Vortec 350 Swap Advice

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SweetNLo

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My Dad and I are swapping a Vortec 350 into my 93 C1500 in place of the current 350 tbi motor. My Dad has swapped out dozens of engines, but I'm a greenhorn and it's my first swap. I'm looking for any advice on this engine swap. I know I have to use my serpentine system from my original motor.
1) What parts do I have to swap over from the original motor?
2) Is there anything I should be aware of as I make this swap?
Thanks for any help.
 

HotWheelsBurban

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The accessory brackets are different, but IIRC the water pump on vortecs are also different. They rotate the opposite direction as a TBI motor, I believe. Haven't had a TBI truck for years to look at for reference, but I'm sure someone on here can answer this question. If you have the wrong pump on it, it's not going to cool very well with the coolant flowing the wrong direction...
The other thing I remember about TBI motors is that the alternator and a c compressor are on opposite sides compared to the vortec motors. If I was doing this I would keep as much as possible that came from the new engine and truck, definitely including the wiring harness in this. Good luck with your project!
 

SweetNLo

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The accessory brackets are different, but IIRC the water pump on vortecs are also different. They rotate the opposite direction as a TBI motor, I believe. Haven't had a TBI truck for years to look at for reference, but I'm sure someone on here can answer this question. If you have the wrong pump on it, it's not going to cool very well with the coolant flowing the wrong direction...
The other thing I remember about TBI motors is that the alternator and a c compressor are on opposite sides compared to the vortec motors. If I was doing this I would keep as much as possible that came from the new engine and truck, definitely including the wiring harness in this. Good luck with your project!

Thanks for the advice.
 

badco

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The water pumps bolt up the same and your factory brackets will also bolt right up. Only difference in pump is how fan goes on and heater hoses.

All sbc watwr pumps bolt to any sbc, if serpentine its reverse rotation. 96up has screw on fan, if real old or a vette its short pump
 

Erik the Awful

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The water pumps bolt up the same and your factory brackets will also bolt right up. Only difference in pump is how fan goes on and heater hoses.

All sbc watwr pumps bolt to any sbc, if serpentine its reverse rotation. 96up has screw on fan, if real old or a vette its short pump
There's a bit more. If you're putting a TBI water pump on a Vortec block, you will not have a coolant bypass unless you drill the hole on the front of the block.
 

L31MaxExpress

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There's a bit more. If you're putting a TBI water pump on a Vortec block, you will not have a coolant bypass unless you drill the hole on the front of the block.
Its more involved than that on some blocks. My vortec blocks have had the bypass hole drilled. The deck surface of the Vortec head is not drilled to match. I put aftermarket aluminum heads on a Vortec engine and filled the cooling system to find the water pump hole spewing coolant. Nothing a tap and pipe plug did not fix.
 
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