TheRealSpinner
10-11-2009, 12:27 PM
Hi everyone. I’ve been reading for a bit, and finally joined. Now the questions are going to come pouring out.
A couple months ago, I received an 87 S-10 2.8L base model 2wd shortbed. I bought it for $150 because I was told that the timing chain skipped a tooth. Even though I didn’t know anything about S-10’s, I thought, sure, I can fix that… I towed the truck home, using a buddy’s truck, and did a compression test. It checked out fine. I thought, well let’s put it back together and see if it runs (sometimes I have that kind of luck). It started right up. Later, I narrowed the culprit down to a wire going into the distributer was shorting out…
Since then, I have put a new power steering pump in, changed the oil, transmission fluid, spark plugs, air filter, fuel pump, later model alloy wheels and tires, and got a new cat-back exhaust system, altogether putting about another $800 into it.
Anyway, to get to the present, I have been thinking about a swap since I knew it was possible (and plausible), but was planning it for the spring. Well, last night I was taking a buddy to the Pick-N-Pull and my automatic transmission started acting up. It was sticking and making all sorts of noise in reverse, and in first. I got it home, but now have realized that I need a new transmission. So, rather than put another transmission in, I guess I’m doing the swap now.
Here’s where I stand. There’s a good deal (only $800) on a T-Boned 1993 Suburban 4x4 that I’m looking at as a donor vehicle. The local Pick-N-Pull is lousy, so an entire donor car is necessary. What do you guys think?
I’m in CA and need it to pass smog, so the donor needs to be a newer model Chevy to be legal. I don’t need a ton of power, so was not planning on modifying the new engine. I was thinking that since I’m buying a whole vehicle, I will have the wiring harness and other odds and ends to work with, but does anybody know if the transmission will work? Since my truck is not 4wd, I would just use one output from the transfer case, or sell it and try to find a good 2wd transmission instead.
Does this sound like it’ll work? Any and all input is greatly appreciated. I have a feeling that I will need a lot of help on this one.
A couple months ago, I received an 87 S-10 2.8L base model 2wd shortbed. I bought it for $150 because I was told that the timing chain skipped a tooth. Even though I didn’t know anything about S-10’s, I thought, sure, I can fix that… I towed the truck home, using a buddy’s truck, and did a compression test. It checked out fine. I thought, well let’s put it back together and see if it runs (sometimes I have that kind of luck). It started right up. Later, I narrowed the culprit down to a wire going into the distributer was shorting out…
Since then, I have put a new power steering pump in, changed the oil, transmission fluid, spark plugs, air filter, fuel pump, later model alloy wheels and tires, and got a new cat-back exhaust system, altogether putting about another $800 into it.
Anyway, to get to the present, I have been thinking about a swap since I knew it was possible (and plausible), but was planning it for the spring. Well, last night I was taking a buddy to the Pick-N-Pull and my automatic transmission started acting up. It was sticking and making all sorts of noise in reverse, and in first. I got it home, but now have realized that I need a new transmission. So, rather than put another transmission in, I guess I’m doing the swap now.
Here’s where I stand. There’s a good deal (only $800) on a T-Boned 1993 Suburban 4x4 that I’m looking at as a donor vehicle. The local Pick-N-Pull is lousy, so an entire donor car is necessary. What do you guys think?
I’m in CA and need it to pass smog, so the donor needs to be a newer model Chevy to be legal. I don’t need a ton of power, so was not planning on modifying the new engine. I was thinking that since I’m buying a whole vehicle, I will have the wiring harness and other odds and ends to work with, but does anybody know if the transmission will work? Since my truck is not 4wd, I would just use one output from the transfer case, or sell it and try to find a good 2wd transmission instead.
Does this sound like it’ll work? Any and all input is greatly appreciated. I have a feeling that I will need a lot of help on this one.