Newb Question...
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Newb Question...
Hello all. I have an 89 RS that is bone stock and the motor and tranny are quite tired. I am looking at doing an engine swap and interior restoration in the next few years. My starting place is going to be the engine.
I have never attempted or been part of an engine swap, and have little to no idea where to begin. I am quite handy and have been working on my own cars as long as I have been driving. I am going to do the work myself as I believe its the only way to learn.
My question is, is there a list or thread or website that discusses, line by line, item by item, what is needed? Ive perused this forum and some threads talk about new motor mounts and others talk about TBI and TPI and BPI and all kinds of other acronyms that boggle my brain. I just need to know what I need to pull the old motor and tranny out and replace them with a 350 and maybe a T56.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have never attempted or been part of an engine swap, and have little to no idea where to begin. I am quite handy and have been working on my own cars as long as I have been driving. I am going to do the work myself as I believe its the only way to learn.
My question is, is there a list or thread or website that discusses, line by line, item by item, what is needed? Ive perused this forum and some threads talk about new motor mounts and others talk about TBI and TPI and BPI and all kinds of other acronyms that boggle my brain. I just need to know what I need to pull the old motor and tranny out and replace them with a 350 and maybe a T56.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,612
Likes: 157
From: Louisville, KY
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: 385 Fastburn
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: BorgWarner 9-bolt posi, 3.27 gears
Re: Newb Question...
Welcome to TGO!
There are plenty of engine swap threads in this sub-forum, I agree though that finding a step by step by step swap is a tough one. My only advice is to peruse the boards and look, there are some in there if you're willing to dig.
The basics would be to:
1. build/acquire your engine, decide if you want fuel injection or carbureted.
2. figure out what motor mounts you need (which is really simple if doing a 350)
3. acquire your tranny and correct bellhousing to hook it up to your engine (there are websites that sell just about every combo bellhousing you could think of)
4. acquire the correct transmission crossmember, transmission mount, and driveshaft
5. pull your old engine and tranny (try to keep all the harnesses INTACT and label them with detail)
6. Shoehorn your new engine and tranny in
7. wire everything up (if you kept with fuel injection there's a lot more to this step...)
8. test and tune.
You'll find more areas to upgrade along the way (such as cooling), but these are the most basic of basic steps, if that give you any kind of direction.
There are plenty of engine swap threads in this sub-forum, I agree though that finding a step by step by step swap is a tough one. My only advice is to peruse the boards and look, there are some in there if you're willing to dig.
The basics would be to:
1. build/acquire your engine, decide if you want fuel injection or carbureted.
2. figure out what motor mounts you need (which is really simple if doing a 350)
3. acquire your tranny and correct bellhousing to hook it up to your engine (there are websites that sell just about every combo bellhousing you could think of)
4. acquire the correct transmission crossmember, transmission mount, and driveshaft
5. pull your old engine and tranny (try to keep all the harnesses INTACT and label them with detail)
6. Shoehorn your new engine and tranny in
7. wire everything up (if you kept with fuel injection there's a lot more to this step...)
8. test and tune.
You'll find more areas to upgrade along the way (such as cooling), but these are the most basic of basic steps, if that give you any kind of direction.
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