I know lots of you guys here are pretty fluent with older cars so I figured I’d ask some questions about an engine swap I’m taking on.
I have a 1985 El Camino in great condition. It has a 4.3l V6 (TBI) and I’m looking to swap a 5.7l 350 (TBI) which came out of a 1995 GMC G3500 van. I have the transmission out of the van as well.
Would anyone know if the wiring harness will match up? Or will I have to put in a whole new harness? How difficult of a swap will this be? I’ve been told it should be pretty straight forward and pretty much everything should cross over easily but I don’t know. I’d kind of like to get ahead of the game and start ordering the different parts I’ll need for sure. I already have the motor mounts and I’ll be buying a new radiator for a V8 el camino. Any other suggestions?
Transmission should be a L6040e. L is for long the e is for electronic. I would think you would need the complete harness from the van. To get the trans to work. I disconnected the speed o meter on a l6040e going to w tx. Because I didn’t want to log the miles. The van moved but wouldn’t shift. Just giving you an idea of how touchy they are. Ps el Camino s rock. Pic of my 76 classic
Not what I wanted to hear 😂 I was hoping since they’re both TBI and since the 4.3l is basically a chopped down version of the 5.7l I’d be okay.
Hi there fellow El Camino owner! I have a 1978 model. Originally a 305, now a mild 350 SBC in it.
Your 1985 4.3 swap to a 1995 350 engine should be pretty close on wiring. They are both OBD I platforms. Maybe the ECU may need to go in with the engine swap.
There are some really good G Body Facebook groups that may be helpful to join. I'm on a few and they have been great resources.
Good luck!
Your '85 trans is probably a 700R4. If that trans is good, swap it to your 350?
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I,m not really an expert on the swap. The van is a 1 ton it’s possible that it could be a turbo 400. l6040e usually where in g20 vans. Some think a g20 is a 5/8 or a 3/4.
I believe you're thinking of a 4L60E, it replaced the 700R4. 4 represents number of gears and the 60 represents torque value.
I’m not sure which transmission I pulled out of it. I’ll have to check in a little bit. I thought the V6 came with a TH200.
So it looks like the transmission out of the van is a 4L80E. I’m worried it’s going to be too long and I’ll have to get a different cross member and shorten the drive shaft a bit. Which shortening the drive shaft shouldn’t be a huge deal, there’s plenty of machine shops around here that can easily do that.
Anything less than an Steve Morris SMX is a cop out .
Promised myself one when i stopped racing.. expected that to be 20 years ago.
Just built a new bike ... may e next year
El Camino's are bad ass.
That is all.
I’m not exactly financially struggling, but I don’t think the wife would appreciate me dropping $75k on an engine 😂
https://www.usshift.com/usq2.shtml?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2v-gBhC1ARIsAOQdKY0Nnl…
The 700r has a trans valve pressure cable that has to be set spot on and the ratio as throttle opens spot on or it will burn down before u get to the beer store.
i know nothing about electric gm stuff but can hang any engine from a tree limb and overhaul it out my vehicle and rebuild carb on hood. Lol
There is only one way to truly know that though LOL.
The wife told me i didnt need another bike, but here i am building it in the dining room.
I really have no clue, but i am sure the aftermarket will have plug and play stuff for this type of thing.
I have wanted one for so long, but here in the UK, they cost a fortune, and a fortune to run, and i have nowhere to keep one either.
Pictures would be good
Thanks. I believe that’s for the newer gen engine.
The trans out of my car is a TH200. They’re junk and won’t sustain a 5.7l V8.
The 80s 700r are weak, made for less than 200 hp , they are easy to build into a 500 hp trans.
if I was doing that swap I’d use the 700 and run engine on aftermarket box and efi intake if that’s possible I am a ford guy so don’t do a lot of gm stuff
the 700 has 3 gears like the 350/400s trannys then OD to get down road, best rod trans
Pit Row
I had thought about that, but honestly I’m not looking to beef it up much. I mainly want it to look cool, sound cool, and be reliable enough to drive around town/to close dirt bike riding trails and back and forth to work every once in a while. I certainly won’t be taking it on long trips or anything crazy. I’ve got a new truck for anything needed outside my city.
There’s a guy on YouTube precision transmission that has great videos. I think they put vette servos in those L trans and or a spacer to set the clutch packs better so they aren’t slipping building heat. They come stock shifting buttery , since it’s out of a 3500 should be pretty tuff with tow button
put a wire feed locker in rear axel , best kind, lol , so to get both wheels smokin
AGN, my buddy Eric at EJ Wireworks is the first person I'd call. He does unbelievable things with wiring, has done all kinds of fabrications and modding, knows Chevy like the back of his hand, and loves to talk and advise. Call him up: 951-461-nineteen fifty seven.
Thanks Falcon! I’ll give him a ring in the near future.
I’ve decided to run the TH200. Opinions are all over on it.. but I’ll give it a shot and if the transmission goes, I’ll replace it with a TH350.
A very easiest thing to do is to get the engine and transmission, the wiring harness, and the pcm from a donor vehicle and swap the whole thing into the El Camino. Anything else could be a major pita.
Keep the 4.3
New distributor
Injectors
Most importantly re gear the axle.
Double down. 3:43 skip 3:73 go 4:11 more aggressive 4:56 does it fit 5:13?.
Save time drive & enjoy
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