Motor swap

[mkmc69]

Originally Posted by letsgofast

I’m ready to get back on the road

I like the way your truck sits. What drop is that?

Originally Posted by mkmc69

I like the way your truck sits. What drop is that?

4.5f/6r
It’s a C20 with coil rear with taller tires in the rear.
I went with 2” drop springs up front with 2.5” spindles and 6” drop springs on the rear. The track bar didn’t need to be changed. The 6” drop was enough to swing the track bar in the opposite direction and it worked out. That won’t be for long, I have a feeling. I am swapping to a Dana 60 rear that I found from a big block truck. The track bar on that will be different than the Eaton HO52.

[tdangle]

Thats almost the same engine I just ordered. Only diff is I bought the GM new engine 350/357 deluxe. Should be right around the same power and was complete like yours. I'm going be doing this toward the end of Feb. Just trying to collect parts I will need.

Costly progress today. I ordered the Holley 20-88 for the throttle cable and the Holley 20-45 for the TH350 kickdown cable. The throttle cable bracket kinda works. The 72 C20 has a round throttle cable attachment and the bracket is designed for a square attachment. I forced it in and it worked. The transmission kickdown bracket is for a SBC intake (12 intake bolts). This motor has Vortec heads and intake. The intake bolts are spaced differently and in a different location than the older intakes. This positions the Holley 20-45 incorrectly.( which had to be bent to fit the intake)
I spent some time on Holley tech support yesterday and ended up with the Holley 20-112 and 20-119 brackets. Now that I’ve spent $200 on brackets and modified my throttle cable, I should have throttle control. (looking over my shoulder to make sure my woman doesn’t see me type that. This is getting expensive. ��������*♂️)

[Daron65]

I enjoy this thread. Im glad im not the only one that runs in to problems when i think i have it all planned out. Lol.

Originally Posted by Daron65

I enjoy this thread. Im glad im not the only one that runs in to problems when i think i have it all planned out. Lol.

It is a challenge but it will be right when it’s done.

More progress today. Slow and steady. The starter is on. Alternator is mocked up. Fuel lines, check!
Headed to the store for belts and a couple of odds and ends.
If Brothers Truck Parts didn’t have the slowest order processing and shipping department in the world, I would be connecting a wiring harness this weekend but instead i will be doing that next week. Buyer beware, Brothers Truck Parts isn’t amazing. 👎

[geezer#99]

Before you put coolant in it, your heater hose is on wrong.
Supposed to be intake to bottom of heater core, top of core back to water pump or rad.
Yours needs to go back to rad as you need that port on the water pump for the coolant bypass from the intake.

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Before you put coolant in it, your heater hose is on wrong.
Supposed to be intake to bottom of heater core, top of core back to water pump or rad.
Yours needs to go back to rad as you need that port on the water pump for the coolant bypass from the intake.

Thank you for bringing that up. I was looking at photos of my old motor and scratching my head on that. Should I move that fitting from the pump to the intake and plug the pump?
Here is the old motor.

[geezer#99]

That would work.

[clay68c10]

Pretty sure you need to run the bypass (like a BBC) because of the Vortec heads.

[Portland68]

I'm glad others brought up the bypass as I'm having a hard time finding a solution I like for my vortec. Edelbrock and others sell a coolant bypass that fits below the thermostat housing, but my concern is the line is 1/4 instead of 3/8 - what have others done for their vortec bypass?

If I were to move the lower heater core hose to the intake (brass plug next to the thermostat housing) and run the top heater core hose to the water pump, that should do the same thing, right?? Would it do the same thing if I took the top heater core to the radiator? I would think that coolant would be bypassing under the thermostat at that point. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Originally Posted by Portland68

I'm glad others brought up the bypass as I'm having a hard time finding a solution I like for my vortec. Edelbrock and others sell a coolant bypass that fits below the thermostat housing, but my concern is the line is 1/4 instead of 3/8 - what have others done for their vortec bypass?

Do you have a photo of your current setup?

[Daron65]

Originally Posted by letsgofast

If I were to move the lower heater core hose to the intake (brass plug next to the thermostat housing) and run the top heater core hose to the water pump, that should do the same thing, right?? Would it do the same thing if I took the top heater core to the radiator? I would think that coolant would be bypassing under the thermostat at that point. Anyone have thoughts on this?

That is exactly how i run mine with my aftermarket heater. I have had NO problems. We have very similar engines.
You have a great looking build.

[geezer#99]

Originally Posted by letsgofast

If I were to move the lower heater core hose to the intake (brass plug next to the thermostat housing) and run the top heater core hose to the water pump, that should do the same thing, right?? Would it do the same thing if I took the top heater core to the radiator? I would think that coolant would be bypassing under the thermostat at that point. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Maybe, maybe not!
I dug this up for you.

https://www.flowkoolerwaterpumps.com...perature-spike

Time will tell.
If you get temp swings you might need a bypass.

Originally Posted by tdangle

Thats almost the same engine I just ordered. Only diff is I bought the GM new engine 350/357 deluxe. Should be right around the same power and was complete like yours. I'm going be doing this toward the end of Feb. Just trying to collect parts I will need.

I’ve had a lot of fun collecting parts and draining my bank account. 🤣
Share your build when you get going!

[geezer#99]

We seem to be going in circles!
Do you understand the coolant flow in your motor?

Originally Posted by geezer#99

We seem to be going in circles!
Do you understand the coolant flow in your motor?

It appears that I did not. I do now. Sorry to be a pain.

[geezer#99]

Next!
Temperature sensor!
Where you gonna put it?
On the intake (drivers side) or in the head (if available).

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Next!
Temperature sensor!
Where you gonna put it?
On the intake (drivers side) or in the head (if available).

Temp sensor is going to have to go in the intake. The header flange will prevent the stock location from working.

[tdangle]

That location may not work. From the photo it looks like the sensor will be in the way for the top rad hose. You may need some sort of extension on the thermostat housing to raise it up.

On my future install, I am waiting arrival on a turned down stock sensor to go in the heads at the stock location. I'm going to run the stock ram exhaust manifolds so clearance won't be a problem.

[Portland68]

Originally Posted by letsgofast

Do you have a photo of your current setup?

I do not, the motor is bending pushrods so it is almost pulled again and going back to the builder. I had my temperature sending unit on the passenger side and my heater hose on the drivers side, but the hose clamp was touching the upper radiator hose which got me looking at a spacer or using the below part to kill two birds with one stone.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...SABEgLs6PD_BwE

I spoke with Blueprint Engines yesterday. They say that the thermostat in this motor is a bypass thermostat and I do not need to make any alterations to accommodate for a bypass.
I received my wiring harness from Brothers today. It seems to be a nice product, however, the wire to the brake master cylinder was pretty short. I was still able to make it work.
Got my belts on after changing pulleys again. One step forward and two steps back some days. I think the end is getting near.

[geezer#99]

You gonna clean up that bag of snakes plug wires?

Something like this works well.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-72133/

Originally Posted by geezer#99

You gonna clean up that bag of snakes plug wires?

Something like this works well.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-72133/

Oh yeah! They are just sitting there for now. Will clean is up very soon. That just hasn’t come to the top of the list yet.