Engine swap question

[DillPickle478]

I'm sorry if this has been posted already, but I have a question. I have a 1992 chevy 1500 w/t with the 4.3 v6. I was wondering how difficult it would be to swap in a 5.7 from a 1998? I have the complete other truck to do the swap with, just have title issues with the 98 (it was my dad's and he passed away)

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Depending on your wrenching skills, should be "relatively easy". Miles ahead with a complete doner truck.
Off the top of my head, and others will undoubtedly chime in.
You are going from a v6 tbi to a v8 vortec. So for suren engine mounts and fuel pump. Then all the wiring for the v8 including the computer. Computer would probably have to be flashed to remove the VATS. All the cooling system components including rad and shroud would definitely help.
What trans are you planning on running?
May have to deal with driveshaft being different depending on can and box length.

If it was me, I would park them side by side of possible, and remove the v6 and it's wiring harnesses. The mounts have to be swapped to the v8s. Then remove v8 and V8 and reinstall it reversed of how it came out. Lots of labels on wires, pics as well. May have to some rework to the wire harness.
It's been done before, a bit of searching on this site should find you a thread or 2 for sure.
Good luck, and keep asking questions, and someone will probably have answers.

 

[RichLo]

92 TBI OBD1 tuck to 98 Vortec OBD2 engine. All of the wiring for the engine/trans will need to be from the 98 and just some re-pinning or cut/solder wires to make the gauges work.

These trucks are still simple enough. Especially going this way... new into old of the same body style.

 

[Schurkey]

have title issues with the 98 (it was my dad's and he passed away)

Copy of your dad's death certificate, proof you're his son...head for the local DMV and see what happens.

I bet it's ten times easier to get a replacement title, than to swap engines.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

In Texas you have to have a document called the "Writ Of Heirship" for any property transfer. We're going through this on our trucks, and the Texas DMV office went to appointments only during COVID and has stayed that way.
Most states probably have something similar; a quick Google search should give you some information on what your state requirements are.

 

[Schurkey]

In Texas you have to have a document called the "Writ Of Heirship" for any property transfer. We're going through this on our trucks, and the Texas DMV office went to appointments only during COVID and has stayed that way.

You'd think We the People exist to serve Government bureaucracy. Should be the other way around.

I have Mom's '77 (Nova) Concours; and Dear Old Dad's '98 Monte Carlo. But in both cases, I was on the title as a co-owner. Made it really easy to get the new title in my name.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

You'd think We the People exist to serve Government bureaucracy. Should be the other way around.

I have Mom's '77 (Nova) Concours; and Dear Old Dad's '98 Monte Carlo. But in both cases, I was on the title as a co-owner. Made it really easy to get the new title in my name.

We asked for the vehicles to be titled in Mom's OR Dad's name, and the people at the title office wrote them up with Mom's AND Dad's names. So she has to have the Writ Of Heirship and maybe other documents, to get them changed to her name and mine. Of course we'd just got the Writ when COVID messed everything up....

 

[Erik the Awful]

I bet it's ten times easier to get a replacement title, than to swap engines.

+1. There are a lot of differences between a 1992 and a 1998. You can either take the easy way and adapt the 98 engine to run with the 1992 TBI, or you can take the hard way and wire the 92 truck to run the 98 Vortec fuel injection.

You'd think We the People exist to serve Government bureaucracy. Should be the other way around.

The government has a responsibility to ensure that we the people aren't being taken advantage of by other we the people. Some people are gonna scam. OP, talk with the executor of the will. They should have the authority to distribute the assets. If you want the truck but they won't give you the title, that's tough luck. If you love your loved ones, take the time to get your end-of-life planning done and legal.

 

[DillPickle478]

Depending on your wrenching skills, should be "relatively easy". Miles ahead with a complete doner truck.
Off the top of my head, and others will undoubtedly chime in.
You are going from a v6 tbi to a v8 vortec. So for suren engine mounts and fuel pump. Then all the wiring for the v8 including the computer. Computer would probably have to be flashed to remove the VATS. All the cooling system components including rad and shroud would definitely help.
What trans are you planning on running?
May have to deal with driveshaft being different depending on can and box length.

If it was me, I would park them side by side of possible, and remove the v6 and it's wiring harnesses. The mounts have to be swapped to the v8s. Then remove v8 and V8 and reinstall it reversed of how it came out. Lots of labels on wires, pics as well. May have to some rework to the wire harness.
It's been done before, a bit of searching on this site should find you a thread or 2 for sure.
Good luck, and keep asking questions, and someone will probably have answers.

My entire plan was to basically cannibalize the 98 (pull the body harness out of both trucks and try to Frankenstein something) and pull all the wires out and swap everything over. I know it'd be a handful but it's nothing out of the ordinary for me (referencing my civic which I threw together from a 91, 95, and 96 models)

 

[DillPickle478]

+1. There are a lot of differences between a 1992 and a 1998. You can either take the easy way and adapt the 98 engine to run with the 1992 TBI, or you can take the hard way and wire the 92 truck to run the 98 Vortec fuel injection.


The government has a responsibility to ensure that we the people aren't being taken advantage of by other we the people. Some people are gonna scam. OP, talk with the executor of the will. They should have the authority to distribute the assets. If you want the truck but they won't give you the title, that's tough luck. If you love your loved ones, take the time to get your end-of-life planning done and legal.

He had no living will or anything of the sort. He took the, uh, short way out. The trucks the only thing left I have of him. Him and my mother were still legally married at his time of death and I do have the title for the truck somewhere in my room. I'm just making things way more complicated on myself but I've got a habit of doing that to myself.