98 5.7L vortec bad motor questions

[Nick1450]

Thanks for all the replies guys, your help means a lot. I’ve looked deeper into it and I think you guys are right. I’m just going to get another 350 and maybe get a 4l80e as well? I figured it’d be able to better handle if I mod the 350 or get a 6.0 down the road. All that would be required is retuning for the 80e correct?

 

[94burbk1500]

I'm literally just regurgitating what I was told last week, but an 80e would need a pretty modded 350 to be effective. If staying stock in terms of build and tune, consdier the fact that a 60e got you to the 200k+ mark.

 

[Nick1450]

I'm literally just regurgitating what I was told last week, but an 80e would need a pretty modded 350 to be effective. If staying stock in terms of build and tune, consdier the fact that a 60e got you to the 200k+ mark.

Interesting, I thought some of these engines came with 80e’s in them.

 

[df2x4]

I'm literally just regurgitating what I was told last week, but an 80e would need a pretty modded 350 to be effective. If staying stock in terms of build and tune, consdier the fact that a 60e got you to the 200k+ mark.

I just swapped a 4L80E into my '97 4.3L V6 C1500. It's fine. It's slow, but it's fine. The 90's Express vans came stock with the V6/80E combo.

Interesting, I thought some of these engines came with 80e’s in them.

They did. You could get a 2500 or 3500 with a 350 and a 4L80E.

Thanks for all the replies guys, your help means a lot. I’ve looked deeper into it and I think you guys are right. I’m just going to get another 350 and maybe get a 4l80e as well? I figured it’d be able to better handle if I mod the 350 or get a 6.0 down the road. All that would be required is retuning for the 80e correct?

It takes a re-tune on the computer, some wiring modification, a shorter driveshaft, and different cooler lines. Among other odds and ends. Here's a thread I made on my swap if you want to look over it. You can get by without some of the parts I bought, but I have a pretty complete list of stuff in there. My truck is a V6 but most of the information should be exactly the same for a V8.

http://www.gmt400.com/threads/97-c1500-4l60e-to-4l80e-swap.38819/

EDIT - Just realized your truck is a 4WD, so yours will be more complicated than mine most likely. You've got the transfer case and one more driveshaft to deal with.

 

[DerekTheGreat]

We bought our '89 K1500 with a 350 which was on it's last leg. Burned nearly a quart of oil every 300 miles and had a burnt valve on cylinder #1. 224k miles on the clock. Despite my fears, best thing I've done so far was have a junkyard motor swapped in from a '95 G3500 van. This motor supposedly has 140k miles but uses no oil and runs like a well oiled machine. I've put nearly 5k on it so far over the course of a year with no issues. I'd be afraid of a rebuild since the term "rebuilt" doesn't mean the same thing between shops. I do trust factory motors though, but the problem is maintenance history. My case certainly felt like Russian Roulette (as I expected this engine to be just as crappy) but for once in my life, I lucked out with it and you could too. Go with one that's 1991+, check the spark plugs on it for oil deposits and check compression before you pull the trigger. Also, while this may be splitting hairs and circumstantial, check the area around the oil filler cap. If the paint is missing or worn down and the cap's writing is illegible or not even the factory cap, probably an oil burner.

 

[Nick1450]

Okay I got a dumb question but I guess the tittle entails this.

Online I’m seeing two different 5.7L 350s made by goodwrench.

One says “VIN R” does that mean I have have to get this specific model to be compatable with my vin R truck? Or are they practically the same?

 

[94burbk1500]

Okay I got a dumb question but I guess the tittle entails this.

Online I’m seeing two different 5.7L 350s made by goodwrench.

One says “VIN R” does that mean I have have to get this specific model to be compatable with my vin R truck? Or are they practically the same?

post a link. Some of the crate motors are with or without emissions, if you live in an inspection state you need the one for emissions. That's my guess.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Okay I got a dumb question but I guess the tittle entails this.

Online I’m seeing two different 5.7L 350s made by goodwrench.

One says “VIN R” does that mean I have have to get this specific model to be compatable with my vin R truck? Or are they practically the same?

There were 3 different Goodwrench Vortec 350 engines from GM of which 2 are still available. The Medium duty version has been discontinued but you can still get the 2 bolt and 4 bolt main versions. The 4 bolt main version has a factory single roller timing chain.