I'm thing about doing this swap in my home garage. Anyone have experience with this? I'm trying to get an idea if I can manage this myself. I'll be working on an 88 irocz currently has a carbed 305 with 700r4 trans. I'm wanting to put in a GM turn key zz4 350 (carbed). I don't have a lift just floor jacks/stands. I also only have hand tools. Will the zz4 drop in without any fabrication needed? Will I need any specialty tools?

 

Almost. As I recall, the ZZ4 turnkey has a standard rotation water pump. You'll have to use the '88 water pump (assuming you are using '88 accessories).

If you don't already, you should get a TV geometry corrector bracket that bolts to the carb throttle arm, and some means to lock up the torque converter clutch.

 

Thanks for the reply. I do already have a new TV cable and bracket. (though it leaks at the transmission, ikd why)
I don't really have a good understanding of the purpose of a lock up switch though.
What is the advantage to using TCC lockup? Is there a way to activate it without manual switch? How is the manual switch supposed to be used?

 

Unless you are the hulk you are gonna need like 6 people to pull the motor out and set a new one in. Unless you strip it down to a short block, but I'm sure you don't want to be stripping the heads and intake off the new motor to get it in either.

And you want some sort of controller to lock the converter under certain cruising conditions. Otherwise it's constantly loose and will run you at a higher rpm using up gas and premature wear on the converter.

 

Yeah, i'll have to rent an engine hoist...

As for the converter, I do not, to my knowledge, have a lock up switch installed currently. So, are you implying that it is running poorly right now and the switch would just be an improvemnt, OR are you saying that swapping the engines would create this problem.

 

I'm not to knowledgeable about auto trans workings as far as the deeper machinations, but I know there needs to be a way, be it electrical or mechanical to lock the converter under certain load conditions. I'm not sure what controls it on the 700r4, I would have to guess it's a combo of the computer and the tv cable. Or maybe just the tv cable. Plenty of people go to carb setups on these cars, I'm sure someone will chime in here soon on what you will need.

 

Thanks for you response Wife'sCar. Just to reiterate, I am already running carb (the engines not stock) and the trans seemed to run fine in OD and everything, though I'm not sure how to recognize the lockup so i don't know if its already being controlled or not.
If anyone could let me know how to tell if I already have TCC lockup and what to look ,that would be great. Also, are there any systems I could install that would control lockup automatically? I don't want a switch I have to flip on and off.
Thanks guys, I know I've got a lot of questions...

 

Questions prevent screw ups, ask away!! (Also gives some of us something to do/read on work breaks)