Upgrade 83 Tahoe to Firebird MPFI engine?
I have a real nice 1983 S-10 Tahoe V6 4X4 longbed that I got for FREE because of the dreaded knocking engine syndrome. I also bought a very nice running MultiPort FI V6 engine from a 1990 Firebird. I got the entire wiring harness & the ECM, too, all for $100!!
Digging into the paperwork that came with the truck, I find that a "Target 2.8" engine was installed 10 years & 20,000 miles ago. Checking this out reveals that it has the onepiece rear main seal & the full moulded one piece oil pan gasket. It still has the fuel pump on the block, though. The entire assembly looked like a stock carb equipped 1983 vintage engine compartment with a 1995 longblock installed. A real nightmare of emissions hodge-podge! Pulling the oil pan reveals a trashed rod journal along with plenty of shrapnel in the bottom of the pan that used to be a bearing shell.
I'd like to put this Firebird MPFI engine in there, but I need to keep the original S-10 front pulley arrangement to run the power Steering & A/C compressor.
Any Sage advice on going down this path?
If I change the front timing chain cover to the earlier style with the standard belts & pulleys, can I then bolt all the brackets for the PS & A/C systems back in place?
What fuel pump would connect up to the existing lines to give me enough pressure to run the FI system? Where should I cut a hole to run the ECM harness through the firewall?
Looks like I can install the oil pump, pickup & 4X4 pan directly onto the forner Firebird engine.
The only exhaust manifolds I've got are the ones from the 1983 setup. Can I plug the holes from the air pump setup then add an O2 sensor to one of these manifolds? Or should I add the O2 sensor down on one of the header pipes?
Anyone have a diagram for all the vacuum lines of the MPFI engine?
When I finally get there, what about an air cleaner? The Firbird engine did not come with any of those parts. I'd like to plumb in some kind of cold air intake setup.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but this truck is really worth it. It's been well maintained with only 144,000 miles total on the truck, No rust, fully loaded with options, & has a nice white Gem Top steel canopy with side window hatches. Two tone Sunshine Yellow with White below.
Thanks for any help with this project, guys.
Dan - Seattle
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