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'96 Vortech swap into a '79...got the donor

pennsylvaniaboy

pennsylvaniaboy

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ok here go i am going to swap a '96 vortech into my '79 chevy. why might you ask? well for better offroad capbility, better fuel economy, more power, and well to be unique. so here is an idea of what we are working with

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are you running the injection, or using a carb? Which tranny are you using? Should bolt right up as the 96' model 5.7 liters had the same motor mounts as your 79.
 
onetonbb74 said:
are you running the injection, or using a carb? Which tranny are you using? Should bolt right up as the 96' model 5.7 liters had the same motor mounts as your 79.
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its getting a complete motor sway. the rest of the drivetrian will stay the same. and yes from what ive read ita all bolt in with some computer changes.

now if buddyrammit would post up haha
 
the computer for that engine controls the transmission and has a electric vss so the ideal donor truck would be a 5.7/4l60e 2wd and use the tranny that came with it and the vss thats on the tranny, not the tcase. I have a 4x4 tahoe i was considering doing this same swap.
 
i dunno, never done it, just trying to remember why i haven't done this swap already as well.
 
dyeager535 said:
Wouldn't that lead to some funny operation in 4 low?
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i think just the speedo would be off cuz it wouldnt be factoring in the additon gearing for 4lo (records speed based on tranny not t-case like 4wd truck), but if ur in 4lo i dont think ur gona need to know how fast your going.
 
I wouldn't see why it would have to be in the trans anyway. You could just put the VSS in the T-case.
 
onetonbb74 said:
the computer for that engine controls the transmission and has a electric vss so the ideal donor truck would be a 5.7/4l60e 2wd and use the tranny that came with it and the vss thats on the tranny, not the tcase.
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this would not work because the vss is located on the tailhousing of the 2wd transmission, but in 4wd there will be a tcase instead of the tailhousing. not only that, the output shaft on a 2wd 4l60 is too long to fit in a tcase without some major modifications.
 
first thing you should probably do is read this website this guy made. he put a vortec into an s-10 blazer and the information is all pretty adaptable to a fullsize blazer. when i did my swap, i read this guy's website front to back a few times. here is the link http://users.apex2000.net/whardie/index.html

the swap is pretty straight forward.
-pull vortec from donor vehicle and fix.
-replace any old worn parts now while you have the engine out(water pump, steering pump, spark plugs, etc.)
-bolt your transmission to vortec.
-you'll need to add a vss of some sort to your tcase(these guys have a number of optionshttp://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/SpeedSensors_Speedometer.html)
-install vortec and trans into truck.
-install tcase.
-install gas tank from 87-91 fullsize blazer. you will also need sending unit from 87-91 fullsize blazer. you will need to use the fuel pump from the '96 donor vehicle. it will supply the high psi requirements of the vortec fuel rail. i believe minimum is 60psi.
-you will need to run new fuel lines that can handle the higher fuel pressure, i had some custom line made from steel braided hose. you just need to run the feed and the return lines, there is also a vapor return line, but it doesn't see the high pressures that the other 2 lines will, so there is no need to change it.
-from there you just have to get all the oil lines and coolant hoses hooked back up and then you can get the thing wired back up.

i didn't purchase a custom wiring harness, i spliced the vortec wiring harness to a blazer firewall connector. i went and cut a firewall connector out of a junkyard truck. there is only like 5-10 splices to make.
 
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so let me get this straight.
1. this is really a plug and play minus the vss?
2. would i be able to use the side saddle tank out of the donor vehicle as this is getting put into a truck.
3. what about exhaust? will i need cats?
 
Without reading the link, the 90-91 NP241 could be the VSS answer for Vortec, correct? Since you'd have to change the transmission output anyways (I think) and get a t-case adapter, getting a complete blown 700/241 combo might be cheaper.

I don't know as I've ever seen what kind of VSS signal the Vortecs are looking for, but GM seemed to gbe pretty standard with the 40 tooth reluctor ring later on.
 
dyeager535 said:
Without reading the link, the 90-91 NP241 could be the VSS answer for Vortec, correct? Since you'd have to change the transmission output anyways (I think) and get a t-case adapter, getting a complete blown 700/241 combo might be cheaper.

I don't know as I've ever seen what kind of VSS signal the Vortecs are looking for, but GM seemed to gbe pretty standard with the 40 tooth reluctor ring later on.
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i think theres a bunch of ways to do it, but he wants to use his sm465 and 205 combo, so that changes things up a little bit.
 
pennsylvaniaboy said:
yeh im sticking with the 465/205 combo.....

buddy what did you use for a VSS
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i used the one off that link i posted, but i used the transmission from the donor vehicle, so mine was a piece of cake. i think you should call that jtr company and ask them how to adapt one to your tcase. they also have one that mounts to your rear pinion.

as for the cats, thats a good question, i ran cats, because i was trying to make my truck pass a smog inspection. in california, the donor engine has to operate just as if it was still in the original vehicle. i think if you don't run them the vortec computer may get angry because it has oxygen sensors before and after the cats. thats how the cpu figures out how to adjust the fuel mixture.

i think using the fuel tank from the donor vehicle will be very difficult. i forgot that the old pickups don't use the same gas tank as the blazers, you may have to run an inline fuel pump. maybe a sending unit from a 87-91 blazer will fit into your '79 gas tank. i'm not sure maybe someone else here can offer some insight.
 
so called painless and jagsthatrun. no one sells a 40 pulse per revolution to run with my 465/np205 combo? so do i reprogram the computer or leave it be? and where can i get a decent priced reprogram?
 
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