Motor Swap Help!
#1
CF Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Berkshire's, Massachusettes
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Motor Swap Help!
My heads are cracked in my 97' 1500. It has 140,000 miles and everyone's been telling me just do a motor swap. So I talked to a local shop and they charge around $500 plus fluids and gaskets for the swap (around 8 hours).
Then they recommended a place for motors. I called them and they have a 4.3 v-6 (which is the motor I need..). They said $700 for the motor and they'll ship it to the shop. The motor has 120,000 miles.
I'm not to sure if this is a good deal or not but I need wheels and a truck!
Has anyone gone through this before and would know if its a good deal or not?
Then they recommended a place for motors. I called them and they have a 4.3 v-6 (which is the motor I need..). They said $700 for the motor and they'll ship it to the shop. The motor has 120,000 miles.
I'm not to sure if this is a good deal or not but I need wheels and a truck!
Has anyone gone through this before and would know if its a good deal or not?
#2
CF Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Replace it with a 5.7L instead of the 4.3L!! You will not regret it! You will regret it if you don't. Seriously. Same everything for the most part except two more cylinders.
I think $700 is a little on the steep side but it all depends on how bad you need it and the availability in your area and the warranty they offer on the motor. Search online for a better deal. Check ebay. I have bought motors on ebay. Usually they can ship it to any address with a dock.
If I were in your shoes I would look for a motor in the $300-$400 range and install it myself. However, I don't think $500 is too much for the shop to R&R your motor. Don't you have some buddies that could help you?? That's a pretty straight forward swap. A nice weekend job by yourself, a day if you're good.
I think $700 is a little on the steep side but it all depends on how bad you need it and the availability in your area and the warranty they offer on the motor. Search online for a better deal. Check ebay. I have bought motors on ebay. Usually they can ship it to any address with a dock.
If I were in your shoes I would look for a motor in the $300-$400 range and install it myself. However, I don't think $500 is too much for the shop to R&R your motor. Don't you have some buddies that could help you?? That's a pretty straight forward swap. A nice weekend job by yourself, a day if you're good.
#3
CF Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Berkshire's, Massachusettes
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Yes I was thinking about the 350! But i'm not sure about the wiring harness unless its out of the same year of truck. The problem is my buddies don't really work on chevy's (Suby's). But the price for the shop isnt bad I think im gunna call tomorrow and check for a 350.
#6
CF Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
THAT depends how much you use/abuse the skinny pedal! And it sounds like it's time for a trans rebuild very soon. A slipping tranny does not cure itself. (assuming the clutches were slipping) If I were you, I would use this time to pull both the motor and trans, have the trans rebuilt, and bolt it up to your 'new' 350 and rock-n-roll. You will regret it later if you don't. Also, a shop will rebuild the 700R4 or 4L60E cheaper if you just bring it to them. 140k is getting into the iffy zone for a trans in my very humble opinion.. Some go longer, others don't.
If your buddies can work on Subarus then they can work on Chevys.
If your buddies can work on Subarus then they can work on Chevys.
#7
CF Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Berkshire's, Massachusettes
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
This is true!
Well thanks for the help. Im going to start by calling the motor place and see if they have a 350 and how much. Maybe they have the tranny as well? If not im just gunna go with the 4.3. I really need my truck back soon so I don't have all winter to look. I was planning on selling the truck in the spring anyways so.
But now that you mention the tranny part it's going to worry me about how much life I really have left with it....
Im in a stuck situation.. I paid $4500 for the truck, another $500 in parts plus after market ($500) and now around $1200 for motor swap.. So I paid around $7000 for a truck that I bought around a year ago and its worth a couple of grand not even
Well thanks for the help. Im going to start by calling the motor place and see if they have a 350 and how much. Maybe they have the tranny as well? If not im just gunna go with the 4.3. I really need my truck back soon so I don't have all winter to look. I was planning on selling the truck in the spring anyways so.
But now that you mention the tranny part it's going to worry me about how much life I really have left with it....
Im in a stuck situation.. I paid $4500 for the truck, another $500 in parts plus after market ($500) and now around $1200 for motor swap.. So I paid around $7000 for a truck that I bought around a year ago and its worth a couple of grand not even
Trending Topics
#8
#9
CF Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Berkshire's, Massachusettes
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
But I just have a feeling its going to keep having problems. I never even did a motor swap and hardly know anything about them... I figured $500 isnt to bad for the shop to put it in.. it was cheaper than other places. Once it's done there wont be any codes or any computer mixups? Sorry im a newbie at this!
#10
CF Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But I just have a feeling its going to keep having problems. I never even did a motor swap and hardly know anything about them... I figured $500 isnt to bad for the shop to put it in.. it was cheaper than other places. Once it's done there wont be any codes or any computer mixups? Sorry im a newbie at this!
If you really plan on selling the truck in the spring then the 4.3L is probably your best and cheapest option. the computer and truck won't know the difference. I do suggest keeping your old motor so you can have all the spare parts and sensors off of it if possible. I just had to rob a parts motor I have of a fuel pressure regulator to fix my truck.
Unless you've ragged your truck in the last year, once it's fixed, it would be worth roughly the same as what you paid for it. Chevy full size trucks hold their value pretty well. 4.3L is a little less sought after but still not bad as long as your truck is clean & works right. Remove any aftermarket parts & return to stock before you sell if they're easy to pull because you never get money back out of those. Sell them separate. Keep us posted in what you do & how it goes.