[tylerdustin2008]

Hello.

I have asked allot of question in Google, and it seems to bring me here allot. So I am just going to ask all of what I am wanting to know... People on other forums don't like to respond to posts.

I am starting a s10 v8 conversion within the next two weeks or so, so I am wanting to know a few things. I am getting a 2001 s10 less engine and trans for $700. I am trading my car for an 80's model blazer with from what I am told a built 350. Bored .030 over, edelbrock 3" highrise intake, holley 800.. And thats about all I know on the truck. I haven't gotten a chance to look over it better and get the information on the engine before I trade.

I am going to be doing away with the highrise and carb. The 800 is a bit much from what I have read, so is the intake. On to the questions..

I am wanting as much power as possible for as little money as possible (thats most of us). I do want a mean cam though, I love the rough choppy idle.

So what would you all recommend for the following:
Intake
carb

I am wanting to do a complete valve train job on it as well. Stock valves, but rockers push rods, springs...etc.

What cam and other componets do I need to get so that I do not need to do any major work. Meaning I take the old ones out, and put the new ones in. Also can someone explain or link me to somewhere where I can learn exactly the numbers for picking a cam.

The truck has a th400 in it, but I am wanting to put a th350 in it. Or of I can come up with the extra $700 i am wanting to buy a built 700r4 off of craigslist. So if I get the th350 what stall should I use.

I am going to be putting a 8.8 in the rear.

Last question. Does anyone have a link to where someone has done a full swap with pics, and all the goodies on a round body s10?

Thanks for all the help, I haven't ever had the chance to work on an engine, I have been patiently waiting. I can work on other parts of a car, just not internal engine to much...

[tylerdustin2008]

I ask to many questions?

[tylerdustin2008]

hmmm my thread must be invisible

[38mike]

TD2008:

Patience, my son. You probably are slow to get responses because your post kind of rambled around and requires the reader to 'analyze' it a bit to see what kind of answer would be appropriate. Its also a little confusing in spots. Let me get a start with it, although it may not be what you're wanting to hear.

1) If you are wanting to go through the whole motor (valve train, cam, etc), then don't get too excited about that supposedly built 350. Assuming its an okay engine, why not just pretty much leave it as is until you get the actual V-8 conversion done. If the sound of a lopey cam is that important to ya and this engine doesn't have it, then you can work on that later...AFTER you have done the conversion. Maybe just downgrade that carb a bit, but even the manifold is probably workable for ya.

2) You say you want stuff that you can just pull off and replace without much work? Well, if you're talking cams, etc....you are already moving beyond that level of work.

3) If you didn't already know it, there are several manufacturers of kits and components that can make your conversion 'relatively' easy. You're talking motor mounts, headers, radiators, etc.

4) I quote you -- "The 800 is a bit much from what I have read, so is the carb." Uhh, aren't the 800 and the carb one and the same?

lastly) Why are you thinking of switching to a TH350? The donor truck will come with all the hookups you need already and the 350, while a fine tranny (I'm putting one in my current project), is a step down from the 400.

Just some things to think about here. Your post just sounds like you need to step back and take a breath before you jump too quickly. Good luck.

Oh, P.S. -- go up to the search link at the top of your page and search on S-10 conversions. I'd bet dollars to donuts (and I like donuts) you'll be taken to lots of threads that would be worth your reading.

[tylerdustin2008]

Sorry I was tired last night.. well early this morning.

Yea, I plan on doing the valve train after I do the swap. I am just wanting to know what i need, and need to do. I know its not easy work. But I mean not having to take the head to a machine shop and have them do any work to it. Wanting to be able to do it all myself to save some money.

I know allot more than I am saying, on how to build the s10. I just want MORE info. You can never see enough pics or read to many threads on conversions.

[RustoRod]

A mean sounding cam is fairly simple. A mean sounding cam with good vaccum and performance takes more information. Do you know what the compression ratio of the 350 is and what cylinder heads it is wearing ? What are you doing for an exhaust sytem ? What rear gear ratio ? Are you planning on using a stock stall converter ? What intake and carb do you have currently ? Do you plan on upgrading the fuel system ?

Is this a toy? Daily driver ? somewhere in between ? Do you have power brakes ? Do you have a target E.T. at the dragstrip or is a burnout in the garage all that is required ?

Answer some of these questions and people will start answering yours.

[cobalt327]

Do NOT be in a hurry to spend your money on a "built" ANYTHING- engine-wise!

IF you decide this Blazer is what you've just got to have, do all the necessary work to determine that what you're paying for is what you're actually getting- even if this means paying a good mechanic to look it over for you.

But the whole idea of buying a Blazer for the engine seems like not the way to go about it- I mean, you're paying some sort of a premium for buying a complete vehicle, as opposed to just an engine (w/o vehicle attached) that you can hear run, or that comes guaranteed, like a GMPP engine. Plus you're paying for it with your daily driver, I'm guessing you don't have a fleet of cars to choose from, so what are you going to do for transpo while the V8 S-10 swap is being done?

There's a forum, http://www.s10forum.com/forum/ that has guys that know it all, regarding this swap. Might want to go there and read up some.

Not trying to be unkind, but after reading all their tech articles and doing some searches on the forum, ask some questions that pertain to your exact needs, not a generalized question that has a thousand "correct" answers.

A couple things:

The carb number (if a Holley) will be stamped on the carb somewhere. If it has a choke horn, look there. If it doesn't have a choke tower, the number is stamped into the main body behind the throttle linkage. This number is used to identify the carburetor and also used when needing service parts or renew kits. You may find that it's not, in fact, a 800.

The intake also will have a number on it somewhere to ID it. If it's a dual plane, it will very likely be fine to reuse. If it's a single plane, maybe, maybe not- depending on a lot of things.

AFA the rumpity- rump idle- that's a consequence of having radical cam timing. It's a downside- not an upside. If I could build an NA SBC engine to make 650HP and idle w/20 in/Hg, I'd do it in a second. All that is, is the engine being VERY inefficient due to not enough vacuum, etc. to support a clean idle.

IF the engine's requirements are such that this is the idle quality you end up with- then so be it. You will learn to live w/it, or will change the parameters to lessen or eliminate it.

But IMO, no one should build an engine to sound like that- and only sound like that. What I mean is, there are race engines and there are engines that SOUND like race engines, but aren't. Those engines- and their owners- are called posers.

Good luck.

[tylerdustin2008]

Ok, Well I did not know that, that sound was because of insufficient vacuum. I do not want the sound if it is not suppose to be there. I will try to meet up with the guy tomorrow to get more info on the blazer. I tried today, but he did not answer my call.

This will be an in between vehicle, daily driver and strip. My eta goal is 12.5, for now. By the time I am done with it I want to be able to hit 9.99.


I will get all the info I need. And then report back.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by tylerdustin2008

Ok, Well I did not know that, that sound was because of insufficient vacuum. I do not want the sound if it is not suppose to be there.

My reply was perhaps unnecessarily blunt, but to expand on the cam/idle a little bit more, the more radical cam profiles require compromises involving duration and overlap to work as they do, to make big HP numbers up higher in the RPM range. This (and the other engine parts required to take full advantage of the cam profile, like the intake, carb, exhaust, and more) causes the idle and low speed efficiency to suffer. And also causes the "rumpity-rump" idle that is often synonymous w/a high performance engine.

If the valves could be made to open and close instantaneously, this wouldn't be the problem it is. But since the valve opening and closing events take time as does the movement of the air/fuel inside the engine, this comes at the expense of efficiency at the lower speed end of the spectrum to make the upper end stronger.

There have been many books written on the theory and application of camshaft events and their effect on engine performance, my post is a too-brief overview of the subject, and is not meant to be all-inclusive by ANY means.

The more you read and look at dyno results of similar engines with different cams, the more the correlation between the cam specs and the performance potential (and where in the powerband the power is being made) will become apparent.

Something to remember is that, because the engine is a compromise, a street engine will often be more fun when it's built to run best in the RPM range where it will spend the majority of its time, instead of trying for big numbers at a RPM range the truck will only rarely see.

And there are other things besides the engine to consider- for instance, I see you mentioned an OD AT for the truck. When you get to that stage and you do the OD swap, you can have great acceleration and good cruising RPM and would be a good choice IMHO. Gearing will have a major affect on the vehicle's acceleration.

Good luck.

[tylerdustin2008]

Oh ok that makes allot more since.

I have done some more reading, and I will not be using the th400. Because I will have to get the drive shaft shortened, buy a cross member and etc. The 4l60e in the truck now is 30 3/4's, and a th350 is 30 11/16's.. And the th400 is 33 something.

I will be aiming for 3.73's. Lets just hope the junk yard has it.

[tylerdustin2008]

Well I do not believe I am getting the blazer. I just found a rebuilt 350 with a 750 edelbrock and a th350 with shift kit for $275... The guy has no need for it, and has kids, so the kids take priority over the engine and trans.

So my real main question is what stall should I get, and what brand usually works best. I notice Summit has Boss Hog are they any good?

[ericnova72]

Stay away from the Boss Hog converters, completely cheap junk, learned that years ago and don't expect them to be any better today.

Good company's are ATI, PTC, Coan, Hughes, Dynamic, BTE, JW(Winters) Transmission.

[tylerdustin2008]

Ok, getting ready to order some parts. What cam should I get?

[RustoRod]

Originally Posted by tylerdustin2008

Ok, getting ready to order some parts. What cam should I get?

You should get the cam that best suits the rest of the vehicle.

All you have posted is that you are buying a possibly rebuilt 350 with a 750 Edelbrock carb. That and a camshaft won't get you 12.50. What does that 350 have in it ? What about the S10? Does it have power brakes ? Headers ?

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by tylerdustin2008

Hello.

I have asked allot of question in Google, and it seems to bring me here allot. So I am just going to ask all of what I am wanting to know... People on other forums don't like to respond to posts.

I am starting a s10 v8 conversion within the next two weeks or so, so I am wanting to know a few things. I am getting a 2001 s10 less engine and trans for $700. I am trading my car for an 80's model blazer with from what I am told a built 350. Bored .030 over, edelbrock 3" highrise intake, holley 800.. And thats about all I know on the truck. I haven't gotten a chance to look over it better and get the information on the engine before I trade.

I am going to be doing away with the highrise and carb. The 800 is a bit much from what I have read, so is the intake. On to the questions..

I am wanting as much power as possible for as little money as possible (thats most of us). I do want a mean cam though, I love the rough choppy idle.

So what would you all recommend for the following:
Intake
carb

I am wanting to do a complete valve train job on it as well. Stock valves, but rockers push rods, springs...etc.

What cam and other componets do I need to get so that I do not need to do any major work. Meaning I take the old ones out, and put the new ones in. Also can someone explain or link me to somewhere where I can learn exactly the numbers for picking a cam.

The truck has a th400 in it, but I am wanting to put a th350 in it. Or of I can come up with the extra $700 i am wanting to buy a built 700r4 off of craigslist. So if I get the th350 what stall should I use.

I am going to be putting a 8.8 in the rear.

Last question. Does anyone have a link to where someone has done a full swap with pics, and all the goodies on a round body s10?

Thanks for all the help, I haven't ever had the chance to work on an engine, I have been patiently waiting. I can work on other parts of a car, just not internal engine to much...

Take a deep breath and answer the most fundamental question, since there's lots of Richmonds in the country, if you live in one that requires this beast pass SMOG muster, you're in a heap of trouble out the gate. So what's the law you've got to live with before we remake this beast?

Swaps on a round body S-10 are just like the square body, from a structural standpoint the only difference is round sheetmetal corners instead of square ones. There are several ways to go at the S-10/15 V8 swap but one of the best sources of data with pictures from general to specific info is to be found at Jags That Run, even if you go other popular ways JTR's books give you a lot of useful info. It's 60 bucks well invested. These being what you want:

Chevrolet S-10 Truck
V-8 Conversion Manual
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Che..._S-10_V-8.html

Chevrolet TPI & TBI
V8 Engine Swapping
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Che...I_TBI_V-8.html

Here's a couple other data sources for you:
http://www.s10planet.com/forum/archi...php/f-163.html

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/index.php

Go easy this will work out for ya. Don't marry the first 350 you see, there's tons of 'em out there. Be very wary of hot rod engines, they're usually found in two forms either beat to death or built by a less than 100 IQ primate that screwed it up beyond redemption.


Bogie