s-10 motors

[neo71665]

First off I'm a old (young in age) hot rodder and fabbing stuff is not uncommon. I own a bagged 350 s-10. The question is I have a 88 4x4 dime with a 2.8 that is knocking and another one with a spun rod bearing (crank is gone). I was wondering what choices I have to maybe stroke a 2.8 or get something that will easily bolt in that will be a stump puller. I'm wanting to go with a carb setup if I can as this won't be a rockcrawler, more of a mud buggy thats street legal. I don't have to do any sniffer tests so thats out of the window. The truck has an auto tranny in it and unless I can find a good maunal set up to swap it out cheap that will stay.

Thanks for any help.

[WhiteRaider]

The 2.8rwd block will take a 3.1l FWD crank and connecting rods. That will stroke it out a bit and give you a few more horses. You should be able to get a shortblock in a junkyard for next to nothing. The pistons are different though so you'd need RWD iron head specific ones. There are a lot of low torque profile cams out there that will help you get the grunt on the low end. I've heard good things about the Melling MTC-5 camshaft which only runs $55 or so at Summit. http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...=egnsearch.asp The Crane 260-2 or the GM 3.4 Crate HT Cam would probably be nice too.

A lot of people with the 2.8l RWD have taken a Camaro/Firebird 3.4l from 93-95 and bolted it in. The 3.1l RWD engines are also a direct bolt in. The 3.4l will give about 160 hp and 190 torque. If you put in a low-mid torque camshaft, this will be a really good motor for your purposes. You can do all of the standard performance thing like porting the heads, roller rockers, and headers if you want to wake it up even more.

[neo71665]

What are my intake choices for a carb set up? I know only of the eldebrock (sp) one.

[WhiteRaider]

I'd just swap the top end from your existing S-10 and keep it computer controlled. You wouldn't really gain anything by going carb. If you go 3.4l, it's pretty much plug and play. However, a lot of guys have swapped in 4.3l injectors or TBI units which match up a little better.

As far as carb stuff, I've never looked into it.

[neo71665]

Also I was playing on ebay and found a set of aluminum heads that say they are for any 2.8/3.1. I know the FWDs had em but will any fit on a steel block and work with anykind of carbed intake?

[neo71665]

I'd just swap the top end from your existing S-10 and keep it computer controlled. You wouldn't really gain anything by going carb. If you go 3.4l, it's pretty much plug and play. However, a lot of guys have swapped in 4.3l injectors or TBI units which match up a little better.

As far as carb stuff, I've never looked into it.

I would do that but I got the truck in a swap and its pretty hacked up. I prolly would have to rewire it all.

[WhiteRaider]

There are rumored to be some aluminum heads that fit on the RWD blocks that would work with carbs, but they are supposedly very rare. The FWD aluminum heads will not work with a carb because they don't bolt up to an intake that would work with a dizzy. You'd have to fabricate a custom intake.

You can go hybrid and put the aluminum top end on a RWD bottom end. However, this would have to be computer controlled.

Iron heads are your easiest and best option to go carbed.

Another option would be to purchase a Painless wiring harness and just re-wire your FI. The wiring is pretty easy to rip out of a junkyard vehicle too. I imagine it would cost you less money and be more reliable than building a carbed setup.

[neo71665]

eBay Motors: 2.8 / 3.1 GM / CHEVROLET ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS (item 8004749832 end time Oct-13-05 08:00:08 PDT)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-8-3-1-GM-CHEVROLET-ALUMINUM-CYLINDER-HEADS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33617QQitemZ8004749832QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Those are the heads, I don't buy motor parts off ebay unless it something I know and its a really good deal. I was just looking around and found them and it says they will fit any 2.8/3.1.
I aint gonna lie, when it comes to anything but inline 6 (chevy), inline 8 (buick) or a chevy v8 I don't have a clue.

[WhiteRaider]

Those are for the FWD engines. If you are sure that you want to go carb, you could probably mount just about any carb you want on the iron head TBI intake manifold. There may be adapter plates out there or you could have one fabbed up. I think Edlebrock and Offy make carb intakes for these engines.

On RWD, you are pretty much stuck with iron heads unless you want to build a hybrid which would be computer controlled.

[geoffinbc]

Alum heads wont work. Cheepest option is to find a used 3.1L or 3.4L from a Camaro. However if you want to rebuild the entire motor then I would just buy the crate. By the time all the work and parts are done you dont save very much on a rebuild.

Read the swap guide in the swap section it explains everything.

Keep the TBI trust us when we say this. Especially if you are in the mud. As soon and you get a little sideways your gonna wish you had EFI. Not to mention it is more reliable, better on gas and the truck already has it.

Painless sells wiring kits for TBI trucks. Or get one out of a junkyard truck.

[firechiken]

With the TBI, you can move up to the larger 4.3 setup. Not just the injectors, but the whole thing. Your intake would have to be drilled out for the larger bores. All GM TBI setups are basically the same; there might be differences in the casting of throttle cable mounts and such, but nothing major that someone with a little metal working skill can't fix.

[neo71665]

Yeah but I'm getting rid of all of everything emissions related. Find a way to run TBI without all that and I would be more than happy to use it.

[geoffinbc]

There is noting but EGR and AIR. AIR can simply be removed the PCM wont throw codes. EGR cannot be removed without a code. But it can be restricted or left alone it is not a big deal it is not going to hurt having it on. Infact it will help increase fuel economy on the highway. The CAT can be removed but for the sake of man kind I would leave it since it wont cost you any HP. Infact I use my cat as a muffler and emissions control

You will save WELL over $1000 if you dont buy a new carb, distributor and intake. Plus you will save a million Advil tablets asociated with carb headaches

[neo71665]

Well from what I have known in the past most electronics don't like water. And by street legal I only ment, lights and windshield wipers. Sorry should have been more clear. I was trying to stay away from another V8 swap, doing it and upgrading the 4x4 parts will run well over $1000 US dollars. I guess I'll just save the 2.8s for my blazer and my brothers dime.

As for carb headaches, I was rebuilding 4 barrels in my dads shop by the time I was 10. I can tune one in my sleep.

[854x4s15]

Keep the TBI or do whatever you can to salave it. My '85 S-Truck has a 2.8 with a carb and i HATE it. It really sucks in the mud or climbing. My next upgrade is going to be a TBI setup from Painless or Edelbrock.