350 swap 92 s10 digital dash

[jerry phats]

what are some of the extra mods iam going to have to do if i replace my 4.3 with a older like 79 350,will the stock overdrive tranny hold up to a 350 as long as i dont rat it hard what kind of wirering changes will i have to do or is there a kit i can order so i can directly plug it in,Ex.speedo tach oil pressure water temp,hoses vac lines, ect

[curtis73]

There are tons of kits out there. Its probably one of the most common V8 swaps. There are books on the subject at book stores or on Amazon. The one I know is good has a black and white picture of a white S10 with a TPI on the cover. I forget the title

There are motor mounts, oil pans, wiring kits, and all you need to make the swap.

The 700r4 behind your current 4.3 is the same physical transmission as what they put behind 350s, but calibrated much softer. If its a stock 350 I wouldn't worry about it. If its over 250 or 300 horses I suggest rebuilding it with a performance shift kit. In fact, the best time to do it is when the engine is out, so might as well do it while its out anyway. With the rebuild the nice thing is you get a rebuilt torque converter with it. You can specify the stall speed you want since the S10's converter might stall at a too-high 2400 RPMs behind the 350 and cause excessive heat.

[Andy Dorsett]

I owned a 91 s10 Blazer. I wanted a V8. I bought the book with the black and white picture on the front described below. It is good. The swap is anything but a drop in deal. Lots of cutting and modding. I'm not saying it can't be done but the book made it sound completely different than the multiple magazine articles I read on how simple it was. The 700 in the blazer is not the same as the others. The bell housing on the camaros and vettes has some kind of ear on it that won't allow it to fit in the blazer without mod. After reading the book I sold the Blazer and bought a 91 Camaro with the 350 already in it. Best decision I ever made. There are no complete kits that I am aware of although it has been at least six years since I was researching this subject, only ones that provide motor mounts, radiators, and stuff like that. All the other stuff you need is described in the book. Get the book. They are the experts not us on this board.

[curtis73]

Good idea, Andy. I also suggest cruising over to the chevy category, then the S-10 forums. I'm sure you'll find someone over there with intimate knowledge of the V8 swap.