New guy

[Jpack]

Hello. Stumbled upon this website looking for info on a swap I want to do.

I have a old tired 1994 suburban 1500 with a 350 TBI motor in it with 200k on the clock. I want to swap in a 5.3 since they are plentiful and cheap. Not looking for more power out of the thing and don't tow with it. I bought this truck from a friend who was frustrated with it after reviving it from his granmothers farm where it sat for many years. He couldn't get the brakes to work right so he said give me $750 for it. I trailered it home, hooked up my tech II and purged the ABS and through in a new battery and away it went. My son drives it to high school and wife drives it to work as well. It will now see more of a daily driver roll since getting rid of our '06 Navigator. So that is the short story on the truck.

Now, I am looking for any tips, tricks and easiest cheapest route to go about the swap in the least amount of down time. I am not a newbie to swaps as I am also in the process of a LT1 swap in my sons 40k 1991 Z28. I have also done a complete restoration on my 1994 Z28 and my wife has a 1996 Trans Am.

Any insight and help would be greatly appreciated. I have been away from GM trucks for awhile after a lemon I had purchased new in the past. Just need a key in, turn on and go set up that is reliable for the bad weather days in Chicagoland. All other days the toys come out to play.

Thanks in advance....

Jim

[bczee]

Welcome to the forum.

This swap is becoming very popular. The Gen III/IV engine is almost as simple as swapping a Gen II (LT21/4) into your 91 SBC Camaro. That swap is pertty much a bolt in as the SBC Gen I and LT1 Gen II block mounting point are the same. I saw a 90's sub with a 6.0l and a 4L80 with the transfer case and a ford fron axle to round it out to keep the 4x4 Sub.


The Gen III/IV engine is of a different i a few ways.

1st is the Location of mounts, this will be your 1st problem, They do not match up with a SBC (for the most part) but close. adapter plate and kit are being designed by Shawn and I think he is getting close to marketing them soon. The Gen III/IV block is about 1" shorter as the rear flange (where bolts to the trans) is shorter than a SBC and you hear people talking about 1" set back to move the engine back so that the trans stays in the original location.

The 2nd area of concern is Wiring, many vendors have harness and PCM ready to go (Speartech, Painless, etc) or you can mod your original one and have the PCM reprogarmed. Speartech is the most common source for this area. But it is not hard to mod your harness to be a stanalone.

3rd is the fuel system, the Gen III/IV require 57 lbs of pressure. you might be able to use most of the sub's feel and return lines, but would have to change the pump out. Walbor are the most common choice.

other than these, your almost home...!

BC