]

It was/ is a 2006 Vortect complete with tranny and 40 miles (back then) on it for 3k.
That included the harness, ECU, Drive by wire pedal and 2 Catalitic converters....

I had to get the pedal harness and ECU and Evap Canister and Solenoid valve for CA smog laws...

So far....so good... the only thing I have had to change was a starter and replace a freeze plug.
I dont know much about carb or fuel injected but Im quite happy with EFI at 19mpg on the FWY and about 14mpg on the city ..... Im not complaining one bit

You get more bang for your buck if you get a used engine...I think someone else (Dylan?) in San Diego got the same engine I did with 1 or 3 miles on it... for a bit less of what I did...so deals are to be found out there... take your time and you'll find the right engine for yah....

G'luck...

Manu

 

[Tinker]

I had a top-rated shop do my stock 5.7 Vortec/4L60E swap because it was way over my carb/SBC/stock tranny-level head & I wanted reliability & maintainability. Also because it would be better offroad, plowing snow, & pulling a big trailer.

It's returned 17 mpg combined town/mountain highway driving on 33" MTRs & 4.11s. It cruises at 2,200 rpm at 75 mph in 4th locked. AND it'll leave a stoplight before most SUVs besides a ML55 or Hemi Heep.

 

[iaintscared1969]

Get one with Fuel Managment system on it.

 

[ntsqd]

I know that I've posted this in the past, but my '91 1/2t 4wd Suburban on 285's (TBI350/700R4 combo) has gotten 15.6 mpg going 72-78 mph. I know that going to deeper gears than 3.73's would drop the mph down to something more reasonable while still keeping the engine in it's ideal operating speed. To go less than 70 mph I put it in direct as there is an obvious loss of mpg at those speeds in OD. With the same gearing and tires in my previous '79 Suburban (carb'd 350/TH400 combo) the best that I ever got was 9 mpg.

I would consider a TBI engine as the most basic starting place regardless of the trans choice.