Putting a Caprice engine (L05-7) into a 92 g30 van (has L80e trans)

[Danboquist]

I have a 1992 Chevrolet G30 van that needs an engine.
The only ambition here is to end up with a functional van.
In looking for a replacement engine (rebuilt/reman) I have run across the cam failure issue with the flat tappet cams on break-in, which I do not want to deal with.
A local shop offers a Caprice engine (L05, vin 7) engine with rollers.
My question is if/how it may fit into the van, especially with the 4L80e transmission.
Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
I’m just a lone guy in his back yard.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

It will not run perfectly given the cam difference and compression ratio difference, but it will run. Assuming your van is 8,600 gvw or more it came with 18cc dished pistons for 8.75:1 compression and a 194/203 @ 0.050 cam with 0.390/0.410 lift on a 112 LSA. The civilian Caprice, Fleetwood, Roadmaster 350 came with 6cc eyebrow relief flat tops for 9.6:1 compression and a 305 peanut cam that was 178/194 @ 0.050, 0.350/0.385 lift on a 109 LSA. Personally I would see if they would build it with a L31 cam, 191/196 @ 0.050, 0.412/0.428 lift on a 111 LSA that or the GM 6395 cam at 196/206 @ 0.050, 0.431/0.451 lift on a 109 LSA. Any way you do it will need some chip tuning to run right anyway. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt you will be fighting detonation with flat tops and the 305 cam.

 

[Danboquist]

It will not run perfectly given the cam difference and compression ratio difference, but it will run. Assuming your van is 8,600 gvw or more it came with 18cc dished pistons for 8.75:1 compression and a 194/203 @ 0.050 cam with 0.390/0.410 lift on a 112 LSA. The civilian Caprice, Fleetwood, Roadmaster 350 came with 6cc eyebrow relief flat tops for 9.6:1 compression and a 305 peanut cam that was 178/194 @ 0.050, 0.350/0.385 lift on a 109 LSA. Personally I would see if they would build it with a L31 cam, 191/196 @ 0.050, 0.412/0.428 lift on a 111 LSA that or the GM 6395 cam at 196/206 @ 0.050, 0.431/0.451 lift on a 109 LSA. Any way you do it will need some chip tuning to run right anyway. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt you will be fighting detonation with flat tops and the 305 cam.

This is great information. I am a bit confused though. I’m assuming that the reman engine (Caprice 5.7 vin 7 with roller cam) is a rebuilt stock engine (rollers were factory), not some Frankenstein engine. If so, i don’t understand how it would run any differently than it did before the reman. (Tuning/computer I can see being a potential issue.
Weird thing is that the engine that blew up was a replacement engine (3970010), which is like a 1972 engine. It seems to have fit just fine.. wiring harness, 4L80e transmission, the whole bit.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

This is great information. I am a bit confused though. I’m assuming that the reman engine (Caprice 5.7 vin 7 with roller cam) is a rebuilt stock engine (rollers were factory), not some Frankenstein engine. If so, i don’t understand how it would run any differently than it did before the reman.

It was in a much lighter, more aerodynamic car and had different tuning from the factory. Your vans ECM was tuned for the lower compression and a bigger cam of the factory engine that came in it. Your van probably puts 2x the load on the engine that the car does to cruise 60 mph.

 

[Danboquist]

It was in a much lighter, more aerodynamic car and had different tuning from the factory. Your vans ECM was tuned for the lower compression and a bigger cam of the factory engine that came in it. Your van probably puts 2x the load on the engine that the car does to cruise 60 mph.

Gotcha. That makes perfect sense. Thank you! I’ll investigate this and talk to the builder.

 

[Schurkey]

I ran a "service replacement" GM "new" crate engine "12513151 - 5.7l (L05)1991-1993 Chevy Caprice (Exc. 9C1 Police Package), 1991-1993 Buick Roadmaster, 1991-1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham"
in my '88 K1500 standard-cab, long bed for something like 18 years. Yeah, that's probably less of a load than a bigass van.

It failed due to a popped head gasket between #3 and #5, which then blowtorched the block and head.

I had Edelbrock "TES" Tubular Exhaust System "shorty headers", a monolithic "high flow" catalyst, and--while it lasted--a Flowmaster cat-back exhaust. All accessories except the fragile GM heater quick-connect and the exhaust system were transferred from the original engine including the knock sensor and--for about two weeks--the oil pressure sending unit. Ended up with "low oil pressure" which turned out to be the first of several oil sending unit failures. After a couple years, I also had issues with a faulty O2 sensor that defied me for the longest time--it tested just fine at lower engine speed, but went false-lean at highway speed causing the fuel trims to go way rich and lit-up the MIL. This also caused me to replace the TBI unit (with injectors) with a similar-but-newer TBI unit from the Treasure Yard, but there was nothing wrong with the original TBI/injectors.

Ran flawlessly on the OEM computer tune once the O2 sensor was replaced. Zero issues with knock/detonation on my usual 87 octane/10% Ethanol swill. Not much more power than the 230K-mile engine it replaced, which I found disappointing. I have no doubt that a proper aftermarket tune would have perked it up, but that's beyond me even now.

For the record, I currently have a Vortec short-block with aftermarket aluminum heads and intake manifold, that same Treasure Yard TBI unit, and essentially all the same accessories, still running on the same OEM computer tune but with mildly-jacked-up ignition advance and fuel pressure. Still with disappointing power although better than stock or the Caprice engine, and a little bit of hesitation only during warm-up, only in cold weather.

 

[Danboquist]

Well, actually that sounds pretty good. Eighteen years is a good long stretch.
The entire reason that I’m looking at this engine is that it has a roller cam.
Breaking in a flat tappet cam almost seems like a crap shoot.
It sounds like a different cam may do the trick.

 

[Danboquist]

These are the 5.7 options that the builder has available to choose from. The engine that I’m considering is the 3rd one from the top (“Roller cam with head numbers…”)

 

[Danboquist]

I emailed the builder about swapping the camshaft in the Caprice engine to an L31 or a GM 6395. He gave no opinion or commentary, just a new price. Ok then..

I have no history of dealing with production engine builders, but I’d like to think that they will change valve springs, pushrods, etc. as appropriate without my having to request that. Who knows? I’ll have to ask I guess.

Anyway, I do have some parts that I can probably reuse.
The blown engine block (3970010 4 bolt) and crank (3932442) are bad, but I do have a TBI intake manifold, (03 GM) casting # 10093015 and a distributor labeled 18 35/5/3840. The old heads are 10110810. It appears to be a 70s block (left hand oil dipstick) that had newer heads and intake.
The accessory brackets are different than on my 91 G30 and others that I’ve see. It had the AAC compressor mounted with the power steering pump on the left and the alternator on the right. I could probably use that same setup.
All of the sensors (and cruise control) appeared to be hooked up fine.
TBI carberator seems to be ok. I may just pull the one off of my 91 to use because at least I know that it works.

I understand that I’ll need a mellonized or steel distributor gear for the roller camshaft.

Is there anything besides the distributor gear, intake, TBI carb, damper/balancer, exhaust manifolds, and accessory mounts that I will need for a long block?

Thanks.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

I’d like to think that they will change valve springs, pushrods, etc. as appropriate without my having to request that. Who knows? I’ll have to ask I guess.

Yes, get everything, in writing, they're gonna do including tear down, cleaning, machine work, specific materials, and time line.