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wade w
09-29-2010, 10:30 PM
I have a lot of different questions. So rather than make a buch of threads I thought I would just put them all in here. I just got a 92 Olds Bravada. It has a vortec 4.3 in it and I want to put a V8 in it. Id love to put a LS motor in it, but it would have to stay EFI if I did that. I do know it being AWD is going to make it that much more fun. Anybody here put a LS motor in a 4x4? From what I have read before the oil pan is going to give me problems. I do have a 400 sbc I'll use if the LS thing is going to be to much trouble. other questions are about the trans and diffs. How much will they hold up to? Can I put the transfer case on a th350 or 400? Thanks for any help.
farond21
09-29-2010, 10:40 PM
I am thinking the H3 oil pan could work for ya.
Diabolical
09-29-2010, 11:26 PM
I am thinking the H3 oil pan could work for ya.
X2.. I have read the exact same thing..

If its not a daily driver.. You are just going to have to do some trial and error..
I am sure once you start.. It will all fall together..
We will be here for you.. Get to wrenching! :)

Mike
01XtremeLT1
09-30-2010, 07:49 AM
Welcome Wade!.... (illusions from CHP) to keep it EFI I would get in contact with Jered at Current Performance http://www.currentperformance.com/ and discuss the harness. he also sells many different conversion parts that you would need. His harnesses are plug and play. You could also build your own harness if you have the time. he has all the connectors you will need. You just need the two wiring diagrams from the vehicles to make it work.

X3 on the H3 oil pan.
mytmouz
09-30-2010, 10:59 AM
YOu can use the transmo in it with some upgrades, the xfer case won't bolt to either of the other 2 trannies listed. They do make an adapter to bolt a 700r xfer case to a 350 tranny for a z71, not sure if the Olds is the same xfer case as those though...
wade w
09-30-2010, 06:36 PM
Welcome Wade!.... (illusions from CHP) to keep it EFI I would get in contact with Jered at Current Performance http://www.currentperformance.com/ and discuss the harness. he also sells many different conversion parts that you would need. His harnesses are plug and play. You could also build your own harness if you have the time. he has all the connectors you will need. You just need the two wiring diagrams from the vehicles to make it work.

X3 on the H3 oil pan.



Thanks Ill check them out. The one thing about the H3 oil pan that I have seen is it hangs down lower than the crossmember. I dont want to take a chance on it hitting.
Joker
09-30-2010, 07:58 PM
i'm really interested in following this project...good luck
01XtremeLT1
10-01-2010, 09:37 AM
You should be able to talk to Jared at Current Performance regarding the oil pan concerns. He has done many conversions and has a ton of experience. He might have some other suggestions. He's also a stand up guy that stands behind his products too. He is located just outside Tampa so shipping time is fast..
Outsydr
10-01-2010, 04:18 PM
A lot of 4wd guys will weld in a new crossmember further forward (think SFA crossmember to get an idea what I mean) then cut out the factory one to solve the oil pan issues
Also thought I posted this yesterday but guess I was dreaming IIRC the bravada xfer case bolts up the same as the s-series blazer/jimmy but is clocked slightly different so it hangs lower than their chevy/gmc counterparts so the adapter mentioned earlier SHOULD work for you.
slow89s10
10-01-2010, 05:38 PM
on the s10 what side does the front drive shaft run i now on the bravda and the awd astro vans it runs down on the driver side
Outsydr
10-01-2010, 06:40 PM
the '97 ext cab i used to have as well as the '94 blazer in my sig were both driver side So I would think they were all like that since the first and second gens I have had were both that way.
wade w
10-01-2010, 08:16 PM
Ive been doing some more reading and I got to tell ya. The 400 looks better and better. Something I didnt think about was the trans bolting up. Id really like to have a LS motor and that idea is much more popular, but the more I look into it. The more I dont like the idea.
01XtremeLT1
10-02-2010, 10:22 AM
Even the 400 would be a good choice. how about a blow through carb and rear mounted turbos :)
wade w
10-02-2010, 12:06 PM
Even the 400 would be a good choice. how about a blow through carb and rear mounted turbos :)


Sounds great, but Id need sponsors for that one.


Im going to have to be realistic with this and just use what I have. It would be nice if I could go crazy with this like we have with the chevelle, but I just dont have the money.
mytmouz
10-02-2010, 02:26 PM
LS motor will bolt up to 5 of the 6 bolts that a regular ol' SBC bolts to...
wade w
10-02-2010, 11:21 PM
LS motor will bolt up to 5 of the 6 bolts that a regular ol' SBC bolts to...



Ya I read that. Just not to sure Im comfortable with that. To tell the truth I just feel better about the 400. Maybe Ill do a ls motor after the 400 gets old.
wade w
10-03-2010, 12:34 AM
Something else I want to ask about. I read somewere else you could take 4.3 motor mounts and turn them around and a small block would bolt up. Then somebody else said ya, but the 4.3 mounts were junk. Would that not be the same mounts that come in the TY/SY's? If so what are they doing about it?
Wybrow
10-04-2010, 09:50 PM
An AWD 400sbc olds bravada would be badass! I have a rotten old shell out behind my shop that I raided a tonne of parts from, always thought it would be neat to turn it into something. Especially since Bravada's weren't available in Canada ;)
wade w
10-05-2010, 07:16 PM
Something else I want to ask about. I read somewere else you could take 4.3 motor mounts and turn them around and a small block would bolt up. Then somebody else said ya, but the 4.3 mounts were junk. Would that not be the same mounts that come in the TY/SY's? If so what are they doing about it?



Any thoughts on this?
Diabolical
10-05-2010, 08:00 PM
Unless you are tight on cash. I would use the Camaro or the Caprice "clam shell" style ones.
The 4.3 units were not built to handle the torque you are getting ready to put down.
Wybrow
10-06-2010, 07:02 PM
Definitely get the clamshell mounts, those 4.3 ones are held together by the rubber center i believe...
wade w
10-11-2010, 07:28 PM
I got some vette wheels to put on it but they dont fit. Found out they are to old. Id really like some trans am GTA wheels but im not sure if they would fit and I havent found any used ones. Something I have a question about. I want to lower the back a little. Nothing big maybe 3/4 inches. I dont want to use blocks. I know there not good for something you plan on drag racing. All the springs I have found say 2wd. Will they not work on the AWD? Ive looked at the sliders for the rear. It just seems like a lot of work just to drop it and to drop it as much as I want I think it would cause a pinion angle problem. I could just raise the front spring mount with it so it wouldnt cause a pinion angle problem , but still a lot of work for what Im looking for.
wade w
10-11-2010, 07:51 PM
Another question. Im going with the 400. Will the serpentine system off the 4.3 work on the 400 and will it fit in the truck? Id really like to keep the A/C.
jameskirk1
10-11-2010, 07:58 PM
Pretty sure it will bolt up - be sure and change the waterpump too - it will be reverse rotation
wade w
10-11-2010, 08:00 PM
Pretty sure it will bolt up - be sure and change the waterpump too - it will be reverse rotation

Ya Im fairly sure it will bolt up, Im just not sure if it will fit.
Wybrow
10-12-2010, 12:28 PM
I had a serp system on my original s-10 with No A/C, I know the A/C compressor is the tallest part of the serp system, but aside from that I know everything else fits, just gotta try the compressor I guess.....
mytmouz
10-12-2010, 12:35 PM
I have a sbc in my blazer with a long water pump/serpentine set up off a 89 firechicken, if that helps ya decide.. I saw another Blazer the other day with a complete tbi swap with the serpentine set up as well...
wade w
10-12-2010, 07:41 PM
Did any of them have the radiator still in the stock location? I cant move it forward and keep the A/C.
lxtasy
10-12-2010, 07:56 PM
Wade, we are using 2" lowering blocks in the rear of the red pig without any issues. if you are wanting to drop it 3/4 of an inch than you can do a 1" block and be fine without any issues at all.

get the s-10 motor mounts that allow you to slide the motor all the way back. And you should be able to slide the radiator forward and keep a/c. As we have the radiator forward also and have the transmission cooler right in front of it. And it should still clear. All I did was notch the radiator support and slide it under there
wade w
10-12-2010, 08:13 PM
Wade, we are using 2" lowering blocks in the rear of the red pig without any issues. if you are wanting to drop it 3/4 of an inch than you can do a 1" block and be fine without any issues at all.

get the s-10 motor mounts that allow you to slide the motor all the way back. And you should be able to slide the radiator forward and keep a/c. As we have the radiator forward also and have the transmission cooler right in front of it. And it should still clear. All I did was notch the radiator support and slide it under there

LOL. That was 3 to 4 inches. Ive looked at the mounts your talking about. Only problem is the front drive shaft. But it can be fixed.
wade w
03-05-2011, 08:17 PM
Its been a while, but I finally got started on this thing. I got the old motor out and got the radiator moved a far forward as I could and still keep the A/C. I moved it about an inch forward. I got started on the motor as well. Its just going to be a350. I found out a one piece rear main seal motor would help out a lot with the oil pan. My brother scraps Junk cars from time to time and he got this 90 suburban that was rusted out bad but had a perfect running 350 in it. He let me have the motor. I have some vortec heads Im putting on it with a hyd roller cam. Got some of the 2.8 motor mounts and adapters. Also got some shorty headers. Trying to keep the ball rolling on it. But it's not easy.