My fairly complete 3.8 to SBC 350 swap parts list!
- Thread starter 85 Cutlass Brougham
- Start date
I guess that is what they are called. If you go to that link and look at the first 2 pictures u will see one.
good because i didnt want to go to a junkyard to get a pair. will the bolts i have now work in the holes that the chevy mounts use? it's minor details that could stop a project dead in its tracks, like bolting in your engine.
Lol, your right. My bolts didnt fit but I might have misplaced them as well. I had to go to the hardware store and get some. Added a inch I believe and also I got a larger bolt to fill in the hole more diameter wise. Take the mount with you to be sure. Don't forget the nut. Are you going carb or fuel injection? If carb, does your engine have a spot for a mechanical fuel pump?
i'm going carb but all i'm doing right now is looking to get some small yet important parts. since the most important part of the swap IS the mounts, it's nice to know i can buy a new pair and not crawl through who knows what to get some used ones from a junkyard. i dont want to jump the shark and spend lots of time getting parts i should have had before i was set to put an engine in rather than after and have a car just sitting in the driveway. since it is a daily driver down time cannot be more than a day or two. IF i do proper planning, IF i have a list of parts needed, if i double check my work before yanking out the V6 for a 350, this should go smoothly and quickly. and there's no guarantee of that, only that in theory it should be smooth and quick. especially since i'm probably going to swap out the transmission at the same time.
so right now i'm looking to get the small and CHEAP parts now. i'm still looking at different engines to buy so this gives me time to think some more. spending even a couple grand on an engine and having it be a bad engine is no fun so i want to make sure i pick the right engine. i dont want it to be more than i want and i sure dont want it lacking what i demand. hard to find a perfect middle with crate engines.
so right now i'm looking to get the small and CHEAP parts now. i'm still looking at different engines to buy so this gives me time to think some more. spending even a couple grand on an engine and having it be a bad engine is no fun so i want to make sure i pick the right engine. i dont want it to be more than i want and i sure dont want it lacking what i demand. hard to find a perfect middle with crate engines.
Yeah I went with a long block off craigslist. I doubt it will get done in a day or 2 as there is always something more. Junkyard times and autozone having to order parts will mess things up.
Since your going carb you want to make sure your engine has a hole in it for the mechanical fuel pump rod. Some don't have the hole yet still have a plate covering it. You also want to verify that the cam has a lobe on it so the mechanical fuel pump will work. Most older engines have that and I hear all crate motors have it but I would verify first. Of course, it wouldnt matter if your going with an electric fuel pump but that calls for more work and they are little expensive.
There are two wiring harnesses, the one coming out of the passenger side is for the ECM and is not needed. I wouldn't recommend cutting it though because part of it goes to the HVAC system. I just taped it real neatly and stuffed it in the very corner behind the a/c box, if you are patient you can get the whole thing so its not visible.
The motor mounts can be a pain to get in and out but its very possible, you may need two people, one underneath with the swivel socket and one on top. It may be easier to put the mounts on the motor first but I didn't so I dunno, I don't think so though. If you put them on the frame first, keep em loose for when you drop the motor in so they line up.
Keep the distributor off until after you drop it in because you may break it. I was lucky though.
Let me know what you end up doing. What car is this your doing?
Since your going carb you want to make sure your engine has a hole in it for the mechanical fuel pump rod. Some don't have the hole yet still have a plate covering it. You also want to verify that the cam has a lobe on it so the mechanical fuel pump will work. Most older engines have that and I hear all crate motors have it but I would verify first. Of course, it wouldnt matter if your going with an electric fuel pump but that calls for more work and they are little expensive.
There are two wiring harnesses, the one coming out of the passenger side is for the ECM and is not needed. I wouldn't recommend cutting it though because part of it goes to the HVAC system. I just taped it real neatly and stuffed it in the very corner behind the a/c box, if you are patient you can get the whole thing so its not visible.
The motor mounts can be a pain to get in and out but its very possible, you may need two people, one underneath with the swivel socket and one on top. It may be easier to put the mounts on the motor first but I didn't so I dunno, I don't think so though. If you put them on the frame first, keep em loose for when you drop the motor in so they line up.
Keep the distributor off until after you drop it in because you may break it. I was lucky though.
Let me know what you end up doing. What car is this your doing?
the engines i'm looking at are new long blocks but have a 2 piece rear main and allow the use of a mechanical fuel pump. pace has one, 260 HP and is a turn key, everything but headers just under $4K. serpentine accessory drive with A/C too. it even comes assembled minus the serpentine stuff and that's not hard to bolt on. i dont think it's gonna be done quick BUT it can be done quicker if i read and read alot and plan and double check and have things laid out and ready. it doesnt have a carb i would like but i can change that later.
http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?Pa ... dID=265489
you can see everything included in it. it's fairly comprehensive and offers the convenience of one stop shopping for the most part. the only thing it doesnt seem to have is headers and motor side mounts. my cooling system wont need upgrading, it's already been upgraded. the transmission will probably be replaced because i want OD. and since the A/C unit at least in the picture is in a similar position as mine i may not need to change much of anything for the A/C system. i thought the serpentine belt systems had the A/C unit on the driver side and the alternator on the passenger side...or am i nuts?
http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?Pa ... dID=265489
you can see everything included in it. it's fairly comprehensive and offers the convenience of one stop shopping for the most part. the only thing it doesnt seem to have is headers and motor side mounts. my cooling system wont need upgrading, it's already been upgraded. the transmission will probably be replaced because i want OD. and since the A/C unit at least in the picture is in a similar position as mine i may not need to change much of anything for the A/C system. i thought the serpentine belt systems had the A/C unit on the driver side and the alternator on the passenger side...or am i nuts?
Yeah, that engine is pretty and the words look nice too. But man, look at that price... If you got money like that then its fine but I wouldn't recommend throwing 4,000 into a motor unless you got 4,000 more in the bank. Besides, I believe you could go to one of your area performance shops and get a motor that's more built and installed (maybe) for less than that or equal. Not one of those in the nice neighborhoods though, settle with one in a low class to mid class area. For example, http://stlouis.citysearch.com/profile/5742280/overland_mo/matt_johnson_s_performance.html ...
Yeah, my motor has the a/c on the pass side too. My motor was a 87-95 type and I've seen that same setup on a bunch 88-95 chevy trucks and my 96 vortec 350 looks the same too. You should find out what year w/e motor you get is from in case you have to get a part or 10 from autozone. Maybe the flywheel...?
But I got that exact motor from the next county over off craigslist for $700 ... It is a mexico block but only had under 40,000 miles on it... If it only goes to 200,000 miles I'd be way past satisfied with what I paid for it, 160,000 would take me years to make....
But anyway, the serpentine system looked like it would hit the hood after we put the motor in but came to find out, it closed perfectly... Maybe not so with a basic air filter though, I'm just gonna get a drop down air filter when I get some money.
Also, the mounts on the 350 block might be larger than the 305's block mounts as in you might get more space than I did if you got them. I wasn't able to verify that though, hell, they may even make 350's with car block mounts and truck block mounts, of course you would want the car mounts.
AND, I did an 82 regal so I'm not sure if whatever your car is would have the same hood as in yours might hit the a/c or alternator.
I believe a transmission with lock-up will require the use of the ECM harness which might make a little mess if you wanted to remove the ECM harness. The harness you need to run the engine is on the driver side and be prepared to find out the alternator doesn't plug up because they are newer alternators... In case your interested, http://www.novaresource.org/alternator.htm What I did was go to the junkyard and cut off the connector and soldered a rookie connection then shrank a plastic sleeve over it. Then you will have to run your own hot wire to the back of the alternator either from the starter or the positive side battery.
Most transmissions with lock will either require you to change either the cross member(200r4) or the drive shaft(700r4) the ones that don't need nothing changed would be the TH350 with lock-up or the transmission you got hooked to your V6. I hear they are pretty identical so be careful when shopping, you also want the short tail shaft. http://www.nastyz28.com/chevy-transmission-identification.php
That's all I got right now...
Yeah, my motor has the a/c on the pass side too. My motor was a 87-95 type and I've seen that same setup on a bunch 88-95 chevy trucks and my 96 vortec 350 looks the same too. You should find out what year w/e motor you get is from in case you have to get a part or 10 from autozone. Maybe the flywheel...?
But I got that exact motor from the next county over off craigslist for $700 ... It is a mexico block but only had under 40,000 miles on it... If it only goes to 200,000 miles I'd be way past satisfied with what I paid for it, 160,000 would take me years to make....
But anyway, the serpentine system looked like it would hit the hood after we put the motor in but came to find out, it closed perfectly... Maybe not so with a basic air filter though, I'm just gonna get a drop down air filter when I get some money.
Also, the mounts on the 350 block might be larger than the 305's block mounts as in you might get more space than I did if you got them. I wasn't able to verify that though, hell, they may even make 350's with car block mounts and truck block mounts, of course you would want the car mounts.
AND, I did an 82 regal so I'm not sure if whatever your car is would have the same hood as in yours might hit the a/c or alternator.
I believe a transmission with lock-up will require the use of the ECM harness which might make a little mess if you wanted to remove the ECM harness. The harness you need to run the engine is on the driver side and be prepared to find out the alternator doesn't plug up because they are newer alternators... In case your interested, http://www.novaresource.org/alternator.htm What I did was go to the junkyard and cut off the connector and soldered a rookie connection then shrank a plastic sleeve over it. Then you will have to run your own hot wire to the back of the alternator either from the starter or the positive side battery.
Most transmissions with lock will either require you to change either the cross member(200r4) or the drive shaft(700r4) the ones that don't need nothing changed would be the TH350 with lock-up or the transmission you got hooked to your V6. I hear they are pretty identical so be careful when shopping, you also want the short tail shaft. http://www.nastyz28.com/chevy-transmission-identification.php
That's all I got right now...
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