Thank you for doing this, you've saved me a lot of time by telling me about the motor mounts I ordered the 2wd ones for my 4x4 swap and the 2wd ones fit perfectly, I've seen all the v8 swap videos you've posted and saved me soooo much time and headaches.
Your narration is freaking hilarious. I had a 91 S-10 pickup that I intended to do a V8 swap on. I wound up giving it to my best friend when his wife’s pathfinder died in a crash.
I swapped a very, very healthy fresh built Small Block Chevy into a 2wd S-10, the only stock parameter on that lil brute was the stroke size. I went with a forged rotating assy @ 0 balance, .040 overbore pistons, moderate duration and lift solid roller camshaft, a set of very nice Edelbrock aluminum cyl heads, a high rise Edelbrock performer rpm square bore intake, and countless other odds & ends. The motor was kinda weird, it made a smidge over 400 hp and a smidge over 500 ft lb torque. I used a kit to swap the V8 in that s10 and I do remember the driver side header primaries were kinda wild, the two inner primaries ran out and away from the engine block quite a bit all the while the two end primaries were hugging close. The steering shaft ended up running thru the headers, it was a really nicely put together kit. The little pickup had the umph to smoke the tires at will and ran absolutely amazing and fuel mileage wasn’t terrible even with an 800 cfm Holley 4150 dual fuel line carburetor. I do wish however I would have went with a 2 speed powerglide trans setup because since the pickup weighed less than 3,000 lbs it would have been quicker in the quarter mile with 1 shift from low to high than rather than 2 shifts from low-2nd-drive with the gm TH350 trans I had in it. The B&M TH350 trans also didnt enjoy full throttle shifts when the soft rev limiter came on @ 6200 rpm. It was just sooo torquey, either the powerglide or TH400 trans would have really held up better, but oh well I was also fighting with traction issues as well. Good luck with tour blazer though, I’ve enjoyed watching you find things you needed to change and correcting them. They arent many of us gearheads left, best wishes my friend. 👍🏻
When I installed the TPI 350 in my 91 S10 4X4 I ran into the same issue with the oil pan. Milodon makes a pan for the swap. It was $300….. your oil pan does the same thing and was budget friendly.
Good series I have an 86 4x4 s10 blazer I've been driving for 2 years now. Its a rust bucket but starts up every a.m. Love the series keep up the good work.
I just watched episode 1 of the s10 and all of the firebird series. Your style really has come a loooong way! I really hope to get on your mechanical level someday. Great videos keep it up!
I miss my 85 blazer .good story they were building factory's by our neighborhood I was 16 and had my blazer we decided to go drive over the big dirt hills. I jumped one on an angle and landed in the front passenger front tire. This thing did a sideways cartwheel and landed on the wheels. It was so scary but very minimal damage. That was the last time i did that I did not do that again lol. That lil blazer was a beast tho.
I used hockey pucks when I body lifted my 1994 GMC Jimmy. Worked perfectly! I also cranked my torsion bars and added shackle extensions for the suspension lift. In the end, 31" tires were the biggest I could stuff in the wheel wells. Over all, it looked pretty badass!!
That's about what I have heard, 31" sounds right. Mine came with 30" tires and they looked good but could go a bit bigger, but the width might rub the frame on turns. If I get wheels with the right offset there is only fender sheet metal in the way of fitting bigger tires though, and the sawzall would take care of that...
Be careful with hockey pucks.. You gotta keep conditioner on them. My buddy used them and never conditioned them and after 2 years they started splitting from dry rott. They work great as long as you don't let them dry rot.
I own a 1991 S10 Blazer with 260k miles, she's down at the moment but will be running again before summers end. She's all stock, original engine, trans, and differentials. I had the same problem with mine not wanting to stay running, found out it was a small module on the distributor giving my onboard "computer" fits and making it run poorly or not at all. fixed that problem solved. I liked your solution though, V8 in a Blazer does make me smile.
I replaced the distributor with an aftermarket one and it didn't make a difference on the TBI setup, so it is unlikely that an ignition module was at fault in my case. Glad it worked for you though, I hope you get her running and driving again soon!
This is awesome man, I like it. Reminds me of when I was in my early 20's, I had an 84 Blazer 4x4, I had dreams of putting a small block in it, I see now just how much work that would've been, a big pita. I've always wanted a small block s10 something, My first vehicle was a 92 sonoma, I traded the 84 Blazer for a 99 s10 4.3 that I lowered and modified a bit. Now I have a 1st gen Colorado. So, I've had pretty much all the s-series trucks. I have a fond spot for them.
Broch Slanders I'm planning on getting one but not build myself as I don't have a lift, engine jack, transmission jack etc. Nothing to clear an engine. I can do it but way to much stress when I can buy a 350 s10 for 2.5k already done and work on what they did wrong. Regular s10 in my area go 1.5k and up for 90s models. Swapped with a 350 for 2.5 in paying 1000 extra which isnt bad considering they usually come with other mods to like ratchet shifters (or modified manual trans) exhaust etc..
That oil pan mod is actually pretty good. Most times, one would fabricate a “clone” of the v6 sump out of sheet metal and weld it into the bottom of the stock 350 pan
Awesome vid!! Makes me miss my '83 S-10 I Frankensteined with an '83 Camaro. Took the Camaro's 305 and rims and shoed 'em with muddin' rubber Thanks for the vid!
You're blessed to have the wherewithal to do this. I'm not sure I could change a spare tire if I had to. Best wishes. Hope things keep working out for you. I enjoyed the video and learned a lot.
Having watched this when it was originally posted, and now going back and rewatching before v8 swapping my buddies 91, I absolutely can't believe it's been 5 years since this was posted.
FuzzyDicePimp Just stumbled across this series, absolutely love the build. If you haven't figured out the oil filter issue yet, you should be able to solve all your headaches by installing a remote filter relocation kit. All it does is cap off the stock filter location with a block that has fittings for oil lines, then you just install a new filter mount wherever you want.
Thanks! I know about oil filter relocators, the 4.3L 4WD trucks actually came with one! I had hoped I could re-use it but no luck, the filter mounting holes in the block are different. The kits out there (I'm told) need modification to clear the exhaust and front driveshaft in these trucks since everything is so close together, and while I may well do it one day, it's not a top priority.
What about install it in the roof at the back so it looks like a Mr.Fusion (It might be installed inverted, filter pointing up)? Is that viable? I might add an Flux Capacitor to match, even a hover conversion and flux bands. Thanks in advance.
I've been working on my blazer for about five years now and this is quite entertaining I've been able to get a lot of horsepower out of the stock engine but everyone who has this vehicle comes to the realization got a bigger engine is what the Blazers need
they are the same engine. they needed a v6 for their smaller vehicles and one dude glanced at the 350 and said "hold my beer" 2 chopped cylinders later and bam. 4.3L 262 cubic inch v6
Weld up bumpers with spikes, don the leather codpiece and studded leather collar and start terrorizing neighboring subdivisions on the weekends ala Mad Max!
I've always bought the clear dist cap when buying a new distributor, it's great for troubleshooting. The oil filter is easy, run a remote filter. Ditch that carb, go fuel injection, especially since you like to drive in varying altitude. There are two budget options that would be great for the project. Microsquirt runs $350. Speeduino will run around $150 but requires soldering and configuring of the hardware. With both you could grab junkyard parts like a tpi intake manifold and associated parts.
I agree on the clear distributor cap, it's useful when turning the engine by hand and setting timing, and of course checking for spark. I like carburetors, they are simple and, I don't know, have character I guess. I like that they are mechanical I guess. A buddy wants to use a Megasquirt for one of his engine swaps or a turbo install so I'll see what it is like when he does it, maybe it'll win me over!
Got an 86 S-10 Blazer with the 2.8 V6 back in 1995. On the test drive it died in my driveway, most people would have probably just left it alone but not me. I fixed the blue blazer up and drove it for 2 years then my dad drove it for a while and then sold it. Sadly the next owners didn't take care of it and I watched it get abused and then saw it at the salvage yard after it got t- boned.
You mentioned around the 1:30 mark you couldn't find info regarding the swap into a 4x4. While it appears the swap is done, there is a ton of info online for the V8 swap into the 4x4 S-series. JTR (Jags that Run) literally wrote the book on this swap years ago. Also there are plenty of guys on the forums with V8 Bravadas, as well as Sy/Tys.
There is some info, for sure, but in my searches I could only find one single picture showing the empty engine bay of a 4x4 model, for instance. I found out which exhaust manifolds fit from JTR and other sources, and info on making an oil pan fit (though I cut mine up in a different way than I had seen), among other things. But a lot of it is scattered and vague (or old), or contradictory. I never found real consensus on what headers fit, what engine mounts work (even the manufacturer doesn't seem to know), and some other details like that. The difficulty of trying to work out the remote oil filter is why I gave up on it, some guys swear none of the universal kits fit and they all need modification. The internet helped hugely, don't get me wrong, but compared to the documentation of the swap done on 2WD trucks there is absolutely no comparison. There is a lot shoved into the engine bay and undercarriage of the 4WD to work around, and it can be difficult to figure out how to fit everything in without just pulling the vehicle apart yourself, and trying things out.
Not trying to piss you off, so sorry If it's coming off that way. As far as headers, Hooker and Headman are the only ones that come close, but honestly you're better off building your own. I've been involved with these trucks for much longer than I'd care to think, and I have a 1991 S10 Blazer (Tahoe 2-Door) 4x4 that's gone through quite a few phases. Originally she had the 4.3 backed by the 7004R. Previously it had a 383 backed by a T400, now getting an LS motor and a 4L80-E, and going to be an AWD Typhoon clone. Milodon makes a great V8 pan, and it does fit. www.summitracing.com/parts/MIL-31083/?rtype=10 Been verified in several instances. RPM ( Race Proven Motors - they're big into Polaris razors now) out of California used to be big in the sy/ty scene and still make a ton of parts. Your go to now would likely be LMC for re-pro parts and Sportmachines out of NY for the harder to find stuff. If you're serious, and depending on your end goals, treat your project like a V8 sy/ty and go from there. syty.net is a wealth of information. I'd be happy to offer you info if you needed it.
No, you're trying to help! No animosity here! I appreciate the info, I hadn't heard of syty before. A lot of the reason I didn't go for the pre-made stuff is simply cost. That oil pan looks awesome, but at $350 it's basically double what I spent on the engine. Making an oil pan was fun, that's kind of the spirit of this project. Cheap and laborious, not good haha. I'm honestly a bit scared of rolling or crashing the thing, so I'm okay with it being underpowered and slow. I'd like to get a 2WD S10 pickup and make a real track ready car one day, though.
Why i love the 2wd pickups. Its just less stuff to work on, maintenance, work on, fix, worry about, and work around. There isnt a whole lot of space on these things so in my mind it makes up for not having 4wd, also i put a posi in mine, so im damn near invincible (joke)
I came across this and this really gave me some nice ideas, last year I pulled a 1986 s10 blazer out of the back field, it had 168 000km on it and had been sitting in the elements for 20 years and it kind of became my project vehicle, so I fixed it up and started driving it around and eventually the motor blew, so I've been taking out the old 2.8l v6 and I'm going to put in a 3.4l v6 in hopes of more power and speed. My end goal is to have it as a nice vehicle for mud bogging .
Beautiful property. Nice video. I had 1991 s-10 with 4.3, it was a great motor but needed a balance shaft which Chevrolet started putting them in 1993. 2.8 was always junk
Haha, that lamp has served me well. Busted the base off of it so it's bolted through a 2x4. Works well for underhood and table-top stuff. Tends to get in the way less than hanging lights, actually.
I'm lucky for 2 reasons a I want to keep the straight 6 and b I have so much room for an engine swap in the f100. But seeing you pull this off makes me want to continue restoring my f100
And the Blazer is getting there I would make a test to see how strong the Blazer is with the V-8 compared to that metric V-6, a neighbor of mine, swapped engines on a 80s Chevrolet Malibu, and put a307 engine in the car was a six ,and he put a 307, it looked like it was made for that car, this was some 25 to 30 years ago.
Man i wish i found your channel before you did this i could have saved you 1000hrs i did this swap on a 2wd blazer in 01. I think you did a heck of a job and i like the clear cap to nostalgia rules oh if you ever get a bronco2 the 2.9 v6 block will fit a 350 Chevy piston
I gotta say this is a fucking badass s10 blazer congratulations on such a hard project and all of the hard work. damn thing sounds like a cammed V8. so fucking cool keep it up awesome videos.
I love it. Wish I could of found a nice square body for my s10 project but got a 2nd gen instead. 95 4x4 350 tbi engine backed by the 4.3's 5 speed still fuel injection. Runs great
I wonder if you couldn’t just put a oil filter adapter going to a hose and then put it somewhere upright in the engine bay. There’s got to be something out there for that. It would basically be an extension. I never liked when the oil filter was underneath anyway
you've done awesome.... Jags That Run could have saved you a touch of grief, though... the V8 swap book includes schematic so you can build your own motor mounts.... 20/20 hindsight, you did very well and funny your pan solution is darn close to what they did (they sectioned in a bit to the v6 pan from the v8 pan)...
I skimmed through their info online, I'm sure the book has more, but some good info for sure. I didn't like the way they made their oil pan because I feel like getting the flange with the weld line to seal right might be tricky, but I'm sure it would work with enough planning and grinding. I looked at a lot of custom motor mounts, but couldn't find any designs I liked that were guaranteed to fit a 4x4, except for a few pre-made ones like the Transdapt (which didn't fit anyway). So yeah, I could have just made them out of some steel plate but it probably would have been at least as much work and a similar materials cost anyway.
If you look at the distributor there is a machined area that closes off an oil galley inside the block. Just using a flat blade with those holes open does not send oil through the whole circuit. You can make one out of a old distributor. Maybe the 4.3 one would work not sure on that.
I had not heard that before, thanks for the tip! I was going to make/buy a tool for it since the screwdriver wasn't a good solution in any respect. Already sold the old 4.3L dizzy (the same physical dimensions so would have worked) so I'll probably spend a few bucks and get a tool made for it.
"I'm not gonna rebuild a V6." That is a sentence that has been spoken by many a men for generations, myself included.
I'd put a 3.8l v6 from a 90's Bonneville any day
after having v8's all my life , i like the 4.3 my 93 s-10 4x4 truck came with. i have gone with the hei distributer and the chinese ford 2bbl.
JUST CAME ACROSS YOUR CHANNEL. REAL WORLD DUDE WITH A LOW BUDGET LIKE MOST OF US GEARHEADS. BRAVO BROSEF
I love it when he shot water into the open exhaust ports
Thank you for doing this, you've saved me a lot of time by telling me about the motor mounts I ordered the 2wd ones for my 4x4 swap and the 2wd ones fit perfectly, I've seen all the v8 swap videos you've posted and saved me soooo much time and headaches.
Awesome, glad to hear that the series helped with your build! Hope you have a great time with your truck!
How much had to be cut off of the 4x4 mounts?
For the oil filter, use a relocation kit, you can mount it where ever you want
Your narration is freaking hilarious.
I had a 91 S-10 pickup that I intended to do a V8 swap on. I wound up giving it to my best friend when his wife’s pathfinder died in a crash.
Your engine isn’t too close to stuff, it’s just “precision fit”
I say the engine fits it’s just the other stuff is in the way
I swapped a very, very healthy fresh built Small Block Chevy into a 2wd S-10, the only stock parameter on that lil brute was the stroke size. I went with a forged rotating assy @ 0 balance, .040 overbore pistons, moderate duration and lift solid roller camshaft, a set of very nice Edelbrock aluminum cyl heads, a high rise Edelbrock performer rpm square bore intake, and countless other odds & ends. The motor was kinda weird, it made a smidge over 400 hp and a smidge over 500 ft lb torque. I used a kit to swap the V8 in that s10 and I do remember the driver side header primaries were kinda wild, the two inner primaries ran out and away from the engine block quite a bit all the while the two end primaries were hugging close. The steering shaft ended up running thru the headers, it was a really nicely put together kit. The little pickup had the umph to smoke the tires at will and ran absolutely amazing and fuel mileage wasn’t terrible even with an 800 cfm Holley 4150 dual fuel line carburetor. I do wish however I would have went with a 2 speed powerglide trans setup because since the pickup weighed less than 3,000 lbs it would have been quicker in the quarter mile with 1 shift from low to high than rather than 2 shifts from low-2nd-drive with the gm TH350 trans I had in it. The B&M TH350 trans also didnt enjoy full throttle shifts when the soft rev limiter came on @ 6200 rpm. It was just sooo torquey, either the powerglide or TH400 trans would have really held up better, but oh well I was also fighting with traction issues as well.
Good luck with tour blazer though, I’ve enjoyed watching you find things you needed to change and correcting them. They arent many of us gearheads left, best wishes my friend. 👍🏻
I love this narration style video!
The hell is you're problem
Wut
When I installed the TPI 350 in my 91 S10 4X4 I ran into the same issue with the oil pan. Milodon makes a pan for the swap. It was $300….. your oil pan does the same thing and was budget friendly.
Good series I have an 86 4x4 s10 blazer I've been driving for 2 years now. Its a rust bucket but starts up every a.m. Love the series keep up the good work.
I dailyed an 87’ S10 blazer with a 350 for 7 years. I am loving your channel! So many of the exact same memories.
Been following this build. Being an owner of an '83 S-15, it's something I really enjoyed. Love it.
same i have a 85 s10 blazer tbh might want to do a swap and this really helps a lotttttt!!!!!!!!!
I had 84
These videos were great. It took a lot of work on the S10, but also a lot of work to produce such good and informative videos.Thank you.
I like this style of editing
agreed
So do I!!
Alex EspoWRX yeah roger that, he does pretty good on his videos. I like em as well...
One of the best regular automotive channels Ive ever seen. Cheers to you man!
I just watched episode 1 of the s10 and all of the firebird series. Your style really has come a loooong way! I really hope to get on your mechanical level someday. Great videos keep it up!
I miss my 85 blazer .good story they were building factory's by our neighborhood I was 16 and had my blazer we decided to go drive over the big dirt hills. I jumped one on an angle and landed in the front passenger front tire. This thing did a sideways cartwheel and landed on the wheels. It was so scary but very minimal damage. That was the last time i did that I did not do that again lol. That lil blazer was a beast tho.
Love the clear distributor.
I used hockey pucks when I body lifted my 1994 GMC Jimmy. Worked perfectly! I also cranked my torsion bars and added shackle extensions for the suspension lift. In the end, 31" tires were the biggest I could stuff in the wheel wells. Over all, it looked pretty badass!!
That's about what I have heard, 31" sounds right. Mine came with 30" tires and they looked good but could go a bit bigger, but the width might rub the frame on turns. If I get wheels with the right offset there is only fender sheet metal in the way of fitting bigger tires though, and the sawzall would take care of that...
Be careful with hockey pucks.. You gotta keep conditioner on them. My buddy used them and never conditioned them and after 2 years they started splitting from dry rott. They work great as long as you don't let them dry rot.
I own a 1991 S10 Blazer with 260k miles, she's down at the moment but will be running again before summers end. She's all stock, original engine, trans, and differentials. I had the same problem with mine not wanting to stay running, found out it was a small module on the distributor giving my onboard "computer" fits and making it run poorly or not at all. fixed that problem solved. I liked your solution though, V8 in a Blazer does make me smile.
I replaced the distributor with an aftermarket one and it didn't make a difference on the TBI setup, so it is unlikely that an ignition module was at fault in my case. Glad it worked for you though, I hope you get her running and driving again soon!
Nice work. As for the oil filter issue try summit racing they have a cool oil filter relocation kit for a fair price
Also my 89 Jimmy had it from the factory. Was mounted on the driver fender.
Felt the satisfaction of the first run..
Great work man! Very impressed with your ingenuity and perseverance! Not to mention your great video production...
This is awesome man, I like it. Reminds me of when I was in my early 20's, I had an 84 Blazer 4x4, I had dreams of putting a small block in it, I see now just how much work that would've been, a big pita. I've always wanted a small block s10 something, My first vehicle was a 92 sonoma, I traded the 84 Blazer for a 99 s10 4.3 that I lowered and modified a bit. Now I have a 1st gen Colorado. So, I've had pretty much all the s-series trucks. I have a fond spot for them.
Broch Slanders I'm planning on getting one but not build myself as I don't have a lift, engine jack, transmission jack etc. Nothing to clear an engine. I can do it but way to much stress when I can buy a 350 s10 for 2.5k already done and work on what they did wrong. Regular s10 in my area go 1.5k and up for 90s models. Swapped with a 350 for 2.5 in paying 1000 extra which isnt bad considering they usually come with other mods to like ratchet shifters (or modified manual trans) exhaust etc..
That oil pan mod is actually pretty good. Most times, one would fabricate a “clone” of the v6 sump out of sheet metal and weld it into the bottom of the stock 350 pan
Sweet man! Can't wait for video 3..........
Too some it was rusty junk ready for the scrap heap to a true car guy its priceless i bet thats one huge smile on your face every time she runs
Glad to see someone restoring it instead of people beating on them and destroying it. because those have always been reliable trucks. Nice project👍👍👍😁
You are a miracle, I’ve been wanting to swap my 88 s10 4.3 for years and now that I have the $$ and your videos I feel way more confident in doing it
Awesome vid!! Makes me miss my '83 S-10 I Frankensteined with an '83 Camaro.
Took the Camaro's 305 and rims and shoed 'em with muddin' rubber
Thanks for the vid!
You're blessed to have the wherewithal to do this. I'm not sure I could change a spare tire if I had to. Best wishes. Hope things keep working out for you. I enjoyed the video and learned a lot.
Time to start learning things, then.
sweet set of videos, impressive work on the truck and your editing makes it a lot of fun to watch. Nice job on all fronts man
Thanks! I'm glad you like everything!
Thanks for sharing. You've got some serious skills! Very nice work!
Having watched this when it was originally posted, and now going back and rewatching before v8 swapping my buddies 91, I absolutely can't believe it's been 5 years since this was posted.
Seriously got the get it figured out attitude and experience. Great Job !!
You have put in a lot of time and innovation. I enjoy your narration how you use a bit of humor. Time to watch #3.
FuzzyDicePimp Just stumbled across this series, absolutely love the build. If you haven't figured out the oil filter issue yet, you should be able to solve all your headaches by installing a remote filter relocation kit. All it does is cap off the stock filter location with a block that has fittings for oil lines, then you just install a new filter mount wherever you want.
Thanks! I know about oil filter relocators, the 4.3L 4WD trucks actually came with one! I had hoped I could re-use it but no luck, the filter mounting holes in the block are different. The kits out there (I'm told) need modification to clear the exhaust and front driveshaft in these trucks since everything is so close together, and while I may well do it one day, it's not a top priority.
Can i install my remote filter in the glove box? Thanks in advance.
What about install it in the roof at the back so it looks like a Mr.Fusion (It might be installed inverted, filter pointing up)? Is that viable? I might add an Flux Capacitor to match, even a hover conversion and flux bands. Thanks in advance.
I’m in Maryland too! I’m hoping to find a S10 Blazer OBS soon
This is my first time watching this and although I am an amateur technician I am very inspired by your work!! This is an amazing build
Very nicely put together series man!
Very calming and friendly narration style 👍
this Blazer does put a smile on my face
"We got our new engine and immediately started to clean it up" - and fill it with water...
Nice video. the narration is excellent.
Haha, only a little bit of water. It actually already had some in one of the cylinders when we got it lol
Ok, I really should go work on my own car. But I want to watch EP3...
Wow that’s a lot of time, patience, and dedication for a build on a S10. Great great work buddy I really enjoyed watching this vid
I've been working on my blazer for about five years now and this is quite entertaining I've been able to get a lot of horsepower out of the stock engine but everyone who has this vehicle comes to the realization got a bigger engine is what the Blazers need
This series is so awesome man. Thanks for sharing the process
It's always amazed me how similar a 4.3 and a 5.7 are they are basically the same engine just missing 2 pistons😂
Same bore and everything
they are the same engine. they needed a v6 for their smaller vehicles and one dude glanced at the 350 and said "hold my beer" 2 chopped cylinders later and bam. 4.3L 262 cubic inch v6
And they bought that dude drinks for the rest of the week.@@raikou889
The 96 and newer 4.3L has more differences. It has a balance shaft,non adjustable valvetrain.96 and newer have 2 differently balanced flywheels also.
That's interesting. I had the same thing happen with the bolts when I replaced them on a 4L60E. (A 700r4 with electronic overdrive.
as engine swaps go I think you started at the top! well done
This thing sounds so mad, I love it. Amazing job on this swap!
Weld up bumpers with spikes, don the leather codpiece and studded leather collar and start terrorizing neighboring subdivisions on the weekends ala Mad Max!
I like you painted the flag on in the correct direction. Most real Americans don't notice
I've always bought the clear dist cap when buying a new distributor, it's great for troubleshooting.
The oil filter is easy, run a remote filter.
Ditch that carb, go fuel injection, especially since you like to drive in varying altitude.
There are two budget options that would be great for the project. Microsquirt runs $350.
Speeduino will run around $150 but requires soldering and configuring of the hardware.
With both you could grab junkyard parts like a tpi intake manifold and associated parts.
I agree on the clear distributor cap, it's useful when turning the engine by hand and setting timing, and of course checking for spark. I like carburetors, they are simple and, I don't know, have character I guess. I like that they are mechanical I guess. A buddy wants to use a Megasquirt for one of his engine swaps or a turbo install so I'll see what it is like when he does it, maybe it'll win me over!
Got an 86 S-10 Blazer with the 2.8 V6 back in 1995. On the test drive it died in my driveway, most people would have probably just left it alone but not me. I fixed the blue blazer up and drove it for 2 years then my dad drove it for a while and then sold it. Sadly the next owners didn't take care of it and I watched it get abused and then saw it at the salvage yard after it got t- boned.
Your videos are so enjoyable to watch!
You mentioned around the 1:30 mark you couldn't find info regarding the swap into a 4x4. While it appears the swap is done, there is a ton of info online for the V8 swap into the 4x4 S-series. JTR (Jags that Run) literally wrote the book on this swap years ago. Also there are plenty of guys on the forums with V8 Bravadas, as well as Sy/Tys.
There is some info, for sure, but in my searches I could only find one single picture showing the empty engine bay of a 4x4 model, for instance. I found out which exhaust manifolds fit from JTR and other sources, and info on making an oil pan fit (though I cut mine up in a different way than I had seen), among other things. But a lot of it is scattered and vague (or old), or contradictory. I never found real consensus on what headers fit, what engine mounts work (even the manufacturer doesn't seem to know), and some other details like that. The difficulty of trying to work out the remote oil filter is why I gave up on it, some guys swear none of the universal kits fit and they all need modification.
The internet helped hugely, don't get me wrong, but compared to the documentation of the swap done on 2WD trucks there is absolutely no comparison. There is a lot shoved into the engine bay and undercarriage of the 4WD to work around, and it can be difficult to figure out how to fit everything in without just pulling the vehicle apart yourself, and trying things out.
Not trying to piss you off, so sorry If it's coming off that way. As far as headers, Hooker and Headman are the only ones that come close, but honestly you're better off building your own. I've been involved with these trucks for much longer than I'd care to think, and I have a 1991 S10 Blazer (Tahoe 2-Door) 4x4 that's gone through quite a few phases. Originally she had the 4.3 backed by the 7004R. Previously it had a 383 backed by a T400, now getting an LS motor and a 4L80-E, and going to be an AWD Typhoon clone. Milodon makes a great V8 pan, and it does fit.
www.summitracing.com/parts/MIL-31083/?rtype=10
Been verified in several instances. RPM ( Race Proven Motors - they're big into Polaris razors now) out of California used to be big in the sy/ty scene and still make a ton of parts. Your go to now would likely be LMC for re-pro parts and Sportmachines out of NY for the harder to find stuff. If you're serious, and depending on your end goals, treat your project like a V8 sy/ty and go from there. syty.net is a wealth of information. I'd be happy to offer you info if you needed it.
No, you're trying to help! No animosity here! I appreciate the info, I hadn't heard of syty before. A lot of the reason I didn't go for the pre-made stuff is simply cost. That oil pan looks awesome, but at $350 it's basically double what I spent on the engine. Making an oil pan was fun, that's kind of the spirit of this project. Cheap and laborious, not good haha.
I'm honestly a bit scared of rolling or crashing the thing, so I'm okay with it being underpowered and slow. I'd like to get a 2WD S10 pickup and make a real track ready car one day, though.
Why i love the 2wd pickups. Its just less stuff to work on, maintenance, work on, fix, worry about, and work around. There isnt a whole lot of space on these things so in my mind it makes up for not having 4wd, also i put a posi in mine, so im damn near invincible (joke)
My first vehicle was a nutless S10 Blazer and I wanted to do exactly this… but never did. Awesome to see what might have been. Nice work
When welding thin metal you can use coper spoons to heat sink the weld harbor freight even sells them
Your narration is excellent!
I came across this and this really gave me some nice ideas, last year I pulled a 1986 s10 blazer out of the back field, it had 168 000km on it and had been sitting in the elements for 20 years and it kind of became my project vehicle, so I fixed it up and started driving it around and eventually the motor blew, so I've been taking out the old 2.8l v6 and I'm going to put in a 3.4l v6 in hopes of more power and speed. My end goal is to have it as a nice vehicle for mud bogging .
So cool story this was my truck before we sold it and when I watched the first episode I was shocked the truck looks great
Beautiful property. Nice video. I had 1991 s-10 with 4.3, it was a great motor but needed a balance shaft which Chevrolet started putting them in 1993. 2.8 was always junk
Small suggestion: oil filter relocation kit.summit racing equipment has them for relatively cheap,and you would get extra space for the exhaust.
I find it funny how he said it was front-heavy in the last video, he won't be able to make it up a gravel road now😂😂😂
13:20 She sounds like a fucking MONSTER. I love it.
I love the shop lights you got
Haha, that lamp has served me well. Busted the base off of it so it's bolted through a 2x4. Works well for underhood and table-top stuff. Tends to get in the way less than hanging lights, actually.
Awesome video/editing style! The video isnt long and dragged out. Good job.
Great job. Perfect beater for out super harsh salty Md. winters.
I dig the Bruce Brown inspiration! Rad videos and great voice over work.
Great narrating , and mechical knowledge
I'm lucky for 2 reasons a I want to keep the straight 6 and b I have so much room for an engine swap in the f100. But seeing you pull this off makes me want to continue restoring my f100
And the Blazer is getting there I would make a test to see how strong the Blazer is with the V-8 compared to that metric V-6, a neighbor of mine, swapped engines on a 80s Chevrolet Malibu, and put a307 engine in the car was a six ,and he put a 307, it looked like it was made for that car, this was some 25 to 30 years ago.
Nice job man love the truck
Man i wish i found your channel before you did this i could have saved you 1000hrs i did this swap on a 2wd blazer in 01. I think you did a heck of a job and i like the clear cap to nostalgia rules oh if you ever get a bronco2 the 2.9 v6 block will fit a 350 Chevy piston
The intake manifold tho
IM BALLIN laughing over here. Thats almost subscribe worthy
I really like this channel. It's very relaxing.
I am surprised you do not have 1 million subscribers.
Really enjoyed the video.bout 10 years ago i v8 swapped a 1990 feiaro gt took me 9 months but was so worth it😁
clear cap and rotor is rad.... had one on my 84 camaro 2.8 even!
Just found your channel. I like your style. You don't seem to be afraid to attack anything.
I gotta say this is a fucking badass s10 blazer congratulations on such a hard project and all of the hard work. damn thing sounds like a cammed V8. so fucking cool keep it up awesome videos.
I love it. Wish I could of found a nice square body for my s10 project but got a 2nd gen instead. 95 4x4 350 tbi engine backed by the 4.3's 5 speed still fuel injection. Runs great
Transmission and transfer case has left the chat😂😂
Great videos bud. Love the box blazers
I have one of those nightmare welders too lol.. it’s such a mess
That cap is awesome
No problem the torque converter bolts will self clearance themselves👍
That reminds me of my 85 GMC Jimmy 2wd I had I put a 383 stroker in it I loved that SUV it was so much fun to drive 500 hp
I wonder if you couldn’t just put a oil filter adapter going to a hose and then put it somewhere upright in the engine bay. There’s got to be something out there for that. It would basically be an extension. I never liked when the oil filter was underneath anyway
awesome build man! I love these old blazers
you've done awesome.... Jags That Run could have saved you a touch of grief, though... the V8 swap book includes schematic so you can build your own motor mounts.... 20/20 hindsight, you did very well and funny your pan solution is darn close to what they did (they sectioned in a bit to the v6 pan from the v8 pan)...
I skimmed through their info online, I'm sure the book has more, but some good info for sure. I didn't like the way they made their oil pan because I feel like getting the flange with the weld line to seal right might be tricky, but I'm sure it would work with enough planning and grinding. I looked at a lot of custom motor mounts, but couldn't find any designs I liked that were guaranteed to fit a 4x4, except for a few pre-made ones like the Transdapt (which didn't fit anyway). So yeah, I could have just made them out of some steel plate but it probably would have been at least as much work and a similar materials cost anyway.
just options to consider - love what you've done with it. Keep up the good work
Budget blazer ep 1. -> Ep 2 budget v8 swap
I love it
"SOME" JB weld... hahahahaha
I've watched this whole series at work but without sound. Time to start over with sound.
6:37
No hockey pucks? Wow you're doin it the right way!
If you look at the distributor there is a machined area that closes off an oil galley inside the block. Just using a flat blade with those holes open does not send oil through the whole circuit. You can make one out of a old distributor. Maybe the 4.3 one would work not sure on that.
I had not heard that before, thanks for the tip! I was going to make/buy a tool for it since the screwdriver wasn't a good solution in any respect. Already sold the old 4.3L dizzy (the same physical dimensions so would have worked) so I'll probably spend a few bucks and get a tool made for it.
Good work on the video and the truck. Fun to watch.
You can body lift with hockey pucks too