My truck needs a BB in it bad. I have owned it since it was new and it has low miles on it.
The problem is that I tow my race car and enclosed trailer and when I go over the mountain passes I am beating the "doo-doo" out of the engine.
I want to install the correct year 454 and have it be a bolt up conversion. I have the turbo 400, so I know that will work with the 454, but what else will I need (details please) and where is the best place to get the engine and parts for this conversion?
Thanks.:hail:

 

My knoledge is some what limited on newer BBCs' but what you will need is all the accessory brackets for a BBC and new exh manifolds/leads. The rest is fairly simple, the BB TBI unit has close flow numbers to that from a 350 and if you wanted to get pickey you can order a jett stage 3 chip made for conversions like this. The hard part is finding all the parts at the right price.

 

gm does sell a 502 conversion for the 454 also. the exhaust and intake is available from edelbrock. go with holley or find a stock tbi unit and you should be able to get a chip programmed with your stock computer to run it maybe even with your current trans. any of the odd stuff would be junk yard and gm since the swap is straight forward.

 

Zippy, I am trying to do this on a budget. Those 502's are pricey and I was hoping to get a wrecking yard donor to replace my engine.
Are you zippy from Moparts.com? I hate to use the Mopar word in a Chev board.

 

1990 was the last year for the Mark IV blocks. Any wrecking yard BBC will work fine. Factory exhaust manifolds will make the swap easy but headers will work too.

It depends on how much of a "bolt-up" you want. The 454 TBI is larger than the ones used on SBC. The computer probably won't talk to it anyway. Simplest way is to put a 750 VC carb on it.

For what it's worth, it would be easier and cheaper to find a truck in the same year range that already has a BBC in it. Even a 350 in a 2 wheel drive will make a better tow vehicle than the 4x4.

There is no such thing as a budget BBC swap. You get what you pay for. The HP of a typical factory BBC isn't much better than a good SBC but the torque is a lot higher. Maybe your 350 just needs a cam swap and some new valve springs.

I'm already lucky enough to have a 454SS truck as a tow vehicle but only for a TAG trailer. The tounge weight of a 5th wheel would be too much for the 1/2 ton short box.

If I had the cash, I'd go buy a new ford F250 just to get the Navistar Powerstroke diesel for a tow vehicle. I don't care for the truck but I'd have to buy it just to get the engine.

 

Why wouldn't you go with the Detroit/Allison diesel in the GMC? More HP, more torque, better transmission, heavier frame, better dealer support, and not much difference in cost. Plus, you wouldn't have the lawn tractor engine. And you wouldn't be mandated to wear that goofy hat like all Dorf drivers...

 

I can get a 454 with all the wiring for approx. $2500.00. If you can get me a Detroit/Allison diesel complete with wiring for the same price then I am buying.

 

The allison isn't bad but it isn't a detroit engine. The new chev diesel is Isuzu. Although they're very quiet I don't like the engines. I work on the Navistar engines and like what they've done with them. The Duramax/Allison package is also very pricy.

At least the Isuzu is better than the previous GM diesel attempts. They now have something competative with ford and dodge.

 

no, i'm not from moparts. i wouldn't own, push, drive or do anything with a mopar product. i even refrain from working on them.