Engine Swap Everything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.

bbc swap

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-17-2011, 04:32 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
bbc swap

ive got a 91 rs i want to put a big block in and i think i have the exhaust and mounts figured out but i need some help on accesery drive and heater box issues i want to run at least a heater and a serpintine belt would be nice will small and big block sepintine setup interchange? or do i need to look at a custom setup im trying do do this as cheap as i can does any one have any advice on this
Old 07-17-2011, 05:38 PM
  #2  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,110
Likes: 0
Received 120 Likes on 101 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: bbc swap

The SBC and BBC accessory mounts are different so you'll need a BBC specific setup.

Heater box should not be an issue with normal height valve covers.
Old 07-17-2011, 11:56 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

any sugestions ?
Old 07-18-2011, 07:28 AM
  #4  
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Re: bbc swap

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...-454-swap.html
Old 07-20-2011, 10:21 PM
  #5  
Junior Member
 
BleedOrange's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: '85 Z28
Engine: 463 BBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 373 with an Eaton posi
Re: bbc swap

I just got thru installing a 454 bored 40 over in my 85 z28. Alky is correct on the sbc accessory brackets. As for the heater box its according to what rockers you use. I used Comp gold roller rockers on mine so it called for the taller valve covers for clearence isssues between the rockers and the inside of the valve covers. that being said I ripped all that crap outta the way. now its an old street sign cut to fit and painted to match the firewall and it made a nice place to mount my ignition and coil. It is possible to leave the heater box on I believe but I pretty sure you will have issues if you have to remove the valve covers for tuning purposes.
Old 12-11-2011, 03:22 AM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

well i bought an old jet boat motor and got it tore down its a 60 over 396 i bought a set of 366 truck heads and ive got an old weiand intake for it im gonna run a comp ***** thumper cam and the hooker swap headers and i have a pretty good idea of how im gonna do the heater box and i will definetly be notching the cowl for distributer clearence since its not gonna be driven on a daily basis only just whenever i feel like it im not gonna run a/c so i'm thinking bout putting dual fans on the front side of the radiator and doing the 4the gen coolant tank/washer mod

heres how it started
Name:  HPIM0193.jpg
Views: 2391
Size:  115.7 KB
and heres where it is now

Name:  IMG_20110612_163513.jpg
Views: 2351
Size:  64.8 KB
Old 12-11-2011, 07:54 PM
  #7  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
Irockz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Springfield,Mo
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 87 Berlinetta,work in progress
Engine: 468 BB,still in the build process
Transmission: TH350,3500 stall
Axle/Gears: 9" Ford,learning how to live under
Re: bbc swap

No need to notch the firewall,an HEI will clear just fine if the engine will be in it's stock location.
Old 12-11-2011, 08:23 PM
  #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

i've been told that but i'm running an hei on the small block thats in the car and its a pain to pull the cap on it so to make things a little more maintenance friendly im gonna notch it anyways im an aircraft mechanic by trade and i have to deal with tight spaces and such all the time so im gonna try to make it easy to work on
Old 12-11-2011, 08:38 PM
  #9  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
Irockz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Springfield,Mo
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 87 Berlinetta,work in progress
Engine: 468 BB,still in the build process
Transmission: TH350,3500 stall
Axle/Gears: 9" Ford,learning how to live under
Re: bbc swap

Do what you want to,it's your car.Pulling the cap on my 87 with a 468 (avatar pic) was cake,though.
Old 12-11-2011, 09:43 PM
  #10  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,110
Likes: 0
Received 120 Likes on 101 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: bbc swap

Years ago when I used an HEI, I never had any problems pulling the cap.
Old 12-17-2011, 11:20 AM
  #11  
Member

iTrader: (2)
 
niceroc's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Palatine, IL
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 87 iroc
Engine: 454 .030 over
Transmission: th-350
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt
Re: bbc swap

yea, there is no reason to notch the firewall or anything, back when i had HEI on my BB i thought it was ridiculous how people said you had to notch the firewall
Old 12-17-2011, 11:22 AM
  #12  
Member

iTrader: (2)
 
niceroc's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Palatine, IL
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 87 iroc
Engine: 454 .030 over
Transmission: th-350
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt
Re: bbc swap

Originally Posted by thegreasemonkey
i've been told that but i'm running an hei on the small block thats in the car and its a pain to pull the cap on it so to make things a little more maintenance friendly im gonna notch it anyways im an aircraft mechanic by trade and i have to deal with tight spaces and such all the time so im gonna try to make it easy to work on
easy to work on? my BB is WAY easier to work on then the stock 305 with manifolds and all the smog crap. and if your looking for easier then io would advise you to stay away from a BB swap into a 3rd gen, you can't exactly go to autozone and get your parts right off the shelf anymore.
Old 06-17-2012, 10:44 PM
  #13  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

just to update my thread im almost done with the motor just gotta finish the top end. im going with solid motor mounts and a custom heater box and an aluminum radiator moved forward an inch or two ive got the accesory drive figured out and im gonna run the hooker swap headers for now gonna use an msd ignition system and might swap to a newer style pwr steering pump to free up some room
Name:  DSCN0753.jpg
Views: 2439
Size:  75.4 KB
Old 06-18-2012, 02:05 PM
  #14  
On Probation
 
Atilla the Fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern Utah
Posts: 6,319
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes on 17 Posts
Car: seeking '90.5-'92 'bird hardtop
Engine: several
Transmission: none
Axle/Gears: none
Re: bbc swap

Put twin electric puller fans behind the radiator. There's enough space, and it's far more efficient. No sense butchering the car when there's no need. The '91-up valve covers fit great and being cast aluminum, you'll have less leaking than using older stamped steel. Pull the wiper motor until you complete the final installation.
Old 12-24-2012, 11:27 AM
  #15  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

so im curious everyone claims a stock pan will work with a stock cross member for a big block swap but everybody is running full race pans does anybody have pictures of a stock pan clearing the k-member for this swap
Old 12-24-2012, 12:44 PM
  #16  
On Probation
 
Atilla the Fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern Utah
Posts: 6,319
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes on 17 Posts
Car: seeking '90.5-'92 'bird hardtop
Engine: several
Transmission: none
Axle/Gears: none
Re: bbc swap

Originally Posted by thegreasemonkey
so im curious everyone claims a stock pan will work with a stock cross member for a big block swap but everybody is running full race pans does anybody have pictures of a stock pan clearing the k-member for this swap
They're here, you just have to search back farther. Heck, I even showed making a truck pan fit with very little hammering, though it still hung too low. I was using Moroso solid mounts when I showed that. The '72 Camaro 402 pan is a good, easy fit, and can be had new for $36, un-painted. If you're using a '91-up block, then you'll do best to get the GMPP 4-quart gen 5 / gen 6 pan kit.
Old 01-14-2015, 02:57 PM
  #17  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

well i've got the motor almost finished and i have a pa racing k member ready to go in just need to purchase the control arms to go with it along with my accessory drive and fuel system but that will have to wait till i get a job since im currently out of work at the moment
Old 01-30-2015, 02:50 PM
  #18  
Junior Member
 
couchmotors's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: jacksonville Fl
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Car: 1991 camaro rs
Engine: 496 big block
Transmission: th400
Axle/Gears: stock rearend. 3.23
Re: bbc swap

why would you want 366 truck heads they flow like ****. what piston are you using if your a dome I would go with 353049 or 781 heads. for as stock gm heads go these two are the best flowing out there and even better than some aftermarket. I have a set of 353049 on my BBC and it in a 91 rs. plus they are large oval port. and the HEI works just fine no need for beating the firewall. that firewall on later Camaro's had more room in that area than the earlier ones I think. and if you think about it both BBC and SBC use the same HEI and the motor does not sit any futher back than the sbc if you use the stock mount location. its always people that have never done the swap saying that you have to make room for the HEI
Old 06-04-2017, 08:25 PM
  #19  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
thegreasemonkey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: irvington,al
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: bbc swap

so to update my old thread on here i havent done much since i got the motor built i did put it in my dads truck so we could do the break in and such im currently lacking funds to do much of anything with the car unfortunetly but im trying i did do a mock up with some junk parts in the car to see how everthing will fit the only thing i forgot is to to put the headers in before the block as they wont fit with the motor in already i think im gonna fab a heater box just so it fits the way i want heres some pics i took once eveything was in i believe the pan is a camaro pan but im not 100% sure









Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
E Rod
LTX and LSX
5
08-28-2015 05:17 AM
theshackle
Tech / General Engine
2
08-22-2015 06:52 PM
Hello, Michael
Engine Swap
8
08-20-2015 03:19 PM
355sbcTPI
Electronics
2
08-19-2015 04:38 PM
sreZ28
Engine Swap
4
08-14-2015 07:48 PM



Quick Reply: bbc swap



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:55 PM.