I'm currently having my trans rebuilt for my 350 Bravada project. I'm wondering if I should reuse the stock Bravada torque converter or if I should put in the spare one I have from a Z28. I know the stock one will give me a higher stall speed but I've heard there are some durability issues with them (fins bending). The engine is roughly 350-400hp.

 

is the v-6 mentioned a 4.3 liter? if it is not, the input shaft is only 27 splines unless the tranny is being modified by installing the 30 spline input shaft. if it has the 27 spline input shaft, the z28 converter will not work because it has 30 splines. i don't remember which input shaft was used for the 4.3 liter motors.

 

It's a 4.3. I haven't verified yet but the splines should be the same.

 

ok, like i said, i'm not sure which splines the 4.3 liter came with. for some reason, there seems to be a general opinion on this board that the 27 spline wasn't made after '84 which isn't true. all v-6's smaller than 4.3 had 27 splines. the 4.3 i was unsure about.

 

ON MY 96 350TBI/OBD-2 TO OBD-1 X/CAB S10 I WENT WITH @ 1600 CONVERTER DUE TO THE ENGINE BEING STOCK W/89 FED HARNESS, IT WORKS PERFECT, BUT THEN AGAIN I HAVE 3:08S/2WDR. YOURS IS PROBABLY 3:42S, OR 3:73 (TOW PACKAGE) GOV LOCK, DEPENDING ON THE CAM PROFILE I WOULD BASE THE STALL ON THAT, AS YOU DONT WANT ALOT OF STALL ON A SMALL CAM, AND NEED IT ON A LARGER CAM.

 

It's 3.73 AWD. The cam is an LT4 HOT cam. 218/228 duration, .525 lift.

 

The 4.3L was not available until the 1989 model year, by that time all those 700's where 30 spline.

 

so with the factory S10 stall which is 2200 rpm. i've put them behind my 4.3L motor and was pushing low 11s in my truck on nitrous with no issues.

 

"The 4.3L was not available until the 1989 model year, by that time all those 700's where 30 spline"



not all 700's had 30 splines!!!!!!! only the v-8's and maybe the 4.3. other 6-cyl motors had the 27 spline input shaft up to at least '98

 

I always wanted to do a bravado v8 swap, or astro/ext as i could obtain 1 real easy having a lot of salvage connections, it sounds like a pretty radical swap w/lt1/lt4 , I believe that the vortec 4.3 trans is identical to the v8 w/the exception of the clutch pack count/govnr and servo, as for the (e) in 4l60, I am limited to playing w/700r4s ' w/valve bods, I rec that you contact dacco detroit or a trans shop to find out the dif between them is as you donot want to be pulling it right out again, the rest of the drivetrain w/3:73s is very capable (eventually ditch the gov/loc),and take some good v8 s10 advice: go w/the c4 vette radiator in the fwd position, it takes some cutting/relocating/mig welding/latch moving, but worth it, remember I went w/ac so I had to relocate the cond where the hood latch was, and then move the radiator into the support, and mount the latch around the cond, i use an 87 v6 fan shroud w/the v6 vortech fan and clutch w/the 96 s10 serp setup, as my truck is a 96 and doesnt have the lt1 accs, and looking at the JTR book, getting the ac comp to fit is some work, as is the lt1 manifolds, but not imposible, not for the timid or shy, good luck, if you have any questions just email me, jeff. .

 

I believe the discussion here is about the 4.3L V-6. They have 30 spline input shafts the same as the mid 87 & up V8's

 

ok...your wording kinda threw me. i took it as you meant to say all 700's had 30 splines.

btw, the 30 spline 700 v-8 did start in mid '84.

 

I just counted the splines on the converter that came out of my 96 vortec v6, 2wd, it is 30............. I guess the question is what year is the trans from the bravado? I agree the early 80' s700r on the v6 stuff was the smaller count spline, I am just not sure of the year they went w/30 splines on the v6, still I would go through the trans anyway, that should help somewhat.

 

It's a '92 trans.

 

if ricktpi is correct on the spline count for the 4.3, it is the only v-6 to have 30 splines. all other v-6's had 27 splines regardless of year.

 

Running a 95 S-10 converter behind my 383 with no issues.

 

Kinda reminds me of when friends of mine would go w/a vega t350 converter for the extra stall, that hot cam has a great profile,... build it right and upgrade the clutch packs and it will, ...maybe, last as long as you want it to, remember that trans is not a th400 or a4l80e.