So I have a bunch of spare parts laying around and I picked up a truck that needs an engine. what would you guys do?
truck is a 1992 GMC RCSB rod knocking 4.3 tbi™ manual with creeper gear. Its not in too bad of shape minor rust and a few dings with faded paint. I have been thinking of making a hauler out of it since the only pickup I have to haul things with is my wifes 06 silvy thats in mint shape. its kind of nice to have a little bit of a beater for a hauler vs a really nice truck.
here's what I was thinking.
Replace the 4.3 tbi™ I got a used engine when i bought the truck, know nothing about it or how many miles.
I have a 350 tbi™. that i know runs and ran good low mile rebuild. swap that in as is and change prom.
i also have a TPI intake setup. replace the tbi™ with TPI and run 411 with vortec distributor.
I also have parts to do a 24x swap so put the TPI on the 350 and run 411 with coil packs.
or I have a vortec top end but need a spider and i can make it a vortec and run it 411 with distributor or with 8 coils.

I was leaning on doing the TPI on a 411 just cause I like the look of it and this is not a performance truck just a hauler and i wont have to buy a spider.

I have really considered doing the TPI on my 98 vortec with the vortec baseplate. I think it would be a real stump puller. The key to me is building the torque way down low and keeping it flat all the way to 4500 RPM with a 5K cutoff. I always hear the TPI doesnt flow enough air or breath easy enough. I do not think that would be a problem below the 5K mark. I am noodling the fact that those breathibility issues come from those who are trying to get 6500 RPM out of that motor, in which case that person would be better off with an LSx. Its been proven the 5.7 vortec has more torque down low and will beat an LS 5.3 stock for stock off the line but quickly loose out as the RPM increase in the LS motor. I wonder what would happen real world with a vortec TPI 5.7 with a LT4 cam against a stock 5.3?

I say use the TPI and the 24x Kit and enjoy!

TJ

X2 sounds like a good idea to me tpi just looks sweet.

I think I am going to run the TPI setup. still not sure about putting the 24x kit on it or just run it with a distributor like a Vortec.

I always thought TPI was cool too. I actually would have liked that on my 78 vette. Hood clearence would have been an issue. Plus seeing over the hood if it was bigger like an L88 hood. Good luck. What TB is used on the TPI?

not sure on the size of the factory TB, i think they were twin 42mm maybe.

So I started tering in to my 350 and found out that the heads that were on it have like 5 bad valves. the cam was worn and the engine is already bored .080 over. it has a reman tag on it and the crank has some nicks in the counter weights which probably dont matter much, but makes me question the relibility of the rebuild. also the vortec heads i have will need a valve job and new springs as well as new seals. so by the time i do all that and buy a 400 intake base i will have more in to throwing this thing together than picking up a stock LS truck engine and putting that in.

s10mods wrote:

So I started tering in to my 350 and found out that the heads that were on it have like 5 bad valves. the cam was worn and the engine is already bored .080 over. it has a reman tag on it and the crank has some nicks in the counter weights which probably dont matter much, but makes me question the relibility of the rebuild. also the vortec heads i have will need a valve job and new springs as well as new seals. so by the time i do all that and buy a 400 intake base i will have more in to throwing this thing together than picking up a stock LS truck engine and putting that in.

Sometimes that is the way it goes. Are there any nicks on the crank journels? The other nicks can be smoothen out. But I don't know how or if that will affect the balance of the crank. .80 over on the block. Is it a 4 bolt main block? Usually don't see blocks bored that much unless in a race car. 40 undersize on crankjournals makes it hard to get bearings. My uncle took apart the 391 in his ford truck. that is what the crank was trurned. We couldn't get new bearings, stuck it back together, the truck never made it to town. threw the rod through the block. This was during harvest season. He couldn't fine another 391 so he stuck a 330 in it. 330's have no power in a tandem truck. Good luck with your overhaul.

I didn't get far enough in to it to take the pistons out yet so im not sure what shap the journals are in.I was disappointed when I found out all the other problems.and I was a little supprised when the cylinders were .080 over and yes it is a 4 bolt main. I figure ill hve $2-300 in the heads 150+ in a gasket set then valve springs and a vortec tpi base intake for another $400. I can pick up a 96000mile 4.8 for 400 with only the alt ps pump and maf sensor or I can get a 76000 mile 5.3 complete lift out for 800-900, im trying to beat down my yard buddy to 800 and if I can I will probably go with the 5.3. What should I do

My vote would be the 5.3 take-out, no doubt about it. I think you'll come out way ahead financially and be happier with the performance of the newer technology. Even I am finally getting sick of the old SBC after having now played with one too many LS engines (was doing some work on a 2012 camaro SS with the L99 over the span of a weekend and I think that was the last straw). You can just get a whole lot more out of your time and money, and you're dealing with a design which is inherently stronger (structurally) in every way, less prone to leaks, less complex (no EGR, no funky L31 poppet valve injectors, no distributor, etc.), etc. Everyone knows what a diehard L31 guy I am, but I'm just about done playing with the old SBC.

Go with the 5.3l. I still want the BB 454. It would be nice to put an LSx 454 in. I heard there maybe a 7L for the trucks in the future. That would be nice, if the torque was at a lower RPM.
This was being discussed on GM's actual site. Since Ford came out with the Boss 6,2 L, GM is considering a 7L for the trucks, Ever since the 8.1L was dropped, There is a cap between the Duramax and the 6L. Just like Dodge when they dropped the 440. All that was left was a 360. Until the diesel came, then the V10.

I also say LS engine. My 4.8L has smoked more than one Vortec 5.7, with nothing more than headers, a tune and a slightly (and I do mean slightly) hotter cam. This was with the disadvantage of being a 4x4, having 3.42 rear gears, a shorter 1st gear than a 4L60E, and way tall tires. If my truck had stock diameter tires and 3.73s or 4.10s, and that wider trans range, I'd be walking because I'd be leaving bits of 4L60E everywhere!!! If the trans would hold though, it'd be a screamer. And if I wanted more, the 4.8L has been tested as a junkyard pullout to be able to handle well over 1200HP when force induced. A 5.3L or 6.0L would just be even faster and more powerful.

I am planning on the LS. at first I wanted to throw in the 350 just cause I had some extra parts, but when I added it all up it started getting more expensive than picking up a nice liftout 5.3. now I hope my trans will bolt up. I havent torn in to the truck much yet but from the RPO code it looks like it has an nv4500. and I know the nv4500 was behind the 6.0 in a few of the later trucks. which is weird cause it has a 4.3. but then again they put the 4l80e behind the 4.3 too.
another nice thing about the LS engines is internal balance so flex plates/flywheels are interchangeable.

It will. My 4.8L currently has a 1997 4L80E behind it. Bolted right up, no problem.

I think it will be cool with a ls engine and a nv4500. it has the creeper low gear. its a 92 so I believe it has the 6.34 low gear. trans option in rpo is MT8.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Venture_Gear_4500_transmission

well i picked up a 5.3 lift out with everything. 70k miles. $850 it will better in the long run.

I think you're gonna like it. Looks just like mine. What year is it?

2003

I think you will like this better.

i'm sure I will, I cant wait till I get it in.